This year we’ve got a professional chef coming with us on the annual summer cottage trip, but the menu hasn’t changed much because when asked what we should bring to the cottage, this friend of 18 years replied, “meat and fire”. I was also told that I did not bring enough bacon last year, so I’ve doubled it for this year because, hey, double the bacon, double the fun. As always, I’ve also tried to sneak as many seasonal fruits and vegetables into my friends as possible.

Day 1:

– Morning spent driving to cottage

Lunch

Hot dogs and cold salads

• I find that after a morning of driving (and some cars stopping for snacks) a light lunch and early supper work best
• a lovely coleslaw or potato salad can be made at home the night before

Supper

Chicken wings and thighs done on the barbecue with cauliflower and cheese casserole and baked potato soup

• these cuts will make the men feel like burly outdoorsmen and make the women wonder what is wrong with the men
• this casserole is assembled with cooked ingredients and is merely heated through in its finally baking stage, therefore I plan to prepare it at home a day or two before, refrigerate it and simply reheat at the cottage
• the baked potato soup is very easy to make and can be done live or made at home and frozen

Day 2:

Breakfast

Eggs and bacon with toast and hash brown patties

• last year I served the hash brown patties on the second to last day and spent every other morning fending off the hungry junk food fiends, so this year they’ve been promoted to first morning

Lunch

Lunchmeat sandwiches and leftover cold salads

Supper

Homemade pizza cooked on the barbecue

• with fun and exotic toppings like roasted red pepper, spinach and artichoke hearts

 

Day 3:

Breakfast

Cold cereal

Lunch

Hot dogs and Pogos with corn on the cob, canned beans and grilled zucchini and pepper salad

• Corn on the cob bought at roadside along the way

 

Supper

Hamburgers and sweet potato fries

• both can be purchased or made fresh

Day 4:

Breakfast

Blueberry buttermilk pancakes and pan-bakes for the more adventurous

• I like to mix the dry ingredients at home, buy the blueberries at a fruit stand on the way and add the liquids on the morning

Lunch

Sausage on a bun with cheese and bacon mashed potatoes and a garden salad

• use the same vegetables for the salad as you did for the sandwiches on day two

Supper

Lasagna

• made at home and frozen

Day 5:

– Good for a rain day, as the barbecue is not needed for any of these meals

Breakfast

Cold cereal

Lunch

Chili with cheese toast

• chili premade at home and frozen

Supper

Good old cottage pie

• made at home and frozen

Day 6:

Breakfast

Eggs and peameal bacon with homemade buttermilk biscuits and store-bought english muffins

• I prepare and assemble the biscuits the same way I do the pancakes

Lunch

Leftovers

Supper

Special, surprise, picky eater, birthday dinner: hot dogs and caesar salad

Day 7:

Breakfast

Eggs and bacon with toast

Lunch

Leftovers

Supper (special last night supper)

Steak with sweet and fingerling potatoes, steamed broccoli and mushrooms, lightly baconed

• potatoes cubed and cooked together in tin foil with onion, butter, salt and pepper on the barbecue
• boil the broccoli and remove to an ice water bath if you’re cottage lacks a steamer basket
• cook bacon in cast iron pan, remove bacon and cook mushrooms in bacon grease (instead of butter) then move mushrooms to serving dish and crumble bacon over top

Day 8:

– Driving home in the late morning

Breakfast

Nothin’ but bacon! (By popular demand)

 

Snacks: