Campfire cuisine in Chicago: 3 menus to get you going

One reason to love the great outdoors is the way it sharpens the appetite. Even hot dogs and marshmallows taste good when you roast them over a campfire after a long day's hike.

The trouble, at least for my family, is that we always roast hot dogs and marshmallows. To remedy that, I've developed two menus for an overnight trip. Each one is comprised of dinner, dessert and breakfast. To minimize packing, each relies on the same cooking equipment for every dish.

Menu 1: (Not at) Home Cookin'

This Southern-style menu requires only skewers or toasting forks, plus a roll of aluminum foil and a knife.

Menu 2: (Bistro Overnight)

You can cook just about anything in a 9-inch cast iron skillet, including dinner and breakfast à la France. Be sure to pack heavy oven mitts and a spatula.

Dinner: Croques-Monsieur

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Dessert: Campfire mini apple pies

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Breakfast: Quiche Lorraine

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Menu 3: (Forest Fiesta)

If your family has invested in a camp stove, you've probably already experimented with some fancier dishes on your treks through the woods. Here are a few more ideas for spicing up your stove cooking. (These recipes can easily be adapted for a Dutch oven.)