 Southcentral Alaska has seen a return to winter these past few days, and that has The Flying Chef thinking of comfort food that is also easy to make when one returns from shoveling the driveway for the fifth time. This pair of stellar takes on a family classic is perfect, and, once the snow melts and spring returns, is a great addition to any camp dining menu. The sky's the limit when it comes to camp cooking! Classic Grilled Cheese Ingredients Your favorite bread (slightly stale works well, especially over a camp stove) Butter American cheese slices (Yes, the processed stuff - it melts soooooo well) Provolone cheese slices Swiss cheese slices Smoked turkey Sliced onions Mayo, mustard, Thousand Island dressing, Russian dressing, or whatever your favorite sauce may be Procedure: Place a skillet over medium heat. If using a camp stove, let the pan heat up for a minute or so. Spread butter on one side of two bread slices for each sandwich. Melt butter in the pan (watch so it doesn't burn, and adjust heat accordingly), and place bread butter side up in the pan. When the first side has turned a golden brown, flip the bread and “toast” the buttered side. Grab some cheese and place on bread. At this point add your favorite sauce if you like, or just leave it alone. Cook in pan until cheese is melted. Want to go big? When its time to put on the cheese, add some tasty flavors like provolone or Swiss cheeses, sliced onions, or sliced smoked turkey and a dab of Russian dressing. Serve hot and tasty with tomato soup (recipe below). Campsite Tomato Soup Ingredients: 1 large container tomato soup (try a can of the longtime favorite, Campbell's, or go crazy with some gourmet soups at the store. 1 Tbs butter 1 Tbs olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped 2 sprigs thyme ¼ cup heavy cream (OK, OK, half-and-half works, too) Salt and pepper to taste Procedure: The recipe will require a small amount of prep before you take it afield, so allow some time to chop and store ingredients in covered containers or plastic zip-type bags if camping. In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes. Add thyme and sauté until onions just start to turn translucent. Add a dash of salt and pepper, and heat for three to five minutes. Let sauté cool, and while cooling, place thyme leaves in a blender, and give the button a push or two. Place saute' mixture and thyme in a container and store in a cool place until you set up camp. When you reach the field, mix up tomato soup as per the instructions on (dare I say it?), “The Can”. Serve potentially-picky kids their soup, and when they have had their fill, then whip out the stored container of saute' goodness and add it to the pot. Add the heavy cream or half-and-half and stir over a low to medium heat, just until warmed all the way through. Serve it up and enjoy. The kids are happy and so are you. Mission accomplished. ~TFC
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