Trail Ride Recipes

Harvest Wagon

The summer I worked in the kitchen at Bishop’s Lodge were filled with old-style cowboy thrills–weekly kids’ rodeos, daily trail rides, chuck wagon cooking out among the chamisa and sage. Packing up before dawn and cooking breakfast in the open for the guests was an experience that never got old.

Cooking outdoors away from electricity and running water made the upscale breakfast for 20 hungry riders a challenge.The food was a wonderful combination of haute cuisine and country cooking rather than the stereotypical boiled coffee, beans and bacon. There’s nothing like a great cup of coffee and a freshly baked muffin as the sun rises.

I’m not much of a rider, as the wranglers pointed out every morning, but I’m one of the best cooks they ever had on the trail.

Don’t have your own chef to take with you on your ride?  Here are a few goodies to pack in your saddlebags for a day in the wide open spaces.

For the health conscious cowboy, I’ve added the most decadent veggie delights along with the indulgent baked goods.

Easy Impressive Meals on the Trail
Pioneer Orchards Baked Pink Lady Pancakes ~ Take the batter in a jar and the apples, butter and sugar in a ziploc bag. Heat a cast iron frying pan and saute the apples. Pour the batter over the apples, cover and turn heat to medium or bury in coals. Check pancake every 10 minutes until done.
Homestyle Traditional Red Chili Sauce ~ To make legendary Heuvos Rancheros, take Red Chili Sauce with you, scramble eggs when you’re ready for breakfast and pour the chile over before you serve.

Make and Take
Alexis Hotel Meatloaf Sandwiches
Mom’s Easy Tamales ~heat them in a covered skillet with a 1/2 of water in it. Put the skillet on the fire or in the coals. Check the water level frequently so they don’t burn.
San Juan Hot Red and Green Chili Hushpuppies ~fry these up the night before and pack in foil after the cool. Reheat by putting the packet in the coals, turning every few minutes until warm. If you’ve got a grill, toast them.

Gluten-Free
Sunflower Seed Spread stuffed in wholewheat pita

Pastry
Dixon Champagne Apple Pastelitos
Grange Potluck Butternut Squash Cake
Jacksonville Fresh Pineapple and Ginger Muffins