BREAKFAST IDEAS

* items are good for backpacking

* Instant Breakfast and Granola Bars

Pack 1/3 cup of dry milk to mix with each Instant breakfast mix. Add 1 cup water.

* Cold Cereal (use dry milk)

Cereals like Grape Nuts and Granola pack best. Be sure to pack sugar packets if

you need them. Milk will taste better if it can be mixed up the night before and

kept cool.

* Oatmeal - Cream of Rice - Cream of Wheat - Malt-O-Meal etc.

You can use the instant packets but real cooked cereals have a lot more food

value. (See recipe below)

Eggs - Scrambled, Fried, Boiled in shells, in omelets etc.

Fresh eggs will keep in their shells without refrigeration for a couple of days.

If you crack eggs into a tupperware container they need to be kept refrigerated but they will pour out one at a time. For toast try using flour tortillas (can warm

on a stick over a campfire) or English muffins and bagels fried on a griddle.

* Breakfast Drinks- Hot chocolate, coffee, hot cider mix, Tang

BREAKFAST RECIPES

(for 5-6 people)

* OATMEAL

Write these directions on a quart ziplock bag. { Boil 7 cups of water. Add oatmeal (and raisins, if desired.) Simmer for 5 min. Add sugar to taste.} Put small bags inside of quart bag.

Package in small ziplock bags: 1/2 C brown sugar

3/4 C raisin or prunes (optional)

dried apples and cinnamon (optional)

Package in Quart ziplock bag: 4 C of Oatmeal

* PANCAKES

Write these directions on quart ziplock bag. { Mix with 3 C water. Spray pan with PAMM.} Put 4 cups of complete Pancake mix into bag. Take a 1/2 C of syrup.

BREAKFAST BURRITOS

1 doz eggs, scrambled (will need milk, margarine, salt and pepper)

12 flour tortilla shells ( can warm on a stick over campfire)

12 slices ham lunch meat ( can substitute sausage or bacon)

3 C grated cheese

1 sm jar of taco sauce (optional)

Layer in tortilla: ham, eggs and cheese. Top with sauce, fold and eat.

FRENCH TOAST

2 loaves French bread ( cut in 1” thick slices)

6 eggs

1/2 C milk

margarine

1/2 C syrup

Mix eggs with milk in flat pan with wisk. Melt small amount of margarine on griddle. Dip bread slices in eggs coating both sides. Fry on griddle. Serve with syrup or try vanilla yogurt with fresh fruit.

LUNCH IDEAS

* items are good for backpacking

* Macaroni and Cheese

Be sure to send margarine and milk (can use dry milk). For a more complete meal, add sliced hot dogs to boil with the noodles.

Hot Dogs or Hamburgers with Buns

Save ketchup packets from McDonalds to use.

Chef Salad

Buy bags of ready made salads and add meat, cheese and croutons. Save salad dressing packets from McDonalds. Serve with rolls or muffins.

Sandwiches - cold or grilled

Use pita bread or flour tortillas and fill with lunch meat or canned meat , cheese, etc. Or make stir fry of meat and vegetables and top with sour cream. Use your imaginations. There are a lot more choices than peanut butter! Canned meats like tuna and corned beef carry well.

* Summer Sausage and Cheese

Most summer sausage will carry without refrigeration until the package is opened (Hillshire Farms “Yard of Beef” is a good choice). String cheese or cheese sealed in wax carry well. Serve with crackers, hard rolls, or bagels. Add a bag of dried fruit for a complete meal.

Manwiches or any other sloppy joe mix.

Cup-of-Soup mixes are OK to add with a sandwich but they don’t have much staying power as a whole meal.

* Pringle Potato Chips carry well.

LUNCH RECIPES

(for 5-6 people)

* BEEF BARLEY SOUP

Write these directions on quart ziplock bag: [ Mix with 6 C water. Let soak 20 min. Simmer for 15-20 min. Remove bay leaf and eat.] Serve with crackers.

Put into ziplock bag:

1 pkg dried mixed vegetables

1 pkg dried hamburger, (1#)

2 T dried onion

2 T beef bouillon or 6 cubes

1 bay leaf

1/4 t thyme

1/4 t pepper

1 C Quick barley

If you are not trying to backpack you can fry the hamburger first (drain the fat) and then add half a bag of frozen mixed vegetables.

* CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Write these directions on a quart ziplock bag: [Add to 6 C water. Soak for 20 minutes. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.] Serve with crackers.

Put into ziplock bag:

1 pkg dried ground turkey, (1#)

1 T dried onion

1 T dried celery

1/4 C dried carrot slices

2 T chicken bouillon or 6 cubes

8 oz pkg of noodles ( rings travel well)

If you are not trying to backpack you can fry the ground turkey first or you can use 1# of cubed chicken breast boiled in the water. You may also use fresh celery and carrots( about 3)

CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP

4 T margarine

1 medium onion chopped

1/4 C flour

1 1/3 C dry milk

1 t chicken bouillon

1# (4 C) grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese

Cook onion in margarine until tender. Stir in flour. Mix dry milk with 1 qt. water and add to soup. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Add cheese and cook until cheese just melts. Do not boil. Serve with crackers. be sure and send cooking directions.

* CHILI

Write these directions on a quart ziplock bag: [Add to 6 C water. Soak for 20 minutes. Add can of kidney beans and simmer for 20 minutes.]

Put into the ziplock bag:

1 pkg dried hamburger (1#)

2 T dried onion

1 t chili powder

1/2 t cumin

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 3 oz can tomato paste, dried

If not backpacking, fry the hamburger and drain the fat. Omit the tomato paste and 6 C of water. Add 29 oz can of tomato sauce and 1# can of tomato wedges.

You can use a Jiffy cornbread mix and drop dumplings on top of the chili. Cover and simmer on low heat for 20 min.

* WILD RICE SOUP

Write these directions on a half gallon ziplock bag: [Soak bags 1 and 2 in 6 C water for 20 minutes. Simmer for 10 minutes. Mix the contents of bag 3 with 1 C water and add to soup. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in bag 4.]

Bag 1: 1 pkg dried ground turkey (1#)

Bag 2: 1 box Uncle Ben’s Quick Wild Rice

4 t chicken bouillon or 4 cubes

1/4 t pepper

2 T dried onion

2 carrots sliced and dried (or fresh)

1 small head of brocoli chopped and dried (or fresh)

1 stalk of celery sliced and dried (or fresh)

Bag 3: 2 T Butter Buds (or 1/4 C margarine)

3/4 C dry milk

1/3 C flour

Bag 4. 1/4 C Parmesan cheese

1/4 C Bacon bits (Oscar Meyer real bits work well)

Be sure and write the bag number on the bag!

POCKETS OF GOLD

1 can Tomato soup mixed with 1 can milk (or 1/3 C dry milk and 1 C water)

4 sliced hot dogs

1 C Bisquick mixed with about 1/3 C milk

6 1/2” cubes of cheese

Cook hot dogs in soup. Place a cube of cheese in the middle of about a quarter cup of biscuit to make dumpling. Drop the dumpling in the soup. Cover and cook over low heat for about 1/2 hour. Be sure and send cooking directions.

* POTATO SOUP

Write these directions on a half gallon zip lock bag: [ Soak bag 1 in 4 C warm water for 15 minutes. Mix Bag 2 with 2 C water and add to potatoes. Add bag 3. Cook until mixture thickens slightly. Serve with crackers].

Bag 1: 6 oz dried hash brown potatoes (or 6 potatoes peeled and cubed

and cooked until tender)

2 T dried onion

Bag 2: 2 T flour

1 T Butter Buds (or 2 T margarine)

1 C dry milk

1/4 t pepper

1/4 t basil

1 T dried parsley

Bag 3: 3 oz dried beef cut up into small pieces

* PEANUT BUTTER SPREAD

1/2 C peanut butter

1/4 C margarine

1/4 C honey

Mix together and put in squirt tube. Spread on crackers, bagels or rolls.

