# What is your favorite group dinner for a MF Salmon trip?



## shoenfeld13 (Aug 18, 2009)

I think every good river meal begins with kick ass appetizers. Nice cheese and crackers, vegetables and dip, guac and chips. 

I no longer go all out on meals because we have so many kids and they never appreciate it and try to waste so much of it. 

I like to have a nice hot dutch over dessert. Brownies or a crisp/cobbler.

With good apps and dessert, the main course doesn't need to be over the top. Chili, made at home and just heated up is always nice at the top of the MF when it is cold outside.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Kenny said:


> ..... 2 fantastic dinners for 13 people.





shoenfeld13 said:


> Chili, made at home and just heated up is always nice at the top of the MF when it is cold outside.


shoenfeld - see above. maybe it's cuz I don't really like chili that much, but I would hardly put that into the 'fantastic' category. 

kenny - how many dutches if any is the group bringing?

I have a chicken dish that several have claimed is the best meal they ever had on the rio. I will work on the recipe later for you. 

I like to do a nicely marinated pork tenderloin on the grill with twice baked potatoes (made ahead) or coconut quinoa. 

Grilled ahi ( rolled in panko wasabi) light char (very hot fire) on the outside raw inside yum.
with rice, or....

Shrimp pasta in a light garlic cream sauce or sauteed shrimp topped on pesto pasta. 

BBQ marinated chick breast with scalloped taters and ...

or 

I could keep going but I am getting too hungry.


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## GoodTimes (Mar 9, 2006)

D.O. enchiladas...nuff said.

greasy meat and cheese...with some fresh guac....mmmmmm


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## shoenfeld13 (Aug 18, 2009)

Carvedog, please invite me on your next trip. It sounds great.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

shoenfeld13 said:


> Carvedog, please invite me on your next trip. It sounds great.


Hit me up next January and put in with us for our date....we do pretty well on drawing - usually every other year or so and if not then cancellations work. 

When you buy quantity it is so much easier to afford awesome. 
For our heat and eat meal ( day two on the MF when I knew we were running Dagger, Velvet and wanting to soak at Sheepeater ) I did chicken curry and then did some a few curry yogurt marinated breasts on the grill to augment. 

I have to admit I love to cook and do it well out there. Everyone takes their turn and only cooks one dinner and breakfast and it's awesome. 

This is the ahi loin we put on the grill with eggwash, wasabi, rice flour ( I'm glutarded these days).

I also tried pad thai and it was pretty yummy but I can do better next time. And second Goodtimes call on the ducth oven enchies. I usually go chile verde pork with a home made verde but canned doesn't work bad either.


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## shoenfeld13 (Aug 18, 2009)

Thanks Carvedog. It's funny, I love to cook at home, but when I am on the river with my kids I scale it back a ton. Maybe I need to leave the kids at home and improve my river cooking. I love hanging with folks that enjoy cooking on the river. I am going on Deso in a couple weeks and I too am looking for a few good ideas, so I hope this thread brings in some good ones. That is one big ass piece of $$$$ fish...yum.


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

I have a serious dutch oven addiction. DO meals - enchilada casserole, chicken pot pie, pizza, bread, southwest corn casserole, lasagna, brownies, cobblers, pineapple upside down cake, cookie bars. Non-DO meals - creamy pesto tortellini, grilled brats or burgers.
Two 12 inch DOs or one 14 inch DO + two 10 inch DOs for dessert will get'er done.
Yum Yum Yum


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

shoenfeld13 said:


> Thanks Carvedog. It's funny, I love to cook at home, but when I am on the river with my kids I scale it back a ton. Maybe I need to leave the kids at home and improve my river cooking. I love hanging with folks that enjoy cooking on the river. I am going on Deso in a couple weeks and I too am looking for a few good ideas, so I hope this thread brings in some good ones. That is one big ass piece of $$$$ fish...yum.


