Holder - Hungry campers cookbook: fresh, healthy and easy recipes to cook on our next camping trip

This book is dedicated to my own big and little hungry campers, Alex, Max and Jack.

Thanks for munching your way through this book and for so many fun camping adventures.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

My camping career started at age six, when I camped out in the back garden of our London home during the summer holidays. I was so excited to put up my tiny orange ridge tent, light a small fire and heat up some beans and bake a few potatoes. Snuggled down in my sleeping bag, reading by the light of a torch seemed like the ultimate adventure and I havent looked back since.

We progressed to family camping holidays every summer, where my siblings and I revelled in the freedom the campsite gave us. As an adult, I have camped all over the world and have now introduced my love of camping to my two sons fortunately my husband was already a fan. We always travel to our campsite by car and this book has been written with this in mind, as it allows us to carry additional utensils and equipment to make our trips a little easier and more luxurious.

The Hungry Campers Cookbook is for everyone who goes camping, or aspires to go camping, and who wants to eat delicious camp-made food. Every recipe has been cooked at a campsite far from home but will also work in a domestic kitchen. With a little forethought and preparation, eating under the stars can be as good, if not better, than any meal eaten at home.

Katy Holder

PACKING YOUR COOL BOX OR ESKY

One of the biggest joys of camping is that it allows you to get back to basics and live a simple lifestyle for a while. The drawback of this, however, is that you cant just reach into the refrigerator when you want cheese for your sandwich or an ice cold beer.

Plus, you need to give careful consideration to how you will store your food to prevent it going off. The cool box that you use for drinks at your Sunday afternoon barbecue isnt going to cut it for a three- or four-day camping trip, as the walls arent sufficiently insulated. Invest in a proper cool box, or esky, and ice packs, which are all available from a camping or outdoor store.

Giving a little consideration to how you pack your chilled food before you go will not only help to keep your food cold, but also make finding things and keeping them in good condition easier.

PACKING NON-PERISHABLE FOODS

Packing all of the items not stored inside your cool box also requires a little forethought and planning, as space at the campsite is often at a premium. You can also save yourself a lot of time and energy when you arrive, if you keep in mind the following tips.

ESSENTIAL FOOD ITEMS

Some of the recipes in this book include a dont forget tip to ensure you have all of the ingredients you need for the recipe to taste as good as it should. This usually relates to store cupboard ingredients that might be forgotten in a last-minute packing frenzy. When youre camping out in the bush you cant just pop out to the corner shop theres nothing worse than starting to cook a recipe and realising youve forgotten an important ingredient. Here, Ive suggested items that I usually pack. I dont have dedicated food for camping, instead I take from my kitchen cupboards so I know its fresh.

BUTTER I take a spreadable butter in a tub rather than the blocks wrapped in paper as it stores more efficiently and is less likely to be found melted at the bottom of the cool box.

BREAD, ROLLS AND PITA POCKETS Good to use for breakfast toast, to make sandwiches for lunches, to mop up curries and stews or to make or any of the kebabs.

BREAKFAST SPREADS Marmalade, Vegemite, jam, peanut butter and honey. Also useful to have if you make .

CAPERS AND OLIVES These two ingredients can instantly transform a recipe. I love them in salads, pasta sauces and dressings.

CEREALS As a general rule, I am opposed to eating sugary breakfast cereals, however, as a treat and for convenience every few camping trips I buy the selection packs or mini cereals available at most supermarkets. Not only do the kids love this treat, but I have an ulterior motive less washing up! I open the boxes and plastic inserts carefully at the top, then pour the milk straight in. The kids love the fun aspect of it and all thats left to wash up is a spoon.

CHEESE Pack a variety. I usually buy some pre-sliced to make preparing sandwiches easy and then a bag of grated cheese for using on pasta and pizza. And dont forget the decadent wheel of brie or camembert for the camp-fired .

CHUTNEY Great for a quick baste or marinade, chutney elevates a humble sandwich to something more special.

COLD MEATS Pack a selection of sliced ham, salami and chicken as well as sandwich fillings, they can be used for pizzas and .