Old Fashioned Peach Pie

by Julie

Pie and Ice CreamHello everyone,

Over the last couple of years, my mom and I have formed a wonderful habit of making pies. In the past, we have made strawberry rhubarb pies in June, when the rhubarb is at its best. Additionally, we’ve made apple and blueberry pies in August when those fruits are in season. John and I are both a big fan of my buttercup squash pies in the fall.

PeachesThis year, we decided to try something new, and boy did our efforts pay off! As peaches are in season in early August, we kept our eyes peeled for a sale. When we saw it, we hustled over and bought about 50 peaches and made some peach pies!

I got peeling and cutting peach after peach. One nice thing about ripe peaches is that they peel quite easy, and often you can just pull the skin right off. We made the dough together and my mom got rolling out pie crusts. We went with the classic Tenderflake crust, which are always great. Some tricks with the dough include:

  • Use a pastry cutter and finish with knives to get the dough to the consistency of oats before adding liquid
  • Don’t add too much liquid! You would be surprised how little you actually need for the dough to cling together
  • When you are rolling out the crust, flip the flattened dough while rolling, using flower. This will keep it from sticking to the table.

We found that when you add sugar to the peaches, a heck of a lot of liquid comes out of the peaches. It is a very important step to thicken the liquid using cornstarch on the stove before you add the peaches to your pie. This will keep your peaches from swimming in a liquidy pool of peach juice and sugar.

With the two of us working together, we made 10 pies in about 4 hours. It’s definitely easier and more fun to make pies with someone then it is by yourself. It seems like a lot of work, but think of the hours you will save making desserts for your dinner parties over the year! Pies freeze just wonderfully, and it’s so easy to pop a frozen pie in the oven for an hour when you have guests over. Serve your peach pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and voila – a quick and easy dessert.

The one problem with pie-making is it generally leaves your kitchen in an atrocious mess, with flour and sticky peach juice everywhere! Good thing there were two of us to clean up!

TIPS:

  • Try substituting a peach with a cup of raspberries for a peach raspberry pie!
  • Make sure your peaches are nice and ripe. This will make them more delicious and easier to peel. I preferred to slice the peaches into quarters and pulled the skin right off each piece.
  • Brush your crust with egg whites and cream and sprinkle with sugar before baking.

Full Pie BakedIn the end, it was well worth the effort as our pie turned out just wonderfully! The peaches we used were beautiful Okanogan peaches that were perfect fully ripe, which helped produce a wonderful product.  And of course, I now have a freezer full of pies to hold me over until next summer.

So go find yourself a pie making companion and give this a shot! Special thanks to my mom for being mine for the day!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here for the printable Word version of the recipe:
Peach Pie

________________________________________________________

Peach Pie

CRUST INGREDIENTS:

Pie Plates
Tenderflake (yields 2-3 pies, follow directions on box)

FILLING INGREDIENTS: (yields 1 pie)

6 medium-sized ripe peaches
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter

INGREDIENTS FOR BAKING:

Egg whites and cream/melted butter
Sugar

CRUST DIRECTIONS:

  1. Follow instructions on Tenderflake package.
  2. When rolling dough, use plenty of flour and flip crust on table a few times while rolling so it doesn’t stick to the table.
  3. Repeat for top and bottom of pie
  4. Be sure to seal the edge of the pie and add holes to the top of the pie. You can just stab with a fork, or use a knife to create some designs!

FILLING DIRECTIONS:

  1. Peel and slice peaches.
  2. In a large bowl, add peaches and sugars. Mix well and let sit for at least 10 minutes.
  3. Drain liquid into out of peach mixture into a small pot.
  4. Add cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to pot with peach and sugar juices.
  5. Heat on medium-high heat, whisking, until liquid thickens.
  6. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and melt butter in pot.
  7. Add contents of pot back to peaches. Mix well before adding to pie crust.

