Touring - Wanted! Cooking Tips, Tricks & Recipes ... Will Share

Hi!

Like the title says ... Looking for tips, tricks & recipes to share.

Background: My C2C tour got postponed after almost 2 yrs. of planning and excited preparation. So, I've been putting together something of a resource in the form of an on line journal to share what I've found:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/Cookonabike

If you've got some favorites you'd like to share let me know. Post here. If you have suggestions for me to add sections to the journal send PM or leave a note in the Guest Book function on the journal.

Most of the focus has been on creating an evening meal that lets a rider eat well and well within budget. Fresh ingredients, simple methods and even somethings for a group 'feed' or biker/hiker rendevous.

Look forward to your great ideas.

Thanks,

Tim

Hi!

Like the title says ... Looking for tips, tricks & recipes to share.

Background: My C2C tour got postponed after almost 2 yrs. of planning and excited preparation. So, I've been putting together something of a resource in the form of an on line journal to share what I've found:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/Cookonabike

If you've got some favorites you'd like to share let me know. Post here. If you have suggestions for me to add sections to the journal send PM or leave a note in the Guest Book function on the journal.

Most of the focus has been on creating an evening meal that lets a rider eat well and well within budget. Fresh ingredients, simple methods and even somethings for a group 'feed' or biker/hiker rendevous.

Look forward to your great ideas.

Thanks,

Tim

My family has a couple of favorites that I use when I'm on the road, or on work travel and staying in residence inns. I'll give you one that is called So Good Skillet, a good one pot meal. It's very filling so I'd suggest not doing it for a solo trip (althougth it warms nicely for lunch, most of us don't have refrigerators or microwaves on our bikes:D ). You need (for 4 normal people and 2.85 hunger bike people)

1 lb hamburger
1 onion
2 or 3 stalks of celery
2 or 3 carrots
1 can of beef broth (consume works better)
1 can beef vegetable soup
1/2 to 1 can of water
1 to 2 tablespoons soy sauce (steal...er borrow... some packets from a Chinese restaurant)
1/4 cup (or more) Salsa or taco sauce (again borrow some from a restaurant)
Pasta (6 or 7 oz) of some kind. Elbow mac., penne, etc. works well. Spaghetti - not so much.
Hot sauce (I like Franks), as much as you like;) Keep some for adding later.

Brown the hamburger in a pot. Since you are unlikely to find 'lean' hamburger in a podunk town in Iowa, drain the fat. Add the onions and brown them. Add the celery and soften it slightly.

Dump in the liquid stuff (except the hot sauce) and bring it to a boil. Add the pasta and simmer until the pasta is done. Add hot sauce to taste. Serve. Get someone else to clean up.

Polenta.

Nothing but water, cornmeal, and whatever ya wanna throw in for flavah.

1. Pasta arrabiata - Open a bottle of wine; saute a generous amount of garlic and crushed red pepper in olive oil - with a small can of anchovies too if you're up for it (mash them into a paste as they cook); before the garlic browns too much and pepper burns, add a smallish can of tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes - cook down for a few minutes, toss with 1# cooked pasta and add a little more olive oil. Eat as much as you can for dinner and save the rest for a great breakfast.

2. When riding across the US, I got used to eating whatever the gas station had - Mac and Cheese is always around and I lived off of it. Adding a little dried oregeno was an easy way to create the illusion of eating something a little more special.

3. Quick oats are so much better than instant oatmeal and take no time at all to cook. Add raisins or any other dried stuff and honey (nutella, too)

#1 favourite: Big Zip Lock bag - open a can of salmon and dump it in - bones and juice and all - add a chopped onion and lots of salt and pepper. Add one egg - close the Ziplock and mix it all up. Open Ziplock and add bread cubes or crackers and gloup it all around until mixture is quite thick. Cut a corner off the bag and squeeze into the pan. Fry until brown and serve with rice or couscous or bread or whatever. Leftovers make a great breakfast.

#2 favourite: can of Spam, can of creamed corn, package of Kraft Dinner. Prepare KD, then add a can of "squished Spam" (hold opened product in hand and squish to produce the exquisite Spam Pate) and a can of corn. Reheat and enjoy! Yumm! (note: many of my fellow bike club tourists do not share my enthusiasm for this feast - silly people!)

#2 favourite: can of Spam


Me being originally from Hawaii will always have a special place in my heart for spam... I think it's great for touring... so much you can do with it.. SPAM Burgers are the bomb......


