​​Camping is something I believe every family should do with their kids. When I was growing up almost every family holiday we went camping. My parents would bring their caravan and we would also set up some tents. There is just something so special about camping when you are a child, and even as an adult, too.

1 can of 8 cinnamon rolls
8 oranges
Aluminum Foil

Hollow out oranges.  Cut a 2 ” circle out of the top and then used a spoon to scoop out the orange. Fill a bowl with the orange flesh and let the kids munch on it.  Then simply stick one cinnamon roll in each orange, put the cap back on, and then wrapped them in foil. Put it right into the coals.  They take about 12 mins to bake, but it really depends out your fire.  While they were still piping hot, put a little drizzle of the frosting included in the can on top of the cinnamon roll.

There is nothing like a wonderful, sit-down family Sunday dinner.  Nothing prepares us for the week ahead better than having a bit of family time to reconnect with the one's we love.

Chickens are on sale at Winn Dixie this week for only 99 cents a pound.  Get over early to grab yours before they run out and your toting a rain check.  

This makes the most crispiest, succulent chicken I've ever tasted.  


1 broiler/fryer chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
Minced fresh thyme or rosemary, optional


Rub outside of chicken with salt and pepper. Transfer chicken to a rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.

Preheat oven to 450°. Remove chicken from refrigerator while oven heats. Heat a 12-in. cast-iron or ovenproof skillet in the oven for 15 minutes.

Place chicken on a work surface, neck side down. Cut through skin where legs connect to body. Press thighs down so joints pop and legs lie flat.
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Carefully place chicken, breast side up, into hot skillet; press legs down so they lie flat on bottom of pan. Brush with oil. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°, 35-40 minutes. Remove chicken from oven; let stand 10 minutes before carving. If desired, top with herbs before serving.

I've got a few more wonderful camping recipes to share! These are quick and easy.  Also, everyone can make their own, making your job a bit easier.

Sausages or Canadian bacon
Frozen hash browns, or leftover cooked potatoes, diced
Eggs
Chopped tomatoes and green onions, if you like
Shredded cheese, any kind.

Lay sausages or Canadian bacon on a double layer of foil that has been sprayed lightly with cooking spray.

It is best to have the meat on the bottom so it can receive direct heat from the grill to cook properly.

{Leave out the sausages if you don’t like meat, and just start hash browns and a big dab of butter.}

On top of the sausages, add a handful of frozen hash browns or diced leftover potatoes, an egg or two, and diced tomato and green onion if you like.

Salt & pepper to taste.

You can also add Cajun spice, or Old Bay spice or whatever spice your family likes.
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Wrap up packet and place on a hot BBQ for 15-20 minutes or until meat is thoroughly cooked.

This is one of those yummy Sunday dinners to share with those you love.  You'll have flavor all the way down to the bone.  

1 broiler/fryer chicken (about 4 pounds), cut up
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper, divided
1 cup dry bread crumbs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup butter


Preheat oven to 350°. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a shallow bowl, mix bread crumbs with remaining garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken pieces in flour to coat all sides; shake off excess. Dip in eggs, then in crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere.
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In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in butter. Add chicken in batches; cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, until chicken is no longer pink, 30-35 minutes.

How doesn't love chicken pot pie?

The Chicken Pot Pie originated from Greece. They took cooked meats and placed them in open pastry shells that were called “Artocreas”. It was the Romans who added the top crust making Chicken Pot Pie into an actual pie.

This recipe I'm sharing is a family favorite.  It will be yours, too, once you try it.

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup 
2/3 cup milk
1 package (12 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables thawed
1 cup cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1 double refrigerated pie crust

Heat the oven to 400°F.  Stir the soup, 1/2 cup milk, vegetables and chicken in a bowl.
Place and fit pie sheet on bottom layer of pie pan. Place chicken mixture on top.  Add the final pie crust and flute edges.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the topping is golden brown.

OMG! If you are looking for the perfect turtle bar but don't want the added expensive of buying an expensive bag of caramels, look no further. This recipe gives you that eewy gooey middle that you crave with a top of heavenly dark chocolate.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar, divided
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine, divided
• 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
• 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13x9-in. baking pan with parchment paper, letting ends extend up sides.