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Brush crust with egg whites and cream and sprinkle with sugar. Alternatively, brush crust with melted butter and sprinkle sugar.
  2. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, until top is golden
  3. If pie is frozen, bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour – 1 hour 10 minutes.

Pies freeze wonderfully!

John’s Smoked Big-Ass Rib Eye Steak

by Julie

Cut SteakHello everyone,

I would like to start by apologizing for my use of vulgar language in the title of this post. But seriously, apart from “big-ass,” I can’t think of a better adjective to describe the glorious 24+ oz rib eye steak that John and I cooked up that magical night.

We came across our beloved in a grocery store in South Lake Tahoe. When we saw it sitting there, we were like two little kids peering over the counter at a candy store, staring in disbelief as we had never seen such a thick cut of steak in Canada. There are some things that Americans do better than everyone else, and this big-ass steak is one of them.

John is passionate about smoking, and always brings a smoker camping. His mini-komodo is small and easily packed in our truck. We carry it around the continent with us, preparing tasty smoked delicacies wherever we go.

John and I are usually purists when it comes to steak, but John decided to change it up this time. He threw the big-ass steak on his mini-komado and the magic happened. .

And let me tell you, this steak was unlike anything I have ever eaten.

John smoked it for about an hour with oak, and then promptly grilled the steak to perfection. Cooked to a perfect medium rare-rare Chicago style, the smoky flavour accented the steak just wonderfully. Even the dog knows this steak is something special.

On our way out of South Lake Tahoe, we purchased a second big-ass steak and smoked it when we stopped in Montana on our way home. I didn’t think perfection could be repeated but John pulled it off a second time!

___________________________________________________________________

Steak on Cutting BoardBBQ Definition

Chicago Style

A steak cooked “Chicago style” means the outside of the steak is burnt and the inside of the steak is cooked to order. Once you go Chicago, you will never go back!

______________________________________________________

John Getting Grill Up To Hellfire TemperaturesTemperature Definition

The Fires of Hell

To achieve the “fires of hell” temperature, get your BBQ as hot as you can. If flames start erupting out of the grill, that’s even better! That “hellfire” will help you achieve your Chicago style steak.

Please note: While “Chicago Style” is an actual cooking term, “The Fires of Hell” is a cooking term coined by John

_________________________________________________________

Montana SunsetI would like to finish by apologizing for the constant use of the term “Hell” to describe the temperature of John’s grill. But John and I agree that apart from the phrase Fires of Hell,” there is no better way to describe the temperature of his grill and the flames rising out of said grill. It’s like Mordor in there.

This concludes the story of the happiest day of my life.

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here for the printable Word version of the recipe:
John’s Big-Ass Smoked Rib Eye Steak 

_______________________________________________________

John’s Big-Ass Smoked Rib Eye

INGREDIENTS

1 Rib eye steak, 2+ inches thick
Rub (we like our Salt Lick Rub)
Butter

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Put a healthy amount of rub on all sides of steak
  2. Smoke with oak or applewood at 220 F for 1 hour.
  3. Coat both sides of steak in butter while getting grill up to high heat.
  4. Finish off Chicago style in direct flame. Temperatures should range approx. around the fires of hell.

TIP: If you hit the steak against the grill, the fat will fall out causing the grill to produce even more hellfire, giving your steak a fantastic Chicago finish. Ensure you are wearing proper PPE if you are to attempt this. John suggests oven mitts and safety glasses. Or very, very long tongs.

Please note: The temperature term “Fires of Hell” used in this recipe is a very scientific term coined by John himself.

Lake Tahoe and Camping Cinnamon Buns on the BBQ

by Julie

This week, I introduced a new page featuring John’s recipes. Click here to see what John has been up to! 

Cinnamon Buns on GrillHello everyone,

The fact that lake Tahoe exists is amazing to me. You are literally driving through the dry Nevada desert and then suddenly it gets a little hilly then mountainy and oh, look, you’re gaining elevation and then BAM! A gorgeous gigantic turquoise-blue lake surrounded by forests and granite mountains.

