Reader question “What are some go to recipes that are ‘Scout Ready’ recipes?” From teaching backcountry cooking classes in the past to Scout groups, I know the young men like it simple, hearty, and with minimal cleanup. It also needs ample serving sizes. After all, we are talking hollow legs in these teen boys!
If you have a copy of our cookbook, Freezer Bag Cooking: Adventure Ready Recipes, you know it has a lot of choices! Three recipes I feel they’d love are below – not all are instant ready to go, some do require a little dehydrating, but dehydrating 101 is a perfect pre-trip event, a great way to teach a simple skill. And these days, you can buy nearly any dried item online for meals, so there is always that.
So yes, there is life outside of Mountain House, ramen and foot long subs……
Alfredo Mashers
In a quart freezer bag:
- ¾ cup instant mashed potatoes (plain)
- 2 Tbsp dry milk
- 2 Tbsp shelf-stable Parmesan cheese (green can)
- 1 Tbsp dry Alfredo sauce mix
- ¼ tsp granulated garlic
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Also take:
- 1 Tbsp or 1 packet of olive oil
FBC Method:
Add 1 cup near boiling water and the oil, and stir well. Seal and let sit until cool enough to eat. Stir before eating.
One Pot Method:
Bring 1 cup of water and oil to a boil in a small pot. Remove from heat. Add dry mashed potatoes and stir well. Let cool a bit before eating.
To make it heartier and provide a dose of protein, add a 3—to 5-ounce can (make sure it has a pop top) or a 7-ounce pouch of chicken breast (including any broth) to the water.
Serves 1.
The dry weight is 4 3/8 ounces. If adding in a 7-ounce pouch chicken, 11 3/8 ounces.
Beef Stroganoff
In a quart freezer bag:
- 4 ounces pasta, cooked and dehydrated pasta
- 1 Tbsp diced dried onion
- 1 Tbsp dried mushrooms, crumbled
- 1 Tbsp dehydrated ground beef or freeze-dried ground beef
In a leak-proof bottle, take:
- 2 tsp ketchup
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp low sodium beef bouillon powder
- A couple of grinds of black pepper
Also pack:
- 1-ounce tub or foil packet of cream cheese
FBC Method:
Add 1½ cups nearly boiling water to the past bag, seal tightly and put in a cozy for 15 minutes. Drain off most of the remaining water carefully, leaving about a Tablespoon behind (this actually is pretty good tasting broth). Add in the cream cheese and sauce blend. Stir till blended.
One Pot Method:
Bring 1½ cups water to a boil, then add the pasta bag contents. Cover tightly, remove the stove, and let sit for 10 minutes. Drain and proceed as above.
Serves 1.
Notes:
A 3-ounce package of ramen noodles can be substituted. Discard the flavor packet and break up the noodles a bit. Hungry teens may want to use as much as 1/4 cup hamburger. You can take ketchup packets instead, and dry Worcestershire sauce powder can be found online. Shelf stable cream cheese is also sourced online. If you carry regular cream cheese, you can find small tubs or packets by the bagels in grocery store bakeries. It is good for 2 or so days carrying in a pack unless it is super hot out. Otherwise, you can also use Laughing Cow cheese wedges, which are shelf-stable.
Meaty Marinara Pilaf
In a quart freezer bag:
- 1 cup instant rice
- 2 Tbsp tomato powder
- 2 Tbsp shelf-stable Parmesan cheese (green can)
- 1 tbsp dried mushrooms, crumbled
- 1 Tbsp dehydrated ground beef or freeze-dried ground beef
- 1 tsp diced dried onions
- 1 tsp Italian herb blend
- ¼ tsp dried diced garlic or granulated garlic
- Pinch of sugar
- Salt to taste
FBC Method:
Add 1¼ cups near boiling water and stir well. Seal tightly and put in a cozy for 15 minutes. Fluff up.
One Pot Method:
In a small pot, bring 1¼ cups water to a boil. Add the ingredients, stir well, and cover tightly. Remove the pot from the stove and let it rest for 10 minutes. In cooler weather or at altitude, stash the pot in a pot cozy.
Serves 1.
Note:
To boost calorie count, add in 1 Tablespoon or 1 packet olive oil. Add more cheese on top if desired. For larger appetites, use up to ¼ cup more of dried meat (Add in a Tablespoon more water for each Tablespoon dried meat).