Truthfully, if your guests have never been camping with an RV before, they’ll be wowed no matter what — no further gimmicks are needed. And this is especially true if their only camping
experience is in a tent as a kid with the rest of the family.
Your guests are in for a treat because, as well all know, RVs bring the comfort of home with us on the road.
But, just to make sure your guests are sufficiently wowed, here are a few tips:
Wow Their Tummy!
For some reason, most anything cooked over a campfire seems to taste better than if not, and a sure fire way to wow your guests is to cook something over the campfire that’s not only delicious, but might just catch them off guard.
But the menu ought to coincide with your guests culinary habits. Simple folk (like me) are perfectly fine with a simple meal, albeit one that’s kicked up a notch. But if your guests are high-brow diners who know which one is the salad fork, then it’s time to get creative.
For something simple, roasting hot dogs over the campfire are perfectly fine. But don’t stop there. Break out all the fixings for a superb buffet of toppings – different flavored mustards, ketchup, relish, cole slaw, chili, onions, cheese, diced tomatoes … you get the idea.
If not hot dogs, how about a pizza pie? You know what I’m talking about, right? Pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni between two buttered pieces of bread, cooked over the campfire in a pie iron. That’s something you can only cook when camping. I can barely eat half a dozen of these at a time, but they’re oh so delicious! For a twist, fill the bread with roast beef, Swiss cheese and flavored mayo instead.
But if you need something a little fancier, let’s break out the Dutch oven. How about Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup? Or Chicken & Cashews? If it’s seafood, then try a Salmon Bake (recipes from 50campfires.com). I like the Dutch oven because it’s not too difficult to prepare, especially if you do it at home, and if the aroma of dinner cooking inside a Dutch oven for several hours doesn’t wow your guests, then stick a mirror under their nose.
Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup In The Dutch Oven
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup uncooked instant rice
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- ¾ onion, minced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 12 oz can tomato sauce
- 28 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- In your dutch oven, brown ground beef, onion, garlic and peppers Add salt and pepper to taste
- You can then heat beef broth with the hamburger mixture. Add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Stir well and and make sure that it is heated through.
- Once hot, add uncooked rice and simmer until rice is done – it will only take a few minutes. You do have to watch this a bit as it can be hard to tell. I always test it a few times to make sure the rice is how I like it.
If not a Dutch oven, slap some steaks that have been soaking up your favorite marinade onto the grill over the campfire. Wrap some corn on the cob and potatoes into some tinfoil, throw a little butter in there, and let them sizzle over the campfire, too.
Dessert, Dessert, Dessert….
Finally, finish off th
e day with a tasty treat that can only be done when camping. Of course, I’m talking about s’mores. Not just regular plain old s’mores… try some of the more creative s’more recipes if you’d like, such as a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup or Hershey’s Cookies & Crème, Hershey’s Almond or a Little Debbie Nutty Bar instead of a plain chocolate bar.
To make it fun for kids & guests turn it into a contest– everyone loves a good contest. Who can come up with the most creative outrageous s’more??
Not a big s’more fan? You also can add some of the desert pies into the mix – you can’t go wrong with apple pies and cherry pies. Heat them up right over the fire and you will never want to use an oven again!
Clean & Comfortable
One of the reasons we camp in an RV instead of a tent is because we want to camp in comfort. Better beds, air conditioning, private bathroom, a place to escape when rain ruins the day – these are just a few of the reasons why RVs make the good outdoors the great outdoors.
That said, if your RV isn’t in tip top condition, then your guests will be anything but wowed. They’ll be looking for an excuse to cut their trip short. Make sure your camper is clean. Make sure the
holding tanks are not making their presence known (ahem). Make sure the beds your guests will be using have fresh bedding. Make sure you leave the most comfortable chairs around the campfire for your guests. And make sure your campsite is as far away from the campground’s vault toilets as possible.
In other words, be a good host.
A few other thoughts on how to wow your guests: try some of those products that make a campfire’s flames colorful; look into getting a portable mister that can cool off a hot day; and, if you truly want to wow them, set up an outdoor movie theater with a white bed sheet, a computer/DVD player and a projector.
See you next week when we talk about “How to Avoid Overhead Obstructions.”
Rick Kessler
(Gr8LakesCamper)
Gr8LakesCamper celebrates the world of RV Camping in the Great Lakes region. Gather around the campfire and share tips, ideas and stories on RVing, camping and travel destinations. Follow Gr8LakesCamper on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and the Gr8LakesCamper blog.