Winter camping can be a hoot!

NOTE: though it can be a hoot, no owls were used in the making of this experience.

I've experienced my share of winter camping. Actually it has been unexpected winter camping because it was August at Yellowstone National Park when we packed up our tents and van and headed toward warmer places due to the forecast calling for a winter storm.

Yellowstone is a must see with Old Faithful on the top of the list of gotta-gos. It was early August and the family took two weeks to head to Grand Junction, Colorado and back to Michigan. We started out heading toward South Dakota to take in Mount Rushmore. What a grand sight that was! Anyway, being avid campers we should have seen the signs that some inclement weather was approaching because within two days we had a moose and a bear cub wander into the campgrounds looking for what I can only guess now is food.

We had planned to leave Yellowstone on the day we heard the forecast anyway, but what we didn't expect was to hear on the radio as we were heading south that the next day a foot of snow fell in that area stranding campers and residents for several hours. Talk about getting out in the nick of time.

Still, I've had my adventures with temperatures of freezing and below huddled around a campfire and snuggling close to someone during the night for heat, and my favorite time has been due to my Louisiana influences. By the way, I am going to break one of my BIG rules for posting with this one because GUMBO IS YUMMY! So this will be longer than I usually post.

It was the day after Christmas and I got an itch to be in the woods. I was planning to go on my own to Central Louisiana and enjoy the quiet knowing that the campground at South Toledo Bend would be deserted. However, my son and his girlfriend were looking for a change of scenery too. We planned for two nights and three days. The temperature in this area of the country in December can be moderate (if you are lucky). For the most part the days were in the high 40s lower 50s. It was comfortable to walk in the woods and hang around the campfire, but the nights were something else altogether. As luck would have it my significant other was able to get away and join us on our second night and he brought a little bit of Cajun to the site.

Upon his arrival we were still hanging around the campfire waiting for the chill of the day to burn off. After our greetings he produced a very welcome addition to the trip, ingredients for a chicken and sausage gumbo. Traditionally in South Louisiana gumbo is served for the Christmas meal as opposed to turkey or ham. It is a tradition and he makes the best gumbo I've had since living here. The most important ingredient in a great gumbo is the roux (which I will explain later). The second most important ingredient, especially if you are cooking over an open fire is a good black, iron pot. I personally buy mine at antique stores rather than purchase them new because the older iron is a better grade and you have little chance of cracking them over the often-unpredictable flame.

For the simple fact that cooking over a campfire can be unpredictable in inclement weather we set to preparing the gumbo pretty early in the day. The fact that the sun sets early in the winter is a good reason also. In this case he bought from the butcher a whole cut up chicken. This alleviated the need to sterilize cutting boards used to do so at a campsite. With the pot sitting on a grate over the fire we added just the chicken to brown. Cooking this at home on a burner or on a camp stove is easier, but really takes away the element of surprise.

The chicken browns and browns and browns to a golden delight and leaves in the bottom of the pot a greasy, crusty layer in which you will make the ever-important roux. Have another container handy for transfer and remove the chicken from the pot. With the pot still on the fire add approximately two tablespoons of flour (a staple I always keep in my camping gear) to the juices. Mixing it together it will create a semi-solid ball of dough.

Next is up to taste and eyesight. For a darker gumbo cook the roux until it becomes a dark brown without burning, but many people just let the roux get to a golden consistency and then add the water. For a 5 quart pot add 3 quarts of water and sausage until chicken is tender, approximately 1 1/2 hours along with 1 cup of chopped onions, 1 cup of chopped green peppers, 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper and 1/2 cup of chopped parsley. Okra can be used in this dish as well.

Served over rice in a bowl, this dish is a hearty, warming delicacy that will make winter camping all that more special!