makin'up more dinners for my next big hike and decided..........

[Different Socks]

to bake my first pies!......EVER. Made 2 pumpkin pies and can't wait til they cool down.

Okay, so maybe this should be over in food?

[Wise Old Owl]

Hope you made them like thick pop tarts.

[Train Wreck]

Did you mean that you made them from dehydrated pumpkin?
I'm not that fond of pumpkin, but I love sweet potato pie, wondering if that could be done & taken on the trail.

[Rasty]

Did you mean that you made them from dehydrated pumpkin?
I'm not that fond of pumpkin, but I love sweet potato pie, wondering if that could be done & taken on the trail.

Self life would be short because of the moisture content and eggs.

[Train Wreck]

Self life would be short because of the moisture content and eggs.

what if you dehydrated the sweet potatoes and added the other stuff on the trail?
I'm serious.

[Rasty]

what if you dehydrated the sweet potatoes and added the other stuff on the trail?
I'm serious.

It's really only a custard, so it would work but will be scrambled because dry eggs are not going to work the same as fresh eggs. You can make almost anything with eggs with a simple ratio. 6 to 8 eggs with thicken a quart of anything. The same ratio is used for custard, hollandaise, mayonnaise, egg nog, etc. With minor adjustments and additional ingredients you don't really even need recipes.

[Train Wreck]

It's really only a custard, so it would work but will be scrambled because dry eggs are not going to work the same as fresh eggs. You can make almost anything with eggs with a simple ratio. 6 to 8 eggs with thicken a quart of anything. The same ratio is used for custard, hollandaise, mayonnaise, egg nog, etc. With minor adjustments and additional ingredients you don't really even need recipes.

Could you use some kind of jello pudding mix instead of the eggs? like maybe the vanilla flavor?

[Rasty]

Could you use some kind of jello pudding mix instead of the eggs? like maybe the vanilla flavor?

I would think so. Just use less milk. Your essentially trying to fake pastry cream (8 eggs, 8 ounces sugar, 1 quart milk, 1 ounce cornstarch, 1 ounce butter and vanilla powder) See how the 8 eggs ratio works.

[Train Wreck]

I would think so. Just use less milk. Your essentially trying to fake pastry cream (8 eggs, 8 ounces sugar, 1 quart milk, 1 ounce cornstarch, 1 ounce butter and vanilla powder) See how the 8 eggs ratio works.

crap, that sounds too complicated. I guess I could just hydrate them and drizzle butter & cinnamon & sugar on top, and call it a day :)

[Rasty]

I would think so. Just use less milk. Your essentially trying to fake pastry cream (8 eggs, 8 ounces sugar, 1 quart milk, 1 ounce cornstarch, 1 ounce butter and vanilla powder) See how the 8 eggs ratio works.

crap, that sounds too complicated. I guess I could just hydrate them and drizzle butter & cinnamon & sugar on top, and call it a day :)

I don't bake when hiking. Too much effort.

[Train Wreck]

I don't bake when hiking. Too much effort.

Yes, it would be pretty hard to make any miles while balancing a hot stove, pot, and hiking poles at the same time. You'd spill something for sure!

[Creek Dancer]

It's fairly easy to dehydrate sweet potatoes. Just cook them, mash them up, and dehydrate them. You would obviously need one of those plastic trays without the holes. You can also buy them in the grocery store. I usually find them where you find the instant mashed potatoes.

I will occasionally "bake" muffins and pancakes on the trail. I use the just add water products and I cook the muffins in one of those little fry pans. I think it's only maybe 3 or 4 inches in diameter. Put a tiny bit of oil in the bottom, cover with tin foil and cook on very low heat. I have also just set the pan near the campfire and that is enough heat to cook them as well. Saves on fuel.

[WingedMonkey]

I love sweet potato pie, wondering if that could be done & taken on the trail.

Sweet Potato Bark
Ingredients:



1 large or 2 small Sweet Potatoes (approx. 13 ounces before peeling)
½ cup Apple Juice
1 Tbsp Real Maple Syrup
1 tsp Cinnamon (may include nutmeg)

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into chunks.
Boil until soft, drain, and mash.
Stir in apple juice, maple syrup, and cinnamon. If you like nutmeg, you may replace half of the cinnamon with nutmeg.

Run the mashed sweet potatoes through a blender until creamy.

Spread thinly and as evenly as possible on covered dehydrator trays.

http://www.backpackingchef.com/sweet-potato-bark.html

[Train Wreck]

Sweet Potato Bark
Ingredients:



1 large or 2 small Sweet Potatoes (approx. 13 ounces before peeling)
½ cup Apple Juice
1 Tbsp Real Maple Syrup
1 tsp Cinnamon (may include nutmeg)

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into chunks.
Boil until soft, drain, and mash.
Stir in apple juice, maple syrup, and cinnamon. If you like nutmeg, you may replace half of the cinnamon with nutmeg.

Run the mashed sweet potatoes through a blender until creamy.

Spread thinly and as evenly as possible on covered dehydrator trays.

http://www.backpackingchef.com/sweet-potato-bark.html

Thanks, WM!

[RodentWhisperer]

Self life would be short because of the moisture content and eggs.

That looks like a fine reason to eat lots of pie before hitting the trail...

[tiptoe]

Perhaps you could roast the pumpkins, mix up the flesh with some sweetener and spices, and dehydrate into a fruit leather. I still have pumpkins; I talked my neighbor into giving me a couple of his uncarved Halloween pumpkins, which he was going to toss into the woods. If I do, I'll report back.

Pumpkin bread is another possibility, but the recipe I usually make calls for eggs.

[get wayaway]

It's fairly easy to dehydrate sweet potatoes. Just cook them, mash them up, and dehydrate them. You would obviously need one of those plastic trays without the holes. You can also buy them in the grocery store. I usually find them where you find the instant mashed potatoes.

I will occasionally "bake" muffins and pancakes on the trail. I use the just add water products and I cook the muffins in one of those little fry pans. I think it's only maybe 3 or 4 inches in diameter. Put a tiny bit of oil in the bottom, cover with tin foil and cook on very low heat. I have also just set the pan near the campfire and that is enough heat to cook them as well. Saves on fuel.

You can use parchment paper to line the trays - don't need the other plastic ones.

[Rasty]

Perhaps you could roast the pumpkins, mix up the flesh with some sweetener and spices, and dehydrate into a fruit leather. I still have pumpkins; I talked my neighbor into giving me a couple of his uncarved Halloween pumpkins, which he was going to toss into the woods. If I do, I'll report back.

Pumpkin bread is another possibility, but the recipe I usually make calls for eggs.

Pumpkin bread will last longer. Higher final cooking temperature and less moisture. Quick breads are usually almost 200 degrees internal temp. Pumpkin or Sweet Potato pie only gets to around 180 which is just above the set point of an custard based recipe.

[HikerMom58]

to bake my first pies!......EVER. Made 2 pumpkin pies and can't wait til they cool down.

Okay, so maybe this should be over in food?

BUDDYYYY.... how have you been? Good for you making your first pie... EVER! That's awesome!! I bet they tasted sooo good! Do tell us about ur next big hike.... Are you comin,, EAST?

[The Old Boot]

Anyone who likes stuff like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, squash etc. but doesn't like bark or jerky (hand held high here) or wants faster rehydrating times can take the bark and run it through a coffee grinder. I tear up the bark into smallish pieces and then grind to a powder. It rehydrates much easier than bark will.

I use this method regularly for tomato paste, applesauce and a squash soup that makes a great trail meal.

Oh and parchment paper works much better IMO than the plastic trays. I used the plastic inserts once when I first got the dehydrator and not since.