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COMMUNITY
Ask the Food Expert
Cooking For Large Groups
Nick's Question:
I am in Boy Scouts. After a while stews and macaroni and cheese get old. Can you suggest something different?
— Nick Dorcas' Answer:
How about chili? Serve with Dutch oven cornbread—yum. Vegetarian chili mix is available in many health food stores (in bulk or by package) and supermarkets (look for Fantastic Vegetarian Chili or a similar product).
This recipe is set up for backpacking, but if you are in a campground, you can skip dehydrating the beans and substitute a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes for the dried tomatoes.
Backcountry Chili
Makes about 9 cups
Ingredients
 6.4 ounces vegetarian chili mix
2 15-ounce cans of kidney beans
2 ounces sun-dried
Tomatoes
4 ounces cheddar cheese
40 corn chips (baked, not fried)
At home, drain and rinse kidney beans, then spread them in an even layer on a non-stick cookie sheet. The beans may touch, but should not be heaped. Put the tray in the oven and turn the heat to its lowest setting; use an oven thermometer (available at supermarkets) to keep the temperature around 135 degrees. Crack the oven door to allow the moisture to escape.
After 3 hours, check the beans every half hour. To determine dryness, remove a few beans from the oven and let them cool 2 or 3 minutes. If the beans are hard and dry, they are done.
Cut tomatoes into small pieces. Pack chili mix, dehydrated beans, and tomatoes in one plastic bag. Pack the corn chips separately and don't worry if they get crushed. Also pack 4 ounces of cheddar cheese.
On trail, place dry mix in pot and add: 7 1/2 cups water (add more as needed) Mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes or until done; stir to prevent sticking.
Meanwhile, grate cheese and crush corn chips. Serve chili in bowls, sprinkling cheese and corn chips on top.
Experiment and let us know how it goes!
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