DRYING FOODS

Dried foods carry well and require no refrigeration. If you have a food dryer follow the directions that you have. If you don’t have a dryer but want to try, here are some hints.

Dried meats. Ground meats reconstitute the best. I recommend using hamburger, ground turkey, or ground pork. Sausage can be dried but will not keep as well because of the high fat content. Always buy the leanest meat that you can. Brown the meat and drain the fat. Use paper towels to press meat as dry as you can. (It’s the fats that make the dry foods turn rancid.) Crumble the meat into small pieces and spread on a paper towel on a cookie sheet. Place in the oven at 140 degrees with oven door open for about 6 hours or until meat feels dry. Package in ziplock bag and label. Store in freezer if you are not going to use right away. We have carried dried meats camping with us for over two weeks and they have been great.

Dried vegetables: I use frozen vegetables because they are already blanched and have a low moisture content. Spread them on a cookie sheet or wire screen and dry in oven at 140 degrees with door open, until they are shriveled and feel dry. Store in ziplock bag.

Fruit Snacks: Applesauce and Yogurts (don’t use the sugar free) make great desserts and snacks. Spray a cookie sheet with PAMM and spread straight from the jar in a very thin layer. Dry at 140 degrees with door open for 6-8 hours. Roll up in wax paper like a fruit roll-up. Store in a ziplock bag.

Tomato Paste: Unless you are backpacking and can’t have cans I wouldn’t bother with this. If you do want to try it, do it the same way as fruit roll-ups.

DINNER IDEAS

* items are good for backpacking

Foil Dinners: In middle of aluminum foil place hamburger patty. Top with slice of onion, sliced carrot and sliced potato. salt and pepper. Seal all edges. Carefully lay on fire coals away from flames. Turn after 10-15 minutes, Cook for another 10 min.

Canned Stews: You can use a biscuit mix and drop in dumplings to cook covered for about 20 minutes. Or you can fry drop biscuits on a griddle or frypan sprayed with PAMM. If you don’t want to fuss just take rolls.

Spaghetti: Use a canned sauce and add a pound of hamburger.

Chow Mein: Use a canned dinner and serve over Chow Mein noodles or Boil-A-Bag rice.

Any Homemade stew or meal (like chicken and noodles) packs well. Freeze the gravy part and just reheat and serve over noodles, rice, biscuits, etc.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham: Use a boxed potato mix that does not require baking. Add some ham cubes.

Hamburger and Tuna Helper meals

* Quick and easy fillers to go with grilled meat:

Boil-A-Bag rice or Rice-A-Roni

Stuffing

Pasta- I cook peas with pasta and drain. Then season with salt, pepper, margarine and Parmesan cheese. (Add ham and it’s a whole meal)

Noodles Alfredo

Wild Rice - Buy the quick cooking

Rolls

Instant mashed potatoes: Betty Crocker Potato Buds are the best.

Boil 3 1/2 C water.

Add 1/4 C dry milk, 1 T butter Buds (or margarine), 3 C Potato Buds

Fruits and vegetables: Use either fresh, canned or dried.

If you are desperate and want something very easy, Stouffer’s boil a bag dinners are very good. On a cold rainy night they require very little preparation or clean- up -- especially if you have some paper plates!

DINNER RECIPES

(for 5-6 people)

* TACOS

Write these directions on a quart ziplock bag: [Soak meat in 1 1/2 C water for 20 minutes. Add spices and simmer for 15-20 minutes.] Serve with grated cheese and other desired garnishes in flour tortilla or taco shell.

Put in ziplock bag:

1 pkg dried hamburger (1 1/2# hamburger)

1 1/2 envelopes Taco seasonings (I use Old El Paso)

2 C grated cheese

10-12 flour tortillas or taco shells

small jar taco sauce

Any additional garnishes (lettuce,onions, tomatoes, etc)

Omit last two items if backpacking.

