A nice meal for my girlfriend

[Bootstrap]

My girlfriend is coming with me on a backpacking trip for the first time. We'll be doing a 2 day trip with one dinner.

What might make a particularly nice dinner?

Note: I'm gluten intolerant, can't eat wheat or anything with wheat flour in it. And I'd rather cook something than buy an instant meal in a packet.

Jonathan

[Fannypack]

... And I'd rather cook something than buy an instant meal in a packet.

Jonathan
suggestion, use your backpacking stove at home to cook a few practice meals. You know your likes and dislikes, so go for it at home where you can mess up with little to no consequences.

[Appalachian Tater]

On a short trip, you can eat just about anything you want for dinner because weight and spoilage aren't as much of a concern. You can even take frozen meat. So consider surprising her with some of her favorites, wine and a nice dessert.

[Roland]

My girlfriend is coming with me on a backpacking trip for the first time. We'll be doing a 2 day trip with one dinner.

What might make a particularly nice dinner?
~

Jonathan,

This is no time to try to impress her with Lipton Noodles and Spam. Save that for later outings, after you've got her hooked.

For this trip, be willing to carry a bit of extra weight. After all, it's only one meal. Here are a few ideas:

1. At home, prepare a meal you know she enjoys (stews, chili, etc) and place it in a Seal-a-Meal type bag (you can substitute a freezer bag). Freeze it. When you pack, wrap the meal in clothing for insulation. It will be thawed and ready to drop in your boiling pot, when you reach camp. Cook in the bag; no clean-up.

2. Back in my scouting days, we prepared a meal called Foil Dinners. Hamburger, onions, carrots, potatoes wrapped in tightly sealed foil packets. Cook on hot coals. Home cooked flavor with no clean-up.

A Gatorade bottle filled with wine, grapes or other fresh fruit for desert, and a campsite away from anyone else could make this a memorable trip.

Good luck and have fun.

[taildragger]

A loaf of bread, some wine, and a good bit o' cheese.

I've always preferred this for my "lounging and observing the stars" sort of meal

[Long Island Ice Tea]

Nothing wrong with a few potatoes/yams in the fire (+brwnsugar,marshmallow-hellyea). A ton of Chicken sandwiches packed in. Bit o popcorn and some chocolate. (last wknd's dinner)

Don't forget the booze and smoke. If you don't use those things, it could be a fine time to start.

P.s.-baby wipes yeeehawww!!!!

note: don't mention that gluten thing again--if she asks tell her you bathe in it and nothing bothers you, especially gluten!

[gsingjane]

We met a guy last year in MA who *greatly* impressed his gf on her first trip by cooking a frozen steak over an open fire. He also brought those mini-expanding towel things to wipe their hands with, and other niceties like a candle. I'm sure it was very romantic for them (before I showed up with 4 kids....)

Jane in CT

[budforester]

Shish- kebab over campfire coals, buttered French bread in foil edit: baked potatoes, salad- in- a- bag, wine, chocolate mousse. Whatever you decide to prepare, make it work smoothly... ... practice at home if you must... good presentation.

[Captain]

the kebob is perhaps the most awesome invention ever like oh gee how do i eat these pieces of steak mushrooms and other bite size goodies? I KNOW i will jab a stick through it and eat it like corn! im a genious!... that last bit was me.. IM the genious not the guy who invented kabobs..and yes i spell it different everytime

[taildragger]

Ohhh, corn cooked in tinfoil over a fire is also really good, harder to mess up as well.

Cooking what we called hobos (hamburger meat, taters, onions, and whatever else was laying around, kinda like a garbage plate) was also fun, and delicious, just definitely not upscale.

Are you looking for more fun, or more "hey lady, check out what I can cook in the woods"

[Bootstrap]

Are you looking for more fun, or more "hey lady, check out what I can cook in the woods"

Actually, we're doing this as a dry run and level setter - how well does she do with weight on her back? What's it like to be an a real live backpacking trip.

Which makes me think it might be good to cook a meal I'd actually be likely to cook if weight were an issue. Though I'm still toying with all options. I'll have to check whether an open fire is an option, I don't think my StarLyte will do well with a kebab ;->

Jonathan

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Since you are gluten-intolerant, for the first night I'd suggest rice noodles with flavoring of your choice (butter and garlic is good), grilled frozen steak or kabobs and raw baby carrots - pack in some brownies for dessert.

For breakfast - precooked bacon, flavored grits and some sort of dried fruit.

Lunch - Gluten-free wraps with seasoned salmon steaks or tuna (vac-pack)

For the second night - load mashed tators topped with cut-up precooked bacon and a package of ham, dried fruit, snickers or other candy bar.

2nd lunch - dried hummus with gluten-free chips or crackers, dried fruit

Hot cocoa, spiced tea or wine are also nice touches.

[sarbar]

You could make Pad Thai.......easy to do and impressive.

[envirodiver]

I agree with the frozen steak idea. I've done this several times. If fires are allowed it's great. You can buy one of the super cheap little circular grills at K-Mart, Walmart or just about anywhere. Take the grill top and it doesn't weigh too much. Fits in a 2 gallon ziplock to keep the grease out of your pack. A bag o salad and the dry italian dressing, sliced potatoes in aluminum foil in the coals of the fire (cooks much quicker than a whole potato), instant cheescake cooled in the stream for dessert. Some wine.

