# Favorite Wild Camping Meals



## Admin (Feb 13, 2011)

Favorite Wild Camping Meals

I know many smaller vans dont have ovens and some just one burner. So I was wondering what peple eat will camping.

Also food storage can be a problem.

It might be a good "what to pack guide"


What is your favorite meal when out camping?


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## frogdude (Feb 13, 2011)

For quick 'n' easy i like macaroni cheese with chopped up hot dogs. If i'm cooking properly then it's my speciality caribbean peanut chicken with cous cous.


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## barnybg (Feb 13, 2011)

*Fish,Rabbit,mushrooms,squirrel ??????*

Well if your ' proper Wild Camping ' like....then something you catch !  ....and not _ crabs _ 

Seriously, a barbie,has gotta be number one surely ?
things to take ? well not really nutricious but everything freeze dried or packeted,tokeep the weight down,soups are nice if you want a quick cuppa/meal and something different from Tea or coffee ! so are Oxo cubes,make a nice cuppa with pepper...lol
Your cereals is another,then theres the ' cowboys ' meal  of  'Beans'  and who dont like baked beans eh ! Mash ? but you can always 'popinto somewhere' these days where ever you are,surely ,then stock up on fresh stuff,better even to buy enough for when your ' there',then when your somewhere else,buy again,as this makes the business's or shopkeepers happy,dont you think ?


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## John H (Feb 13, 2011)

Why this assumption that you have to have second best when in the motorhome? We have a small fridge and a small oven when compared to a house but we eat exactly the same stuff as we would if we lived in one. You name it, we have probably cooked it.


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## toxicturtle (Feb 13, 2011)

*Camping Grub*

First night is usually pre-cooked and ready to go, after that our usual fare is spag bog, wi fresh bought pasta or crusty bread, chilli  or a curry, these are out the jar, just add meat, peppers, onions n mushrooms all in 1 pot. Usually have pitta or nan cos find making rice a pain. 
Bbq 's are great, spesh when you have a contact in the meat trade!
Breakfast is usually eggs n either square sausage or bacon on a roll, again 1 frying pan tho occasionally may throw a pot o beans on too if there's company.
Lunch is usually soup and/or sarnies.
Only have 2 rings n a grill (camping gaz) n a cool box, 2 pots, square frying pan, grill pan, and a kettle!


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## scotty (Feb 13, 2011)

as the above thread but we eat better in our camper than we do at home most of the time,more time and alot more relaxed in cooking it as time is never a problem while in the van


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## Admin (Feb 13, 2011)

John H said:


> Why this assumption that you have to have second best when in the motorhome? We have a small fridge and a small oven when compared to a house but we eat exactly the same stuff as we would if we lived in one. You name it, we have probably cooked it.


 

That was why I was asking John, I was interested how and what people cook.
I was not assuming that beans on toast was the norm.


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## robjk (Feb 13, 2011)

A meal we have used many times in our tenting days stewed steak mixed veg and new potatoes i can of each in a saucepan with an oxo cube hot filling quick and tasty 

all the best
Rob


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## barryd (Feb 13, 2011)

Pretty much anything from Cheese on toast to a full roast dinner or a Vindaloo!

Full size oven helps and it does get used a lot.


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## David & Ann (Feb 13, 2011)

This is for Toxicturtle. Rice takes max: 7to 8 minutes to cook. Here's how: use Basmati rice. I tea mug (not cup)full to the brim for 2 people. Use a 4/5L litre pot and fill it 3/4 full with cold water. put your rice in and put lid on. Onto a full flame. The moment it starts to boil, turn flame to about half, enough for it not to boil over. 2 minutes later, turn off the gas and drain rice into colander. Rinse out in cold water. Let it drain by putting the colander on top of the boiling pot. There you have it. Flakey rice.


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## David & Ann (Feb 13, 2011)

I always cook for 3 days at a time. Spagetti Bolgnese, chicken, meat curries. Chinese chow mein. I portion them out in plastic containers and fridge them. Heat them up when we are ready to eat. That makes it 6 days in the week and the 7day we always eat out.