Beat flour, 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter until well blended (mixture will be dry and crumbly). Firmly press into prepared pan. Sprinkle pecans over flour mixture.

In a small saucepan, combine remaining butter and remaining brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stirring constantly, boil until sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Carefully pour mixture over pecans. Bake until bubbly and edges start to brown, 15-20 minutes.
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Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let stand until chocolate begins to melt; spread evenly. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Lifting with parchment paper, remove from pan. Cut into squares.

Crickets can calculate the temperature
You don’t always need a fancy gadget to tell you how hot or cold it is. During the spring and summer months, you can calculate the temperature by listening to a chirping cricket. Simply count the number of chirps you hear in 14 seconds. Then, add 40 to that number to find out the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.

If you're sitting near the campfire late at night contemplating camping facts like above, you may want to add the recipe below for the morning.  
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3 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup oat bran (optional)
pinch cinnamon
pinch sea salt
1 T oil of choice or butter
1/4 cup pure pancake syrup 

Coat a large sheet of tin foil generously with oil cooking spray and set aside ensuring it is completely covered, including the edges.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, oat bran, cinnamon, sea salt and mix well. Add the oil of choice (if using coconut, make sure it's melted) and maple syrup and stir until fully incorporated.

Lay the mixture in the center part of the tin foil, preferably in a single layer, ensuring there is sufficient room to around the edges to wrap.

Wrap the granola up without any room for air- We don't want steamed granola here. Lay the foil patch on the heated stone/coal and allow to heat for 5-10 minutes. Using tongs, shake the foil pack roughly every 2-3 minutes to avoid sticking.
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Remove and carefully open and allow to cool for 5 minutes. If you want melted chocolate and marshmallows, add now and mix through and allow to cool.

Morning driving you haywire camping? Need something to quickly refuel your family?  Give this one a try.  


1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup frozen hash browns
8 oz cooked ham, diced
12 eggs
1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning
1 (4.5 oz) can Green Chiles
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
8 (12-inch) flour tortillas


Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the hash browns and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add in the ham. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the hash browns and ham have both browned, about 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Whisk in the taco seasoning. When the hash browns and ham have browned, pour the eggs into the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggs have set. Stir in the green chiles, cheese and cilantro.

Warm the tortillas. Put 1/8 of the egg mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up like a burrito and wrap tightly in foil. Store in a ziptop bag in the refrigerator or in a cooler.
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When ready to cook, place wrapped burritos in hot coals next to fire. Let the burritos sit in the coals, turning once, until heated through, about 10-15 minutes. (The time will depend on how hot your fire is.)

What a glorious, scrumptious pie to bake this coming weekend.  These ingredients are fresh and thrifty not putting a dent in your budget.  Give this one a whirl, and with such taste bud popping flavor, you won't be disappointed. 
 
Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Preheat oven to 450°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge.

Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake 8 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Remove foil and weights; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large heavy saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in milk and lemon juice until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and lemon zest. Cool without stirring.
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Stir in sour cream. Add filling to crust. Top with whipped cream. Store in the refrigerator.

Move over Dutch ovens, skillets, and crock pots: There’s a new kid in town. Sheet pans, too, lend themselves perfectly to one pot (or in this case, one pan) meals—the heroes of weeknight dinners.

Quick, delicious, and easy (in planning, preparing, and clean-up) sheet pan dinners can be built a million ways and are completely customizable to your family’s favorites.

1 pound uncooked sweet Italian sausage links, roughly chopped
3 medium sweet red peppers, seeded and sliced
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 hot dog buns, split
6 slices provolone cheese


Preheat oven to 375°. Place sausage pieces in a 15x10x1-in. sheet pan, arranging peppers and onions around sausage. Drizzle olive oil over sausage and vegetables; bake, stirring mixture after 15 minutes, until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender, 30-35 minutes.

During last 5 minutes of baking, arrange buns cut side up in a second sheet pan; top each bun bottom with a cheese slice. Bake until buns are golden brown and cheese is melted. Spoon sausage and pepper mixture onto bun bottoms. Replace tops.