ideas for a week of meals in a wilderness cabin 10 hours away with no nearby grocery stores
I am going to Alaska to stay with a park ranger friend. The nearest convenience store will be over 60 miles away from his cabin. He has basically told me that the only food I will have is the food I bring. Getting there requires a 7 hour train ride plus a 3 hour bus ride. I have a fairly big cooler bag and a little duffle bag for dried goods to bring. There will be a full kitchen but I am unsure how well equipped. I am looking for healthy, flavorful dishes that will not be too much of a hassle to shop for and travel with since we will have limited space and have to check our bags on the train. They will have to feed 3 (including 2 big guys who will be hiking all day) for 6 days. Some ideas I had were cassoulet, maybe some noodle stirfry, pasta salad or pizza/calzones. I was planning to bring some dried herbs, buy things like lemon, garlic, fresh herbs to brighten things up. Snacks like granola bars, apples, dried fruit nuts, etc. I am looking for some fun dishes or ideas of different things to bring that will make my life easier and still eat well since I am on vacation. Perhaps roasting a chicken or pork shoulder and making a stock for later in the week could be good but not sure how well the meat will travel all day in a cooler. Any desserts, too? Thanks!
17 Comments
It sounds like you're definitely going to be making some pasta. I would suggest a classic Italian recipe for pasta leftovers-- you mix the leftovers in a bowl with as many beaten eggs as it takes to coat your leftovers. Put it all in a frying pan with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and press down. Once the outside is crisp, flip it over with the help of a plate or second pan and brown the second side. You cut into the flat disc like a pizza and it's crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Also, at the mention of canned tuna I thought of tuna noodle casserole. I make mine with sauteed mushrooms and white wine along with a cheesy white sauce.
Pictures please!!!!
Ziplock also has a 'vac pack' thingy...that's 5 bucks. Like a little bicycle pump with their special bags.Good for packing things like ham, meats or cheeses.
I have made this recipe and then froze it in large zip lock bags or seal-a-meals And it helped keep the cooler cold when I wrapped the bags in newspaper.
http://www.food52.com/recipes/2962_secret_ingredient_beef_stew Worked out beautifully.
Take a frozen chicken or 2 also wrapped in newspaper. And beef steaks cause they lay so nice and flat. And pre-made hamburger patties.
If you have time and access to a dehydrator you can dehydrate fruit and tomatoes. I will send you recipes if you have the time. Simple and easy to carry. Fresh fruit will weigh a lot.
Make pesto ahead of time and freeze it for chicken and pasta.
Also take pre-made pasta sauce, also frozen, so you don't have added weight of cans or bottles.
For dessert, s-mores! Packaged brownies made with water. Fruits rehydrated.
Can't wait to see all the innovative answers from food52's.
Another thought is to research what kind of wild herbs, greens, and fruits grow in the area you're visiting, and do some foraging. You can probably concoct some decent meals with canned goods, grains, and the other things you're planning on bringing, but if it were me, fresh raw vegetables are what I would miss the most, and it would be really nice to get to investigate some of the local foods.
Don't forget a little camp bottle of vinegar and another of oil.
If you're in Alaska...you'll probably find tourist type smoked salmon and trout in shelf stable vac packs.
I've used that with pasta. Cook the pasta and drain and oil it. (bring little campbottles of olive oil--the kind with the 'fold down top' or screw on. Let it cool and toss with sundried tomatoes, capers, a touch of red onion if you have it, Some green bits...parsley.
Slice up the fish and plate on the pasta and top with horseradish, mayo/sour cream, dressing.
The 'microwave ready' bacon. Doesn't need refrigeration and its lightweight.
"uncle beans 90 second rice" is good too..but the wild rice flavor is really bad, the spanish rice flavor is spot on. But if you have water the "Viggo" Spanish rice dried mix would be lighter.
Ham would be good too. It can go hours without cold for transport. And a packet of split pea or bean soup mix would make a nice meal.
Check the bulk section of a health food store. Sometimes they'll have powdered egg, and powdered cheese. (think kraft dinner). And some powdered milk.
Things you'll forget for cabin camping. Flour. Sugar. Salt. Coffee and tea bags.
Bring some yeast and make 'no kneed bread' if you have cookware and a oven.
That will also make pizza. Just bring some pepperoni and cheeses, spices, Make the dough the night before. Rehydrate some dried onions and mushrooms. (from the health food store).
The health food store will also have vegan taco filling, dried with TVP.
And black bean mix dried and hummus dried--just take them out of the boxes for transport and cut off the directions and put in ziplocks. They may even have powdered sourcream mix for baked potatoes, or dressings.
Tortilla wraps are multifunctional and don't need 'fridge.
I also bring one of those 'disposable' pepper grinders in the spice section at the supermarket.
Take a trip to the best health food store near you and see what they have and ask the staff. Lots of stuff there is dried and pantry items--and bonus if they have bulk spice section. Much cheaper stuff than 'camp food' packs from the sporting good store.