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Last fall I was running through Kroger grabbing a few last-minute items for our outdoor camping trip when I spotted these pre-made, delicious-looking portobello mushrooms that only required heating. What’s really funny about the fact that I thought they looked yummy is that I’ve never been a fan of mushrooms. Portobellos are about the only ’shroom I will eat because they have a firmer and not-so-slimy texture.

Even if you don’t think you’d like these, I urge you to try them. I’ve not had anyone try them and tell me they wouldn’t eat them. Hubby thinks they taste like steak, and though I wouldn’t go that far, they are the only decent best tasting mushroom I’ve ever had.

After I bought the pre-made ones, I figured out the ingredients they used and started making them on my own. Depending on the time of year, and the price of portabellos, you can save a few dollars doing it this way.

You’ll need either a cool grill (Let the coals turn to ash, then move most of them to the side and cook over just a few.) or a toaster oven. (If you are the type of camper that likes a little more civility than roughing it.)

INGREDIENTS
Portobello Mushroom Caps (The ones I bought this past week were called Baby Bellas, but were still a good size.)
Spinach Leaves
Grated Italian Cheeses (You can buy a cheese blend with Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina and Romano that works great for these.)
Italian Seasoning
Cooking Spray (Like Pam)

DIRECTIONS
Lightly spray the tops of the portobello caps with the cooking spray then turn them over and into the cap place 2 – 4 spinach leaves. Place a heaping amount of the cheese mixture on the leaves and then sprinkle liberally with the Italian seasoning.

Place on cool grill or bake in toaster oven until the cheeses are thoroughly melted and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

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It’s a glorious morning to be outdoor camping. The sky is blue, the temperature is 68 degrees Fahrenheit, and other than the geese fighting and making their honking noises just two spots away, the birds singing, and a few kids laughing, there is nothing but peace and quiet.

This particular outdoor camping trip was pretty much last minute. We had booked a sight earlier in the week, but the weather caused my husband to have to back-up his work schedule by at least one day. Then the forecast for the weekend was calling for showers and we didn’t make the final decision to go camping until late Thursday evening.

Fortunately, I was able to pack in just a few hours time and we hit the road by 9 a.m. on Friday. It’s a little ironic because a friend had just said to me a few days ago that she couldn’t go camping this weekend because she didn’t have any time off from work and it takes so long to get ready for an outdoor camping trip that she would need a day off to pack.

The key to picking up and going at the last minute is to have the majority of your supplies always ready to go. We have a popup trailer that we keep packed with all the necessary items in it. But, even if you tent camp you can be ready to go at a moments notice by keeping everything together in a few large Rubbermaid-type totes.  I’ve read that some people even keep extra clothing in their RVs so that all they have to do is stop at the grocery and they’re set for the weekend. I don’t do that; as long as my laundry is clean I can pack clothes in just a few minutes. And, even if it’s not (as in the case of my son’s clothes this past weekend) I just throw it in a bag and bring along a little laundry detergent and do a load at the campground.

So, just what should you keep packed in order leave in haste on any given weekend? Here’s a list of what I keep in our popup camper.

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It’s really not that surprising that I love outdoor camping as much as I do.  Although I grew up in a nice suburban neighborhood, my favorite movie as a child was The Adventures of the Wilderness Family.  Now, most of you probably have never even heard of The Adventures of the Wilderness Family, but the story centers around the Robinson family who’s tired of living in the city and moves to the wilderness of the mountains – in a spot so remote it has to be accessed by plane.  They get stuck there for the winter when the weather turns bad and have to make the most of their primitive, rustic dwellings.  OK, so the acting wasn’t great, but at seven I thought it was wonderful.

That should have clued me in that I was a nature lover.  What 7 year-old wants to move up on a mountain with grizzly bears and mountain lions as neighbors?

The humor in the whole situation is that I really don’t enjoy primitive outdoor camping for more than a few days.  By primitive I mean no electric or water.  I have to have a hot shower, at least every other day, and I feel the need to know what’s going on in the world at least once in a while.  However, whether or not we take the primitive route, there are few pieces of outdoor camping gear that I feel the need to take along to keep the trip from being miserable.  In this post I’m focusing on that need I have for a hot water — not just for a shower, but also for washing dishes.  Have you ever tried to clean a greasy pan in cold water?  It’s near impossible to get the grease off.

The best solution, but of course most expensive, would be a Portable Tankless (runs off propane) Water Heater.  One of these can give you hot water for up to 18 hours — but, will run you somewhere between $119 and $149.

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Our friend Wayne gets the credit for teaching me this camping recipe. It’s made all in one skillet, it’s easy, and I’ve not found anyone that doesn’t love it! All the great ingredients for a perfect outdoor camping meal!

I usually make this in my electric non-stick skillet but when Wayne originally taught me the recipe he made it on the grill. He took long lengths of aluminum foil and folded them together and then turned the edges up about a half inch, to make a baking sheet of sorts. He sat that on the grill and then cooked on it.

INGREDIENTS

(1) 1 lb package of smoked sausage or polska kielbasa
8 – 12 strips of bacon (you can use uncooked or pre-cooked – I’ve included instructions on doing it either way below)
4 or 5 (approx. 3 lbs) potatoes
1 large onion
1 green pepper
1 clove diced garlic
2 Tbs. Olive Oil (only if you are using pre-cooked bacon)
1 Tbs. seasoned salt
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

Most of the ingredients you'll use for your ultimate camping recipe!

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