Baked Beans! Or chili to make chili dogs!!

Casual is good, especially if you have to stand and eat!!

Sounds like fun!

Deanna

Sounds like fun! Here are a few things we like to make that cook fairly fast so you aren't tied down to the grill.

Chicken kebabs - marinate the chicken cubes over night(I use zesty italian salad dressing), then assemble in the am. We like to serve them with halved sweet potatoes wrapped in foil and grilled, takes 20-25 mins. cinnamon sugar on the side.

A tri tip roast is easy too. Again marinate over night, grill to rare, medium rare, slice thinly. The marinade I use has lite soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and fresh ginger. It's very good, I'm pretty sure I got it from a poster here(sorry don't remember who). I will post a recipe for it if you are interested.

Another easy one we make when camping-Hobo Burgers. Form hamburger into individual loaf shapes, layer thinly sliced onions on top, repeat with thinly sliced potatoes, salt and pepper wrap in heavy duty foil and grill.

Di

You mentioned on Eileen's thread that you want to try a soup party, sounds like that is as good a time as any!

That's what we do every fall, a bonfire and soup buffet. Best part is all the soup can be made ahead and kept warm in crockpots!

A build your own taco bar would be a good idea, too.

Linda

Come on out to Southern Cal. Lots of bonfires out here ready to go.

AH! Jessie....seeing on the news....hope you and yours are out of range! Scary and sad!

I think "stuff on a stick" for a bonfire...chicken strips soaked in teryaki and threaded on a ling skewer, same way with skirt steak strips....hot dogs, a big bowl of marinating shrimp to put onto a stick...and baked beans, slaw and perhaps a hot German potato salad as go withs....and apple crisp, dumplings, apple spice cup cakes apple pie, individual apple turnovers...etc.
Of course you could go the bowl of chili and chips to go with it....but stuff on a stick sounds great to me.
Linda C

Yum...popcorn balls. The baked beans and german potato salad sound great to me!

We had a few very cold days last week and I unpacked my Back-to-Basics Hot Chocolate Maker. Gawd, the hot chocolate tasted good!!

The Lollypop Cookies I made last week would be fun too and they're so easy to make. I gave several to the guys working on my house and they all came back for more. I didn't think they would like a cookie on a stick but they did. I will link the recipe below.

Claremont Salad would be very good too and you make it the day before and refrigerate.

Claremont Salad

1/2 small head green cabbage sliced thinly
1 green pepper, quartered and thinly sliced
1 cucumber thinly sliced
1 carrot thinly sliced
1 small onion finely chopped
1/4c + 2T sugar
1/2c white vinegar
3T water
1/4c oil
1 1/2t salt
1 minced garlic clove

Combine vegs in large bowl. Blend remaining ingredients together until well combined. marinate overnight stirring occaisionally.

Michelle

Here is a link that might be useful: Lollypop Halloween/Fall cookies

Oh I want to come. I love the great outdoors!!! I'm so jealous. Have fun!!! I say go with the Chilli & Buns. Potatoe salad maybe. Diana55

Or what about pulled pork sandwiches, bbq or not? Easy to eat while standing around. Hot chocolate is good too. Lots of finger stuff.

All great ideas! Thanks!

Jessy, I was just reading about the fires in CA and feeling bad that I was complaining because now rain is in the Friday forecast, so I may have to postpone. Shame on me for even thinking it. We actually really need the rain.

I put on a big pot of chili, so I think I'll have that, to serve with chili dogs, along with potato salad (hadn't thought of a warm one, but that would be good) and maybe that Claremont salad - that looks wonderful. Then I'll do brats and italian sausage pre-cooked/poached to go over the fire. Not setting up a grill though. Campfire only. We have several flank steaks in the freezer, which is another idea I had not thought of.

Apple cider is so good this time of year, so perhaps some of that too. It's all fun, really.

I need to get out my hot chocolate maker too! Michelle, glad you mentioned it. I did a hot chocolate bar last year for a party, and it was a huge hit. Could set that up inside on the counter. Below is a pic for those who haven't seen it. Thanks!!

Jessy, hang in there, and thanks everyone.

{{!gwi}}

sounds like fun!

These are FANTASTIC! Especially if you can manage to serve em warm....but if not, they're great anyway. We had them last year at a Guy Fawkes bonfire and I was hooked. I've made them so many times since.

Bar Nuts
From The Union Square Cafe Cookbook, HarperCollins, 1994

These nuts won The New York Press award for "best bar nuts in New York." Every afternoon at about 4:45, a piping hot batch emerges from our ovens and is sent out to the bar, where the sweet rosemary fragrance wafts throughout the restaurant. Though they don't have a television set at they're bar, these nuts would probably be a hit in your living room accompanied by a football game and some ice-cold beer.
Yields 5 cups

Ingredients
 1/4 pound each peeled peanuts, cashews, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, and whole unpeeled almonds or 1 pounds unsalted, assorted nuts.
 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
 2 teaspoons kosher salt
 1 tablespoon butter, melted
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Toss the nuts in a large bowl to combine and spread them out on a cookie sheet. Toast in the oven until they become light golden brown, about 10 minutes.
3. In the large bowl, combine the rosemary, cayenne, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter.
4. Thoroughly toss the warm toasted nuts with the spiced butter and serve warm.
From the The Union Square Cafe Cookbook, ©1994