Cheers,

Coconut

#1 favourite: Big Zip Lock bag - open a can of salmon and dump it in - bones and juice and all - add a chopped onion and lots of salt and pepper. Add one egg - close the Ziplock and mix it all up. Open Ziplock and add bread cubes or crackers and gloup it all around until mixture is quite thick. Cut a corner off the bag and squeeze into the pan. Fry until brown and serve with rice or couscous or bread or whatever. Leftovers make a great breakfast.



http://tell.fll.purdue.edu/JapanProj/FLClipart/Medical/vomit.s.gif

easy recipe, 1 3oz pack tuna (Softpack), 1pkg Ramen Oriental or Shrimp flavored noodles.

Make the Ramen, stir in the tuna and oi'la! Instant 1 pot recipe. The excess salt in the Ramen replaces electrolytes and the tuna has the protien, the noodles have the carbs, and it's lightweight and compact! It also tastes surprisingly good!

I used to make something for the first night and freeze it in a Zip-lock bag. That's before I discovered Kohinoor. I buy them from the food store. They come in plastic bags that I can boil for about 5 minutes. There are many varieties and I serve them with instant rice. First I boil the water for the rice. After it boils I put it in a second container and boil the water for the Kohinoor. Once the rice is ready I throw the mixture on top.

Much better that the stuff I was buying from MEC and cheaper too!

I just returned from a 3-week tour of the southwest and the best 1 pot meal I created was pasta (rigatoni), some (1+ TBS) olive oil, parmesan cheese and crushed red peppers. I carried the olive oil and got the cheese and peppers from a pizza place where I ate one night. I kept adding the cheese and red peppers until I liked the taste. I didn't have any other spices, but the dried oregano would have been nice (and may be available from the pizza place too). Given that I only bought the pasta (less than $1.50), it was a very cheap meal that was filling and tasty.

Here's cooking technique tip. If you want to conserve stove fuel when cooking pasta or about any food that requires simmering, make a foam pot cozy out of a cheap blue foam sleeping pad from walmart. Use contact cement to glue the ends and bottom together. to use, heat your water to boiling and add the pasta. Turn off the stove and quickly move the pot to the cozy. Put on the pot lid and the insulated top of the cozy so the pot is completely insulated.

Leave the pot alone until the normal simmering time is up, then open up the pot, drain any excess water and proceed normally. The insulation will keep the water temperature close to boiling so the pasta cooks and saves 7-10 minutes worth of fuel.

This is perhaps more of an ultralight backpacking tip, but it may come in handy at times. If you store your pot inside the cozy, you get some padding to protect your pot from dents and scrapes.

Just got this in an e-mail the other day, seems it could be adjusted to be used on the road.



ZIPLOCK OMELETTES

This works great! Good for when all your family is together and no one has to wait for their special omelet.

Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with a permanent marker.

Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, avocado, hash browns, salsa, etc. Anything that is good in an omelet.

Crack 2 eggs into each bag—large or XL (NOT MORE THAN TWO) Shake or knead them to mix them up.

Each guest adds the ingredients of their choice to their bag and kneads it to mix it up. Make sure to get all the air out of the bag before zipping it up.

Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6 to 8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.

Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.

Serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake.

Everyone gets involved in the process and it is a great conversation piece.


Also go lookin' at http://bicycletouring101.com/SimpleMealPlans.htm, just keep clicking the "NEXT" button to see more recipes & tips.

when you don't want to lug out the cooking gear, I have found some MRE's style meals from La Bruite to be pretty good.. Take out of package, pour salt water pack over heating element.. slide meal back in box and it's hot in 15 minutes.. they are actually pretty good.. Spaghetti & Meatballs is one of my favorites..

http://www.botac.com/labriutemeals.html

http://store.botachtactical.com/labriutemeal5.html

http://tell.fll.purdue.edu/JapanProj/FLClipart/Medical/vomit.s.gif
Hey - you haven't even tried it! Probably balk at some of my other delicacies as well eh? Just can't please some folks!;)

Polenta.

Nothing but water, cornmeal, and whatever ya wanna throw in for flavah.

Now ... is this a southern 'cousin' to grits? I've had folks reccommend 'cheese grits', 'grits 'N eggs', 'grits & red eye gravy' and it seems like the variations are almost endless?

