Camping & Outdoor Cooking

We just got back from our first camping trip in a long time. Several weeks ago we upgraded our 4 person tent, (that really doesn't sleep four comfortably) to a Cabela's 8-man Getaway cabin tent. We have so much more space now! Room for all four of us and our dog.

We had some pretty rainy weather earlier in the weekend so waited until Sunday afternoon to head out to the camp ground. We drove around and around and around trying to find a good spot...  The park was pretty crowded since it was a holiday weekend. Somehow we ended up with the perfect spot; a large area with a lot of privacy, shade and plenty of room for our tent, campfire and picnic table... and as an added bonus this particular area wasn't muddy!

We had fun playing a little corn hole and hanging out around the campfire, but the most fun part was the cooking and the eating! I have been planning our meals since we bought the tent. We started out with a yummy chip dip: a block of cream cheese spread on the bottom of a foil pan, then a can of chili followed by a handful of cheese and a few green onions. We set this right on top of the grate over the fire for 8-10 minutes. Yummy!

Next up was dinner. We grilled a few brats and roasted some hotdogs. We paired that with grilled sweet potato packets. I sliced a few thin-skinned sweet potatoes and put them in the middle of a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Next I put a few pats of butter on top then sprinkled it with some dark brown sugar and cinnamon. Folded up the packet and placed it right on top of the campfire grill for 20-25 minutes... Delicious! We did the same thing with apples, sliced them up, placed them in the foil and topped them with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. These didn't cook quite as long, only about 15 minutes. 

We ended the night with s'mores and popcorn.

After a realllllyyyyy loooooonnnnnggggg night of listening to wild turkeys, coyotes and someone's generator and trying to keep my nose warm and still be able to breathe, we were ready for breakfast and especially coffee. Our campfire coffee was a total fail and much needed after a sleepless, cold night. I would love hear how you make your coffee while camping. We really need some advice on that. We did enjoy cinnamon rolls cooked on a stick and an egg, hash-brown and cheese casserole cooked on the fire. 

We had a fabulous time and are looking forward to getting out to camp/eat again! What are some of your favorite campfire recipes?