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## al n sal (Feb 13, 2011)

we also generally cook the same in the van as we do at home, providing we have given our selves the time and also providing were not being bad and eating out.(not good for the budet) anyway

we have put this and others on other forums and a few people have tried, and alledgedly noone been poisoned yet, so thought we'd put it here also

if you like Chinese food then try this, (by the way if you do try this out, watch people as they walk past yer van, just like the kids on the Bisto advert Hmmmmm.)

 easy to do on the most modest van hob and have also cookedit in a pan on a bbq, we eat this type of food regularly when out travelling, quite a few of our friends also use this recipe now too. 

we generally carry these ingredients in our van, and this is just one recipe that we use
Enjoy 

Chicken Ginger and Garlic 
You can add any veg you like, trick is to cut all ingredients roughly same size, so they will all take the same time to cook. 

For two people 

Boil in the bag rice for two if you have no other. 

1 x chicken breast, cut into thin slices 
½ green pepper, cut into thin slices 
½ red pepper, cut into thin slices 
3 x whole iceberg lettuce leaves, cut in half. 
Thin green beans 
3 x Mushrooms, cut into slices 
1 x carrot, slice very thinly 
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped 
3 x thin slices fresh ginger root 

Groundnut/Veg oil 
Pinch salt 
Pinch pepper 
tsp chicken stock 
2 tblsp Oyster Sauce 
Small amount of water and cornflour mixed for thickening 

Heat wok, ( if you don’t have a wok a frying pan is good ) fry chicken then cooked add garlic/ginger, fry for 30 seconds. 

Add carrots, (at this point add a couple of tbsp of water this will spit and steam, to help keep moist) when carrots starting to look cooked add all other veg, but not lettuce. Continue to cook until all about cooked. all veg should be very hot but still reasonably crunchy. 
If looks like it is drying out add a little more water. 
Add all salt pepper and sauces etc along with a drop of water, and taste again (you are making a very small amount of sauce, but don’t make it swim.) add corn flour mix to thicken. 

At this point it should be cooked, taste, add the lettuce cook until the leaves have just gone limp but stems still crunchy (normally within seconds) and serve on boiled rice.

They say the perfect way to cook Chinese food is fast and hot frying, well it is but honestly just take your time it will taste just as good if you turn the heat down and take your time…

al


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## Justin and Jane (Feb 13, 2011)

it has to be a 'sunday roast' !! on a sunday that is  perfect


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## jennyp19 (Feb 13, 2011)

*One man and his camper van*

Did anyone see the bread that he made pot on the fire.  Looked good.


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## Samson (Feb 14, 2011)

If you don't have an oven, a very good thing to use is a Tagine, a Morrocan ceramic cooking dish with a lid. It will cook any meat quicker than an oven on a tiny heat. We usually put our vegetables in the same dish. It needs water as the steam cooks and super-tenderises the meat. Usually needs about an hour so make sure there is ventilation.


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## Deleted member 2636 (Feb 14, 2011)

The Coleman oven was a useful bit of kit although I don't know if they are still available in the UK - " elf n safety" and all that. The temperature gauge on the side was a bit ropey. A good tip I saw was to wrap the sides with a fire blanket; it helped keep the heat in.
Blacks used to do the at one time otherwise they sometimes come up on ebay. The link is to Cabelas, the American outdoor company. They seem to be trying to get into the British market so what the postage would be is anyone's guess

Coleman folding oven


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## frogdude (Feb 14, 2011)

jennyp19 said:


> Did anyone see the bread that he made pot on the fire.  Looked good.



Wouldnt mind a couple of those rhea eggs soft boiled with a nice runny yolk to dip it in either!

Off topic - i'm really enjoying the series, anyone know if it's getting a DVD release?


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## bevdrew (Feb 14, 2011)

jennyp19 said:


> Did anyone see the bread that he made pot on the fire.  Looked good.


 

No, but found this - for baking bread on stovetop

Pressure Cooker Bread - Stove Top Bread Recipe from the Galley of SaltySailors.com.

May try next time we are off in MH - only eat home-baked bread (usually bake one every 1 - 2 days at home) but not got full oven in MH.

Bev


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## bevdrew (Feb 14, 2011)

Risotto is always an easy option. Cooked in one pan, so brill for camping/mhoming etc.

As long as got the rice, stock (powder/cube will do in this case), onion, wedge of parmesan and glass of white wine, can add anything to mix.

We like mushrooms or prawns but anything in season/available can be chucked in a risotto.


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## John H (Feb 14, 2011)

Tonight (Valentines Day) we are having home-made cucumber soup followed by duck breast in an orange sauce, sauteed potatoes, peas and carrots, and strawberries and greek yoghurt to finish off with. All this will be washed down by a couple of bottles of excellent Spanish rioja. The first two courses will be cooked using two rings on the hob. 

