Chic Breakfast Ideas

If you've never made donuts, grab a can of biscuits, cut in quarters, drop them in hot oil, toss in cinnamon and sugar in a bag, and there ya go. It's quick and easy and great for camping! Another alternative topping would be powdered sugar and dipped in warm berry preserves!

Blueberry breakfast pies were our other choice. Simply get Bisquick and water into a light pasty consistency, put into a preheated and sprayed pie iron, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top of the berries, close, put in the coals, and check after 5 minutes. 

Beyond Hot Dogs

Growing up at an all girls' summer camp in Monterey, TN, Camp Monterey made primitive camping simple and easy. Overnight camping was primitive (no tents, bathrooms, running water, electric hook ups). The campers packed a sleeping bag, ground cover, change of clothes, flashlight and meals to be cooked over the fire were hot dogs and s'mores. In the 80s the pie irons were introduced.

Thanks to Pinterest and all the blogs, campers are now sharing their recipes and tips for a great camping experience. In fact, I experimented with corn dogs in the pie iron. Preheat your pie iron, mix up some cornbread mix, spray liberally the insides of the pie iron, spread cornbread mix and add sliced hot dogs. Place the iron in the coals and check frequently. I got to talking and forgot about my meal, so that's why I'm posting the photo. Don't do what I did. 

Fish tacos, on the other hand, were sauteed up in the wok with a little oil. I'd brought some cole slaw from home. I put both of these on a flour tortilla and topped it with some hot sauce. Bam! It was divine.

These were just two of the dinner entrees. And of course, it's not a camp out without s'mores. But instead of the traditional Hershey bar, I used Nutella instead.

These are just some starter dinner ideas for cooking out. I'd love to hear your ideas. Chic Camping

Multi-purpose Items to Pack

The spray disinfectant you can make on site (50/50 Pine-Sol and water) acts as a cleaner on the table and grill top.

A large tin can is great for toting utensils, mixing, heating water, washing dishes, rinsing of just about anything.  

An iron skillet and iron wok were great for cooking too. A wok was just the right size for boiling. The tea kettle heated water quickly and kept the ashes out. The French press made exceptional coffee. And don't forget the pie irons!

DIY Fly Repellent & Wasp Trap

I decided to experiment with my own fly repellent. As seen on Pinterest, equal portions of Pine-Sol and water in a spray bottle acted as fly repellent and disinfectant. So before unpacking everything and setting it out on the table, I made the mixture on site and sprayed all over the picnic table and benches. Then I continued around the grills, water supply and electrical supply. I did that again before we brought the food out and again after we were done eating. I did not see one fly anywhere. This will be a keeper and as important as bringing along matches!

I didn't get to this wasp trap, but I had everything ready to go. Perhaps the Pine-Sol and water mixture kept them away too.

If you have ever been stung by a wasp, you know they live up to their reputation of being aggressive and having painful stings. When you regularly spot them in your yard, chances are there’s a nest on your property or nearby. These are not pests that you want hanging about, especially if you have children running around. The best way to get rid of them is to find the nest and destroy it, but if you can’t find it or if it’s not on your property, you can use traps to tempt them away from high-traffic areas to another part of the yard to kill them.

Here's how you make your wasp trap: 

• Punch a hole into the jar lid that’s about as wide in diameter as the base of your pinky finger (you want the wasps to crawl in but not be able to fly out easily).
• Fill jar about 1/2 full with orange juice (can also use orange soda or some sweet & fruity smelling liquid).
• Smear raspberry or strawberry jam underneath the lid.
• Seal jar with the lid then place it at the back of the yard or some place away from foot traffic.
• The wasps will be attracted to the sweet smelling juice and jam and will crawl into the jar and eventually fall into the juice and drown.
• Wait until it’s dark outside before emptying the jar of its contents and refilling with a fresh batch of juice and jam.

Packing on a Whim

When packing on a whim to go camping, I recommend making a list. There's plenty on the internet if you haven't been in a while, so take advantage of the free information out there. Things I found very useful were sleeping pads, repellent, lighting, extra shoes, machete, grocery bags, small radio, dish soap and scrubber, pie irons, and large cooler with ice.

Since Standing Stone State Park didn't have primitive tent areas, it allowed me quite a bit of flexibility with how I was going to pack. An unlimited water and electrical supply meant that I didn't have to lug in a bunch of water. I could bring multiple use cans, a tea kettle, French press for great coffee, soap for washing dishes and hands, and a little radio for listening to music. I highly recommend it!

Scoping Out the Campground

Pinterest has been so much fun to look at and dream about. This summer I decided to utilize some of these neat ideas I ran across. In case you'd like to follow, here's the link: http://pinterest.com/beckythebarber/chic-camping. There are ideas about cooking over a campfire, pie iron ideas, repellent mixtures, and comfy ways to make the outdoor experience a luxury.

After surviving an overnight with a toddler, I had the itch to get out in the woods at a local state park and experience camping with my daughter "Pinterest style". So Standing Stone State Park in Tennessee was chosen because it was spotless, had an exceptional staff who shared with us what to do around the park and to have a look at the campsites before booking, and the grounds felt safe. Besides these perks, there was also an outdoor swimming pool staffed with lifeguards and a kiddie pool.

The first day at the park was simply that, a long day exploring, hanging out at the pool, and checking out the campsites twice. That evening we came home, booked the precise space we wanted, and began packing our real camping gear. 

Test Run at Home

Summer is here and camping season is about to begin, so what better way than camping out in your yard before you forget packing everything and heading out of town. Camping out at home is also a great introductory for toddlers and children. So that's precisely what we did. We dusted off the tent, set it up in the yard, gathered our gear and flashlights, and went on a great adventure!