Back from camping: good grillin'

Hey Crushers!
I'm back from camping, and I'm glad. Don't get me wrong, I love to camp out under the stars and we had perfect weather for it. However, I am not a fan of all the mosquito bites I got. Ew! I feel like the mosquitoes were out to get me.

While we were enjoying our trip, I learned some new recipes from others as well as enjoying cooking over a fire. Of course we did potato packs, and we also grilled pork chops, corn, brats, and even grilled cheese sandwiches! So good.

Here are a few photos of where we stayed before I get to the grillin'!

Ottawa Lake nature trail

A gorgeous sunset over Ottawa Lake

Our campsite was very nice and open. We could see the stars, but had enough trees to give us some privacy from the campsite next to us. I don't have any pictures of our time in Cassville where we started, because I was busy hanging out with people. One person, Janel, taught me a new recipe for "M&M Salad". It's ridiculous - both good and easy. All you do is buy a big bag of all different kinds of M&M candies and then dump them in a big bowl or zip lock bag. Then you stir or shake until you have a mish-mash of candy. Then make sure that you share them with a big group of people otherwise you'll get sick!

My favorite thing to make on the grill besides good ol' beer brats is marinated pork chops. I like using pre-made marinades because they're easy to bring along camping. However, there are lots of wonderful marinades that you can make. My favorites to make are mostly Greek seasoning with lemon, olive oil and oregano; BBQ sauce with an extra helping of garlic; and Italian dressing. Easy and useful! However, on pork chops, my favorite is the Wildtree Wicked Good Slow Cooker Sauce. That stuff is amazing as a marinade. Just pour about a 1/4 cup-1/2 cup (depending on how many pork chops) in a zip lock bag with the chops and let them sit all day. Pop them on the grill for 4-5 minutes on each side. Cook until the juices run clear and enjoy! So good...