Camping Made Easy

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I have admitted it before: I am not a camper. A glamper, maybe. I am not one for ‘roughing’ it. Call me what you will, I know my limits. However, I do find parts the camping experience fun and that would be the cooking, enjoying nature and being away from electronics. To take advantage of this summer season and the beautiful parks nearby, we did a ‘camping made easy’ version recently. It’s a version for the weak of soul like myself. It consisted of the parts I like and left out the parts I didn’t. The children absolutely loved it and I lived through it so I guess we’ll have to do it again.

We started out by collecting items we would need. Our ‘camping’ list was much short than the diehards but still sizable. There was the food, the food prepping items, the food cooking items and the food cleaning up items. Also chairs, towels, clean up supplies, place settings, water, kindling, a tool for igniting things among other items. We were out in the day but a lantern sure looks cool and is super helpful at night (similar lantern).

Breakfast food was on our menu. I think breakfast foods are my favorite camping fare. I’m not sure if it stems from childhood memories of feeling sheer relief when I woke up alive after spending the night in the wild or if it’s because I really like breakfast food. They seem a little easier too, in my opinion.  I packed up a homemade pancake mix so all I had to do at the site was add the liquids. I even saved the melted butter step until the fire got hot. There is something really rewarding about cooking over flames.

After the fire got nice and hot, I cooked up ‘perfect’ (according to Bug) pancakes for everyone, topped with strawberries, as well as eggs and sausage links. My professional camping friends lent me a fabulous cast iron griddle and it was the perfect cooking surface (same one right here). All the food fit. Bug got in on the flap jack flipping as well. She is a natural. Something I did need that I didn’t have was a set of cooking/grilling utensils. I brought my from home, the ones that don’t scratch my much-loved pans. Stainless steel would have been better. I like this set.

I have to say a little something about the blue pot. For all my aversion to camping, I do love the speckled enamel sets often seen on camp sites. I can’t put my finger on why I like them so but I do. It’s homey or rustic, at a level I can handle. An identical version here.

We sat. We enjoyed being outdoors. It must have been toad-hatching time because we saw so many little toads hopping around in the grass. The children squealed with delight.

Our camping day was not complete without s’mores. If my children were left to fend and feed themselves, they could manage s’mores; they are seasoned in s’more making. While the children used sticks (because it’s fun to cook things on sticks), MJ used another sweet camping tool from our friends – a metal skewer. It actually was retractable, offering a short or long skewer stem. It is perfect for cooking meat (sausages or hot dogs) and perfect for toasting marshmallows (this is similar). Golden brown is perfection. S’mores are a heck of a mess but, man, are they good.

After our day, we cleaned up, packed up and went home, completely spent and ready for a shower. Okay, the shower part was mostly for me.

For the weak and diehard campers, alike: (and everything is under $40!!)

Cooking Utensils | Lantern | Cast Iron Griddle
Stove Top Coffee Percolator | Skewer