Kids change things a lot. It's what they will eat. We don't have food 'fights' on the river about what they will eat. And it's about getting apps out quick and get the meal done. The eating at the crack of o dark thirty doesn't work for the youngsters at all. 

I pre-prepped and froze a bunch of stuff for this last one and it all worked really well. I want to get my own home canning setup so I don't have to use glass but still get the seal.


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## theBoatPeople (Jun 19, 2012)

*Gourmet Shish Kabobs*

I guess I was always less enterprising on the river, preferring to do more of the work at home. What we used to do was get some good steak - New York strip, leaner rib eye, etc - when it was on sale, and cut it into 1" pieces. Then we would whip up a good marinade with things like red wine, molasses, garlic, teriyaki, and whatever else you might like. We would put this meat, and some fresh inch-and-a-half size mushrooms into either a really good tupperware container or a doubled-up pair of zip lock bags, pour over the marinade, and freeze the whole thing solid in the fridge. It would end up in a cooler that wouldn't be opened too frequently on the river. This meal would typically be eaten toward then end of the trip, by the way, after the non-frozen stuff was used up. 
After the meat, marinade, & shrooms were more or less thawed, we would cut up some red bell pepper & zucchini we'd brought along, and open two or three cans of those small whole potatoes (you would need more for 12 people). While I detest most canned veggies, the little potatoes in a can actually taste better than fresh ones. Plus they are cooked already so they are done when everything else is. 
With all this and some wood skewers in front of us, we would assemble the kabobs & put them on a grill over the fire, if there was one. Wood skewers are nice since they can be tossed in the fire. If you don't plan to have a fire, or cannot bring some sort of BBQ rig, this recipe would be tough of course. 
Substituting frozen raw shrimp for the beef is even more gourmet if you don't mind having a few bears over for dinner. 
To some of the deserts mentioned above, I would also add that fresh black or rasberries with canned (real) whipped cream makes a nice topping for any cake or brownies. 

Bon Appetit


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## nemi west (Jun 22, 2006)

Thanksgiving dinner ******* style

Canned turkey heated in a pot with turkey gravey from packets

Instant potatoes or fresh mashed if you can handle the extra 5 minutes of work..... use the liquid drained from the canned turkey to make the spuds tastier.

plain old stove top stuffing out of a box

a can or 2 of that crappy cranberry jelly stuff 

add some of your favorites

This was a late trip meal for us on the grand and EVERYONE liked it..... even the cold wet and tired vegaterian...... she now eats bird.


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## SummitSurfer (Jun 23, 2010)

This will probably tick off the river nutritionist, but we always do Frito Pie. Couple cans of Hormel Chili (its organic you know...NOT) with Frito Chips, sour cream, your favorite cheese and hot sauce. Open the cans and pour into zip lock bag. This meal is good cause its a hit with everyone, yes...even the vegitatrians love it....haBut after a long day on the river it really satisfies hunger. River Frito Pie!
****


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## Catman (Jan 6, 2012)

As my pappy always said, "Keep it simple stupid!" 

Smoked turkey legs with scalloped potatoes and broccoli au gratin.

The turkey legs are already cooked, and only need heating. Also, they are usually vacuum sealed which is nice for storage on the river.

And who doesn't love cheesy potatoes? Many ways to skin this cat.

Pairs well with Strongbow hard cider. A hearty easy meal with a taste that should impress your friends.


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## malloypc (Jun 6, 2009)

*Panang Chicken Curry*

This is a crowd pleaser that I'm preparing tomorrow for a 16 person Main Salmon trip the first week of July. 
I'll freeze it in seal-a-meal bags and just drop them in a pot of water on the blaster to "cook" on the river. 
For rice, I found the Uncle Ben's boil-in-bag to be the most forgiving when cooking outdoors and it is simple. 
Other accompaniments include a cucumber raita and the meal is followed by an asian fruit salad (almond bean curd with cans of longans, lychees, rambutan, and mandarin slices).

