The Family Table: Never say never
A little more than two years ago, I wrote a Family Table stating my emphatic opposition to camping.
“Sleeping on the ground in a tent isn’t for me,” I wrote. “… And absent the invention of a tent that feels just like my bed, it never will be.”
I should know by now that “never” is a word I ought not use.
This past weekend, Mike and I spent two nights sleeping in a tent in the great outdoors.
Technically we slept on the ground – albeit on a queen-sized air mattress (which did not feel “just like my bed”).
That was, however, the only creature comfort.
We checked all of the other camping-related boxes: keeping warm by and cooking over a campfire, walking around in nature and a detoxing from our ever-present cellphones.
The last part was perhaps my favorite. We brought our phones, but largely kept them in airplane mode, checking occasionally to make sure there were no emergencies that required attention.
Mike brought his backgammon board and I attempted to improve. He’s a better strategist than I am, but I also questioned whether he weighted his dice. (He says no; I say no one can roll double sixes that many times.)
The fresh air, the quiet and the good conversation made it a truly lovely experience.
The food wasn’t too shabby, either. I had a great time learning about campfire cooking, and designing meals for us to eat.
Our breakfast burritos were my favorite (they’re also a favorite of Mike, the kids and his friends when I make them for their trips).
I’ve adjusted the recipe I used in the past to accommodate our vegetarian eating, but have included add-ins that make it an even more protein-packed meal.
And I’m already looking for new and interesting dishes that translate well to campfire cooking for our next adventure in the outdoors.
Make-Ahead Breakfast Burritos
Ingredients
12 eggs
1 bag of frozen potatoes with onions and peppers
1/2 bag shredded cheese (I used mozzarella, whatever you want is fine!)
10 burrito-sized wraps
Optional add-ins: 1 pound fresh spinach, chopped; 1 package of crumbled pre-cooked bacon; 1 can of drained, rinsed black beans
Empty the frozen potatoes into a large bowl so that they can be easily broken up if they’ve frozen together. Whisk the eggs well so that they are completely blended. Add in a splash of water or milk if necessary. Season them with salt and pepper. Scramble the eggs over medium heat until just cooked through. If you want to add in spinach, stir it into the cooking eggs about 3 minutes before they’re done. Stir in the cheese until just melted, and add the eggs to the potatoes. Combine everything well. (If you want to add bacon or black beans, stir them in now.)
Divide the mix among 10 wraps, and roll them up as you would a burrito. Wrap in two layers of heavy aluminum foil and freeze them once cooled.
Pack the frozen burritos into a cooler. When ready to eat, lay them atop a campfire cooking grate over indirect heat. Rotate and turn regularly until they are heated through. Enjoy!