The following recipes are from the Bakepacker Cookbook, from adventurefoods.com. They're meant for campers and use a Bakepacker gadget, but are easily converted to Dutch oven or other method of cooking. I really like the Bakepacker Cookbook, cost around $12-13, chock full of useful info: nutrition breakdown of dried foods (inc. diabetic info), reconstitution instructions for long list of dried foods, etc. No reason why you can't substitute cans or regular dried or fresh or whatever you can get a hold of.

Slickrock Kayak Sambhar

2 cups freeze-dried lentils

1/2 cup tomato flakes

1.8 cup tomato powder

1/4 cup onion flakes

1 cup f-d green beans

1/2 cup f-d peas

1/3 cup sliced cooked carrots

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin seed

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried coriander leaf

5 cups water

Check water level in your pot (1" min) [refers to Bakepacker in pot--for Dutch oven or stewpot, just put ingredients in pot, check for doneness after required cooking time].

Place all dry ingredients in oven roasting bag. Shake bag to blend. Add water, and shake bag again to blend ingredients. Place bag in Bakepacker, according to instructions. Bake/boil the mixture 10-12 mins. Remove from heat. Add more hot water if mixture seems too dry or thinner consistency is desired. Serve. [Nutritional breakdown is given]

Chili

1 cup f-d ground beef (2 cups fresh) [Ad Foods has it]

1/3 cup dehydrated onion (1 cup fresh)

1/2 cup f-d green bell pepper (1 cup fresh)

1-1/2 cups f-d navy beans (1 #303 can fresh)

1/3 cup tomato powder (1 small can tomato sauce)

2/3 cup tomato flakes (2 x #202 cans whole tomatoes)

2 tbs chili powder

salt

4 cups water

Check water level in your pot (1" min).

Combine dry ingredients and water in a Reynolds oven bag. Place bag in pot with Bakepacker and let set to rehydrate for 10 mins before adding heat to pot. Place pot on burner and bake/boil 15 mins. [Nutritional info and extra instructions for fresh substitutes are provided.]

Quick Apple Crisp

2 cups diced dried apples

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup granola (your favorite variety)

1 tbs butter powder

2 cups water

1/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Check water level in your pot (1" min)

Combine apples, butter, vanilla, cinnamon and water in an oven roasting bag. Shake bag to blend. Place bag in Bakepacker. Fold top of bag down loosely. Cover. Bake/boil for 12 mins. Remove pot from heat, and very carefully open the bag. Sprinkle granola and brown sugar over top of apples. Fold top of bag down again. Cover and return to heat for 5 min. Serve. [Nutritional info provided.]

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 06, 1999

Answers

Thanks Old Git!

May I also suggest The Well-Fed Backpacker by June Fleming (Vintage Books). It contains a huge number of "One-Liners": complete one pot meals designed to conserve cooking fuel (precious on the trail).

Spindoc'

-- Spindoctor (spindoc_99_2000@yahoo.com), May 06, 1999.

Thank you OldGit. I hate to be greedy, but do you have more? Anybody? Any adresses, or more books please? Thanks again.

-- R. Wright (blaklodg@aol.com), May 06, 1999.

Another good source of recipes is Trailside's Trail Food, Edited by John Viehman (Rodale Press), from the PBS series.

Also from my backpacker library, if things really get bad, another book I highly recommend is How to Sh*t in the Woods (no, really!) by Kathleen Meyer (Ten Speed Press). Examples of selections:

Chapter 2: Digging the Hole... Chapter 3: When You Can't Dig a Hole... Chapter 5: Trekker's Trots... Chapter 6: For Women Only: How Not to Pee in Your Boots...

The subject of the other chapters I shall leave as an exercise for the reader.

Enjoy!

Spindoc'

-- Spindoctor (spindoc_99_2000@yahoo.com), May 06, 1999.

Yet another good source of how to use dried food in unique combinations is The Backpacker's Handbook by Hugh McManners (Dorling Kinderley Press). I have a couple of other books about hiking the Appalachian Trail that contain some good info on food prep (I just can't seem to find them tonight), but I will post'em when I find 'em.

Good Hunting,

Spindoc'

-- Spindoctor (spindoc_99_2000@yahoo.com), May 07, 1999.

Y'all know my computer is an old git too so I don't want to look this up--it'll take me ages. Check the Web for Jessica's Biscuit Cookbook--they have an incredible catalogue of cookbooks and a search feature. Try all the key words--dried, trail, camp, outdoors, etc. This is another company I've ordered from for years and years (maybe 12) and had great good luck with them. I LOVE cookbooks, have tons of them. You can also just call them with partial titles, with or without author and they can sometimes figure out what it is you're looking for! They've found books for me from Britain, not in the catalogue, and I've received them in 10 days. Prices are quite good too.

You might try the Bakepacker too--it's not that expensive, can't remember, somewhere between $12-18. Enables you to bake on top of the stove, open flame or not, using certain plastic bags. Bakes much more quickly than Dutch ovens or camp ovens or the like--mine works quite well. Besides, you might want to order some food from Ad Foods--check their on-line catalogue, they have items you won't find elsewhere and you can order in quantities as little as 4oz. Not dirt cheap but it's very high quality. Their dehydrated grated cheese is EXCELLENT. Nice people to do business with.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), May 07, 1999.

For those who are going the canned rather than f-d'ed route:

Soak 2 c dried beans (whatever variety, I use a mix) overnight. Discard soak (use it in the garden).

Cover beans with water, cook on med/low heat. Add 1/2 tsp salt. crushed garlic clove or 1/2 to 1 tsp garlic powder. 1 med onion or 1 tsp onion powder. chili powder (your guess). 1 chopped, canned ham. 1 lg can tomato sauce. Cook until beans are soft. Add water as necessary to keep from scorching. Really good bean soup, goes great with biscuits. (yes, I've got that recipe, too)

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), May 07, 1999.

Can't believe someone hasn't already mentioned www.y2kKitchen.com. I found the site a couple of weeks ago. Lots of great ideas there. She's also looking for people to contribute recipies. Check it out!

-- L. Zinser (lvzinser@hotmail.com), May 07, 1999.