Lake Tahoe itself is stunning, but John and I didn’t spend much time at the main lake. We spent more time hiking in search of climbing areas. My favourite was our hike up to Eagle lake, where John climbed some of his favourite routes in the area. The climbing there was a tad difficult for me, so I just took in the beautiful scenery and watched John climb.

Space Truckin’
Eagle Lake

One thing that is really awesome about Lake Tahoe is that there is free camping all over the place. John had asked around on his last trip and had found some lovely spots for us to stay.

The first night, John was disappointed to see that his favourite camping spot was taken by someone else. But the second night we seemed to luck out as the spot was vacant!

We got out of the truck to brush our teeth at the river when we heard a low growling sound. At first I thought it was a motorcycle, but then we quickly realized it wasn’t mechanical.

“Is that what I think it is?” I asked John.

“Yes, I heard it back at camp too.” John replied.

This large animal had followed us from our campsite to the river, growling a low ominous growl all the way.

We headed back to camp and fell asleep in the truck. I was awoken by the sound of more growling. John is very comfortable around black bears. He has been known to yell at them, throw rocks at them, and other such antics as I cower in the vehicle. But during his numerous bear encounters, he had never heard a bear growl, especially consistently like this guy was. When we heard footsteps in the camp, John yelled really loud out the window of the canopy to try to scare the bear away.

We decided right then that camping in this spot was a bad idea. John figures that the previous campers had fed this bear and that it was protecting the area (or something along those lines.) We decided to leave.

The only problem is that we were camping in the back of the truck and to actually get to the front of the truck, you have to go outside. After some more yelling, careful listening and scanning of the outside with the limited light of a head lamp, John made a break for it, climbed out of the canopy, raised our bike rack, got to the front of the truck and drove away. As for me, I stayed in the safety of the truck bed as we drove down the road. There was no way I was getting out of that vehicle with Growly Bear on the prowl.

Growling bears are not cool. If a bear decided to, it could rip off a truck canopy with one swipe of its paw. You don’t hang around when a bear growls at you.

So we opted not to return to that camping site the next day. We found another lovely free camping spot on the side of a river, and another right at the top of the mountain.

River Side
Mountain Top

This week’s recipe was created on top of a mountain. Well, I’ll confess it’s not really a recipe, but more of an idea. But boy is it a good one.

We bought Cinnabon’s version of those make-at-home Pilsbury cinnamon buns most of us are familiar with, and we cooked them on the BBQ!

Cinnamon BunsThis super easy dessert is the perfect night cap for any camping trip!

So if a pig-headed man tells you that “you can’t bake a cake on the barbecue” he is a liar. Well, at least you can bake cinnamon buns!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here to view printable Word version of recipe:
Camping Cinnamon Buns on the BBQ

_______________________________________________________

Camping BBQ Cinnamon Buns

1 pkg bake-at-home Pilsbury cinnamon buns (John and I found a Cinnabon brand in the USA that’s even better, and we also love our generic brands here in Canada)

Butter

1 pie tin

Tin Foil

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Butter the pie tin
  2. Place cinnamon buns in star pattern on the bottom of your pie tin.
  3. Cover cinnamon buns in tin foil
  4. Seriously, just follow the directions on the cinnamon bun package. If you don’t have a thermometer, just put your BBQ on medium and monitor your buns.

John’s Beer Battered Fish and Chips

by Julie

Deep FryerHello everyone,

There is nothing like having a fish fry outside on a nice summer day. We have done this a couple of years in a row at the cabin, and it has become a hit. We set up the deep-fryer and a picnic table in the middle of the yard and John entertains us as he piles plates of fries and deep-fried fish in front of us. It’s really nice to sit outside with the family and be fed!

John doesn’t do fish and chips like a normal person. He puts on a spectacle.