Here's the curry recipe:

Ingredients:
4-5 cans coconut milk (I like Mae Ploy brand, though others work fine)
~1 cup Mae Ploy Panang Curry paste (adjust for your heat preference)
~1/2 cup fish sauce
1 cup brown sugar
~40 ***** (Limey) leaves
~15 Lemongrass stalks (use only the lower bulbous portion of the stem finely sliced crosswise)
~ 8 lbs Chicken (I use a mix of boneless, skinless breasts and thighs) cut into bite size pieces
~15 cloves garlic crushed / minced
20 - 25 scallions chopped into big pieces (~3/4")
1-1/2 packages frozen cut green beans 
Grapeseed or canola oil
Toasted Sesame oil
Oyster sauce 

Procedure:
In a sauce pan - Add coconut milk and curry paste. 
Put burner on low - medium (you want the sauce to heat but not boil, if it starts to boil, turn it down - coconut milk will separate if cooked too hot or too long - doesn't affect flavor but doesn't look pretty). 
Allow to sit for about 10 minutes then stir to blend (it needs a while to soften the curry paste before it can be mixed easily). 
Once mixed, add fish sauce, ***** leaves (I tear them in quarters), lemongrass, and brown sugar. 
Cook about another 10 minutes on low to mix sugar, then hold at simmer.

Cook the chiken in batches appropriate for pan size:
In frying pan or wok - wet pan with oils, medium heat. 
Add chopped scallion and garlic, saute until fragrant.
Add chicken, sprinkle with oyster sauce (optional) and stir fry until fully cooked.

Add the cooked chicken to the curry sauce and let simmer another five to ten minutes.
Cool, bag (remove all air), and freeze.

Enjoy!
- Jerry Malloy


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## Avatard (Apr 29, 2011)

We have toasted pita with some good hummus dip made up and avail as an appetizer while dinner cooking. Then serve koolaid+everclear and nobody will care what your dinner tastes like


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

Forgot one of my favorite one pot meals for a small group. Could be double up easily for large group.

Pork roast. Boneless better for on the rio. I slit up some garlic and using a knife poke the slitted garlic down into the roast. Well seasoned.

Put as much heat as you can on top with coals. 8 to 10 under instead of the usual 6 or so. Start just the roast. Knock back a big double gin and tonic or about 20 to 25 minutes later add:

1 part rice, 1 part water, 1 part chicken or beef stock. Bay leaves of course and then cook for another long enough to suck back the second double G&T. Takes me twice as long to drink the second so 40 to 50 minutes or so. 

Throw a lb or so of broccoli on top for another 10 or 15 and you are good to go. Add more coals if you need, with the water and stock you almost can't overcook this. 

Not recommended to do the third double GT unless you wish to wake up face down in the sand. Or unless you have undertaken a training program.
How do I know this? hmmm.....

Jerry - that looks like a killer curry recipe. A little different than mine. I will try it out sometime. I actually did a 'Jungle Survival' training course with New Zealand army in Northern Penang when I was living in Singapore. Good times. We saw tiger tracks. This Idaho boy was impressed. Killer curries all through Malaysia.[/threaddrift]

I think I am going to try the shish kabobs on our August trip with several kids. They get to pick what they want on it so no complaints.


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## rwhyman (May 23, 2005)

Jambalaya is a great one pot meal for a large group. Follow that up with a Bread Pudding or a Carrot Cake.


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## Swissriver (Jun 24, 2011)

our favorite is grilled rosemary/soy flank steak. grill over charcoal briquettes and built up fire. Pre marinate. Serve w boiled red potatoes and tiny, fresh green beans boiled for a couple minutes then finished in a frying pan with butter and kosher salt. Totally easy to transport, cook and clean up. SOOO good. I did $60 (Costco) worth of Flank Steak for 14 people. Every bit gets eaten. Totally amazing.

Another one is fish tacos. Fresh and delicious. 

We do a mean chicken salad that can easily be adapted for dinner if you add pasta to it. again, easy to transport and make...