* SPAGHETTI DINNER

Write these directions on a half gallon ziplock bag: [Add to 4 C water and soak 20 minutes. Start noodles in large pan. When boiling, cover and set off heat to finish cooking. Simmer sauce for 15 minutes. Serve sauce over spaghetti noodles.]

Put in ziplock bag:

1 roll of tomato paste (or 1 3 oz jar and use only 3 C water)

1 pkg dried hamburger (1 1/2# hamburger)

1 1/2 envelopes spaghetti sauce spices (I use Tone’s)

8 oz spaghetti noodles (not the thin)

* BEEF STROGANOFF

Write these directions on a half gallon ziplock bag: [In medium pot soak meat, onions,mushrooms in 1 1/2 C warm water for 20 minutes. In large pot boil water and cook noodles. When noodles are almost done add milk and seasoning envelope to 1 1/2 C water. Add to meat and bring to a boil. Cook one minute or until thick. Serve over noodles. ]

Put in ziplock bag:

1 pkg dried hamburger (1 1/2#hamburger)

1 T dried onion

2 T dried mushrooms (or sm jar sliced mushrooms)

2/3 C dried milk

1 1/2 envelopes Stroganoff Seasonings (I use Frenches)

8 oz noodles

* TURKEY (OR PORK) AND STUFFING

Write these directions on a half gallon ziplock bag: [Soak meat in 1 1/2 C water for 20 minutes. Simmer until water is mostly absorbed. Add 2 C water and 6 T margarine. Bring to a boil. Add stuffing and remove from the heat. Cover and let set for 5 minutes.]

Place in ziplock bag:

1 pkg dried turkey or pork (1 1/2#)

12 oz Pepperidge Farm Stuffing (herb, cornbread, or Apple raisin etc.)

Be sure you have margarine to use.

* CHIP BEEF AND MASHED POTATOES

Write these directions on a quart ziplock bag: [Mix with 2 1/2 C water. Simmer until thick. Tear chip beef into pieces. Add to sauce and warm through. Serve over mashed potatoes. ]

Put into ziplock bag:

4.5 oz foil envelope Chip Beef

3/4 C dry milk

1/4 t pepper

1/4 C flour

Write these directions on a quart ziplock bag: [Boil 3 1/2 C water. Remove from heat. Stir in contents of bag.

Put into ziplock bag:

3 C Potato Buds

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 T Butter Buds ( or 2 T margarine)

1/4 C dry milk

* BEEF AND RICE

Write these directions on a half gallon ziplock bag: [ Soak meat and tomato paste in 5 C water for 20 minutes. Add spices and simmer for 15 minutes. Place bag of rice in boiling water for 10 minutes. Serve sauce over rice.]

Put in ziplock bag:

1 pkg dried hamburger (1 1/2#)

1 3 oz can or 1 roll tomato paste with 1 T Worcestershire Sauce

1 1/2 T dried onion

2 t dried green pepper

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

2 T sugar

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t cloves

3 bags Boil-A-Bag rice

* TURKEY A LA KING

Write these directions on a half gallon ziplock bag: [Soak bags 1 & 2 in 4 C water for 20 minutes. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 2 C water to bag 3 and add to meat. Bring to a boil and stir until thickened. Mix bag 4 with 3/4 C water. Drop by spoonfuls on top of meat. Do not stir. Cover and simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Do not peak! Listen to see if pot is bubbling slowly.] Be sure and number the bags.

Put in bag 1:

1 pkg dried turkey ( 1 1/2#)

Put in bag 2:

1 pkg dried mixed vegetables (1/2 bag frozen mixed veg)

2 T dried onion

2 t dried parsley

1/4 t thyme

1/4 t pepper

4 t chicken bouillon ( or 4 cubes)

Put in bag 3:

1 C dry milk

1/3 C flour

2 t Butter Buds

Put in bag 4:

2 C Bisquick

1/4 C dry milk

* JAMBALAYA

Write these directions on a half gallon ziplock bag: [Soak bags 1, 2 & 3 in 4 C water for 20 minutes. Bring to a boil and add rice. Simmer for 5 - 10 minutes.]