You will see him in his mad scientist goggles and fire-proof gloves with the deep-fryer set up in the middle of the yard. Our neighbour looked over the fence and said “Wow, that’s a dramatic way to do fish and chips!”

Lingcod Teeth
John and Lingcod

For this and other recent fish fries, we have been spoiled enough to be able to use lingcod caught by John and his dad from the Pacific Ocean. Some of the lingcods they caught were huge, stretching from the ground to John’s shoulders! The fish are very creepy looking, and John says they are evil.I believe him. But despite their freaky nature, they are sure delicious! The fillets on those beasts are massive and thick, making steaks look like paper. John brought one of the smaller fillets out, and it was enough to feed 6 of us plus some of our neighbours! We have yet to test how many the big fillets can feed…

Dipped in the beer batter and fried just right, the fish is flakey and succulent all at once. Serving with lemon and tartar sauce makes the whole experience even better!

While you’re at it, you really can’t beat homemade fries in the deep fryer. John and I prefer to use russet potatoes with the skin kept on. We bought one of those French fry cutter machine thingies, and I can tell you the investment was well worth it! Perfect, uniform fries cut in minutes!

TIPS:

  • We kept our beer batter simple, but you can spruce it up with any spices or herbs you like, such as cayenne pepper or garlic powder.
  • If you don’t have lingcod, any type of cod or halibut makes great fish and chips.
  • Cut your fish into strips and soak in buttermilk before frying. The buttermilk helps remove some of the undesirable “fishy” flavour
  • If you are doing fries, deep-fry them before the fish, otherwise your fries will have a fishy taste.
  • We like to serve our fries with malt vinegar.

Picnic

It is never cool to make your whole house smell like deep-fried fish, so take advantage of a nice sunny day with your family and friends and fire up the deep fryer!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here to view the printable Word version of recipe:
Beer Battered Fish

________________________________________________

Beer Battered Fish

INGREDIENTS:

Fish – cod or halibut
Salt and pepper
Buttermilk

Batter Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 can/bottle of beer
1 tsp salt
Pepper
Herbs/spices of choice (optional)

Canola oil for deep frying

Tartar sauce for dipping
Lemon wedges for garnishing

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Cut fish into strips. Season with salt and pepper. Put strips in buttermilk and let soak. This will help remove any unwanted fishy taste.
  2. Prepare batter by whisking together batter ingredients.
  3. Heat canola oil in deep fryer. Heat oil to the smoke point of the oil, around 300 F for canola oil.
  4. Shake excess buttermilk off fish strip and coat in beer batter.
  5. Place strips in deep fryer until they are golden.

*Note: If you are deep frying French fries as well, be sure to deep fry before the fish to avoid fishy taste in fries.

Casa Bonita: Guacamole

by Julie

GuacamoleHello everyone,

You know that sad feeling you get on boxing day when you realize that it’s the longest time period possible between now and the next Christmas day? That’s how I feel the day after Casa Bonita. Every year I look forward to my family’s Canada day tradition. Well, Canada day has come and gone, and so has our annual Mexican fiesta, Casa Bonita!

We started this tradition too many years ago to count, serving up delicious Mexican food to celebrate Canada day, and it has stuck. We all look forward to Casa Bonita every July long weekend. This year, my uncle Don and his Margaritaville hosted the festivities, so you can imagine we had a swell time. To learn more about the origins of Casa Bonita, click here.

I honestly think we collectively outdid our former selves this year with the food. Uncle Don’s enchilladas, Lori’s mango salsa, my mom’s Mexican rice, and my sweet and spicy Mexican black beans are the classics that return year after year. We had some new additions too, including pineapple salsa, bean dips, Mexican vegetarian salad, and jalapeno poppers.

