I’m terrified of spiders, don’t care much for snakes, sunburn in the blink of an eye and attract mosquitoes like a stagnant pond.

So why do I still love to go camping? You’re lookin’ at it.

Campfire cooking is one of my greatest cooking pleasures. I don’t know if it’s the smoky flavor that some foods take on or the challenge of producing a decent meal with limited resources. Either way, when my mother and I went camping this past weekend up in Bath County, we made sure to pack a bunch of goodies for breakfast.

The potatoes came right out of the garden. We wrapped them in aluminum foil and put them down in the campfire the night before to let them bake. The next morning, we unwrapped them, cut them up and fried them with onions in the hot bacon grease.

A shortcut for campfire potatoes is to bake them in the microwave before you leave and pack them in the cooler for the next morning. They take a lot less time to fry up that way than a raw potato.

The eggs were scrambled later in the same skillet and the English muffins were toasted on a grill grate over the open campfire. They tasted of a hint of wood smoke, but we still slathered them with a friend’s homemade blueberry preserves.

After a breakfast like this, it’s tempting to crawl back inside the tent. But there’s no way I’m doing that….there might be spiders in there.

Anyone else out there a campfire cook? Share your smokin’ hot tips.

Hey FM readers. This is yet another guest blogger, Nona Nelson from The Happy Wag.

I love to cook almost as much as I love to eat, but I know my family needs to eat healthier. That started this weekend with me making better choices at the supermarket: lots more fruits, veggies, whole grains and fish and less of, well, all the other stuff I usually buy.

Last night I made kabobs with chicken, lean pork, peppers, onions, mushrooms and pineapple wedges. I soaked the meat in a little soy sauce, then assembled the skewers, seasoned with a dash of salt and the delicious smokehouse pepper that Lindsey gave me last week, and brushed them with a tiny amount of olive oil. My hubby grilled them and they were very tasty and moist, and fairly low in fat and calories.

Tonight I plan to serve tilapia filets, and typically I would bake them in the oven with butter, lemon and dill. But tonight I want to grill them, and I am looking for suggestions on ways to add flavor to this mild fish without adding too much fat and calories.

I know I can use olive or grape seed oil instead of the butter for a lighter dish. Anyone have a great combo of seasonings or a recipe for a rub that works well with delicate fish?

Well, Thanksgiving is over and my 16-pound turkey has already been reduced to a big pot of stock that’s waiting at home in the fridge rignt now.
But when I walk in the door today and smell that rich odor of turkey still hanging in the air, I’m not sure turkey soup will sound very appetizing.
Not that this year’s Thanksgiving bird didn’t earn a rave response from my guests. I bought it from Weathertop Farm in Floyd County and I don’t believe I’ll ever buy another store-bought bird. My Dad said it might’ve been the best turkey he’s ever eaten. Now there’s a compliment!
I brined mine overnight in a brown sugar and kosher salt brine, then stuffed it with celery, onions, carrots, apples and bay leaves and sprinkled the top with rosemary and pepper. In a roasting bag, it took less than three hours to reach 165 degrees.
But no matter how delicious it was, after a couple plates of leftovers and a turkey sandwich or two, my appetite for turkey is waning. At least I haven’t resorted to making turkey waffles like Sally Forth in yesterday’s comics.
In an effort to put an exciting twist on the last bit of turkey in my fridge, I believe I’ll try out the Thai Chicken Noodle Soup recipe that ran with last week’s column. A little hot sauce, some cilantro, some rice noodles and voila! Maybe we can power through the last scraps of the little bird.
In case you missed that recipe, here it is again. And if you’re looking for another tasty way to transform the last of your turkey, keep an eye on the video player below for a casserole demonstration that should appear within the day.

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After I re-ran a former blog post about grilling turkeys in my Front Burner column yesterday, I received a hearty response from readers. Many say they’ve been grilling the Thanksgiving bird for decades now and wouldn’t have it any other way.
The first call I got was from a fellow named Chris who left me a voicemail message saying he grills his bird on a low flame (about 200 degrees) for 5 1/2 to 6 hours.
“It comes out fine every time,” he said.
Then, Rebecca Seaster rang me up to say that she and her husband grill birds all the time. Even better, they use an old Southern Living recipe that calls for brining the turkey first, then stuffing the cavity with onions and other vegetables for extra flavor. Mmmm mmmmm!
Rebecca insists that you must cook the turkey breast side down, saying it turns out a deliciously crispy skin. She promised to drop her recipe in the mail for me, so as soon as it comes I will type it up and post it on the blog.
Here are a few more reader responses:

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