Meals for the coming week include boeuf bourginon, chicken and coconut curry, home-made pizza, home-made beefburgers and our usual standby for when we don't feel like doing much cooking - tuna and sweetcorn mayonaise served with pasta or boiled spuds. We'll also probably fit in a 9 euro "menu del dia" (3 courses and half a bottle of wine each). Cooking is very easy in a motorhome - especially when you have Spanish scenery to look at!


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## Bigpeetee (Feb 14, 2011)

ROAD KILL!!, Always found, best if fresh.

Bunnies make a good one pot stew, pheasants, just cut off the breasts, fabulous.

If you drive through the pheasant shoot areas in late Autum, there's always loads that are too tame to get out of the way of cars. Motorhomes are too tall and they'll just go under the body, the wheels squash them!!

Food for thought or food for free?


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## Brandyman (Feb 14, 2011)

We cook in van same as home except no fry ups to messy 
  nothing wrong with a good plate mince and tatties and some veg (oor Willies favorite)


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## christine (Feb 14, 2011)

We also eat more or less what we'd eat at home. I love cooking in the van, especially with a glass of red on the go....

Use the pressure cooker a lot so was very interested and intrigued with the bread recipe. Must give that a try.....!


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## maureenandtom (Feb 14, 2011)

Christine and Bev,

We have an oven so we bake our bread in the van as we do at home.   It's easy and we bake bread to last two or three days.   That pressure cooker recipe is interesting and I hope you'll let us know how you get on with it.  But the pan is greased and coated with oatmeal and then heated and I'd be worried about baking the oatmeal onto the bottom.

My memory has been triggered though and I've dug out my old, very old, Marguerite Patten bread book and she says that you can steam bread in a pan or pressure cooker.   She says to half fill greased cocoa tins, let them prove to full and steam with lids on the cocoa tins for as long as you would normally do in the oven.   Cocoa tins, I suppose, because of the slide on lids.  Can you still get cocoa tins like that?

So, I googled Steamed Bread and came up with this.   I'd feel safer with this than with the other one.

How to Make Steamed Bread

You have to eat a local bread now and again just for the pleasure and the experience but there's nothing to beat your own bread on a regular basis.


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## Deleted member 207 (Feb 15, 2011)

In France;

Two baguettes
500gms local made Pate
Fresh salad

Thats just morning tea!!!

Lunch - at least four baguettes!!


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## kenjones (Feb 15, 2011)

scotty said:


> as the above thread but we eat better in our camper than we do at home most of the time,more time and alot more relaxed in cooking it as time is never a problem while in the van



Like you we live very well in the van. Two burners and grill plus the trusty wok allows plenty of scope.
Although we have a good fridge we buy fresh local food most days to avoid storing a lot.
The grill is very well used, fish,chops,steaks etc and plenty of fresh fruit and veg.
Even though we seldom use convenience foods at home we always feel better after a trip out.
Not sure if it's the good food or total absence of stress!


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## christine (Feb 15, 2011)

We have an oven as well, I was just intrigued with the idea of cooking bread in the pressure cooker. I was also worried about the whole lot stickinjg to the bottom but may give it a try in an old pressure cooker. The other, steamed bread recipes don't appear to use yeast, just baking soda so not true yeast bread. Interesting all the same, though.


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## patricia (Feb 16, 2011)

*wild camping meals*

Always have a skillet use it together or as two separate pans don,t need any other pans because you can use it as a frying pan as well.


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## barnybg (Feb 17, 2011)

*Rough and ready ?common or ?*

Although my Motorhome is 16 year old now,i dont cook no greasy,fried stuff,and try to keep 'cooking' down to a minimum inside....so dont know how you all manage with the residue of cooking in the small space of a van,it's bad enough if someone smokes in one,it goes brown and smelly inside ????? lol.
Some 'boiled stuff' maybe,but even that gives off some type of residues,yes i have a full oven,dont use it,the grill yes for ...toasties etc,but no fish (pong) or meats,like i said barbies are for that,thats why good weather and a beach is important....am i being too fussy,well i dont think so,i can manage and have done  so for years like this,plus my camper is not greasy,gooey or brown looking in the hard to get unwipeable places....?Of course i'm not sugested yours are ...?? its bad enough having to take a mutt with me,but smoking and greasy fat/oil cooking...
I also thought this was for tips what to take  for ease and storage/weight ? I misunderstood it was about a la carte menues (lol) and what _ ONE _ can do...road kill sounds good,as i have ate a lamb from road kill,roasted over an open fire,lush,so with Rabbits,quail,pheasant,trout,squirrel,pidgeon.caught mind you not ...squished,perhaps it's a 'Welsh thing ' ?


