Planning for three days, we buy three meats, one poultry, one beef and one seafood. This years' picks were a rotisserie chicken (the deli clerk called me when she took it out of the oven), an 8 ounce beef fillet, and a fresh cut of salmon. I froze these and pull just prior to packing into the cooler for a 3-6 hour trip. (It may take only 3 hours to reach the destination, yet sometimes we have to wait till the cabin is cleaned to check in). I add 6 eggs and a piece of Swiss cheese to the cooler under the ice blocks.
We take every vegetable we have (thanks to our local farmers market friends-we have an assortment) and we stop along the way to add a few more.
At our last stop about an hour from the park we get bread. This year we found a delicious multigrain boule and a 6 pack of fresh biscuits. I add a few vegetables I did not already have, a pack of frozen corn and a 1/2 gallon of milk.
Once the fire is lit, I cut and dice the vegetables. I'll pre-cook the longer cooking vegetables like potatoes, peas and carrots inside either on the propane stove or in the microwave. We fill 3/4ths of the paella cooking pan with vegetables and place the beef, salmon or chicken in the center of the pan. Grease the pan with a little olive oil, then add vegetables and meat at the same time. Occasional turning or stirring is all that's needed to cook the meal for a total of only 15 minutes.
Cooking over an open fire gives the food a unique smoky taste.
On the last day of our stay, we purchase take out desserts from the restaurant. Debbie Schoolcraft may just make the best graham cracker pie and blackberry cobbler in the state.
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