My friend Micheline brought guacamole as you can’t have Casa Bonita without guacamole! The poor girl probably spent an hour patiently preparing a massive double-batch of the delicious green goop. We had a hard time trying to make the guacamole look appetizing in the photo, but thanks to some clever tomato placement, I think this goal was somewhat accomplished.
TIPS:

  • Add more salt, lime and cilantro to taste.
  • We left the avocado pits in the guacamole. Legend has it that the pits help keep the guacamole from browning. I had never heard of this before and insist it’s an urban myth (I always thought lime juice did the job just find on its own) but everyone insisted that this pit trick really works.
  • I swear, wearing a sombrero makes Mexican food taste even more delicious.
  • Bring a wheelbarrow, as some indulgent Casa Bonita attendees may require some transportation home

This recipe has been my go to guac recipe for years now. I think the trick is the tomatoes. I always find that the best guacamole has tomatoes.

As at every Casa Bonita, I had a blast with my family and friends drinking margaritas and sangria in the afternoon sun. Oh and I guess the food was pretty good too!

Thanks to my cousin Sophie for taking all the Casa Bonita pictures, and to Micheline for slaving away at that huge bowl of guac!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Previous Casa Bonita Posts:
Sweet and Spicy Mexican Black Beans

Click here to view printable Word version of recipe:
Guacamole

_____________________________________________________________________

Guacamole

Ingredients

  • 4 avocados – peeled, pitted and cut into pieces
  • 2 tomatoes, cut into small pieces
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1-2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup minced onion
  • ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
  • 1-2 cloves minced garlic
  • ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Mash all ingredients together. Add more salt, lime and cilantro

Optional: Leave avocado pits in the guacamole to help keep guacamole from turning brown. If not, the lime juice already added works well too.

Vegetarian Sweet Potato Burritos

by Julie

BurritoHello everyone,

I love Mexican food. But it’s really hard to find good Mexican food in Canada. There is the odd gem, but in general we’re not all that good at it. If you want the good stuff, I suggest you travel to the southwest United States. No, not Mexico. I swear, Americans make better Mexican food then the touristy areas of Mexico do.

If anyone in California is reading this, there is a great business opportunity for you to start a Mexican restaurant up north!

John and I were in South Lake Tahoe eating at as many different Mexican restaurants as we could fit in to our schedule. One such place offered a delicious looking vegetarian burrito that I just had to try. What made it so good was that they used their cinnamon sweet potatoes in the burrito. After trying this burrito, I decided I needed to do my best to replicate it at home.

So this recipe was my attempt, and I daresay it turned out fabulously!

A Mexican bean and vegetable mixture, cinnamon sweet potatoes baked in butter, avocado, salsa verde and cheese all come together in a whole wheat tortilla to make this happen. And yes, black beans, sweet potatoes, avocado and whole wheat tortilla will give you a nice shot of fibre!

TIPS:

  • I decided to cook the sweet potatoes in foil on the BBQ instead of in my oven as my house was a bajillion degrees that day and I didn’t want to heat it further. This worked out nicely.
  • You can make your salsa verde from scratch (see recipe here) or just buy a jar from the store to simplify things. Same goes with the pico de gallo/salsa
  • Make lots so you can have it the next day for leftovers – as good as fresh!

I swear, this is really good. With the help of some sangria, this recipe makes for a very fun dinner party. I would suggest you give it a try! And you won’t miss the meat!

Special thanks to Cody Moore for taking the food pics for me.

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here to view the printable word version of the recipe:
Sweet Potato Vegetarian Burritos

______________________________________________________

Sweet Potato Vegetarian Burritos

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4-6

Sweet Potatoes:

1 large orange fleshed sweet potato, peeled and diced
1-2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Black Beans:

1 onion, sliced
4-6 mushrooms, sliced
1 japapeno, minced
3 cloves garlic minced
½ red pepper, diced
1 tomato, diced
1 can black beans
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper

Large Flour tortillas
Sliced Avacado
Salsa verde (from scratch or store bought)
Pico de gallo (from scratch or store bought salsa)
Grated cheese
Cilantro
Sour Cream
Mexican hot sauce (Valintinas, Tapateo, Chalula’s etc.)
DIRECTIONS:

Sweet Potatoes:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F (alternatively cook on the BBQ)
  2. Peel sweet potato and cut into cubes.
  3. Place sweet potato on a large piece of tin foil.
  4. Sprinkle sweet potato with sugar and cinnamon. Add a few chunks of butter.
  5. Wrap in foil so package is well sealed.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until sweet potatoes are cooked

Black Bean Filling:

  1. Heat frying pan on medium high. Saute onions in oil. Add mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms start to cook.
  2. Add jalapeno and garlic, continue to cook.
  3. Add red peppers.
  4. Add cumin and chili powder. Stir and cook for about a minute.
  5. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes.
  6. Add black beans, cook for a minute or two.

Burritos:

  1. Prepare other ingredients.
  • Heat tortillas
  • Grate cheese
  • Chop cilantro
  • Slice and salt avocado.
  1. Prepare salsa verde if making from scratch.
  2. Prepare pico de gallo if making from scratch. If not use jar of salsa.
  3. On a tortilla, add sour cream. Place sliced avacados. Add a scoop of the bean mixture and sweet potatoes. Top with grated cheese, salsa verde, pico de gallo/salsa, cilantro and hot sauce.
  4. Roll burritos and serve!

Campfire Roasted Thai Sweet Chili Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

by Julie

Poppers 1
Hello everyone,

With camping season upon us, you might find yourself reaching for that weenie roasting stick for a late snack by the campfire.

But hasn’t the hot dog thing gotten a little old? Wouldn’t you rather try something new?

Yes, this idea may take a little more work, but TRUST ME, it will be well worth the effort. Your friends by the campfire will love you and they will always speak fondly of the epic night you blew their intoxicated minds and made them ….

CAMPFIRE ROASTED SWEET THAT CHILI BACON WRAPPED JALAPENO POPPERS

Yes it’s, there are a lot of words in that title, but each word is an integral part of the popper. John and I aren’t the first people in the world to make homemade jalapeno poppers and even wrap them in bacon. But it could be that we are the first to ever try roasting them right over the campfire.

The poppers were a group effort on our part, but I have to give John full credit for the idea of roasting the poppers over the campfire. It was an experiment that seemed like it could be a bad idea, but let me tell you, it works like a charm!

TIPS:

  • Be careful! The cheese filling can get very hot!
  • Use the prongs of the roasting stick to secure the bacon around the popper
  • Different jalapenos can have different levels of heat. Remove all the seeds and white flesh inside the jalapeno for a less-spicy version.
  • Alternatively, you can make these on the BBQ. If you do, you might want to consider purchasing a jalapeno roaster for your grill

Poppers PlatedSo next time you find yourself reaching for the hot dogs, STOP, back away and go find the bacon.

Bon appetit,

Julie

To view more camping recipes, click here

Click here to view the printable Word version of the recipe:
Campfire Roasted Thai Sweet Chili Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

_____________________________________________________________

Campfire Roasted Thai Sweet Chili Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

INGREDIENTS:

Jalapenos, cored and seeded
Monteray or cheddar cheese, grated
Cream cheese (we found that half of a container did 6 poppers)
Bacon
A Sweet rub of choice – we like mango chipotle
Thai sweet chili sauce

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Mix together grated cheese and cream cheese, in a 50-50 blend.
  2. Chop of the top of the jalapeno, and core and seed.
  3. Stuff jalapenos with cheese mixture
  4. Wrap stuffed jalapeno in bacon
  5. Put popper on a hot-dog roasting stick, using the prongs to help keep the bacon on.
  6. Cover bacon with sweet rub
  7. Roast over hot coals of campfire until cheese is bubbling and bacon is crisping, 10-15 minutes
  8. Baste with Thai sweet chili sauce
  9. Roast for another minute
  10. Remove from roasting stick and allow to cool for a few minutes before eating

Caution: The cheese filling can be very hot!