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## davecosnowboarder (Apr 25, 2007)

I second all boil in the bag options. I like to cook but it's a pain on the river. I did all the food for my last mf. We had pot roast, spag w meat balls and homemade sauce, meat loaf, steak tacos, breakfast burritos and never had more than two pots to clean that had nothing but boiled water in them. I will always precook my river meals from now on.


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## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

A favorite with our group of diversified tastes is my take on Rachael Ray's "Spinach-Artichoke Ravioli-Lasagna" (below is my version of this all-in-one meal is for 13 hungry folks)...the secret of this dish as well as a killer breakfast casserole is to bake the dishes at home, cool completely, cut in hearty squares, wrap each square tightly in lightly greased foil packets and freeze...in camp, add a 1/2" or so of water to a large pot or two and steam until hot.

2 - 15 oz. cans spinach
2 jars alfredo sauce
grated nutmeg to taste
salt and pepper
30 oz. ricotta cheese
fresh lemon zest
garlic cloves, minced
40 or so frozen parmesan cheese and mushroom ravioli (or your favorite)
2 - 15 oz. cans artichoke hearts (in water, drained and sliced)
grated Parmiginao-Reggiano (or your favorite)
ground or sliced Italian sausage (cooked) - optional

Lightly spray or butter two 9 x 13" pans. Boil and cool pasta. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Season pasta sauce with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Combine ricotta cheese, lemon zest, minced garlic in bowl. Coat the bottom of each pan with pasta sauce and cover with layer of ravioli. Add layer of ricotta cheese mixture dotted with half of spinach and artichokes...more pasta sauce and grated cheese. Repeat layers. Bake until sauce browns and bubbles, 30 minutes. 

Your choice of sauce, adding other veggies, etc. will make it your own...enjoy.


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## 2tomcat2 (May 27, 2012)

Agreed! Make-your-own omelets in a bag is also great.


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## rwhyman (May 23, 2005)

2tomcat2 said:


> Agreed! Make-your-own omelets in a bag is also great.


Then dump it onto a tortilla, maybe a little salsa. No plate needed.


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## jpbay (Jun 10, 2010)

Try beast tenderloin, buterfly cut 1 1/2 inch thick with all the trimings.Nothing like a 150.00 meal for 16


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## mommydevo (Jun 5, 2009)

For our upcoming MFS trip where we only have to prepare 1 group dinner and 1 group breakfast we're doing elk and sweet potato sheperds pie in the DO, prep the mashies and meat/veggies and freeze in a ziploc nice and flat. Strawberry shortcake for dessert. Prep and freeze the strawberries and do angel food cake in DO, from a mix that you only add water to with some cool whip. Bagel bar for bfast which is always a crowd pleaser, bacon in a bag heated up, smoked salmon, capers, tomato, onion, avo, flavored cream cheese, etc. I'm a big fan of prepping at home and freezing everything so you have a nice, neat stack of ziplocs in the cooler.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

In the dutch - apple and blue cheese stuffed thick cut pork chops on a bed of sauerkraut or spiced regular cabbage or served with a sweet and sour red cabbage.

If cooked with red cabbage it all turns an interesting color of blue so that is why it would be a side. Unless you like more psychedelic colored food.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

We do fajitas almost every trip. 
Beef or elk meat, 1/3lb per person
Bell peppers and onions either cut up in camp or precut at home in ziplocs.
Fry with prepackaged fajita seasoning.
Serve with salsa, sour cream, and guac.

Chips and salsa or chips and guac is a great appetizer.
I haven't worked out a good dessert pairing.
-- 

My wifey has a great chicken fettucine recipe--
1 can of chicken from Costco per 4 people
1/2 lb. bacon per 4 people (fry extra @ breakfast and save if possible)
Mushrooms
Canned 

Pan fry the bacon, remove most of the grease, remove and crumble bacon, add chicken and mushrooms to heat in bacon grease, add alfredo sauce and bacon and serve when hot.

She uses an "as seen on TV" pasta cooker that you add the noodles + boiling water to and you use the drain in the lid after the noodles steep.


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