Easy on the camp cook, tasty for the campers - recipes

Sunset, July, 1988

Easy on the camp cook, tasty for the campers When you're camping, the food you cook outdoors just seems to taste better. But to the cook, the charm can wear thin if meals aren't well planned.

These menus, designed for a weekend outing for four car-campers, help you assemble combplete meals without last-minute surprises. They save time, too: each evening as you prepare dinner, you also cook some of the ingredients you'll need for the next morning's breakfast.

Most recipes make use of a campsite grill; you can substitute a portable barbecue. If you plan to leave early on the last day, cook that brunch on a campstove so you don't have to wait for coals to heat.

Check fire regulations for the area you plan to visit; some parks may have restrictions. And in this dry year, be especially careful when using fire.

At home, wash produce, measure ingredients (don't tote more than you need), and do as much preparation as possible.

To save space, repack noncrushable items, such as flank steak and sausages, in plastic bags.

Ice chests should provide ample refrigeration. Keep tightly closed, opening only when necessary. In your camp kit, include at least 4 slender metal or wooden skewers (12- to 15-in. length), a basting brush, heavy foil, long-handled tongs, and plenty of charcoal briquets and fire starter.

Friday dinner

Grill all the bread, but save half for French toast text morning. Sausage Supper Salad with Grilled Toast Pineapple Oatmeal Cookies Beer Grape Juice

Before you leave home, wash salad greens, wrap in paper towels, enclose in a plastic bag, and chill in ice chest to crisp. You can also make the dressing. For the cookies, bake a batch from a favorite recipe, or buy some.

Buy a peeled pineapple (about 1-3/4 lb.), or an unpeeled one (about 3 lb.) to peel and core in camp. Store half in a plastic bag in an ice chest until next morning.

Sausage Supper Salad

with Grilled Toast 1 pound Polish sausage, cut into 3/8-inch-thick diagonal slices 1 loaf (1 lb.) sourdough French bread, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter or margarine, melted 8 cups lightly packed bite-size pieces romaine lettuce, washed and crisped 1 large firm-ripe tomato, cored and cut into wedges 6 ounces Swiss cheese, cut into matchstick-size pieces 1 small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings Sweet-and-sour mustard dressing (recipe follows)

Thread equal portions of sausage slices slightly apart on 4 slender 12- to 15-inch metal or wooden skewers. Lay on a grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of medium coals (you should be able to hold your hand at grill level only 4 to 5 seconds). Cook sausage, turning often, until hot and edges are well browned, about 5 minutes. Push skewers to a cool area of grill, or put on a platter, cover, and keep warm.

Meanwhile, brush half the bread slices on both sides with melted butter. Lay plain and buttered slices on grill and cook until toasted on each side, 2 to 2-1/2 minutes total. When unbuttered toast is cool, store airtight.

Divide lettuce equally among 4 dinner plates. Scatter tomato, cheese, and onion over lettuce. Push equal portions of sausage off skewers onto salads; drizzle each with 1/4 of the dressing. Serve with the buttered toast. Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 963 cal.; 36 g protein; 44 g carbo.; 72 g fat; 151 mg chol.; 1,578 mg sodium.

Sweet-and-sour mustard dressing. Whisk together 1/4 cup salad oil, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon each celery seed and Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed.

Saturday breakfast

The toast stored for breakfast can soak overnight, or while you start the fire. Twice-grilled French Toast with Skewered Fruit Canadian Bacon Spieced Sour Cream Topping Maple Syrup Coffee Hot Chocolate

Out of heavy foil, fashion a griddle for the French toast and the bacon. You can save time by making the sour cream topping at home; store it in a leakproof container in an ice chest.

Twice-grilled French Toast

with Skewered Fruit 4 large egges 1 cup milk Reserved grilled toast (from sausage supper salad, preceding) Reserved 1/2 pineapple (from preceding menu), cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges 2 firm-ripe bananas, cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted 1 package (6 oz.) sliced Canadian bacon Spiced sour cream topping (recipe follows) Maple syrup

In a 9- by 13-inch rimmed pan, beat eggs and milk until blended. Lay toast slices in egg mixture (some may overlap); let stand about 1 minute, then turn slices over to absorb remaining liquid. Use, or cover tightly and keep cold up to overnight.

Thread pineapple and banana pieces alternately, and slightly apart, on 4 slender 12- to 15-inch metal or wooden skewers. Brush with 1 talbespoon melted butter.

Lay skewers on a grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of hot coals (you should be able to hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds). Cook, turning once, until fruit browns lightly, 3 to 4 minutes total. Move to a cool area on grill, or put on a platter, cover, and keep warm.