Hiking and Backpacking tips, tools and resources | Trailsauce » Trail Recipes

Backcountry Bartender: 5 Camping Cocktails That Will Blow Your Boots Off

meatball — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:50:54 +0000

I used to bartend for extra cash, now it’s to stay afloat. Since I love making drinks so much — and since sending out resumes on a Sunday should be illegal — I’ve decided to take a few minutes and share some cocktails perfect for hiking or backpacking. Now go get TrailSauced!

Do you have a favorite backcountry drink? Please share it with the rest of us!

Peppermint Patty

1.5 oz peppermint schnapps
1 packet hot chocolate mix

Heat some water, mix in hot chocolate powder, add the schnapps and sip away.

Grandpa’s Ol’ Sleep Medicine

2 oz scotch or whiskey
2 bags Kava tea (VERY mellowing herb)

Steep tea bags in hot water for 10 minutes, then add whiskey. Try not to fall asleep before getting to your tent.

Mountain Margarita

1.5 oz tequila
.5 oz triple sec
1 packet Gatorade Lemon-Lime drink mix

Fill cup with water, add drink mix and stir. Add liquor, stir or shake until mixed thoroughly.

Camper’s Kamikaze

1.5 oz vodka
.5 oz triple sec
1 packet Lime Kool-Aid

Fill cup with water, add drink mix and stir. Add liquor, stir or shake until mixed thoroughly.

Backcountry Bourbon Smoothie

2 oz bourbon
dehydrated milk powder

Mix powdered milk in 4-8 oz of water, add bourbon, shake or stir vigorously, thank me in the morning.

Tip: Pour over a cup of snow if you can. YUM.

Today’s Trail Lunch: Pizza Ramen

meatball — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:27:35 +0000

Know how to boil water and slice some cheese? Sweet! I saw this video the other day and decided to test it out. The results were delicious! Try it on your next hike and let me know how it goes.

Recipe and video courtesy freezerbagcooking.com

Trail Quesadillas are simple, lightweight and mad tasty

meatball — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:05:34 +0000

Add a little variety to your trail lunch with Trail Quesadillas, and the best/most easiest version is this one from TrailCooking.com. The ingredients are simple: tortillas and 2 packs of little cheese cubes. That’s it. All you need is a medium-sized titanium pan (gotta keep it lightweight!), a stove and an appetite. Watch Sarah from TrailCooking make it from scratch:

Do you have a favorite trail quesadilla recipe to share? Add to the comments below!

5 breakfast recipes for morning-hating hikers

meatball — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:26:21 +0000

Meatball hates waking up but loves his breakfast

If you’re like me, you love backpacking to a remote location, setting up camp, cooking dinner, then falling asleep to the serene (and sometimes scary) sounds of the backwoods. If you’re like me, you also dread the waking-up part, because that means stepping out into the cold air, cleaning up camp and walking up more mountains on legs flush with lactic acid buildup. For you non-morning hikers, here are 5 excellent lightweight, simple to prepare, downright delicious trail recipes to make your AMs just a little easier.

Bacon & eggs in a bag

This tip is courtesy of Trail Chef, Backpacker Mag’s fantastic hiking food blog. The recipe is as easy as it sounds and the process is dead simple. Watch the video below to learn how to make it!

Backpacker Trail Chef: Cook Bacon and Eggs…in a Bag!

Recipe 1: Berry Berry Wrap

Berry Berry Tasty!

Summary: This one’s from One Pan Wonders. Need extra incentive to get out of your shelter and tackle the next ridge climb? Believe me, you’ll want to wake up for this.

Ingredients

1 plain tortilla
1 single serving packet cream cheese
1 tablespoon dried blueberries
1 tablespoon dried cranberries

Instructions

At home: wrap the tortilla in foil. Combine the blueberries and cranberries in a zip locking plastic bag. Put the cream cheese in the bag too.
In camp: spread cream cheese on the tortilla. Top with the berries. Roll and eat.

Meal type: breakfast

Trailsauce rating: 4.0 stars

Recipe 3: Cherry Almond Oatmeal

Summary: Another easy, lightweight, freaking delicious recipe from One Pan Wonders.

Ingredients

1 packet instant oatmeal
2 tablespoons dried cherries
1 tablespoon slivered almonds
1 tablespoon powdered milk
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Instructions

At home:combine everything in a zip locking plastic bag.
In camp: add 2/3 cup boiling water to oatmeal (or more if you like a thinner cereal.)

Meal type: breakfast

Trailsauce rating: 4.0 stars

Recipe 4: Lazy Man’s Breakfast

Summary: This is a slight variation of an old trail standard that I found at South East Camper. It’s a must-eat on every trip.

Ingredients

1 Packet of Regular Instant Oatmeal 1 Packet of Flavored Oatmeal (your choice) ½ Packet of Hot Chocolate mix with or without marshmallows 2 tbs. ground or chopped Almonds, Walnuts or Pecans 1/3 cup raisins or dried fruit of your choice

Instructions

Mix it all ingredients together and put in a zip-lock bag. On the trail, put cereal mixture in a cup and add 1cup hot water. Stir and enjoy. For variety, use instant Cream of Wheat or Instant Grits instead of oatmeal.

Meal type: breakfast

My rating: 3.5 stars

Recipe 5: Trail Pancakes

Summary: Another great source for backpacking food–Outdoor High Adventure–features a wonderful, simple, lightweight pancake recipe that is sure to fire up the ol’ loins in the AM:

Ingredients

1 cup Biscuit mix
1 Tbsp dry milk
1 Tbsp sugar
2/3 cup water
1 Tbsp squeeze margarine

Instructions

At home: Add mix, milk, and sugar into a quart size zip lock bag. Seal and shake well.
In camp: Add water and margarine to bag, seal and squish bag with hands to mix it and remove air and lumps. Cut hole in the corner of the bag and squeeze onto a hot pan. Cook until bubbles form, flip, and cook till they are golden brown!

Note: Instead of squeeze margarine, you may substitute vegetable oil. If you do, keep 1 Tbsp of oil in a seperate container and pour onto pan before cooking pancakes. Syrup and jam can be used and individual packets can be found at local food diners, or you can pack your own. Makes approximately 6 pancakes

Meal type: breakfast

My rating: 3.5 stars

Of course, after making one of these delicious recipes you have to clean up. Check out Hiking In Style for an incredibly easy, efficient way to clean up and pack your alcohol stove and cook ware (video).

What are your favorite breakfast recipes? Post in the comments below!

Backpacking Recipe #1: Noodly Cheesymash

meatball — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:39:53 +0000

Lightweight, delicious, and completely unhealthy to anyone who didn’t just hike 14 miles–this meal is my favorite. All you need is the ingredients, a pot of some sort, water and a spork. Enjoy!

Recipe: Noodly Cheesymash

Summary: * Serves 4 * Total calories: 921 * Total fat: 23g * Saturated fat: 11g * Total carbs: 134g * Sodium: you don’t want to know * Protein: 17g

Ingredients

1 pack Top Ramen (sans flavor pouch)
1 package Idahoan Four Cheese Flavored Mashed Potatoes

Instructions

Boil water
Add Ramen
Add potatoes & cheesy powdery stuff, cook 2-4 minutes until potatoes are smooth and noodles are perfect.
Devour

Meal type: dinner

Trailsauce rating: 4.5 stars