Put in bag 1:

1 pkg dried turkey, pork or sausage (1 1/2#) You can also add pepperoni

for added spice.

Put in bag 2:

1 roll tomato paste ( or 1 3 oz can tomato paste)

Put in bag 3:

1 T dried onion

2 t dried green pepper

1/4 t garlic powder or 1/2 t minced dried garlic

1 T dried celery

3/4 t salt

1/2 t thyme

1/4 t basil

1/4 t red pepper

1/8 t black

1/8 t white pepper

Put in bag 4:

3 C minute rice

FRANKS AND SPAGHETTI

8 oz pkg of spaghetti noodles

5 hot dogs

1 8 oz can tomatoes

1 3 oz can tomato paste

1 t brown sugar

1/4 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1/8 t Italian seasonings

Cook spaghetti according to directions. Slice hot dogs and brown in frying pan. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over spaghetti. Be sure and include cooking directions.

* TURKEY OR HAM TETRAZINNI

Write these directions on a Quart ziplock bag: [ Soak bag 1 &2 in 3 C water for 20 minutes. Cook spaghetti while meat soaks. Bring meat to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Mix bag 3 with 1 C water and add to meat. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in bag 4. Serve over spaghetti.]

Put in bag 1:

1 pkg dried turkey (1 1/2 #) or used cubed ham

Put in bag 2:

1 pkg dried peas (2 C frozen peas)

1 T dried onion

2 t chicken bouillon (or 2 cube)

1/4 t pepper

Put in bag 3:

1/4 C flour

3/4 C dry milk

2 T Butter Buds

Put in bag 4:

1/3 C Parmesan cheese

Be sure and number the bags!

HINT: When I package the meal I use small snack size or sandwich size ziplock bags to hold all the items listed under bag 1 or 2 etc, I put these into the larger ziplock bag with the directions for the whole entree so everything is together.

When directions say to soak the meat or vegetables, you can add the water to the ziplock bag and let it set for an hour or more. This is to reconstitute the dry food.

If you are not using dried meat, it is still much easier to fry it at home. Drain all the fat off and then freeze. It will keep wrapped in newspaper overnight if it is frozen. A small package of blue ice will also help keep it frozen.

DESSERT IDEAS

* items are good for backpacking

* Instant Pudding

Be sure to pack dry milk to make this with. It takes 1/3 C of dry milk and 1 C water for each cup of milk the recipe calls for. If you want to be fancy you can take a ready made graham cracker crust to pour the pudding into to set. Or take along some small plastic cups to dish the pudding into so you don’t have to leave it in a pot you may need to cook with.

* No Bake Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Pie, etc.

These work great. Make sure you include any dry milk, sugar or margarine that you may need. You can make the pie in a frypan or a pot lid or on a plate with sides. If you don’t want to do that , put the filling in plastic cups and sprinkle the crust crumbs on top.

* Cooked Puddings (Rice , Tapioca, etc)

These taste good when it is cold. Just make sure when you plan your menu that you have enough pots to cook this and your dinner too! Be sure and include any dry milk you will need.

Cakes

*Sara Lee pound cake travels well for backpacking. It’s in the freezer section at the grocery store. The other frozen cakes are fine if you are not backpacking. A ready made Angelfood cake is also easy. Take some frozen strawberries or raspberries to serve on top.

*Cookies

Just about all cookies travel well. Nilla wafers, Ginger Snaps and Oreos seem to survive better than some in a backpack. Granola bars, Rice Krispie treats are also fine. Try and avoid chocolate chips or coatings. The make a real mess when they melt!

*Snacks

Again avoid chocolate candy bars. Popcorn, Payday, licorice, hard candy, granola bars, raisins, gorp, Starbursts are all good choices.

