campfire

Camping Recipes: Smartwool Staffers



Andi, Product Line Manager

Campfire Banana Boats

 

 

We always make campfire banana boats, which are delicious and very easy to prepare! The best part about of this recipe is that you can customize each banana boat to suit each member of your family or friends.

Ingredients

  • Bananas
  • Chocolate chips
  • Graham crackers
  • Marshmallows
  • Peanut butter cups
  • Caramel bites
  • Coconut flakes
  • Parchment paper
  • Aluminum foil 

Directions

  1. Take aluminum foil and parchment paper and cut in a square big enough to wrap around your banana. Lay parchment paper on top of the aluminum foil.
  2. Slit your banana length wise and open up slightly.
  3. Assemble your banana boat.
  4. Wrap banana in aluminum foil and set directly on coals of your campfire. Grill until marshmallows and chocolate melt, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  5. Carefully remove from fire and enjoy!

Banana Boat combo suggestions

  • S’mores: Marshmallows, chocolate chips and graham crackers.
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter: Marshmallows, chocolate chips, peanut butter.
  • Samoas: Marshmallows, chocolate chips, caramel, coconut flakes.

 

banana boats


Devon, Multi-Media Designer

Grilled Salmon with Asparagus

salmon over the campfire

 

 

My family absolutely loves grilled salmon, cooked over a cedar plank on the fire with a side of buttery lemon asparagus. We usually opt for a side salad as well, but it’s from a bag (shhhh…. It’s my best kept secret).

 

Ingredients

  • Salmon
  • Wild caught Atlantic salmon 1.5 lbs(ish)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 TBSP ginger
  • 2 TBSP soy or tamari
  • 2-3 pads butter to taste
  • Celtic sea salt to taste
  • Cracked black pepper to taste
  •  Asparagus
  • Trim ends, peel stalks
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 TBSP high quality olive oil
  • Celtic sea salt to taste

Directions

  1. Start the fire early enough so you can build up some heat, then let it burn down to a rolling heat.
  2. Start by peeling and mincing garlic and  ginger or you can use a pre-minced option.
  3. Next, trim ends and peel the stalks of asparagus. One bunch is plenty for our family of four.
  4. Melt butter on a cast iron skillet large enough to accommodate the Salmon and place another cast iron skillet with olive oil on the fire.  Make sure the skillet is large enough so the asparagus is not crowded, otherwise it steams rather than grills. You'll know the asparagus are done when water is splashed on them and they sizzle. 
  5. Grill salmon for 5-8 minutes per side or until the flesh is pink, not opaque. 


Todd, Sales Manager

Camping Paella

 

 

Part of the allure of paella is that it’s hard to mess up! I don’t have very specific instructions, so here are some general guidelines.

Ingredients

  • Olive oil
  • Lemons 
  • Garlic
  • Seasonings: parsley, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, saffron threads, bay leaf, parsley, lemon zest, saffron 
  • Chicken stock
  • Ground chorizo or your other favorite cased meat
  • Boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Shrimps (large, peeled and deveined)
  • Yellow onions
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Peas 
  • Arborio or other short grain rice

Directions

1.     Heat up a pan over low/medium heat and cook your preference of sausage. I like to use ground chorizo as the flavor is in each bite.

2.     Cook sausage until close to done, it should still be a bit pink. Then add boneless skinless chicken thighs to the pan and season with a spice mix of your choosing.

3.     Once the chicken is close to done, slice into halves of quarters. Then pull all meat to the outside of the pan to maximize space for the sofrito.

4.     Add in olive oil and garlic, I use 2-3 heads of garlic. Cut them in half and place cut sides down in the pan. Roast until you can squeeze each piece of garlic out of the husk and discard husks. Add equal parts chopped onion and tomatoes, then sprinkle with chopped parsley.

5.     Now it’s time to add in 1/3 cup Arborio rice per person. Next add in enough chicken broth to cover rice and sofrito. As the broth cooks down, add more until the rice is close to done.

6.     Next up, grind saffron and add to pan. Be sure to keep a close eye on the rice to make sure it doesn’t burn. Add in shrimp, and mix back in sausage and chicken. Then add in frozen peas & tomatoes. 

7.     You’ll know you’ve perfected this paella when the shrimp are pink and a gold crust forms.

8.     Finish by garnishing with chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

 

 

 

paella


Jean, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Riverside Bruschetta

bruschetta

 

 

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that will end my day on the river faster than a growling stomach. That’s why I’ve always got snacks and lunch packed. Caprese Bruschetta is the perfect way to kickstart camping season, as an app to enjoy while you make a few extra casts before dinner.

Ingredients

  • French or Italian baguette
  • Ball of fresh mozzarella
  • 1 whole tomato 
  • Fresh basil leaves
  • Sprinkle of parmesan
  • Balsamic vinegar

Directions

  1. Slice baguette into desired size. You can toast or leave un-toasted. Personally, I can’t resist a bit of crunchiness. Lay bread over the campfire for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, flipping half way through.
  2. Slice fresh mozzarella into desired thickness.  
  3.  Cut the tomato into very thin slices.
  4. Remove stems from basil.
  5. Layer mozzarella, tomato slices, and basil on top of bread slices.
  6. Top with a drizzle of balsamic and parmesan.
  7. Bon Appetit!


Pete, Socks Merchandise Director

Campfire Cocktails

 

 

With fire bans prevalent around Colorado, our goal was to create a cocktail that gave us the hints of smoke you expect from a good campfire without creating a dangerous and illegal situation in our nation’s wonderful forests!

Of course, we had a proper backcountry barman’s set up – in that we only had the tools available to us in our camp kit. So here follows the recipes and instructions for our High Country Smoked Negroni and our Elk Mountains Gin Mojito (with a booze free variation!)

 

High Country Smoked Negroni

Ingredients

  • Colorado Gin
  • Campari
  • Sweet Vermouth
  • A blood orange
  • Some BBQ-quality cedar planks

Directions

  1. Carefully use an axe to chop cedar into small pieces (about the size of a AAA battery), light them on fire, drop them into a camp mug, and then use remaining cedar plank to smother the flame and hold the smoke in the mug while you finish preparing the drink.
  2. Since you’re camping, you likely don’t have a great way to measure, so eyeball equal amounts of Gin, Campari, and Sweet Vermouth into a separate mixing glass.
  3. Fill your mixing glass to the top with ice, and stir gently to mix and chill the drink.
  4. Then lift off your cedar plank and pour into the smoked camp mugs.
  5. Use a sharp pocket knife to shave off an orange peel, then give the peel a twist to spritz the citrus oil into your drink, and garnish away.
  6. Cheers and drink up!

Elk Mountains Gin Mojito

Ingredients

  • Colorado Gin
  • Fresh mint
  • Lime
  • Agave
  • Club soda
  • Plenty of ice

Directions

  1. Use an axe to quarter your lime.
  2. Use the “hammer” side of your axe to muddle your mint.
  3. Eyeball appropriate amount of Gin into your insulated camp cup, or skip this step for a refreshing booze-free option!
  4. Squeeze your quarter lime into your camp cup, and then sprinkle in a healthy amount of mint, a dash of agave to your desired level of sweetness, then stir to mix and chill.
  5. Top off with club soda.
  6. Deliver drinks to thirsty friends!
cocktail
cocktails

 

 

Show us your camping recipes and adventures this summer by tagging @smartwool and #gofarfeelgood