Tag: KOA

Garlic Bread Loaf aka Aunt Sarah’s to Die for Bread

You can make this ahead, broil at party or wrap in foil (non stick) and heat on a grill.  Because there is no standard French bread/baguette loaf, plan on two inches per person.  

Ingredients:

  • 6 Tab butter, softened
  • 1 env. (0.7 oz.) Italian salad dressing mix
  • 1/2 c jack cheese
  • 1/4 c Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 French bread baguette (16 oz.), cut in half lengthwise

Directions:

  1. Heat broiler.
  2. Mix butter, dressing mix and cheeses until blended.
  3. Spread onto cut surfaces of both halves of the bread.
  4. Place on baking sheet.
  5. Broil 3 to 5 min. or until cheese mixture is bubbly.
  6. Cut into 24 slices.

Serves:  12

Source:  Kraft – Good Seasons

Heart (of Romaine) Salad

In keeping with the Halloween theme, we created a “creepy” (at least in name) salad.

Ingredients:

  • 6 heads of romaine
  • 12 oranges, peeled and cut into pieces (Apples would also work.)
  • 1 # feta cheese crumbles (or blue cheese, or ???cheese)
  • 2 bunches green onions
  • 3 c olive oil
  • 1 c red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 c honey

Directions:

  1. Cut (or tear) the lettuce into bite size pieces.
  2. Mix the oil, vinegar and honey in a jar.
  3. Shake to mix.
  4. Put everything in a white trash bag.
  5. Add dressing.
  6. Shake to mix.
  7. Place bag in a box to serve – no dishes!

Serves:  50

Source:   Anything goes with romaine lettuce and we had oranges on the tree.

Garlic Sticks

Frozen bread sticks have many possibilities for enhancement.  This will get you started.  Think of all the herbs and cheeses you could use.  If you can find the uncooked ones they work best.  You also can roll the sticks out of frozen bread dough.

Ingredients:

  • frozen bread sticks
  • garlic – chopped
  • butter

Directions:

  1. If using frozen dough bread sticks, let rise according to the directions on the package.  Otherwise, just brush pre-cooked ones with seasoned butter.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°.
  3. Melt some butter in a small pan.
  4. Add the garlic (how much depends on your taste and the chance of meeting a vampire).
  5. Simmer for a couple of minutes.
  6. Brush the butter on the bread sticks. (To really dress them up, sprinkle with grated cheese.)
  7. Bake as directed on the package.

Serves:  Plan on 2 per person

Source:    Packaged food usually needs something done to it.

 

Monster Mash Potatoes

Instant mashed potatoes are a life saver when dealing with a crowd.  These potatoes will hold for hours and will freeze.

Ingredients:

  • 48 oz chicken broth
  • 1/2 gal milk
  • 2 Tab onion salt
  • 3 Tab garlic salt
  • 4# instant potato flakes
  • 2# soft cream cheese (spread)
  • 4# sour cream
  • 3/4 # butter
  • 1 large bag crispy onion topping

Directions:

  1.  Bring broth to boil in large saucepan.
  2. Remove from heat.
  3. Add milk, garlic and onion salt .
  4. Add potato flakes, cream cheese and sour cream.
  5. Mix well.  An electric mixer helps.
  6. Cook on medium heat until heated through. Or heat in oven.
  7. Top with crispy onions.

Serves:  50

Source:  Improvements on the box recipe.

Special” Lady Fingers

This dessert will only work for Halloween!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pkg Italian lady fingers (the hard ones)
  • 1 jar raspberry jam
  • 1 bottle raspberry syrup
  • red sugar
  •  Mock Devonshire Cream – see below

Directions: 

  1. Place a spoon-full of Devonshire Cream in the bottom of a 8 oz plastic glass.  (We are camping here!  At home use a martini glass or small glass bowl.)
  2. Put a small bit of raspberry jam on top.
  3. Sprinkle with sugar.
  4. Dip half the lady finger in raspberry syrup.
  5. Stab the “bloody” end into the cup.  (You may give a cackling laugh with each lady finger.)

Serves:  50

Source:  A  fiendishly disturbed mind.

Traditionally served with scones at high tea, this makes a great topping for many pudding type deserts or fresh fruit (even jello).

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz cream cheese
  • 1/2 c chilled whipping cream.

Directions:  

  1. Mash cream cheese until soft.
  2. Add cream and blend thoroughly.

Serves:  Makes about 1/4 c – enough for 2 desserts.