Thanks! And, thanks for all the other suggestions. Now that we're in the Maine bike season it's time to start kitchen testing these goodies.

Tim

1. Pasta arrabiata - Open a bottle of wine; saute a generous amount of garlic and crushed red pepper in olive oil - with a small can of anchovies too if you're up for it (mash them into a paste as they cook); before the garlic browns too much and pepper burns, add a smallish can of tomatoes or chopped fresh tomatoes - cook down for a few minutes, toss with 1# cooked pasta and add a little more olive oil. Eat as much as you can for dinner and save the rest for a great breakfast.

2. When riding across the US, I got used to eating whatever the gas station had - Mac and Cheese is always around and I lived off of it. Adding a little dried oregeno was an easy way to create the illusion of eating something a little more special.

3. Quick oats are so much better than instant oatmeal and take no time at all to cook. Add raisins or any other dried stuff and honey (nutella, too)

Thanks for the "arrabiata" ... we've added it to the journal, with a mention to consider a medely of olives, mushrooms and anything 'at hand' to give that Med. flavor ... The wine is for the Chef? Cheers!

Tim

Me being originally from Hawaii will always have a special place in my heart for spam... I think it's great for touring... so much you can do with it.. SPAM Burgers are the bomb......


Cheers,

Coconut

More, More!

After your reply I hit the Google for Spam ... Wow!

Trout fishing in Canada during early Spring, we used to make 'interesting' cold sandwiches. Same when rafting western rivers with Outward Bound.

Here's a Western favorite: 'any bread' ... sliced spam, dill pickle slices, smoked oysters/clams, mustard ... thin sliced onion, if ya got any. Side dish: 'any of those sardines left?' Hard cheese slices optional. River beverage: chem treated H2O from the river, strain or let settle the silt, little flavoring to kill the iodine/cholor taste.

I think it was Col. Townsend (sp?) who once said: "You get hungry enough, you'll eat things that would make a billy goat puke."

Here in Maine I've seen the Spring rotted logs and stumps that the Black bears pull apart for the fat, white grubs ... guess I'm just not 'that' hungry, yet.

Fiddle head & Ramp recipes welcomed.

Thanks.

I'd love to eat eggs on the road but how do you store them? this is assuming a person doesn't eat 12 eggs in one sitting.

Here's cooking technique tip. If you want to conserve stove fuel when cooking pasta or about any food that requires simmering, make a foam pot cozy out of a cheap blue foam sleeping pad from walmart. Use contact cement to glue the ends and bottom together. to use, heat your water to boiling and add the pasta. Turn off the stove and quickly move the pot to the cozy. Put on the pot lid and the insulated top of the cozy so the pot is completely insulated.

Leave the pot alone until the normal simmering time is up, then open up the pot, drain any excess water and proceed normally. The insulation will keep the water temperature close to boiling so the pasta cooks and saves 7-10 minutes worth of fuel.

This is perhaps more of an ultralight backpacking tip, but it may come in handy at times. If you store your pot inside the cozy, you get some padding to protect your pot from dents and scrapes.

Good idea!

Have you seen the commercially available 'insulated' outdoor spigot/faucet covers? An on line search shows them and not wicked expensive either. I think I'll get one and 'kitchen test'. Seems I came across some other references to 'cozy cooking' and will look them up for dishes like rice, polenta, oats &c. Thanks!

I'd love to eat eggs on the road but how do you store them? this is assuming a person doesn't eat 12 eggs in one sitting.

There are blue plastic holders for eggs that keep them from getting crushed. You don't need to buy a dozen. Often, with perforated egg cartons, you can buy six. Another trick might be to stop at a diner and offer to buy a few 'to go ... in the original package.' <grin>

Ok here is my recipe for camp risotto.

Step one: make some chicken broth.
Since I'm not partial to carrying around cans I usually make some using a dried mix. Make about two cups.

Step two: Put about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat add about 6 oz of Arborio rice. Stir it around until the rice has absorbed the oil and then add the chicken broth one ladle at a time, folding and stirring the rice constantly. About twenty minutes later you should be out of broth and the rice should be done.

Step three: Add about six 2 oz packages of restaurant parmesan cheese. You can buy a box of this at Sams and probably costco they're small individual packets that don't need refrigeration.

Fold the cheese into the rice and serve. Good stuff after a long day's hike or ride.

Ok here is my recipe for camp risotto.