Make pancakes for breakfast.

[Bootstrap]

You could make Pad Thai.......easy to do and impressive.

I love Pad Thai, and I know how to make it in a fry pan the authentic made-from-scratch way, but how do you make Pad Thai when backpacking?

Jonathan

[jesse]

What kind of food does she like to eat at home? Cook that and it will be special because, everything taste better in the woods. I always cook my meals at home, so once I'm in the woods, I only have to boil water, or cook in aluminum foil over coals. Even when I car camp with the scouts, I usually have most of the meal I am responsible for pre- prepared.

[greentick]

the kebob is perhaps the most awesome invention ever like oh gee how do i eat these pieces of steak mushrooms and other bite size goodies? I KNOW i will jab a stick through it and eat it like corn! im a genious!... that last bit was me.. IM the genious not the guy who invented kabobs..and yes i spell it different everytime

If you use bamboo kebob sticks make sure they're presoaked. Nothing sucks more than watching and smelling your food cook only to see it fall into the fire.

After you're done you can chuck em in the fire.

[mudhead]

Or play it safe and let her pick.

You need a suprise dessert.

[envirodiver]

You need a suprise dessert.

Something involving chocolate is rarely a bad choice.

[Terraducky]

I know all about that- my husband is celiac! We eat really good out there, and not one bag of Mt. House full of mysterious chemicals! This weekend's menu is simple but wonderful- foil packets of pre-cooked kielbasa and baked potato wedges. Wine, of course. Jello cups for dessert. I have fresh carrots to cut and snack on as needed. Apples and tangerines.
Dinner #2 is Steak Chili by Pacific- ready to heat up. We'll have that with Boil-in-bag instant brown rice.
Breakfast will be instant grits or cream'o rice jazzed up w/cinnamon and craisins. Snacks- homemade power GORP, rice crackers with pepperoni & cheese. There are some excellent trailbars out there...gluten free Larabars or Natures Path crispy rice...Imagine brand makes fantastic soups that are ready to heat up as well...hope this gives you something to chew on!

[sarbar]

I love Pad Thai, and I know how to make it in a fry pan the authentic made-from-scratch way, but how do you make Pad Thai when backpacking?

Jonathan
Same way you do at home :D Seriously! You can swap out pouched meat for fresh and you can soak the noodles in a bag or bowl. Carry the sauce premade in a bottle.......just do everything you can in advance.

[quasarr]

This is one of my favorite recipes, and since you're trying to duplicate a backpacking meal it is tasty and practical.

Slice up a brat and boil it with some rice noodles. Add a few slices of cheese (I suggest sharp cheddar because it lasts longer without refrigeration), and powdered sauce of your choice. Any powdered tomato sauce works fine. Also sun dried tomatoes are a good addition.

It's delicious!!! The downside is that brats and cheese are a bit heavy, and will go bad in hot weather. The weight is no problem though, I'll carry a brat it's worth it :banana

[Bootstrap]

Slice up a brat and boil it with some rice noodles. Add a few slices of cheese (I suggest sharp cheddar because it lasts longer without refrigeration), and powdered sauce of your choice. Any powdered tomato sauce works fine. Also sun dried tomatoes are a good addition.

Oooh, that sounds great! Too late for this trip, but I'll remember for a future one.

Jonathan

[budforester]

Oooh, that sounds great! Too late for this trip, but I'll remember for a future one.

Jonathan


Sounds promising... she must have enjoyed the trip.

[Bootstrap]

OK, so I guess I owe everyone a report ;->

The bottom line: I tried valiantly and messed up this time, but it all worked out.

As I thought about it, I decided that grits and cheese and Italian spices and sun dried tomatoes sounded really good to me. And I also realized that maybe freezer bag cooking was a good idea - it seems so neat and sanitary and organized, and I thought she would appreciate all that. So we got some Reflectrix and made the pouches and took them with us. We carefully weighed out the food, selecting snacks that each of us wanted most, and leaving behind other stuff.

Unfortunately, I had quick grits, which aren't the same as instant grits, and they didn't really cook in the freezer bags. The flavor was great, but they just weren't cooked enough. And after a much more strenuous climb than I had anticipated, the sun dried tomatoes hit her stomach wrong. So she chose from what she wanted in the snack food instead.

The good news is we were both able to laugh about it, and she appreciated my attempt to make something special for her, though she also suggested I not bring sun dried tomatoes for her on future backpacking meals. And even better, she'd like to go on more backpacking trips with me. (We've been dating for a few years, but we hadn't tried doing this together before, and it's really cool that it worked out, because backpacking is something I really wanted to share with her.)

So thanks, y'all, I'll try to get it right next time, but it's great to have a relationship where things work out even if I don't get it quite right.

Jonathan

[envirodiver]

OK, so I guess I owe everyone a report ;->

So thanks, y'all, I'll try to get it right next time, but it's great to have a relationship where things work out even if I don't get it quite right.

Jonathan

Yup, that is a good thing. Good that it all worked out OK. Main thing is she wanted to go back again.

[budforester]

Great! Maybe spend some quality time experimenting at home and planning the next trip.

Happy Trails!

[Roland]

Bootstrap,

Things didn't go as planned, but you had fun and you're making memories as you learn together. That's all part of the fun.