Source:   Bobby Westling at Girl Scout Camp Scherman

An Even More Wicked Mock Devonshire or Clotted Cream

Ingredients:

  • 4 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, At Room Temperature
  • 1/4 cup Butter, At Room Temperature
  • 1/4 cup Sour Cream

Instrictions:

  1. Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy and smooth.
  2. Add butter and beat.
  3. Add sour cream and beat once more until smooth.
  4. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for about a week. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or so before serving.

Servings:  4

Source:  Pioneer Woman, May 22, 2016

Zinful Black Forest Cake

Off-the-shelf all-American ingredients like devil’s food cake mix and cherry pie filling are your passport to a rich and decadent dessert that will make you look like a pastry chef!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (16.5-ounce) package devil’s food cake mix
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 c water
  • 1/2 c vegetable oil
  • 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling, drained, with 1/2 c sauce reserved
  • 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/3 c Late Harvest Zinfandel (or other sweet dessert wine)
  • Cooking spray with flour

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Coat two (9-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, water, oil, and reserved cherry sauce.
  4. Mix well.
  5. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans.
  6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  7. Allow to cool 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
    Place a cooled cake layer upside down on a serving platter.
  8. Sprinkle with half the Zinfandel.
  9. Spoon on cherry pie filling
  10. Place second cake layer over first.
  11. Sprinkle the rest of the Zinfandel on the top.
  12. Wait a little to let it soak in.
  13. Then sprinkle with powdered sugar. (use a fine strainer and a spoon to get an even covering.

Serves:  12

Source:  Mr. Food Test Kitchen

Salad Margaritaville

Romaine lettuce keeps the longest, so if you are planing a four day camp-out, that is the salad for the last night.  Variations are unending!

Ingredients:

  • 6 heads of romaine
  • 1 can pineapple chunks
  • 1/2 bag dried cranberries
  • 3 cans mandarin oranges
  • 1 bag candied pecans
  • 1 bottle berry salad dressing

Directions:

  1. Cut (or tear) the lettuce into bite size pieces.
  2. Add rest of ingredients
  3. Mix  (this can be done in a large trash bag – shake to mix, place in a box to serve – no dishes!)

Serves:  50

Source:   Practicality – salad sells better than vegetables with our crowd and you have to have something green.

Créme Brûlée French Toast Casserole

An elegant and delicious variation on French toast.  And the great part is you make it the day before.  It holds well after it is baked.

Ingredients:  

  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup
  • an 8- to 9-inch round loaf country-style bread (or large baguette, or thick cut bread)
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tsp Grand Marnier
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

  1. In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth.
  2. Pour into a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish.
  3. Cut six 1-inch thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use.
  4. Trim crusts. (or not)
  5. Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.
  6. In a bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, Grand Marnier, and salt until combined well.
  7. Pour evenly over bread.
  8. Chill bread mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
  9. Preheat oven to 350°.
  10. Bring bread to room temperature.
  11. Bake uncovered in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
  12. Serve hot French toast immediately.

Serves: 6

Source:  GOURMET July 1998

Bones – Never Fail, Never Burn Spareribs

The problem with spareribs is they have to cook too long to reach a safe temperature.  When you barbecue with a sauce this means a lot of burned surface – not good!  This method avoids that problem.  It also speeds up the process because you can bake them early in the day and bless them on the barbecue them at dinner time.  (or freeze them and take them on a camp out.  Just finish them on the grill.)  This also works with chicken.

Ingredients:

  • 63 lbs spareribs
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 gal barbecue sauce
  • 64 oz catsup
  • 3 cups of bourbon

Directions:

  1. Sprinkle the whole side of ribs with salt and pepper.
  2. Place in a shallow pan and bake in a hot oven (400°) for 40 minutes.
  3. Drain off all the fat from the pan.
  4. Combine remaining ingredients.
  5. Pour over ribs.
  6. Lower oven to 350° and bake ribs 1 1/2 hours longer or until tender.
  7. Cut apart to serve.  (I sometime cut them before cooking – easier serving.)

(After baking you can bless them on the barbecue for that smoky taste. Brush them with the stuff left in the pan.  If doing early, refrigerate or freeze  everything)

Serves: 50 (With ribs, you have to figure 1 pound per person.)

