A camp stove of some type is essential for cooking delicious camping fare, heating up canned foods, and boiling water for hot beverages and washing up. I like this type where the burner sits atop the propane canister. It takes up less room in my car and I like that the burner is elevated above any surface the stove is resting on.
If weather is good and a picnic table is available I set up my camp kitchen there. My table top kitchen consists of my camp stove, a bin containing 2 plates, a bowl, a mug, cutlery, cooking utensils, cutting board, wash clothes, dish towels, paper towels, matches, wand lighter, and an apron. A small bin contains spices in wee bottles and salt and pepper shakers. During the day my condiment bag may sit on the picnic table.
A small bin for spices and the larger kitchen bin on the seat of the table. Atop the table a cutting board, a leftover can of chili to heat up, the camp stove, a towel covered (to keep insects off) water jug and an insulated cup. The other end of the table may be used to sit and eat at, particularly if I'm camping with others. I also cover my cutting board and any washed dishes with cloth towels to keep flies and insects off them.
I don't leave food, an ice chest, or my condiment bag on the table overnight. Bears are attracted to ice chests and bags of food stored outside or in a tent. At night I keep these things in my car or in the food storage lockers some campgrounds supply.
While a hungry bear might try to get into my car, I could likely drive away before much progress was made by the bear ripping off the door.
If I'm in a dispersed campsite, I have a metal table called a "tail gater", or "tire" table. One end of the table is curved to fit over a tire. An expandable leg on the other end adjusts to level and support the table according to your car's tire height. I don't always bring this table, but if I do, it rides on the tarp-covered bed beneath my folding camp chair. I suspect the table is called a "Tail Gater" because it can also be used over a spare tire mounted to the rear hatch of a vehicle.
My Tail Gater table (tire table) is big and sturdy enough to hold my kitchen bin, set out drinks and snacks for cocktail hour, cook on, set as a table for one,two, or three, or to use as a handy side table for a camp chair/s.
If the day is rainy and I'm confined to the car, I can boil water and heat up a canned or instant Ramen meal in the car, if needed. My camp stove then sits on the floor of the cargo area, near the bed - windows cracked for safety. It's height keeps it on a level above anything flammable and far from the ceiling of the car. For a rainy day "in-car" I carry easily prepared canned or instant prep foods, artisan bread and spreadable cheese, or sandwiches. If rainy weather comes confining me inside the car I store my camp chair folded down under the car to keep it dry. An ice chest may be slid under the car during the day, if I've brought one.
On this trip I didn't bring the tire table so my kitchen bin rests on a tarp on my bed so it's handy to my cooking area which is on a folding table next to my camp chair.
My pantry occupies the floor of the front passenger side. I begin loading my pantry by adding three gallons of water that I carry in used, clean gallon-size vinegar jugs. I prefer gallon vinegar jugs (I do a lot of canning so I buy vinegar by the gallon) because any plastic container for carrying an acidic product such as vinegar or tomato juice is thicker and has sturdier seams.
I've had seams fail on water bottles causing a gallon-size leak. Vinegar bottles have thicker walls and can handle the stress of movement while driving, and having other items crowded around them.
Against the passenger side console, I load a folding step stool that has a variety of uses...elevating my porta-potty, as a footstool, a side table, accessing the luggage rack on the Jeep, etc.
In case of spills or mud, and to keep my carpets clean, I've installed Weathertech floor mats on both the driver and passenger floors.
Next I load three gallons of water. The spray bottle contains a solution of half water and half vinegar for cleaning dishes and surfaces. The bin contains a variety of dehydrated beans, veggies, fruits, instant potatoes, gravy mixes, minute rice and barley, biscuit mix, and pasta. The bin makes a great platform for other additions comprising my pantry.
In my food bin I also carry baggies of pre-assembled dehydrated soup mixes by mixing up veggies, beans, onions, grains, or pasta, dried herbs and powdered broth for quick and handy meals.
There are tasty recipes for making dried mixes on the Internet and in books on home dehydrating.
In addition to canning, part of my home's long term food storage strategy is to dehydrate foods - fruits, veggies, beans, mushrooms - in my home dehydrator. By doing so, I have plenty of delicious home-dried foods that are compact and economical to take on camping trips and are cheaper than any sold by markets. Dehydrated foods stored in baggies in my food bin enable me to make a variety of tasty meals while camping.
Condiments bag with a fresh apple ready to grab for on-the-road noshing, an insulated bag or an additional wine tote may carry either food or spare propane canisters, and personal protection is near at hand while on the road.
In addition to the dehydrated food, I carry some canned chili and soup. Wild Planet's canned tuna salads are tasty and great for a quick lunch on the road. Canned goods and instant Ramen-type meals are carried in an additional wine tote.
A net market bag, handily hooked over a cargo hook inside the Jeep, carries potatoes, onions, fresh fruit, a loaf of artisan bread, and tortillas.
If I'm carrying an ice chest I can take eggs, cheese, and veggies that require refrigeration.
On my most recent trip I left the ice chest at home and enjoyed some tasty canned and made-from-scratch dehydrated meals.
Two bins - my kitchen bin on top of the miscellaneous bin beneath. The misc. bin holds tent stakes for securing tarp poles, a can of clothes pins, Velcro, duct tape, rope and line, tools, a whisk broom, and my collapsible porta-potty. The bins sit stacked next to the bed. A piece of anti-skid for rugs sits on top and between the bins so they don't slide while I'm driving. On rough, dirt roads I can bungee the bins to the drivers seat.
The miscellaneous bin on the bottom is rarely removed from its spot in the car. It serves nicely as a side table when I'm lounging on the bed. The kitchen bin rides atop the misc. bin for easy removal and access, and unless rainy it remains outside most of the time. The two bins are kept from sliding while the car is in motion by inserting a cut-to-fit piece of anti-skid fabric for rugs.
The misc. bin is just the right height to serve as a bedside table. The anti-skid material on top keeps my bedside items - kindle, reading glasses, phone and other essentials from sliding off the bin lid.
With a comfy bed to sleep in and lounge upon and tasty victuals to eat my needs for comfort and remaining well-fed are met while traveling and camping in my Jeep.
In the next post I'll show how I pack clothes, grooming essentials and take care of potty needs.
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Recipe: Quick Vegetable "Fried Rice" (serves one)
In a cup or bowl add in the amount and variety of dehydrated veggies you need...
...such as chopped onion, red and green bell pepper, corn, green beans (also called "leather breeches"), and chopped mushrooms.
Pour on boiling water to cover and let soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile cook up the desired amount of minute-style rice until the water is evaporated (about 5 minutes).
When the veggies are softened strain off the soaking water (I drink the soaking water as it contains vitamins and minerals) and stir the veggies into the hot rice. Add a dash or two of soy sauce and a few drops of toasted sesame oil. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Stir and eat.
The cooked rice and veggies may be fried in a pan with with a bit of oil, if desired, for a more authentic fried rice. Cooked egg, bits of ham or chicken, or cubed tofu may also be added to the mixture.
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