DESSERT RECIPES

*BACKPACKER BROWNIES (make ahead)

1/2 C margarine

1 C sugar

1 t vanilla

2 eggs

2 1oz squares unsweetened chocolate

3/4 C flour

1/2 C chopped nuts

Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla. Add eggs. Stir in flour and nuts. Spread in a greased 8 x 8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool. Cut and package in ziplock bag.

* GORP

Put into individual ziplock bags:

1/4 C raisins

1/4 C M & M, or Reeces Pieces

1/4 C dry roasted peanuts

1 C Cheerios (any flavor)

Can also add coconut, dried pineapple, banana chips, pretzels etc.

* NO BAKE COOKIES

Write these directions on a quart ziplock bag: [Melt 1/2 C margarine in sauce pan. Add bag 1 and 1/4 C water. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in bag 2. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a plate sprayed with PAMM. Let cool till firm.]

Put in bag 1:

1 C sugar

2 T cocoa

2 T dry milk

Put in bag 2:

2 C oatmeal

* APPLE DUMPLINGS

Write these directions on a half gallon ziplock bag: [Soak dried apples in 2 C water for 1 hour. Add bag 1 and 2 T margarine to apples and bring to a boil. Mix bag 2 with 1/3 C water. Drop dumplings by spoonfuls on top of apples. Cover and simmer over low heat for 15 - 20 min.]

Put in bag 1:

1/2 C sugar

1/4 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

Put in bag 2:

1 1/4 C Bisquick

2 T dry milk

1 1/2 T sugar

Add a 6 oz pkg of dried apple chunks (Sunkist) - about 1 C to the above items.

For fresh blueberries- Substitute 2 C blueberries and 1/4 C water for apples and 2 C water.

HEATH BAR CAKE

1 baked Angel food cake

1 pkg instant chocolate pudding

2/3 C dry milk

1 container Cool Whip

4 Heath Bar candy bars, crushed

Mix pudding and dry milk with 2 C water. Hollow a tunnel in Angel food cake. Fill with pudding. Cover tunnel with cake pieces. Frost with cool Whip and sprinkle with candy pieces.

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT LIST

Cook Set (pots and pans) Utensil Bag

Frypan Spatula

Cooking stove Wooden spoon

Fuel bottle (with fuel) Wisk

Matches or Lighter Rubber scraper

2 Qt Drink bottle Ladle

Dish soap Can Opener (or jackknife)

2 Handy wipes Optional Supplies

Scrubber Water jug

2 Dish towels Cutting Board

2 Hot pads Wisk broom (for tents)

Measuring Cup Paper towels

Clothesline

Trash bags

GENERAL COOKING SUPPLIES

Salt and Pepper

PAMM

Sugar (in packets)

Butter Buds

Koolaid - Tang

Hot Chocolate - Hot Cider - Coffee

Margarine (in leakproof container)

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

(these are suggestions - take only what you need)

Clothes for the weather Bath Kit

Jeans or shorts Towel and Washcloth

Uniform Soap

T-shirt Shampoo

Sweatshirt Deodorant

Underwear Asprin

Long Underwear Toothbrush and toothpaste

Socks Chap Stick

Dry Shoes Hand Cream

Boots 2 Safety pins

Swimsuit Nail Clipper

Jacket Bandaids

Hat Comb

Gloves Sunblock

Rain Poncho Insect repellant

Jackknife Sleeping Bag

Compass Bed Pad

Scout Handbook Pillow

Sunglasses Dishes and Silverware

Flashlight (extra batteries?) Waterbottle or Canteen

Watch Kleenex or Toilet paper

Camera (and film) Money

Book to read Medicines

Deck of cards Snacks

Fishing Gear

Hint: Pack your clothes in ziplock bags. A two gallon zip lock bag will hold a complete change of clothes. This makes it easy to find everything in your backpack. It also keeps clean clothes clean and dry and it gives you a good place to put your dirty or wet clothes that you take off.

LEADERS EXTRA EQUIPMENT

Saw Fuel

Axes Lantern (and propane)

Firewood Clothesline

Water Jug Duct Tape

Dishpans Wire

First Aid Kit Tools (hammer, pliers etc.)

Tents