Delicious Campfire Lasagna: Cook with Family

Happy Sunday Funday everyone! I thought today I would bring to you another entrée and crowd pleaser for dinners while camping. I have to give my cousin Chrissy thanks for this one as she gave me the original recipe and some tips that I have added on to over the years. For example, I’ve added spinach because I like some greens. I’ve also played around with the type of meat I’ve added or don’t add at all.

I also have to mention that the last time I made this was this past July at my favorite camping site – Letts Lake.

The place is beautiful and the last five miles are unpaved to get there which is always a roll of the dice with my Prius but I’ve made it at least 3 out of the 4 times I’ve tried. I was fortunate to go literally two weeks before the Mendocino Complex Fire (specifically Ranch Fire) started and the campsite was evacuated and later burned in the same fire. I cried a good amount after learning it burned. But why do I even remember this so specifically? Because this was the first time I had the genius idea to add Italian sausage to my lasagna. The bees were so incredibly bad this past summer in California. The second I opened the sausage packet, hundreds of bees swarmed on me and the meat so quickly, that I had to abort the mission. I ended up kicking the sausage a few feet away from the campsite. Next time, I will cook and cut the meat prior to going camping so I can quickly assemble and hopefully not have the swarm of bee issue. On the other note, while I won’t be able to enjoy Letts Lake this upcoming summer, hopefully it will be back open in 2020. I also pray all the animals and especially baby ducks are ok but the bees I will say I hope they won’t be returning (wishful thinking I know!)

So here you go – my and my cousin’s much loved combined lasagna recipe

Ingredients –

Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles
2 jars of Rao’s Marinara Pasta Sauce (this part is VERY important. Trust me – splurge and spend the $8 on a jar of delicious sauce – it makes all the difference)
1 bag Mozzarella Cheese
1 bag Cheddar Cheese
1 bag Parmesan Cheese
Any kind of cooked meat you would like
Any vegetables you might like (I like spinach and zuchinni)
Italian Seasoning
Cast Iron Pan
Foil

Directions –

Line the cast iron with double foil (spillage of the marinara sauce in the cast iron is a real pain to clean when camping)

Make a layer of oven ready lasagna noodles

Spread a portion of sauce over noodles

Add a part of the vegetables that you want evenly over sauce/noodles combo

Add any meat if you are having meat for the next layer

Add a layer of mozzarella and cheddar cheese

Add another layer of oven ready noodles

Add another portion of sauce over noodles

Repeat vegetables, meat and cheese layers

If you are now at the top of your cast iron, add sauce to cover, remaining mozzarella & cheddar cheese and as much of the parmesan cheese that looks good to you. Top with

Italian seasoning and cover pan with foil

Put cast iron pan on indirect heat over the campfire

Cook for about 45 min – an hour or when cheese is melted on top

Enjoy!

I would love feedback! If you have tried this recipe, please rate below and/or comment!

Delicious Campfire Monkey Bread Recipe

I have to admit, the first time I made this for my friends, I had never had monkey bread and had no idea how it would turn out. It was such a hit (devoured in minutes) that it is a must have for at least one breakfast during every camping trip now!

Ingredients –

Cinnamon Sugar Mix (1 part cinnamon to 3 parts sugar mixed in a zip-lock bag. I usually do 1 cup sugar to 1/3 cup cinnamon)
- I will make this before we leave for the trip
1 can of Pillsbury Grands Original Flaky Biscuits
1 stick of butter
1/2 c. brown sugar

Instructions –

Line a cast iron page with foil. I usually double up to ensure easy cleanup.
Remove biscuits from can and cut into fourths.
Add a couple biscuits to cinnamon sugar mix and shake until coated
Add biscuit pieces to the cast iron pan.
Repeat until all biscuits have been coated with cinnamon sugar and lined in the pan.
Melt 1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup of brown sugar in a small pan. I usually have a small propane grill with me that I will use for this but can do on a campfire as well. Once melted and mixed together, pour evenly over the biscuits in the pan. Cover cast iron pan with a layer of foil and put over the campfire in indirect heat. Make sure the pan is not completely over the flames as this will burn the bottoms more than you want. (A little burnt is bottom gives it a crunchy finish)
Bake for about 45 min to an hour or once all of the biscuits have puffed up and look finished.
Note: This is best cooked over hot coals with a lower flame

Remove from the fire, pull a piece off, and enjoy with a cup of coffee!

I would love feedback! If you have tried this recipe, please rate below and/or comment!

How to Make Cheesy Enchiladas at the Campsite

enchilada1

This is my very first post! And because it is my first, I thought I would start with one of the favorites that I get requested for a lot – my enchiladas. You can make these vegetarian, or add more meat to cater to those in your camp group. Whatever you do, just make sure you have plenty of cheese!
I usually use chicken for mine but you can use whatever kind of meat you like or are already cooking at your campsite. For the chicken, I usually cook at home in my rotisserie and then shred and put into a large zip-lock bag before the trip to save time when at the campsite.

What you need –

1 can of corn
1 can of beans
32 oz. can of enchilada sauce – mild to hot depending on the group (I like mine with heat)
2 lbs. cooked and shredded chicken
package of corn tortillas
4 cups of cheese – I usually use the Mexican blend
Cast Iron or Dutch Oven
Foil
Bag of tortilla chips

Directions –

Cover the cast iron in a couple layers of foil for an easier cleanup
Layer the bottom foil with corn tortillas overlapping each other
Spread some of the canned corn and beans over the tortillas
Add chicken over the corn and beans
Spread 1/3 – 1/2 of the enchilada sauce over everything.
Cover with cheese
Add another layer of corn tortillas and repeat until you reach the top of the pan
Top with the remaining cheese
Cover the pan with foil and place over campfire but indirectly of the flames
Cook for one hour or until cheese is fully melted and it looks heated through and sauce is bubbling

One thing to note here – this is supposed to be a casserole but I have found people enjoy eating is served in bowls almost like a soup or dip and eat with tortilla chips

I would love feedback! If you have tried this recipe, please rate below and/or comment!