Step one: make some chicken broth.
Since I'm not partial to carrying around cans I usually make some using a dried mix. Make about two cups.

Step two: Put about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat add about 6 oz of Arborio rice. Stir it around until the rice has absorbed the oil and then add the chicken broth one ladle at a time, folding and stirring the rice constantly. About twenty minutes later you should be out of broth and the rice should be done.

Step three: Add about six 2 oz packages of restaurant parmesan cheese. You can buy a box of this at Sams and probably costco they're small individual packets that don't need refrigeration.

Fold the cheese into the rice and serve. Good stuff after a long day's hike or ride.


On a stove e.g. MSR DF what size pan/pot are you using? What do you think, or what might be your experience of using the 'cozy' method of getting the rice well cooked and adding the cheese?

This sounds great ... what's the yield/servings?

Thanks!

I'd love to eat eggs on the road but how do you store them? this is assuming a person doesn't eat 12 eggs in one sitting.
As timonabike pointed out you can often buy just 6. I usually just use the package they came in. So eat a couple for supper and a couple for breakfast (forget the cholesterol this one time) and the other 2 will actually keep unrefrigerated for a day or two. Or you could boil them. I have actually had marvelous success with dried eggs! Really! A lot of people turn up their nose at them but if you add lots of spices and some dehydrated onions - YUMM. I dry my own using the low fat mixtures you get in Tetra Pacs.

There are blue plastic holders for eggs that keep them from getting crushed. You don't need to buy a dozen. Often, with perforated egg cartons, you can buy six. Another trick might be to stop at a diner and offer to buy a few 'to go ... in the original package.' <grin>


weird, I've never seen eggs come in a six-pack before :o this is a whole new world for me now...
I also like that idea of buying eggs at a restuarant and getting them to go, of course, after abandoning all shame..
thanks

For dinner: I take one or two sausages, an onion, pepper, mushroom and potato. Fry the sausage for a while and maybe cut it into a few pieces to help free the juices and sear it to add flavor. DIce up the veggies and add with a sprinkle of water. Cover it and let it simmer.

I start writing in my journal while the simmering takes place and keep writing for say, half an hour or so till the smell becomes to overpowering to ignore. The I pig out.

roughstuff

Guys, I have always been sure that a man is better cook than a woman.;) I am inspired and I am going to my kitchen to test your cookery.:D

weird, I've never seen eggs come in a six-pack before :o this is a whole new world for me now...
Actually they rarely come as sixes but many of the packages are scored to be broken in two. Just ask the clerk first. I recall buying eggs in a small Minnesota town from a very incredulous clerk who asked if I was going to eat them raw! I replied with at least a few of the many ways that I was prepared to cook them that evening. She then went out to her garden and gathered some fresh vegetables to complete the meal at no charge. Ah ...... the touring life.

On a stove e.g. MSR DF what size pan/pot are you using? What do you think, or what might be your experience of using the 'cozy' method of getting the rice well cooked and adding the cheese?

This sounds great ... what's the yield/servings?

Thanks!


I usually make the broth in my 3/4 quart pot and the rice in my 7" fry pan on my whisperlite. I don't have an exact yeild but it makes two big heaping servings. It easily feeds me and my kid. As for getting the rice done, for me it's a lot of stirring and tasting.

I used to make something for the first night and freeze it in a Zip-lock bag. That's before I discovered Kohinoor. I buy them from the food store. They come in plastic bags that I can boil for about 5 minutes. There are many varieties and I serve them with instant rice. First I boil the water for the rice. After it boils I put it in a second container and boil the water for the Kohinoor. Once the rice is ready I throw the mixture on top.

Much better that the stuff I was buying from MEC and cheaper too!

Thanks!

I've seen the entrees on ishopindia.com , are these similar aka 'boil in bag'? Any other sources?

Here's a link: http://ishopindian.com/shop/catalog/Readymade-Entrees-p-1-c-33.html

Thanks,

Tim

What ever you do, dont cook your food in plastic. It sounds quick and easy but it releases carcinogins (sp) in to the food. The John Hopkins center just released their findings that microwaves and plastic, (together) are the leading cause of cancer. Take a minute and do it right.

I don't think its what you were looking for, but a favorite recipie of mine for on the go snacking is rice crispy treats minus the rice crispies, using instead cherios and a cup of peanut butter. Protein and carbs in one convienient ready and cheap package. I love it.

