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Congratulations — you made it to December! The end of a long and stressful year deserves a relaxing and joyous holiday celebration.
While the holidays look a little different this year, there are still ways to make it the best Christmas yet.
2020 has been the perfect year to create new traditions. Perhaps you’ve started up a new family hobby, like fat biking or snowshoeing. Or maybe and your partner have come up with creative stay-at-home date nights (roof top camping in the driveway, anyone?)
Add to your list of fun new experiences by celebrating Christmas in the great outdoors, surrounded by beautiful scenery and fresh winter air.
The best part? Christmas camping doesn’t have to mean leaving the traditional feast behind. With a little prep and a warm campfire, you can prepare a Christmas feast good enough for royalty.
Below are some delicious campfire dishes to prepare on your Christmas camping trip.
Entree: Lemon-Dill Salmon
Salmon is packed with vitamins and nutrients. It also happens to have killer flavor when cooked over a campfire.
This lemon dill salmon has the perfect punch of flavor, guaranteed to make you want seconds.
Don’t worry about setting aside too much time to prepare it, either. This tasty entree can be whipped up in just 25 minutes!
What You’ll Need
- Aluminum foil
- Tongs
- Campfire grill grate
- Butcherknife
Ingredients (4 Servings)
- 4 salmon fillets
- 1 sliced lemon
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 sliced garlic cloves
- 4 dill sprigs
- 1 tbsp minced basil
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
How to Make it:
- Light fire and begin heating grill
- Lay 4 pieces of foil across the grill
- Butter the center of each piece of foil
- Set 1 salmon fillet on each piece of foil
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Top with onion, dill, garlic, basil, and lemon
- Fold foil over fillets and seal edges
- Cook 8-10 minutes — the fillets should flake with a fork when ready
- Gently open the foil to release steam, and serve
Vegetarian Entrée or Side: Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Kale Pesto and Tomatoes
Whether or not there’s a vegetarian in your family, cauliflower steaks are a great way to get a delicious and filling serving of vegetables.
The satisfying texture of the cauliflower steaks topped with the flavorful pesto and juicy tomatoes will leave you feeling full, satisfied, and ready for a good night’s sleep.
What You’ll Need
- Butcherknife
- Campfire grill
- Marinade brush
- Tinfoil
- Measuring cup
- Small cutting board
Kale Pesto Ingredients (4-6 servings)
- 2 ounces walnut
- 3 ounces kale
- 1 large tarragon sprig
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 lemon, grated
- Lemon juice
- 1 clove of garlic
Ingredients for rest of dish: (4-6 servings)
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large diced tomato
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
How to Make it
- Build up your campfire and put the grate over the top once it’s ready
- Chop kale and tarragon and put both into a bowl
- Add finely chopped walnuts
- Stir in lemon zest, parmesan, and garlic to create the pesto
- In a measuring cup, stir 1 lemon’s worth of lemon juice and 3/4 cup olive oil
- Pour the oil and lemon juice into the bowl of pesto
- Cut the stem of cauliflower until only the head remains
- Place the cauliflower on a cutting board, core side down
- Cut the cauliflower vertically into 4 “steak” slices
- Brush 1 side of the cauliflower steaks with a mixture of oil, salt, and pepper
- Place the seasoned side of the steak on the grill
- Grill 304 minutes or until lightly charred
- Move to a plate and top with pesto and lemon zest
Side: Make-Ahead Spinach and Mushroom Gnocchi Casserole
Spinach and mushroom are a match made in heaven in this make-ahead casserole. The rich flavoring makes it the perfect choice for a Christmas side dish.
Not only is it delicious, but it’s easy to heat up over a campfire. Just take some time to prep this dish first, heat it up over the fire, and enjoy!
What You’ll Need
- 1 disposable foil pan
- Measuring cup
- 1 large pan
- 1 spatula
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 butcher knife
Ingredients (4-6 servings)
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 1 17.5 oz package gnocchi
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz sliced crimini mushrooms
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
- 5 cup mozzarella
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup parmesan
- 1/2 tsp pepper
How to Make it
- Preheat oven to 375
- Boil a pot of salted water and add gnocchi. Cook according to package instructions.
- Drain gnocchi and set aside
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil on a large pan
- Sauté shallot for 2-3 min
- Add cooked garlic and sauté another minute
- Add mushroom and cook 3-5 min
- Fold in thyme and parsley
- Add spinach and cook until the leaves begin to wilt
- Mix in gnocchi, mozzarella, ricotta, and salt and pepper
- Transfer ingredients to the aluminum tray and sprinkle with parmesan
- Once you’re ready to cook, heat up the casserole in the tin with the lid on until the cheese has fully melted.
- Serve and enjoy!
Dessert: Cherry Hand Pies
What’s a holiday feast without pie? Buttery crust, delicious fillings, the warm feeling it gives you — there’s no comfort food quite like it.
These cherry hand pies bring all the timeless delight of a delicious pie to your camping trip. They’re so good, you might want to start making them at home, too.
What You’ll Need:
- A container to store leftover oil (leave no trace!)
- Tongs
- 1 small rolling pin
- Cutting board
- 1 bag coals
- Paper towels
- Cast iron pan
- 1 water cup/glass
Ingredients (8 pies)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 small can cherry pie filling
- 1 package of pre-made pie crusts
- Vegetable oil
How to Make It:
- Roll out pre-made pie crusts on a cutting board (or paper towels on a camp table)
- Use a water glass to cut out 2 circles per pie
- Place 1 generous tablespoon of cherry filling on 4 of the circles
- Use the remaining circles as the top of the pies, placing them on top of the cherry filling and pinching the dough circles together around the edges
- Prepare a fire using coals as the base
- Heat 1-2 inches of oil in a medium-size cast-iron pan over the coals, not an open flame.
- Place 1-2 pies in the pan and cook until each side is browned
- Place cooked pies on paper towels
- Sprinkle sugar on the crust once the pies have drained
Christmas Campfire Cocktails
Now that you have an entire Christmas meal planned, it’s time for the fun part…cocktails!
These warm and soothing cocktails pack just enough punch to leave you jolly and warm
Whether you like the flavors of holiday spices or love a creamy dessert drink, there are endless delicious cocktails you can make with just a pot, a campfire, and a few special ingredients.
Try out one of our campfire cocktail recipes >
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