Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Being of the aged and single persuasion I would like to try some recipes for 1. In my apartment I make a TON of stuff in a 1 quart crock pot and my fellow workers are always asking - "Cook Yet"

now to do it outside. Minimal R Me.

John the Vanner.

Anything you can cook in a crock pot you can cook
in a dutch oven. Just reduce the coals to about 1/2
of the recommended " diameter times 2 " brickette count.

The only down side is in about 45 minutes you will
need to replenish the coals.

I also use a 1-qt crock pot, less now that my twins are 9 (now we use the 1.5 qt and 2 qt more). But I still sometimes take it to work on the weekends when the office cafeteria isn't open.

Here's the 1-qt dutch oven.

http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-Quart ... 461&sr=1-1

I got mine already, along with the 2-qt, even though my trailer isn't finished yet.

Catherine

John - I'm a great cook (if I do say so myself!) and I love my cast iron. But when I'm camping, alone, I'm also "minimal R me."

I've got a 1qt dutch oven, and a 2qt deep (8") which is actually easier and less temperamental to cook in. I've also got a 10" dutch oven that serves six, and a number of cast iron skillets and "French" (no legs) enameled CI ovens that I use all the time. But when I'm camping, I usually keep my kitchen as minimal as possible.

Two words the minimalist single cook will love: PIE IRONS. At that link, you'll find descriptions, recipes, sales information. But you can get them just about anywhere, for the price of a good (new) CI skillet.

Open and separated into two parts, a cast iron pie iron becomes a single-serve skillet that you can rest on the grate over a flame or fire. The rectangular double pie irons are big enough to cook eggs and bacon at the same time.

Assembled as intended, the round and square ones can cook up just about anything. No charcoal counting - just get the fire medium hot and rest the pie iron in or over the flames. Think about your crock pot recipes as filling, sandwiched into pre-made biscuit dough, crescent roll dough or two slices of bread (stew + dumplings.)

If your crock pot recipes run to stews, chilis and soups, think about an 8 - 10" cast iron skillet with a lid. You can make the same stuff you'd make in the crockpot in a deep small skillet. You can also make pizza, fry eggs and bacon, bake biscuits, and more if it has a lid.

I have taken my 9" cast iron skillet with lid, a square pie iron, an enamel coffee pot to heat water, a good chef's knife and small cutting board - where all but the pie iron fit into a small 19qt Rubbermaid box, along with the food that didn't need to be in a cooler - and called it a kitchen. I transport the pie irons with the CI covered by a stretchy fabric book cover from the Dollar Store.

I love to collect cast iron (camp and kitchen) but while I like to cook with it, I don't like to haul more than I need on the road. So take a look at what you'll really need, and only carry that. For me, that's usually just a skillet, lid, pie iron, coffee pot, knife and cutting board if I'm just cooking for one. And when I really want to get lighter, I leave the skillet and lid home and cook with the pie iron, the coffeepot, and a portable steel charcoal grill or grate in case there's no fire ring. Enjoy