Alternatively, you can make these on the BBQ. If you do, you might want to consider purchasing a jalapeno roaster  for your grill

Squamish BC and John’s BBQ Corn on the Cob

by Julie

BBQ CornHello everyone,

Ropes are terrifying. When rock climbing, I seem to always be second guessing my rope. Will it hold? Will it catch on something sharp, causing it to snap? Will the knot become untied? All kinds of scary things to think about.

Luckily for me, John is very committed when it comes to rope safety. He knows such important things as which rope to buy, what knots to tie, and when to retire a rope and buy a new one. I bless his meticulousness every time I am suspended more than 3 feet in the air. On top of that, John is a rope magician, dazzling me with his rope skills. To me, he can make one rope look like four,
creating anchors, tying it here and there, to me, to him, throwing it around with impressive control like it’s no one’s
business. I don’t understand how it doesn’t get tangled.

And then there’s me, having issues with my climbing shoe laces. Good thing he’s around.

So up I went, and the rope caught me every time.

BBQ Corn on the Cob

Just on time for the summer!

This recipe has two things going for it. 1) It is embarrassingly easy 2) It has the potential to eclipse meat as the highlight of your meal (yes, I actually said that.) It is perfect for camping with little prep, little cook time and little clean up!

In our experience, corn on the cob is usually grilled right in the husk. This is WRONG! Corn is only to be grilled once the husk has been removed.

On the BBQ, the corn becomes so nice and charred and caramelized. It’s kind of fun when you are grilling and the odd kernel pops.

TIPS:

  • Grill on direct heat
  • If the corn burns a little, that is good news for you

Brain dead simple and astoundingly delicious. You have to give this one a try at your next BBQ or on your next camping trip. Your friends will love you.

Special thanks to Richie Warke for the corn photo!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here to view printable Word version of recipe:
BBQ Corn on the Cob

_____________________________________________

BBQ Corn on the Cob

INGREDIENTS:

Corn, husk removed
Cooking oil of choice
Salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Smother the corn with oil
  2. Grill corn over direct heat until cooked
  3. Season corn with salt before serving

Squamish BC, Rock Climbing and Strawberry Rhubarb Apple Pie Pancakes

by Julie

Check out my new page featuring our favourite camping recipes by clicking here

BelayingHello everyone,

John and I just got back from a glorious trip to Squamish BC. For John, it is one of his favourite places in the world. For me, it was my first time visiting.

Squamish, located about 45 minutes north of Vancouver on the Pacific coast, is known for its world class rock climbing. The Chief, a granite monolith boasting an approximate 2,200 foot cliff face, is a rock climber’s dream. But apart from the Chief, the area is littered with hundreds of climbs.

Together, John and I have about 20 years of rock climbing experience. 4 months of those are mine, and 19 years and 8 months are his. John has climbed the Chief before, but as you may guess, climbing the Chief is a tad bit beyond my experience. John and I opted for some easier (and much shorter) climbs, to allow me to learn how to crack climb.

What is crack climbing? It is much different than the type of climbing I was familiar with before, reaching for various holds as you climb. Granite tends to crack, so you will see long cracks varying in with ascending the cliff face. The idea is to literally jam your feet and hands into the crack as you make your way up.

John and I had a wonderful time crack climbing in Squamish. John would climb first, placing gear as he climbed and fashioning a very secure anchor at the top. I would follow suit, climbing at about 1/80th of the pace of John (thanks for your patience sweetie!) But heck, it may not have been a beautiful thing, and I may have taken a fall or two, but I made it to the top!

I can safely say I’m now addicted to crack (yup, I went there.) I was able to improve my technique and build some climbing confidence during our trip.