Source:  Needed quick and easy variation on Sunset recipe

KOA June 27-30, 2014 Safari

As the sun slowly sinks below the horizon, the guides break out the cases and boxes – it is time for our sundowners. After a long day in the bush we relax with a cool gin and tonic or Pimm’s cup and review the day’s hunt. Sightings of water skiers and swimmers were not unusual. We also saw an occasional biker, hiker, reader and napper. We settle into our new campsite overlooking the Savannah. The drought has caused us, like the animals, to seek a new place to settle – Silverwood Lake. We have all the comforts: flush toilets, 24 hour hot showers, electricity, and a short drive to a boat launch for the HMS Barkley.  There are 56 hardy hunters (camera only!) on the trek.

*= recipe is on the blog

A Stop At The Watering Hole -Friday lunch
Sandwich Stuff Etc.

Welcome To Africa

Friday Dinner – As the African sun sinks slowly on the horizon, we gather to……

Wine
*Crab Pizza
*Cheese Triangles
*Smokey Links – Fake Bbq Sauce
*Artichoke Lemon Dip – Crackers

*Traditional Salad Bar
*Dominico’s Roasted Garlic Dressing
*One True Blue Cheese Dressing
*Creamy Parsley Dressing

*Potato Bar
*Garlic Bread  Loaf

*Mud Slides, Cookies/Brownies
milk, coffee, Brandy, Kahlua, Mocha   Cappuccino , whipped cream

Botswana – Saturday Brunch – Sunrise – prime game viewing opportunity

*Mimosa
Jr Mimosa

Juice selection
Cereal
Yogurt
Strawberries

*Puff Pastry Braid
*Biscuits – Enhanced

*Omelets
Sausage (cooked at home, heat in a Freezer Ziploc In boiling water)
Milk/Coffee/Cocoa

Zimbabwe -Saturday Dinner – Celebrating a successful game drive

Sundowner – gin and tonic

*Hobbit
*Crack Dip (aka Sweet Onion Dip) – corn chips
*Tomato Basil Dip – pita chips
*Sun-dried Tomato Squares

Tombo (wine)

*Nyama Choma (barbecued  meat)
Reme (lamb)
Heihei (chicken)
Kitozasb (beef)
Hotiti (sausage)

Sauces
*Poinati (peanut)
*Yassa (caramelized onion)
*Kumine (tomato)

*Sautéed Mushrooms
*Sauteed Peppers and Onions

*Kachumbari (Kenyan tomato and onion salad)
*Komkommer And Zucchini Salad (cucumber-zucchini salad)
*Geelrys (Yellow Rice)
Pita Bread – small

*Taro Parini (Bread Pudding)
*Chef Keith Fame’s African Adventure Cape Brandy Sauce

S’mores

Milk, coffee, Brandy, Kahlua, Mocha Cappuccino, whipped cream

Zambia -Sunday Brunch – Another African sunrise

*Aunt Agatha

Cereal
Juice
Yogurt
Fruit
Bagels

*Monkey Bread
*Bacon And Egg Breakfast Cups
Hash Browns
Coffee/Milk/Coco/Milk

Namibia – Sunday Dinner – The Bar Is Open
Wine

KOA Chef Cook-off – Battle of the Beasts

*Roasted Warthog (pork loin with dried fruit)
*Cinnamon Apple Sauce
Potatoes Au Gratin (from a box)
*Spinach, Brie and Walnut Salad
*B & B’s Biscuits

*Cherry Pineapple Dump Cake
Decaf Coffee etc.

Tanzania – Monday Breakfast

Assorted juices, cereal, yogurt
All the leftover good stuff
Fruit Compote

*Breakfast Burritos

Coffee Cake – *Apple Angel Dump Cake  – in case here is not enough left over good stuff.

Lunch On Your Own  In Ice Chest Marked Lunch
Mac & Cheese
Anything that has been served before

Any Time
cheese sticks, cookies, Gummy Bears, pretzels, beer, potatoes, Goldfish, soft drinks, M & Ms, fruit, ice tea, Red Vines, Craisins, stuff

 

 

As the sun slowly sinks below the horizon, the guides break out the cases and boxes – it is time for our sundowner. After a long day in the bush we relax with a cool gin and tonic or Pimm’s cup and review the day’s hunt. Sightings of water skiers and swimmers were not unusual. we also saw an occasional biker, hiker, reader and napper. We settle into our new campsite overlooking the Savannah. the drought has caused us, like the animals, to seek a new place to settle – Silverwood Lake.  Saturday night was on the wild side for 61 adventurers.

*= recipe on the blog