Tag: recipes

Easy King Ranch Casserole for Camping

King Ranch Casserole over Campfire

I read earlier this year that King Ranch casserole is the number one casserole in America. I was surprised by this because I have never heard of it. King Ranch casserole apparently is a classic Texas comfort food dish that rose to popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. I was first weary by the name thinking southern and ranch but was surprised to find out it is a Tex-Mex style casserole.

After searching for recipes (which there are a lot with many different variations), I came up with this one. I also adapted this version since one of my friends cannot stand mushroom and many recipes called for it.

This was incredibly easy and quick to make and was a campsite favorite! There were no leftovers at the end of the trip! I will make this outside of camping now that I am aware of how good it is.

Ingredients –

  • Yellow or white corn tortillas (or mix!)
  • 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken – I make this ahead and use for many recipes or sandwiches while camping
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
  • 1 poblano pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 10 oz. can of green chilis
  • 1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons of Mexican or taco seasoning (I made my own, see below)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 1 to 2 cans of cream of chicken soup
  • Cilantro (optional)
  • Chips (optional)

Mexican/Taco Seasoning –

  • 2 -3 tbsp. chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne powder
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/4 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions –

  1. Heat some oil in a cast iron pan. Saute onions, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeno and poblano until tender (you can also skip this step if you want and just add to soup. Vegetables will just be more crunchy but saves time)
  2. Add onion, garlic, pepper mix to a bowl with chicken soup, green chilis, tomatoes and spices and combine until well blended. Add more soup if the ratio does not seem even
  3. Add foil to a bottom of a cast iron pan for easy cleanup
  4. Spoon a bit of the soup mix on top of the foil
  5. Add a layer of tortillas
  6. Top with more soup
  7. Add shredded chicken on top of the soup
  8. Sprinkle cheese all over the top of the chicken
  9. Add another layer of tortillas and repeat steps until items are in the pan
  10. Cover pan with a layer of foil and add to the heat
  11. Cook until golden & bubbly
  12. Top with cilantro and serve with chips and salsa (optional)

Campfire Jambalaya: A Taste of New Orleans

Jambalaya
New Orleans Chicken & Sausage Jambalaya cooked over campfire

When I was in my 20’s, I visited New Orleans for the first time and fell in love instantly. That first trip my friend and I visited the New Orleans School of Cooking. We learned how to make jambalaya, gumbo, bread pudding and pralines. I highly recommend adding to your next trip to The Big Easy. On a recent camping trip, I decided to try making jambalaya over the campfire. I was happy it turned out great! Jambalaya is a comfort dish. It can feed a group and is perfect for a slightly chilly camping evening. The most common proteins in jambalaya are chicken, sausage, and shrimp but my recipe omits shrimp. Also don’t forget the “holy trinity” of Cajun cooking – onion, celery and bell pepper. I cooked this in my reliable cast iron pan and I paired this dinner with my campfire cornbread.

Ingredients –

  • 1/4 c. oil
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (I roasted a chicken for this before the trip. Just shred and add to a Ziploc bag to put in cooler)
  • 4 andouille sausages
  • 1 c. chopped onion
  • 1/2 c. chopped celery
  • 1/2 c. chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 2 cups of chicken stock or broth (I would bring extra like 32 oz carton)
  • 3 large tsp. Joe’s Stuff seasoning (or voodoo seasoning)
  • 1/4 c. paprika (smoked or sweet. I used smoked)
  • 2-3 chopped green onions (optional)
  • 1 14.5 oz canned chopped tomatoes
Sausage & Chicken with onion, bell pepper and celery (holy trinity) sautéing

Directions –

  1. Cook sausage in pan with a bit of oil. Once fully cooked, remove and slice. Set aside for now
  2. Add oil to cast iron and let it heat up
  3. Once hot, add chopped onions, celery and bell pepper to pan
  4. Stir the holy trinity until the tenderness you want
  5. Add sausage and shredded precooked chicken to pan
  6. Pour broth into pan and season with Joe’s Stuff (or Voodoo) and paprika
  7. Bring to a boil
  8. Add rice and bring to a boil again
  9. Cover with foil and move pan to indirect heat
  10. Cook until rice is done. This will depend on how hot your fire is but should take about 30-45 minutes
  11. Check while cooking periodically and add more broth as needed to cook rice
  12. Cook covered for 25 minutes and then remove foil and continue to cook until rice is done, stirring periodically to make sure rice doesn’t stick
  13. When done, top with green onions and chopped tomatoes, if desired

Rating: 5 out of 5.