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## David & Ann (Feb 17, 2011)

We cook any and everything, meats, fish,veggies and whatever. We also smoke occassionally inside. Our golden rule, every window and ceiling windows are wide open. Mrs cleans up after. Ans she is spotless. We treat our MH as home from home. Then again, each one to their own.


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## zipnolan (Feb 17, 2011)

Fray Bentos tinned pie's (ASDA = £1), tinned spuds and a jar of peas n carrots (from L'dil) A MEAL FOR A KING !!


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## bevdrew (Feb 17, 2011)

zipnolan said:


> Fray Bentos tinned pie's (ASDA = £1), tinned spuds and a jar of peas n carrots (from L'dil) A MEAL FOR A KING !!


 

Tinned Pies, I remeber those - mum used to give us them for our tea after school.

Need an oven to cook the pie tho - or will it cook under the grill?

Bev


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## jennyp19 (Feb 18, 2011)

Just a thought, sometimes you need to cook with a really low heat and can't get the burners to turn down low enough without them going out - I use a heat diffuser means you can turn the heat a little higher, and it will even the heat out.  I use one in the house as well. They seem to be  little pricey, but can save you a lot more by not burning your food or your pans.
Looking at the bread in pressure cooker recipe, I think one of these would be a really good idea if attempting this.

This is the sort of thing, but there are plenty of others out there. Heat Diffuser - Lakeland, the home of creative kitchenware

Sorry if I'm telling you something you already know - I only just found them a couple of years ago.


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## Guernsey Donkey (Feb 18, 2011)

Anything with rice or pasta will do me fine and finish off with macaroni or rice pudding.


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## maureenandtom (Feb 18, 2011)

Pressure Cooked Bread.    

I've tried it a couple of days ago.






By null at 2011-02-16

Nothing wrong with it.

The dough was as normal except only a third of what I usually make, ie one coffee mug of mixed wholemeal and white bread flour, a little salt and a little sugar, a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and one tsp dried yeast started in 100 ml warm sugared water.  It was odd but very easy working with such a small quantity.

First proving in the mixing bowl;  the second in the baking tin: I used an old Quality Street tin and baked the bread with the lid on.  I cooked for 30 mins under pressure and allowed to depressurise for another five or six mins.

The loaf can be handled immediately but had to be eased out of the tin and taps hollow like normal.  There is a little crust round the sides but a very thin crust, more of a skin really, on the top.   It tastes and has the texture of normal home made bread, that is to say many times better than bought bread and if I didn't have an oven in the van I would probably put this sort of bread making into my daily routine.

Nothing wrong with it.


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## Guernsey Donkey (Feb 21, 2011)

jennyp19 said:


> Did anyone see the bread that he made pot on the fire.  Looked good.



Hi Jenny - I got this from the Martin Dorey web site (one man and his camper van).
I think this is the one you wanted.

If you ever thought you couldn’t cook bread out on the trail, think again. It doesn’t even have to be wrapped around a dirty stick. Damper bread is a classic outback bread that can be made in all kind of ways but is always based on the principle of simplicity and easy to carry ingredients. Perfect for a camper then.

Basically flour, butter and water, damper bread was traditionally cooked in the embers of a fire. You can cook it this way too but I would recommend using a Dutch oven. If you didn’t already know, this is a heavy cast iron cooking pot with small legs and a lipped concave lid that is designed to have hot embers shovelled on to the top without ruining the food inside (this will give an all-over heat). The lid can also be turned upside down for cooking eggs. How about that for versatility? Those clever Aussies.

Anyway, the tricky bit with this is regulating the temperature so that you get an even heat throughout the Dutch oven and don’t burn the bread underneath. Trust me, I know. That’s why the lipped lid is so vital.

3 cups of self raising flour
50 grams of butter (plus a bit for greasing the Dutch oven)
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
Handful of chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup of chopped, pitted black olives
1 cup of real ale (I prefer Sharp’s Doom Bar Bitter)
Crumb the butter into the flour in a mixing bowl. Add the garlic, rosemary, olives, salt and sugar and mix. Add the real ale a bit at a time until you have used it all (you can use milk or water or half and half if you’d rather stay pure). Using your hands, mix it all until you have a round dough ball. Flatten it slightly then cut a cross in the top with a sharp knife. Place in a lightly greased Dutch oven and dust with flour.

