Tag: KOA

Cooler Corn

Am I the only person who hasn’t heard of “cooler corn”?  What is “cooler corn”?  It’s corn cooked inside an ice chest! This is the best way to make corn for a crowd. And you save grill, oven, and stove-top space!  You can even fix it before you leave home and have it ready when you are ready to eat.

What you need:

  • Clean cooler, any size works but don’t use Styrofoam.  It will warp when you pour in the boiling water.
  • 8 – 12 (or more) fresh ears of corn, (depending on how big your cooler is)
  • Boiling water, (about 2 quarts per 12 ears of corn)

Directions:

  1. Shuck all the corn and rinse thoroughly.
  2. Place the shucked corn inside the clean cooler. It doesn’t matter how you put it in, as long as the water can cover it.
  3. Boil the water. You’ll need about two quarts per 12 ears. Make sure the water is at a full boil before you pour it in.
  4. Add water to cover all pieces of corn. Snap down the lid and let stand for 30 minutes, undisturbed.
  5. Drain the water, either by dumping it out, or through the drain spout.
  6. Enjoy! With the lid on, the corn should stay hot for about two hours. Make sure people put the lid back after they take a piece.

Yields: 8 – 12 ears of corn (depending on size of cooler)

Source:  Bon Appétit, Sept. 9, 2011, Scott Desimon

 

Tex-Mex Breakfast Casserole

Another good breakfast casserole.  It would not hurt to make it the night before and refrigerate until morning.

Ingredients:

  • 1 12 oz. package breakfast sausage links
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, diced
  • 10 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of pepper jack & cheddar)
  • 3 cups reconstituted hash browns
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper
  • sour cream, for serving
  • cilantro, for serving
  • hot sauce & salsa, for serving

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Remove the sausage from casings and cook in a skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add in the onion and jalapeño and cook over medium low-heat until the onions are tender, about 4 minutes.
  4. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cotija, and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese in a medium bowl.
  5. Line a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish with the hash browns.
  6. Season liberally with salt & pepper.
  7. Top hash browns with the sausage onion mixture.
  8. Pour the egg and cheese mixture on top.
  9. Top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
  10. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the casserole is golden brown and the eggs are set.
  11. Serve hot with sour cream, cilantro & hot sauce.

Serves: 6-8

Source:  Kathy Painter/Allison Cozza

Hot Corn Dip

Open a bunch of cans, mix it in the serving dish – too simple!

Ingredients:

  • 1 (15 ounce) can white corn, drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can yellow corn, drained
  • 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained (Ro-tel)
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, diced and softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 °.
  2. In a medium baking dish, mix white corn, yellow corn, diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, cream cheese, chili powder, garlic powder and cilantro.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until hot bubbly.
  4. Serve with corn chips or Fritos.

Serves: 12

Source: Pioneer Woman

Omelette Bar

Saturday morning at KOA (our camping group Kleerup/Kerrfoot Organized Activity)  we have made to order omelettes.  It makes for a leisurely breakfast (still available for the stragglers) and uses up some of the leftovers from the salad bar the night before.

Ingredients:

  • eggs – 2 per person (If using easy-eggs, about 1/2 cup per person)
  • butter (real butter please)
  • Add-ins
    • diced ham
    • crumbled bacon
    • diced kielbasa
    • shrimp (or any cooked meat)
    • red onion
    • green onion
    • diced chilies
    • diced tomatoes
    • diced peppers – red, green, yellow
    • mushrooms
    • spinach
    • anything else that you can think of
  • Toppers:
    • cheese – jack, cheddar, feta, etc.
    • salsa
    • sour cream
    • guacamole
    • ketchup
    • hot sauce
    • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Each person takes a small bowl and chooses the add-ins.
  2. Omelette maker melts 1 Tablespoon butter in pan.
  3. Sautes add-ins.
  4. Adds 1/2 cup easy eggs   (If using whole eggs, scramble with a for in bowl while add-ins are cooking.)
  5. Cook until bottom is set and top is almost set.
  6. Flip if you dare.
  7. Top with cheese.
  8. Fold while sliding onto plate.
  9. Add toppers.

Source:    It kinda developed on its own!

 

Caesar Salad by Jack

Jack Clapp worked for Caesar Cardini at The  Caesar’s Palace in Tijuana, Mexico. He brought his version of the Caesar Salad (Jack’s Salad) to La Avenida Cafe in Coronado.  Margie’s grandmother Austin learned how to make it from Jack.  It is a family favorite.

Ingredients:

  • 1 garlic clove (or 1/4 – 1/2 tsp chopped garlic)
  • 1/2 c olive oil
  • 2 large heads romaine
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 2 eggs, cooked 1 minute (or raw)
  • juice of 1 large lemon
  • 6 -8 anchovy fillets, chopped or 1/2 inch anchovy paste
  • 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 c grated jack cheese
  • 2 c soft croutons – see below

Directions: 

  1. In a small bowl, mix oil and garlic.
  2. Let it sit to “mingle” for several hours in the refrigerator.
  3. Tear romaine into bite size pieces.  (You can do this ahead. Place in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp towel.)
  4. To mix, place romaine in a large salad bowl.
  5. Toss lettuce with garlic/oil.
  6. In same small bowl, mix eggs and anchovy.
  7. Toss with lettuce.
  8. Squeeze on lemon juice.
  9. Add cheeses and toss again.
  10. Add croutons and toss again.
  11. To be really authentic, serve on chilled plates.

