Scout Chef Kitchen Presents: Camping Casseroles

Alright, everyone. Here’s one for the books. I’ve got a couple of recipes for you that are straight up comfort food and will have literally EVERYONE licking their bowls clean. They are definitely repeat-worthy and I can’t wait for you all to try them!

Cheesiest Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese

I adapted this first recipe from the Simple Bites blog. I love that this is designed as a one-pot meal, something that is really helpful for camping. I also absolutely love that this is totally next-level from regular box mac and cheese but still super simple. It also has a little bit of a "smoky" flavor that just feels like camping. Seriously... perfect.

Ingredients

• 3 cups 2% milk
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 box macaroni pasta or shells (about 12 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ cups evaporated milk
• 3 heaping cups cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Dash of paprika
• Tabasco for serving

You know that I am a big, BIG fan of adding in vegetables wherever I can, so some creative additions to help this meal feel a bit more nutrition-dense:

• 2 - 12 oz. bags of frozen broccoli
• 1 bag frozen riced cauliflower (you can't even tell it is in there!)

OR

• 1 bag of frozen peas (or 1 can)

And then if you want to add in something that my husband thinks is totally nuts, but makes it like a staple that my dad used to make us ALL the time when we were growing up:

• 1 can tuna fish

OR

• If you aren’t a fan of that, you could chop kielbasa into this!

Directions

1. In your Dutch oven, combine the 2% milk, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then tip in the pasta, stirring slowly with a wooden spoon.
2. Cook the pasta in the milk, partially covered with a lid, over medium-high heat for half the time the box calls for (mine called for 8 minutes, so I cooked for 4); it should be underdone when you bite into it. Do not drain!
3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stirring constantly, add the butter, Dijon, veggies, protein choice, and evaporated milk to the pot. Slowly sprinkle in the cheese, a handful at a time, and stir until melted. The sauce will thicken as the cheese melts and the pasta finishes cooking.
4. Remove the pot from the heat. Season with pepper and paprika. Taste the mac & cheese and shake in a little extra salt, if desired. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and coats the pasta. Serve at once.

One-Stop Chicken and Rice Casserole

Again, another win because it can be made in one pot, and of COURSE I love that I can sneak in all the veggies and my daughter will eat them in this!

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts - cut up and freeze in a resealable baggie with Teriyaki sauce for marinade
• Snowpeas (or regular peas)
• ½ cup cauliflower rice
• ½ bag of shaved carrots
• ¾ cups rice
• 1 ¼ cups water
• Soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• Teriyaki glaze

Directions

1. In a pot, melt butter. Add chicken and stir till cooked through.
2. Add rice and stir for a few seconds. Add water (enough for the amount of rice added) Bring to a boil...reduce heat and cover.
3. When rice is almost complete, stir in veggies. Add soy sauce and cover until veggies are steamed, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve with a drizzle of teriyaki glaze.

Do you have a favorite macaroni mix-in or chicken and rice casserole sauce that you love? Or another favorite one-pot casserole that is your absolute comfort food while camping? Make sure you share with us in the comments below!

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