Fire

After a month of classes life may feel a bit rough. If you feel like that…get out and CAMP!! I just came from camping with my wife at the Tyler State Park. It was the best time ever and I feel relaxed, hopeful, and ready for another month of classes.
Tyler State park is not far way just a 30 minute drive…It is well maintained, has clean bathrooms and it is cheap; for 2 people 2 nights it costs $38, and if you bring more people it actually costs less if you split the cost of the campground.
We enjoyed each other’s company and ate to our heart’s content…So here are some tips for a great camping meal:
To marinate the meat, weenies, chicken or pork I use chimichurri; chimichurri is a sauce popular in South America and it was created in Patagonia…but every region has its variations. Here is the recipe for the Ecuadorian Chimichurri:
Put in a blender for 3 minutes the following ingredients:

1/2 Cup of olive oil
2/3 Cup of white vinegar
1/2 Cup of chopped white Onion
1 Spoon of fine cut garlic
1/4 Cup of fresh cut parsley
1/8 Cup dried oregano
Salt and pepper
After blending let it rest for 2 hours

My favorite side dish with any BBQ is Power Potatoes. I have been cooking lately with a Dutch Oven…it is great for a weekend of camping, but for hiking I recommend GSI Outdoors Extreme Cookset. Man the Dutch oven is a dream come true…you can put anything there and it comes out delicious!
Here is my recipe:

1 Cup chopped onion
10 strips of bacon, diced into small pieces
5 baking potatoes, sliced
2 Bell Peppers, chopped
1 Cup chopped mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup of shredded cheese (my wife likes Cheddar, but I like Pepper Jack)
In a 10 or 12 inch Dutch oven, cook the bacon and onion until the bacon is cooked almost all the way through (about 5 minutes). Throw in the potatoes and cook for 10 - 15 more minutes. Stir the potatoes frequently. Add the peppers and stir often while cooking for 10 more minutes. Add the mushrooms and soup. Again stir frequently while you continue cooking for 5 - 10 more minutes. Take off from the heat and cover with cheese. Serve once the cheese is melted.

Try them out and let me know!!!