First Camping Trip of the Year: Barb's Favorite

 

       This turned out to be our first trip this spring, as well as our first time with the new truck hauling "The Fox'".  This included syncing the truck's onboard computer with the addition of all specs of the RV.  My intro into new vehicle technology continues.  

      This is definitely NOT our first trip here, but Barb does love the location.  This campground is a fairly small campground associated with the Kewadin Casino Hessel location.  It is across the highway and about 100 yards away.  It has everything we want or need:  camping, hookups, firepit, and proximity to both Barb's passion for the casino and our proximity to the Cedarville area beaches.  It opens beginning in May to allow for de-winterization for the plumbing.  It is 168 miles from home across the Mackinac Bridge, but a pretty easy trip.  Once across the bridge, life is always good.  Prices for this campground run $30 a day with water, electric, and sewage.  The casino is quite small, but offers slot machines, services, and a snack bar with good food.  Northern Nook Deli – Kewadin Casinos

 

     I love my wife and understand her affinity for the 'one-armed bandits' but for me.......sanctuary is simply the solace of camping, a good book, spending time with the furbabies, and cooking for my bride on her return each day.  Give me an evening campfire with a cold beer; it is completely nirvana. 

      The village of Hessel is 3 miles south and the village of Cedarville is another 3 miles east of that.  All needed facilities including gas, laundry, and groceries are located there.  We did avail ourselves of the local grocery store to pick up some whitefish and cudighi.  We did bring along some firewood because, after all it is a camping trip.  

This is how we go camping

Survival TV

Yup, I'm a 'grass roller'

Mama's first time driving the new truck

      Meals for this trip include Chili Casserole, Fontina Crab Pasta, Frito Pie, and Sausage Kale Soup.  These are all OTR's (on the road leftovers) from home.

Chili Casserole

Sausage Kale White Bean Soup

Fontina Crab Pasta Salad

      For the week "Casino Barb" finished even.  The furbabies and I fared very well, relaxing at every opportunity, several hours daily.  Roux got to bark at some squirrels and deer, while Josie Wales like to sit for hours on end watching the robins outside.  We even scored some primo meats at the local grocery we can't get at home.  The weather was beautiful our entire stay in God's Country.  Another successful getaway from the hassles of everyday life.  Now, if I could just stop running into that damned truck hitch!

"There is this idea of 'north,' and if you're from Michigan and you wandered the Upper Peninsula, you know what it feels like. The sky has a particular vibe, a coldness, stretching into the upper reaches of Canada."

 David Means

Wild Leeks (Ramps)

 

      Ramps, also known as wild garlic or wild leeks, are a delicious wild vegetable and one of Nature's greatest gifts to foragers.  They are native and well available here in NW Michigan in the spring just ahead of the morel mushrooms.  Harvesting can take place anytime they are available, but I normally do this withing a week or two when first sprouting.  They are plentiful in our area.  

      These are delicious served in soups or stews as they offer a strong combination of onion and garlic.  They taste like a garlicky leek.  I have always dug them up easily exposing the entire plant of which I have always used just the bottom bulb, cleaned and dried.  However, if you dig up ramps they will take 6-7 years for the remaining seeds to reestablish the plant.  If you harvest on your own land or an area where they are plentiful this is not an issue.  But, if you live in area where Ramps exist, but not flourish there are alternatives.  

      You can just trim the leaves and leave the bulbs.  The flavor is still the same and can, like the bulbs be preserved for later use.  Ramp colonies with their leaves cut will often still make flower stalks that make seeds and reproduce, those that get dug up, won't. Secondly, it's just easier. These plants don't want to come out of the ground and digging them is hard work.  If you limit your harvest to 20% of a total patch the colony will easily survive.  If you harvest only ramp leaves, there's no digging, no hours of cleaning and trimming, and you can feel good knowing that your patch will be there the next year, and years to come, so that you can share your delicious onions with your friends and family.  

      Let's get down to preserving and storing.   To preserve ramps, the best methods include freezing (blanched or as pesto/butter), pickling, or dehydrating. For short-term storage, wrap clean, dry ramps in paper towels and store in a partially sealed bag in the fridge for up to a week. Popular long-term methods include creating compound butter, freezing leaves for pesto, or pickling bulbs in vinegar.  I have always dehydrated them and stored in sealed jars.  I only store as many as I will use for 1 year.  This year I also dehydrated leaves and stored much like Bay Leaves, stored in jars.  

      Preserve ramp leaves by freezing (blanched or as pesto), drying, or making compound butter. Freezing is best for retaining the fresh, oniony flavor. For short-term storage (1-2 weeks), wrap cleaned, dry leaves in paper towels and store in a partially sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator.

     As I have said I use them dehydrated in soups and stews or meals when you are looking for such a flavor.  You can also prepare them fresh accompanying meals.  

      Several other recipes for ramps:  

Killed Lettuce: This springtime Appalachian favorite calls for ramps. The hot bacon grease dressing will delicately wilt the stems and leaves for a special dish you'll crave for the 49 weeks of the year you can't eat it.

Sauteed Ramps: Cook them in a cast-iron skillet with prosciutto and serve over rice or grits. We also provide recipes for Ramp Pesto and Ramp Butter.

Ramp-and-Rye Focaccia: This no-knead bread gets flavor from ramps inside the dough and out.