To make croutons:

  • 4 slices sourdough bread
  • butter
  • more Parmesan cheese
  1. Toast one side of the bread under the broiler.
  2. Turn over and spread with butter,.
  3. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
  4. Return to broiler until cheese melts and bread is slightly toasted.
  5. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

Serves:   12

Source:   Jack Clapp, La Avenida Cafe via Marge Austin

Note:   We fid it simpler to mix the oil, garlic, anchovy and egg all together.

Any bottled /store bought Caesar dressing can be improved by adding lemon juice and anchovy paste.

 

Buttermilk Dressing

This dressing can be made quickly in a jar.  I have frozen butter milk, but it become very thin. There is also powdered buttermilk in the store.  Fresh works best.

Ingredients: 

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise (this is more than is in the original, to thicken the dressing further)
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

Directions:

Mix the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid, with a good pinch of salt and black pepper.

Serves:  Makes about one cup, enough for six cups of slaw

Source:  Smitten Kitchen

Broccoli Slaw II

When you are camping for four days, the salad for the last night needs to be pretty sturdy and non “wilty”.  Broccoli is a good choice.  The dressing can be made quickly in a jar.  I have frozen butter milk, but it become very thin. There is also powdered buttermilk in the store.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of broccoli florets
  • 1 bag broccoli slaw mix
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds, toasted
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
  • Buttermilk Dressing

Directions: 

  1. Trim broccoli and cut it into small chunks.  You can include the stems too.
  2. Toss the chopped broccoli and slaw mix with the almonds, cranberries and red onion in a large bowl.

Ingredients – Buttermilk Dressing

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise (this is more than is in the original, to thicken the dressing further)
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

Directions – Buttermilk Dressing

Mix the dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid, with a good pinch of salt and black pepper.

To serve:

  1. Pour the dressing over the broccoli and toss it well.
  2. Season well with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves:  Makes about six cups of slaw

Source:  Smitten Kitchen

Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler

What a hoot!  Have the kids make it at home.  You can use a round foil cake pan instead of the dutch oven.  This is one of those recipes you can keep the ingredients on hand and make in a moments notice.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans peach pie filling
  • 1 yellow cake mix
  • 1 can sprite

Directions:

  1. Dump pie filling in bottom of dutch oven.
  2. Sprinkle cake mix over the top.
  3. Pour Sprite evenly over the cake mix. (7-up works too.)
  4. Cover and cook until top is browned, about 40 minutes.
  • To get a 350 ° temperature to cook – take the size of the dutch oven, double the number, and use that many briquettes.
  • To bake in a dutch oven – typically you place 1/3 of the briquettes on the lid, and 2/3 under the dutch oven.
  • You can use a Disposable Foil Dutch Oven Liner for easy clean up!!  (Looked like a round foil cake pan!)

Serves: 6 – 8 (how old are they – the son could eat a whole cake!)

Source:  Cathy Painter’s rendition from Five Little Chefs

Kale Slaw with Red Cabbage & Carrots

A good salad to take somewhere.  Kale and cabbage are very forgiving when it comes to refrigeration.  Take the dressing separate and toss when you get there.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tab olive oil
  • 1 Tab Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp apple-cider vinegar
  • Coarse salt and pepper
  • 3 c mixed shredded kale and carrots
  • 1 c shredded red cabbage
  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 1/4 c fresh parsley leaves
  • 2 Tab diced red onion
  • 1/4 c chopped roasted cashews
  • 2 Tab lemon juice

Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, mustard, and apple-cider vinegar.
  2. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. In another bowl, combine kale, cabbage, carrot, apple, parsley, and red onion with cashews.
  4. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Drizzle with dressing, and toss to coat.
  6. Mix in lemon juice.

Serves: 4 – 6

Source:    Cathy Painter’s a variation on Martha Stewart.  (Or maybe Allison Painter’s)

For 50:

  • 1/2 c olive oil
  • 1/2 c Dijon mustard
  • 3 Tab apple-cider vinegar
  • Coarse salt and pepper
  • 2 bags mixed shredded kale and carrots (2 1/2 lbs each)
  • 1 head red cabbage – shredded
  • 6 small or 4 large apple, chopped
  • 2 c fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 red onion
  • 2 c chopped roasted cashews

Salsa Rice

It’s a snap to change the spice level in this popular rice side dish by choosing a milder or hotter salsa. It’s a delicious way to round out burritos or tacos when the clock is ticking.

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 1-1/2 cups chunky salsa
  • 2 cups uncooked instant rice

Directions:

  1. In a saucepan, bring water and salsa to a boil.
  2. Stir in rice.
  3. Remove from the heat; cover.
  4. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Servings:  5

Source:  Cathy Painter/Allison Cozza – Molly Ingle, Canton, North Carolina