The Camp Cook
Camp eBook's spot for Food, News, Tips, Ideas and Recipes

Hi, Everyone.

I'm sorry I have not updated my blog or posted any new recipes lately.

I've been working on SouthEast Camper. It is my first cooking website about Dutch Oven and Outdoor Cooking, Backpacking, Hiking and Camping. I have given it a full makeover.

Check it out. When I get it completely revamped it will be time to give Camp eBook a full facelift too.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Dan

Labels: General Interest

It's salad time! We've got the lettuce, the vegetables, the cheese, the egg, the bacon bits and croutons. Oh no! - Can't decide which dressing to have? There are so many choices, how do you know which one to choose? Let's delve into the world of dressings to help with the decision.

We all know that no salad is complete without the salad dressing. Many of us go to extremes when it comes to dressing and think the more the merrier. That’s perfectly fine if health or weight is not something you’re worried with. However, bear in mind that many dressings contain tons of calories so you might want to pay close attention if you are. Let’s talk about the different salad dressings to help you decide which is best for you.

You can walk into any salad section of a grocery store and see shelves lined with salad dressings. The brands are numerous and the flavors out number the brands. Kraft, Wishbone, Hidden Valley and even a few named after some celebrities top the list. It's a little overwhelming sometimes trying to find just the perfect flavor. The sky is the limit, unless of course you are talking about a specific type of salad. Sometimes only one flavor will do.

A Caesar salad for instance, works best with a Caesar style dressing. Cobb salad is enhanced with the ever tasteful Green Goddess dressing. Often times it's easy to find the right dressing to recreate that perfect restaurant taste just by determining which type of salad you’ll be eating.

If you're trying to create your own unique taste the dressing decision might be a little trickier. Often times when it comes to store bought dressings your own preferences will do the trick. Find the dressing that makes your taste buds tingle or one that you crave. You can’t go wrong when you choose a salad dressing you already know you like.

Salads are meant to be a healthy way of eating. When it comes to the dressings though, we forget that some are just not as healthy as others. We pour that dressing over the top of our salad until the fixings are hardly visible. All the while we’re thinking of the taste instead of the health factor.

It is important to read the labels on salad dressing bottles. When it comes to measuring dressing one serving usually means 2 tablespoons. Most regular dressings contain up to 11 grams of fat in 2 tablespoons. That's not a real healthy choice for many of us.

How can we find healthier dressings? Look no further than the same grocery store shelf. Many companies are now adding low fat, low calorie dressings to their product lines. For many the taste is not that much different and the price is about the same, making them worth the difference for your health.
You can also try making your own version of your favorite dressings at home. Olive oil or canola oil along with flavored vinegar can be the base of a really great tasting dressing. Add some lemon or lime juice, pepper, poppy seeds or other spices to find just the right one for your salad.


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Labels: Salads

Perhaps you have just moved into your first place, or you decided that you wanted to broaden your horizons and try new things. Maybe you went to a Fourth of July barbeque party and tasted the beautiful smoked flavor, and decided you wanted to try to replicate it. After doing your research, you decided that a charcoal grill is right for you. Now what?

Now that you have decided you want a charcoal grill, you have to decide what type of charcoal grill will suit your needs. Are you planning on traveling and using your charcoal grill? If so, you will need a charcoal grill that is small enough to travel with you. Smaller charcoal grills are ideal for cookouts, camping, and tail gate parties, but would not be useful if you were cooking for a larger amount of people. If you plan on feeding a larger amount of people, a larger charcoal grill will better suit your needs. If you are having issues deciding on which type you should get, you may consider getting both. Smaller charcoals grills can cost as little as $10 to $15 dollars, and will give you the ability to travel.

Charcoal grills contain hot embers and fire when it is in use. Safety should also be a major concern when you are picking out your first Charcoal grill. Look for a charcoal grill with a sturdy structure and sturdy legs. If you grill does now have sturdy legs, it’s chances of falling over is much greater. When a charcoal grill falls over, it will send the hot coals flying. Many charcoal grills also have built in safety features such as a water reservoir and smothering valves. Undoubtedly, when you are cooking with fire, accidents can happen. In the case that your grill gets out of control or become to hot, these safety features will prevent potentially dangerous fires. The fire department has much better things to do then help you cook.

One of the most noticeable features when using charcoal is the flavor of the food you cook. To cook with a charcoal grill, you must buy charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid. Charcoal is a one use item, and will need to be discarded after each use. Charcoal can be picked up at your local superstore, gas station, or grocery store, and is typically pretty inexpensive. Charcoal must be light and allowed to burn until the charcoal is no longer on fire, but is red embers. The best way to get the pile to burn is by stacking it in a pyramid.

While no one likes to clean their grill, it is necessary to maintain your grill if you want it to last it’s intended lifetime. One problem you will face is the fact that Charcoal grills stay hot for a long period of time. You can remedy this situation 2 ways. First you can leave your grill open, allowing it to burn out. This method typically burns a lot of the grease off, but can potentially cause problems if you are not near your barbeque grill. You do not want to start a fire. Another way is to completely close off your grill and deny the fire oxygen. As soon as the grill is cold, or cold enough not to burn you, you will want to clean the grill. Leaving the grill dirty for any amount of time will cause the buildup to become hard, and may make it harder to remove. Use a wire brush to clean off the surface areas of your grill, and then spray cooking oil on the surface. Take the racks off and clean them with dishwashing soap. Dawn or other brands that have degreasers work best. Rinse the racks off, and replace them in the grill.

Be A Grill Master Cookbook. Tips for the Beginner Grill Chef.

Grill Recipes - 300 Recipes that will impess your friends and family.

Labels: Grilling