      "To many, the arrival of ramps signals the end of winter and the start of a new growing season"

                                                                 Hunter Gatherer Rich Hilts

     

We Pay Mother Nature's Tolls TWICE

      This has been one long winter for us.  It's been 13 years since we wintered here and quite frankly, we had become acclimated to the milder weather of the south.  But, due to events beyond our control and after the very long and stressful 11 months since we arrived back here, we have been so looking forward to this.  We were rewarded with over 160" of snow.  

      We endured a long, snowy winter:  Barb's kidney stones and torn rotator cuff, my failed root canal, dealing with storm issues at our property in Texas, along with anything and everything Mother Nature has been saving up for us.  I fell on the icy driveway enough times to last me a lifetime.  This was supposed to be the 1st trip towing with our new truck.  This included setting up the on-board computer to sync with the trailer.  

      We got the RV positioned back by the house, de-winterized, and prepped for travel.  We did have to flush the old Honda Generator gas out and refill with fresh.  There are several State Forest Campgrounds within 45 minutes of us, all of which are open year around.  This, of course is very weather dependent.  It is only mid-April and there can be plenty of snow left depending on where you are.  

      This was to be a short boondocking trip; 4-5 days at best.  However, Mother Nature wasn't quite done with us just yet.  Nearly record rains along with a healthy melting snowpack put a HUGE NO to our plans.  All local rivers and streams were overflowing as well as significant road damage in several areas.  Our plans were put on hold.  

      Another setback, but we'll survive.  We have already readjusted our plans and will hit the road again in a couple of weeks.

Italian Pork Ribs Guazzetto

 

      Italian Pork Guazzetto is a traditional southern Italian slow-cooked stew, often featuring pork ribs braised in tomato sauce until falling off the bone.  It acts as both a rich pasta sauce (often served with rigatoni) and a hearty main course.  However, I used Spaghetti for mine.

      I started with boneless pork rib meat.  These are cut from spareribs or baby backs and are quite tasty.  I also used a quality pasta sauce.  

3 pounds country style pork ribs

1 (32 ounce) jar your choice pasta sauce

2 cups pasta of choice 

1 green bell pepper, chopped

½ cup water

2 Tbsp olive oil

Parmesan Cheese

     Heat the oil in a extra-large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add ribs to skillet and brown on all sides.  Pour spaghetti sauce over ribs, bell pepper, and stir in the water.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1 hour.  Turn ribs after 1/2 hour of cooking.  If the sauce gets too thick, thin it with a little more water.

      Cook pasta according to directions, timing completion within 10 minutes of meat mix.  

      Serve over pasta of choice top with Parmesan Cheese.   

"I don't trust people who don't love Italian food. They're either lying or they're not human." 

Marisa Tomei

Sinaloan Shrimp & Cheese Bake

 

      Sinaloa is a state in northwestern Mexico located north of Jalisco and Puerto Vallarta is known for its coastal scenery, particularly in the tourist city of Mazatlán, and its agricultural significance.  It has a population of over 3 million and is famous for its Sinaloa-style seafood.  

      Patti Jinich is a world-famous chef and author of all of Mexican cuisine.  This is one of her recipes and is delicious.  This recipe is scaled for two.  

2 fresh Poblano chiles

4 Tbsp olive oil divided

4 Tbsp Cream o' Poblano

1 white onion diced

2 large Cento tomatoes, quartered and diced

4 garlic cloves finely diced

1 tsp kosher or sea salt or to taste

6-ounce tomato paste

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 pound short and small pasta such as rigatoni or shells

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined

Ground black pepper to taste

1 cups Mexican crema or sour cream

1 cup Monterey Jack 

1 1/2 cup grated Oaxaca cheese 

1/2 cup grated parmesan

3 to 4 scallions white and light green parts thinly sliced, for garnish

      Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

      Place the Anaheim chiles on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  Put under the broiler for about 10 minutes, flipping a couple times in between, until charred on all sides. Immediately transfer the charred chiles to a plastic bag and seal tightly to sweat them for at least 5 minutes. Take the chiles out of the bag, let cool slightly, then peel off the skin and remove the stems and seeds.  Coarsely chop the chiles and set aside with Cream o' Poblano.

      Heat an oven-proof heavy bottomed skillet or casserole over medium-high heat.  Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until the oil is rippling.  Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it is translucent and starts to brown at the edges.

      While the onion is cooking, add the tomatoes to a blender. Pulse in the blender until the tomatoes are crushed but are still a little chunky. Set aside until ready to use.

      Add the garlic, chopped Anaheim chiles, Cream o' Poblano to the pan with the onion, stir, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Cook for another couple minutes until the garlic starts to brown.  Add the tomato paste, stir it into the vegetables, and let it cook and season for another minute. 

      Pour in the crushed tomatoes from the blender and stir making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to scrape up any browned bits.  Season with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and the crushed dried chiles.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce has thickened and is flavorful. Turn off the heat when ready.

      Set a rack on the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F.

      Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions for al dente.  Drain and set aside.

      Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat.  Melt the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.  When melted, sizzling, and hot, add the shrimp in a couple batches and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Sauté a couple minutes until the shrimp are just cooked. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl or plate and repeat with the remaining shrimp. Chop half of the shrimp, leaving half whole to top the pasta.

      Add the pasta to the sauce along with the chopped shrimp and the crema and toss to coat. Top with the remaining whole shrimp and cover with the grated asadero, Oaxaca, and Aneja cheeses. 

      Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and golden brown.  Sprinkle the top with scallions.

DAYUM, that's good.  The BIG shrimp really add the flavor.

"In Mexico, everything on the street is a celebration of flavor."

Amanda McNamara