Help with the cottage menu.

Well the first week of July I am off to the cottage with a few friends (6). Breakfasts and lunches are usually every man/woman for themselves due to different rising times, appetites and hangovers so leftovers are always good.

I am looking for dinner and dessert suggestions. Dinners must be easy to prepare and have a cooking time of 3 or less hours. Day before prep such as marinading is ok. I'm bringing all my spices and have the basic condiments there.

To cook on I will have my OTS, an oven/stove top, toaster oven, 1 very scary keep the fire extinguisher handy gasser and a camp fire with a dutch oven.

Cooks include me, 1 chef who tends to get way to extravagant, 2 women that can but don't want to cook and 1 woman who wants to but can't(picture burnt water)cook.

Also keep in mind that the largest portion, by far, of our food and beverage budget will be spent on beer,wine and other libations.

Thanks for your help.

What's your approx. food budget? Are you buying food locally, or do you have take it with you?

There something special about cowboy chili and cornbread made in a dutch oven over a live fire.

Roasted tomato and red pepper "bisque" with 3-4 grilled shrimp hanging off the bowl is always a crowd pleaser. It's dirt simple and lightning quick to make. Plus, by making pepper and tomato bisque instead of lobster, it's relatively inexpensive.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sean Banks:
What's your approx. food budget? Are you buying food locally, or do you have take it with you? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well when I said budget it was more to give an idea of where the priorities where as apposed to an actual budget. We are bringing everything with us since it's cheaper, quicker and easier than to buy locally. Nearest full grocery store is about a 45 minute drive to get to it. We don't have space concerns getting everything there.

I find that when our family / extended family takes some mental enima time in the great North woods - we like to keep it simple and easy:

I find that for the first day (or even for a few days in between), I like something that is pre-prepped and frozen or refrigerated in a cooler and can be re-heated at the site.
Stuff like:

-Pulled Pork (Smoke it at home - take it in ziplock bags) Easy to re-heat, just buy some fresh buns when you get there / on the way.
-Big pan of Lasagne
-Roast a turkey / a few roaster chickens
(If you bring them up frozen - they sub for ice in your cooler and can start the thaw)

Roast yard-bird is particularly good for a rainy day, it's low-fuss and you can cook it up while playing cards or whatever you do with yer peeps. If there are left-overs, remove it from the bones and simmer in a little gravy over mashed spuds or open-faced over bread the next day.

(All of these re-heat nicely for lunches / sammies for a day or two after - Pulled Pork is also good with eggs for breakfast!)

Bring a bag of baby potatoes / small red russets or assorted colored potatoes. Boil them at your leisure and then refrigerate them.
Serve later - slice and fry / add some onion with fish, steak, or whatever.

Get a BIG pack of chicken wings - and whip-up a batch of the Orange Marmalade / Sriracha wings. These are a hit as an appetizer!

Hope these ideas get you started

Bob,

I have an annual fishing trip coming up in 2 weeks where we plan a menu and do all the cooking onsite. This menu has been tweeked over the years based on preferences of the guys. Basically we do the same as your group and concentrate on dinners only. Typical meals are: roasted chicken, potatoes and salad; beef and chicken fajitas with charo beans; NY strip steak with baked potato and salad; sausage wraps with beans and veggie; fish night (fried or baked depending on type of fish caught)and shrimp with cole slaw; then we do a leftover night. Desserts are usually cobbler and ice cream. Most ice cream tastes very good with a healthy shot of Kahlua over it!

Paul

Hi Bob if I may offer a side dish that I found on Barbeque Web.Com . Potato Bombs, Big Potatos core out the center and stuff with cold cuts cheeses what ever you can think of brush with olive oil sprinkle light dry rub and rap with bacon.Then in tin foil and smoke em