We went out camping this weekend to Eklutna Lake. How was it you ask? Cold. Very, very cold but we did have a bit of fun anyway because we came prepared with tasty vittles and lots of firewood.You've probably seen tinfoil dinners before--those dinners where you wrap up meat with potatoes and carrots or other veggies then season and seal in aluminum foil (don't forget to double wrap!) Well we had sausage tinfoil dinners with roasted corn on the cob and Dutch oven Mississippi Mud Cake (a favorite) for dessert.
But for breakfast the next morning we tried a new gizmo: The Walking Omelet.
How to Make:1. Take a heavy Ziploc bag (it doesn't have to be as heavy as a freezer bag, just heavier than the sandwich variety) and crack a couple eggs into it.
2. Whisk your eggs thoroughly until they are frothy and light and no egg whites remain.
3. Add a couple tablespoons of cream or milk for lightness and flavor, whisk lightly to blend.
4. Add salt, pepper and any other spices or omelet fixings you desire. We were going easy this time so we stuck to the standbys of ham and cheddar. Seal the bag carefully, squeezing gently at the top to get as much of the air out as you can.
Note: You can also complete these first four steps at home and bring the bags along in a chilled cooler if you'd like to make it even easier on yourself. But make sure you keep them chilled and use them before 24 hours are up. You may need to squish the bag around a bit to remix the ingredients if they separate before cooking.5. Bring a pot of water and boil the sealed bag for exactly 13 minutes. No, the bag won't melt unless you let it overlap out of the pot onto the hot stove or hot pan. Just use medium weight plastic as instructed.
6. Remove the bag (or bags--we used a large stockpot and had six bags cooking at once) and turn the contents out on a plate to eat. Voila! Instant omelet without any messy cleanup and a minimal amount of work.Of course you may get some jokes from the customers who might try to claim your omelets look like haggis but just let it roll right off of you because once they take a bite and all that warm goodness hits their stomachs they'll be thanking you.
See--here's proof in a picture. They don't seem to be complaining now do they?
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15 comments:
As someone who hopes to get back into camping eventually, I'm loving this idea!! Thanks!
I can tell you've had scouting in your family. When I first learned you could put some hamburger (yuk) and chopped up potatoes and onions into a piece of tinfoil and throw it into a flame I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. What a cool way to cook. No pans! No dishes! No cleanup. Just throw it all in the fire afterwards. Ahhh wilderness!!
Used this recipe for a brunch party. Perm. marker so folks could id their bag, a box of ziplock bags, a bowl of eggs and an assortment of goodies like salsa, diced ham, grated cheese, etc. Let the fun begin. FYI: Lucy, you'll need to add several extra minutes when making this when in the mountains.
Aren't those the coolest? We've done them several times with family/friends too and they're always a hit. Only thing that worries me is the healthiness of cooking them in the plastic but I suppose once or twice a year won't kill anyone and I'm starting to see some "greener" plastic bags coming out these days, too. Camping food combines two of my favorite things: creative thinking and EATING!
We tried this for Christmas breakfast one year. It worked great, except for one teeny mishap.
If you use permanent marker to write names on the bags, make sure it's above the level of the egg mixture. The heat of the water made the ink transfer from the bag to my omelet; it had a copy of my name on it!
Well now THAT'S too cool!
Definitely looks much more appetising that any haggis I have ever eaten! Still looks cold with you - how cold?
You are tough to be camping already. My husband wanted to take us camping this weekend, but cancelled because of my lack of enthusiasm. I thought it was too cold. I'm a fair weather camper. Anyway, we will definitely have to try the Walking Omletes next time we do get out to camp.
My mom e-mailed me a recipe for ziplock omelets a few years ago and I've yet to try it (though I still have the recipe saved in my inbox). Such a fun way to make food.
What a wonderful idea! We will definitely be trying this next time we go camping. We too were at Eklutna this weekend for a day trip and it was really chilly... but that did not stop us from getting some ice cream at that cute little ice cream shop on the way home!
Funny, I was camping at Eklutna this weekend,too! We were in #12, small world! Thanks for this idea, can't wait to try it!
What a great idea! I may try that next time we go.
1. These work great even if you DON'T whisk and DON'T add cream :)
2. There HAVE been concerns about heating plastic - especially soft plastic - and different health issues (some of them ones that appear later - or affect one's future offspring)... one might want to do some research and be aware before going this route.
3. We tried these using glass bowls (like ramekins) and they cooked fine (we put the dishes into a pot of water) ... the cleanup was necessarily not quite as simple, though.
We love to do this, too--when camping or even at home! But I make everyone just eat out of the bags with a spoon. Omelets never were easier!
Have you ever heard of "Road Roasting?" There are probably other names for it, but that was what my family always called it. You can cook entire meals on THE WAY to the camp site, by using the heat of your cars engine, and a generous amount of tin foil wrap. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but we did exactly that for years as I grew up, even so far as cooking a whole chicken and all the fixings, as we were on the road.
Imagine getting to the camp site and having dinner already cooked and piping hot lol. All you do is prepare the food at home, marinate the chicken overnight, or just give it an herb rub of your choice, and then wrap in foil. Lots and lots of foil, you don't want any fumes getting into the food. Use the same process for corn on the cob, potatoes, etc.
Of course you have to find a safe spot in the engine compartment. You don't want it anyplace that interferes with operation, or any spot where the food will just dislodge and fall to the ground if you hit a bump, you can tie it down with wire thread. Also... make sure your drive is "long" enough to cook the food, if you live 5 miles from the campsite you obviously aren't going to cook a whole chicken on the way.
There are many more things to consider before trying this yourself, so you would probably want to Google up "engine cooking" for more information.
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