S'mored out? Bring some sizzle to your campfire cooking

This digital piece was produced in collaboration with member station KNOW | Minnesota Public Radio News in Saint Paul, MN. Enjoy more food coverage at their Appetites section.

The Campfire Cookbook by Viola Lex and Nico Stanitzok

Hot dogs and s’mores are staples of campfire cooking. But every once in a while, it’s good to get out of your comfort food zone.

Whether you’re day hiking or in the backcountry for days, it’s easier than you think to expand your outdoor meal choices. It just takes a little extra planning. We wanted to share a few recipe suggestions from The Campfire Cookbook that you whip up no matter your level of outdoors experience.

For a day hike

There are plenty of power bars and snack food that you can carry with you on a trail for hiking, but why not make your own? Here’s a great power snack that you can make and carry with you on your day hike. Make these at home and cut them up, then pack each into a resealable zip-seal bag. This recipe can make about 12 bars, depending on how you cut it.

CRANBERRY MUESLI BARS

Recipe: Cranberry Muesli Bars Photo: Brigitte Sporrer/DK Verlag

Cooking at the campsite

These recipes are great for a standard camping trip, when you can carry your supplies in a vehicle or have the ability to keep some food cool in a cooler or freezer. But you can also make these recipes around a fire pit in the back yard, or at home in the kitchen.

This first one might be easier with a two-burner camp stove. If you only have one burner or one pot, you can prepare the cabbage in the same pan used for cooking the pasta. Just add the pasta again at the end, stir everything well, and enjoy. It serves four campers.

PASTA WITH CABBAGE AND BACON

Recipe: Pasta with Cabbage and Bacon Photo: Brigitte Sporrer/DK Verlag

This is a quick and easy veggie packet perfect for overnight camping, picnics at the park, or just hanging out around the grill.

Barbecued Balsamic Bean Parcels

Recipe: Barbecued Balsamic Bean Parcels Photo: Brigitte Sporrer/DK Verlag

For the deep-woods camper

If you’re a backpack hiker, the weight you carry is a big deal. Whatever you can carry on your back, is what you’ll have on your trip. So freeze-dried foods and prepared mixes are always a staple of lightweight backpacker pros.  But a home-made meal deep in the woods? That’s special. Here’s a great example. With a little prep-time before you head out on your camping trip, this offers a tasty meal in a resealable bag.

INSTANT COUSCOUS WITH APRICOTS AND MACADAMIA NUTS

Recipe: Instant Couscous with Apricots and Macadamia Nuts Photo: Brigitte Sporrer/DK Verlag