Place the Dutch oven in the embers of a fire (oh I get it. That’s why it has little legs), making sure you have enough embers to shovel on to the lid. Don’t allow the fire to flame or get too hot, otherwise the bread will burn. Leave in the embers for approximately 30-40 minutes to cook. Check it after 20 minutes.

Guernsey Donkey


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## zipnolan (Feb 22, 2011)

jennyp19 said:


> Did anyone see the bread that he made pot on the fire.  Looked good.


Heres the very same recipe, I made it and MMMMmmm its nice with cheese mixed in aswell.


SODA BREAD

Ingredients
•	500g self-raising flour 
•	1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda 
•	1 tsp of salt 
•	1 bunch of spring onions 
•	1 small pot of plain yogurt 
•	100ml milk 
•	Oil 
•	8 rashers of dry cured back bacon 
•	Brown sauce if desired 
Method: How to make soda bread farls with bacon
1. Put the flour into a bowl and add the bicarbonate of soda and salt. Using a pair of scissors cut the spring onion tops into the bowl. Add the yogurt and milk and mix together to form a dough. 
2. Roll the dough out into a circle about 2-3 cm thick then cut it into quarters. Heat a frying pan and add some oil. Place the bread into the pan and cook on a gentle heat on both sides for about 4 minutes until golden. 
3. When the farls are cooked remove them from the pan and keep warm. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. 
4. When the bacon is almost cooked cut the farls in half and place them cut side down in the pan to soak up all that great flavour


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## Pollik (Feb 22, 2011)

Travel cakes - great with tea or coffee.

2 handfuls of plain flour
Cinnamon
Raisins
Water

You could add a bit  of butter or spread to rub into the flour to make the cake a big richer.

Add the water till you get a reasonably non sticky mix, firm enough to shape into rounds about 0.25 in thick.

Heat just a little olive oil in a pan and gently fry until brown on both sides.  If you do this at too high a temperature, the inside won't get cooked, so you might need a bit of trial and error.

2 handfuls of flour makes two large cakes - one cake is normally enough with your tea.  They keep really well.

Cheap, quick and filling, if a bit messy!


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## jennyp19 (Feb 22, 2011)

Thanks for the recipes.  I love cooking while we're travelling, so I will be doing a bit of experimenting while whe we get away again.


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## kimbowbill (Feb 24, 2011)

Anything thats going really, allways have plenty of staples and you make anything, (within reason)


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## rgsouth (Feb 24, 2011)

*Dining Motorhome*

Hi David,
I dont know if there are any Asdas in France, but if not I am certainly going to miss their chicken vindaloos, with pillar rice & narn bread,all done in a microwave, total cooking time, 10 minutes.Better than viagra anyday.

Regards Ron.


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## rita88 (Feb 28, 2011)

Hi,

I too like Top Ramon & Macroni........


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## BambiOwner (Feb 28, 2011)

Although we eat very well in the MH I do all the cooking and clearing up so I prefer to cook one pot meals and I use a steamer a lot so you can cook three things at once, meat in the bottom and veg in the top two.
Bambiowner


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## defitzi (Mar 6, 2011)

de fitzion behald my nephews's dog) traffic warndens, bossy car park attendants....


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## rach-chavette (Mar 19, 2011)

We usually make a curry or stew to take down on our first night  
Bacon and egg is a must in mornings 
Pate and french stick is great for mid day snack or supper 
potato/pasta or egg salads  easy to whip up


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## rach-chavette (Mar 19, 2011)

[video=youtube;-7W14WRJzpI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7W14WRJzpI[/video]

This guy made a gorgeous curry in his camper


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## hirtag (Mar 20, 2011)

*watch out for an article written in the may MMM magazine this will help.*

Watch out for an article in may mmm magazine it will help you to put together a stock of important stuff. 

Cheers Angela Kay



Phil said:


> Favorite Wild Camping Meals
> 
> I know many smaller vans dont have ovens and some just one burner. So I was wondering what peple eat will camping.
> 
> ...


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## vindiboy (Mar 20, 2011)

Pressure Cooker, three tier steamer and Barbi,is all you need for the very best meals in the camper.and a little know how of course.eating out is fun too.


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