Campy Camping - Episode 6

For me, camping is all about relaxing, eating and drinking.

Relaxing most often entails reading a good book, taking walks, chatting by a raging fire and enjoying good company . . . sometimes with a meal and / or an adult beverage.

There is nothing better than an ice cold beer or a cup of cheap . . . er, moderately priced . . . wine when your camping.

I have a standard  selection of meals for camp food.  Hot dogs and beans for the first night (because that’s easy), sausage and peppers on a hard roll, spaghetti and meatballs, kielbasa and sourkraut for dinners.  French toast, bagels and cream cheese and trash hash for breakfasts.

What’s that?  Yes, I said trash hash.

It’s a recipe of my own invention.  It’s also a recipe that is constantly evolving and updated nearly every time we go camping.

The story behind this mish mash of ingredients goes like this.  One time when we were camping we had all kinds of leftover food from different  meals . . . baked potatoes, corn on the cob, hot dogs, steak, etc.  It was the last morning before we had to head home and I didn’t want to

a. take the food home or b. throw it away.

So I chopped up the potatoes and meat, removed the corn from the cob and through them into a big skillet along with eggs, onions, bacon, sausage and cheese.

I call it trash hash and it became a tradition to have it for breakfast the last day of camping.

One year someone had leftover kielbasa . . . so I threw it in.  I didn't like it so it hasn't gone back in.  One year someone put on hot sauce, that one stuck.  Someone else introduced me to Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning and that went into the hash . . . that was a keeper. 

The baked potato evolved into canned potatoes, the corn on the cob became a can of corn but everything else remains pretty much the same.

This year there were a number of introductions.  From different meals we had leftover caramelized onions, peppers and onions and baked beans. 

I wasn't keen on putting the beans and peppers/onions into the skillet with everything else, so I warmed them up in a separate pot all mixed together.  The beans/peppers/onions were really good on the side and I think that will be a new tradition!

So here’s the basic recipe and it easily feeds 6 to 8 people.

1 lb. Bacon, Cut into Thirds

1 lb. Breakfast Sausage Links, Diced

1 Onion

1 Can of Corn

2 Cans Canned Potatoes, Diced

12 Eggs

6 Slices American Cheese

Add whatever else you fancy

In a large pot or pan . . . I use an 18” cast iron skillet . . . fry the bacon until crispy.  Remove some of the grease if there’s a lot.  Add the sausage and cook through.  Add the corn and onions and cook until they start to caramelize.  Add the potatoes and heat through.  Season with Tony Chachere!  Add the eggs and cook until scrambled then top with the cheese. Stir until the cheese is all melty.  Serve and top with hot sauce.

Awesome with baked beans on the side!

OMG!  It is soooooo good! NOT diet food, by any stretch of the imagination!

(See Episode 1 of Campy Camping)

(See Episode 2 of Campy Camping)

(See Episode 3 of Campy Camping)

(See Episode 4 of Campy Camping)

(See Episode 5 of Campy Camping)