So of course, with camping comes camping meals! These pancakes are one of our favourites. The fruit – rhubarb, strawberries and apples – are inspired by pie filling. Simply mix your fruit with sugar, cinnamon, and butter, wrap with tin foil and cook over your camping stove or grill. Serve the fruit over the pancakes.

PancakeTIPS:

  • John and I like to do the prep and cooking for the fruit the night before, even eating some for dessert and saving some for breakfast. You simply have to re-heat the foil package in the morning.
  • The sugar is variable according to your tastes. John and I prefer the fruit a little more tart, but add as much sugar as you like.

I’m already looking forward to our next crack climbing trip and our next camping meal. Stay tuned for a few more camping meals from our Squamish adventures!

Special thanks to John’s cousin Richie Warke for being our on-site photographer and providing all the photos you see today!

Bon appetit,

Julie

John and Julie

Click here to view the printable word version of the recipe:
Strawberry Rhubarb Apple Pie Pancakes

_______________________________________________________________________

Strawberry, Rhubarb and Apple Pie Pancakes

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4

2 small or 1 large stalks rhubarb, chopped
½ a container strawberries, stemmed and sliced
1 apple of your choice, cut into chunks
¼ – ½ cup sugar, or more depending on how sweet you like it (We used 1/4 cup)
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter
Tin Foil

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Assemble all ingredients in tin foil. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon, dispersing it evenly over the fruit. Divide the butter, spread out on top of the mixture.
  2. Seal the concoction in the tin foil. Cook on stove or grill until fruit is cooked, about 20 minutes. Make pancakes while fruit is cooking.
  3. Spread the fruit on top of your pancakes.

We like to double this recipe. Make 2 separate fruit packages the night before, cooking them both. Eat one for dessert, and save one for breakfast to be re-heated the next day. A great time saver!

Mexican Vegetarian Tortilla Salad

by Julie


Salad

Hello everyone,

There is nothing like a healthy meal salad full of fresh vegetables to make you feel refreshed and good about yourself.

For me, a salad needs more then just vegetables to satisfy my appetite. It’s important to add something of more significant sustenance to bolster the meal. Usually, chicken is a viable option, but there are times when preparing chicken for your salad is a pain.

So this time I decided to go vegetarian. There are so many great ingredients in this Mexican salad that you don’t even need the chicken – avocado, black beans, grated cheese and tortilla chips do the trick.

John and I had done Mexican the night before I made this salad, and I used some leftover ingredients to create this beauty. (That’s a lie, I actually intricately planned the whole thing, but that is my subtle way of suggesting YOU try making this after a taco night or something!)

TIPS:

  • If you don’t have all the ingredients, don’t sweat it. Be creative and add what you like!
  • If you aren’t eating your salad immediately, toss your avocado pieces in lemon or lime juice to keep from browning.

So feel good about yourself! Go vegetarian and go Mexican all at once!

Bon appetit,

Julie

Click here to view printable Word version of recipe:
Mexican Vegetarian Tortilla Salad

______________________________________________________

Mexican Vegetarian Tortilla Salad

Serves 2 – Makes a great lunch or dinner salad

INGREDIENTS:

Lettuce (leafy green, red leaf or romaine)
1 tomato, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1/3 of a cucumber, diced
1 avacado, diced salted
½ jalapeno, seeds removed and diced (Optional, if you want the extra heat)
2 Green onions, minced
½ of a 14 oz can black beans
2 dollops sour cream, one per bowl
Grated cheese – cheddar or Monteray Jack
Broken tortilla chips
Cilantro, minced
Dressing

Olive Oil
Salt
Ground Cumin
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder

Or

Taco/Fajita seasoning

Lime juice (alternatively, drizzle on top of salad.)
DIRECTIONS:

  1. Make dressing.
  2. Make salad in two separate bowls. Divide ingredients into bowls as you prepare, starting with the vegetables.
  3. On top of vegetables, layer black beans, dollop of sour cream, grated cheese, broken tortilla chips.
  4. Garnish with cilantro and drizzle with dressing.