Maybe your hubby could fashion several holders to hold the small canned heat cans under a flat piece of tin, to heat up anything you need heated. Those cans are used by caterers to keep things warm on the serving line. Go ask a catering company where they get them. Or a sporting goods/ camping supply store. There is also a small propane stove that takes the small cylinders, the cylinders set in it at an angle, and it has a grate/ grill on top, to set a pan or skillet on! I would think the outfitters who take you down into the canyon would be the ones to ask about what kind of fire is permissible! Best to check beforehand, otherwise eating cold soup and sandwiches will be yer fate! I also have seen a flat, folding propane stove, that doesn't take up much room in a pack. It has only one burner, but it heats everything very quickly. check the camping magazines, too. by: Rustyj

This would not be a heart healthy meal (sorry) but it is something that our extended family enjoys when we get together (the children like it too) and its done ahead of time, just needs reheating while the fresh vegetable is steaming. Brisket, potato casserole, fresh broccoli, salad. BEEF BRISKET FROM SARA MOULTON 1 Beef Brisket, any size Salt & Pepper 2 onions, thinly sliced Minced garlic Mix together: 1/2 cup ketchup 1/2 cup chili sauce 3 TBL brown sugar 1 bottle beer Lay meat in oven going baking dish. Salt & pepper it, spread garlic over top, spread onions over the garlic. Pour sauce over the meat. Cover tightly with foil and roast at 300* for 3 hours if small 1/2 brisket or 4 hours if large, whole brisket. Uncover, let meat rest, and pour gravy into a saucepan. Puree with handheld blender, or pour carefully into blender and puree. Slice meat across grain and serve with gravy. If doing ahead, cover with foil, refrigerate and reheat in slow oven. CHRISTMAS POTATOES 2 pound package hash brown potato cubes, thaw, drain and pat dry 1 can cream of chicken soup 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (10-12 ounce package) 1/2 cup melted butter 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 pint (16 ounces) sour cream Combine all ingredients in large bowl and put into greased casserole dish 9 x 13 inches (approximately). 1/4 cup melted butter 2 cups crushed cornflakes Combine and sprinkle on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. (Prepare casserole in advance and keep in the fridge, but don't bake it til serving time.) Here's a chicken menu that we like - chicken, orzo/roasted veggies, green salad. You can get the chicken ready and store in the fridge until baking. And the orzo/vegetable salad is served at room temp, so you can prepare it in advance and then take it out to warm up. Easy Baked Chicken 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves Salt Ground pepper Garlic powder 4 T. mayonnaise 4 T. fresh shredded Parmesan cheese 1 c. fresh coarse bread crumbs (or packaged, or panko) Chopped parsley 1. Season chicken lightly with salt, pepper. 2. Combine mayonnaise, garlic powder and cheese. 3. Put chicken in baking dish and cover with the mixture. 5. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and top with parsley. Bake at 400 until juices run clear (about 15-20 minutes) ORZO WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES 1 small eggplant, peeled, 3/4" dice 1 red pepper, 1" dice 1 yellow pepper, 1" dice 1 red onion, peeled, 1" dice 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 lb Orzo, cooked 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 scallions, minced 1/4 cup toasted Pignoli nuts 3/4 lb Feta cheese, 1/2" dice 15 basil leaves, chiffonade Mix first 7 ingredients together and place in one layer in large roasting pan. Roast @ 425 degrees for 40 minutes, turning once. Mix warm orzo with warm cooked vegetables and all of their juices. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss together and let cool to room temperature. Add scallions, nuts, Feta and basil and serve. Serves 6 Roasted pork tenderloin is an easy meal - put however many you need in a roasting pan or two, seasoned nicely with chopped garlic, salt and pepper and maybe some rosemary, and roast at 400 for about 25-30 minutes, let rest for 10 minutes and slice on the diagonal. Serve with anything you like - a potato casserole and some veggies and salad. These are just a start - if you need some choices that aren't so basic and homey, but more "polished" - just ask! There are lots of tried and true recipes out there and lots of cooks posting here :)

I regularly make meals at church for after a funeral or before a meeting and can easily feed people for $1 each without dessert. Some meals I have done are chicken pasta and vegetable casserole with a creamy cheese sauce, green salad and bread....or lasagna, green salad and garlic bread, or chicken salad, fruit and bread, ham sandwiches and chicken salad sandwiches with a veggie pasta salad....all including coffee and tea.... Things to remember....all from scratch. No bottled salad dressing no bags of greens and no canned soups are allowed. For the chicken salad, I buy white meat chicken when it's on sale, poach it, bone it and then boil the skin and bones for broth. I buy a whole farmland ( deli ham( and have it sliced. 5 pounds costs about $8 and will make 50 small sandwiches. I buy head lettuce, wash chill and break up and add a bag of spinach, some shredded carrot and shredded red cabbage. I make a home made olive oil dressing and people love it! I make a cheese sauce, cook pasta and add broccoli, red pepper, sauteed onions, celery and some cooked chicken, place in a casserole in the oven until hot and slightly browned, serve with bread and tossed salad. I will cook a whole bone in ham and serve it with a baked pineapple casserole and corn bread. Soup and bread will easily feed a mob for very little....but all must be home made.... Linda C

Good Topic, I would love to have some of those ideas also... I know this is not finger food, however, my husband purchased a cast iron pot that he puts over with fire with a tri pod and puts in fixens for chili. Everyone loves that. Sitting around the fire with a bowl of chili that we all watched cook and everyone gets in on the stiring action. We also have done sliders on a grate over the fire, and boiled dinner in the pot. We get guests from several doors down with the smells. I also make a huge batch of popcorn with butter, garlic and parmesean cheese. Huge hit. I do that inside on my stove top! I will be watching for more posts Diane