What ever you do, dont cook your food in plastic. It sounds quick and easy but it releases carcinogins (sp) in to the food. The John Hopkins center just released their findings that microwaves and plastic, (together) are the leading cause of cancer. Take a minute and do it right.

There are people who take microwaves on a tour?

Buddah - yoy just inspired me to make risotto on my next tour - thanks. I make it at home pretty often, but never camping, and have never gotten the rice to cook that quickly - it's always at least twice as long as any recipe has said. Maybe I'm just being too easy on the rice. A couple of my favorite additions are asparagus or mushrooms and onions several minutes before the end, or arugula after it's cooked.


Ok here is my recipe for camp risotto.

Step one: make some chicken broth.
Since I'm not partial to carrying around cans I usually make some using a dried mix. Make about two cups.

Step two: Put about a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat add about 6 oz of Arborio rice. Stir it around until the rice has absorbed the oil and then add the chicken broth one ladle at a time, folding and stirring the rice constantly. About twenty minutes later you should be out of broth and the rice should be done.

Step three: Add about six 2 oz packages of restaurant parmesan cheese. You can buy a box of this at Sams and probably costco they're small individual packets that don't need refrigeration.

Fold the cheese into the rice and serve. Good stuff after a long day's hike or ride.

weird, I've never seen eggs come in a six-pack before :o this is a whole new world for me now...
I also like that idea of buying eggs at a restuarant and getting them to go, of course, after abandoning all shame..
thanks

Buy the whole dozen, consume two (or more) at a time & cut off the extra carton as you go. While touring a meal or two of 6 eggs is really no big deal.

To pack eggs like we did for horseback trips, getcha a couple of those long thin bottles that olives come in. Eat or dump the olives. Crack and put eggs in each bottle, they'll hold about 6 or so. They pour out nice from one too...

There are people who take microwaves on a tour?

You mean you haven't seen the Bikrowave 2240 MkIV? Do you live in a cave? Everyone is carrying one! I mean even retrogrouches who use fixed gears to tour...in the Colorado Rockies... have at least the MkIII!

Get with the times! Sheesh! :D

Polenta.

Nothing but water, cornmeal, and whatever ya wanna throw in for flavah.

Thanks ...

Just started a new section on the cycling food journal http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/Cookonabike

Putting in content for both grits and polenta, cousins from opposite sides of the Atlantic.

Ready for more added favorites: fresh veggies, spices, meats, cheeses, herbs.

This looks to be a good 'base' for filling and interesting 'meals on wheels' (sorry to poach the name.)

Add inputs here, @ the journal's Guest Book or PM.

Thanks,

To pack eggs like we did for horseback trips, getcha a couple of those long thin bottles that olives come in. Eat or dump the olives. Crack and put eggs in each bottle, they'll hold about 6 or so. They pour out nice from one too...

Nice trick!

Do they 'keep' as long as when left in the shell? I also know folks who crack them into zip locks for freezing. Once thawed they added goodies for an omelet ... shake and boil-in-bag for a quick breakfast.

How about some more horsepacking tips since we're all riding metal mounts?

Thanks,

kesrobert's pasta arrabiata is great, although i've yet to manage getting past the "open a botle of wine" part yet ;)

Hi!

Like the title says ... Looking for tips, tricks & recipes to share.

Background: My C2C tour got postponed after almost 2 yrs. of planning and excited preparation. So, I've been putting together something of a resource in the form of an on line journal to share what I've found:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/Cookonabike

If you've got some favorites you'd like to share let me know. Post here. If you have suggestions for me to add sections to the journal send PM or leave a note in the Guest Book function on the journal.

Most of the focus has been on creating an evening meal that lets a rider eat well and well within budget. Fresh ingredients, simple methods and even somethings for a group 'feed' or biker/hiker rendevous.

Look forward to your great ideas.

Thanks,

Tim


Site Up Date:

We've added a section on Sandwiches as well as Grits & Polenta ...

Got more good suggestions? The contributions have been great. Thanks!

LINK: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journal/Cookonabike

I'd love to eat eggs on the road but how do you store them? this is assuming a person doesn't eat 12 eggs in one sitting.
In the UK, eggs are actually stored on the shelf. Dunno if they do something dfferent, but you should be fine.
Also, eggs cost like $1 for 6 and I don't mine tossing them if they go.
Plus 6 eggs isn't bad, eat 3 for dinner, 3 for breakfast.