Tag: Food at summer camp

Posted on by camptowanda

Pretzel Chicken Fingers Recipe

We were inspired when we recently heard about the American Camp Association’s recent partnership with Kids Cook Monday.  The Kids Cook Monday initiative encourages families to set aside the first night of every week for cooking and eating together as a family.  Because we think this is such a great idea, we will continue to share our camper-approved, healthy recipes, straight from our Culinary Cooking program here at Camp Towanda as inspiration for your family dinners. Enjoy!

What could be better? Pretzels and Chicken Fingers coming together in perfect harmony! When our campers made these at The Culinary Cookin’ Class at The Farm this past summer they said “I can totally make these at home!”  The most fun part…put the pretzels in a ziploc bag and stomp them into crumbs.  A work out, stress reliever and delicacy, rolled into one delicious lunch or dinner! P.S. they still taste great the day after when thrown into a lunchbox!

Send us your own favorite camp-inspired recipes to be featured on our blog (and you can even send us a pic of you and your creation!)–send all recipes and photos to [email protected].

PRETZEL CHICKEN FINGERS

2 LBS CKICKEN BREAST…CUT IN CUBES OR STRIPS

1 BAG WAFFLE CUT PRETZEL

8 EGGS

1 1/2 CUPS FLOUR…for dreading

Salt

Pepper to taste

GRAPE SEED OIL FOR FRYING…great for frying

1) CHICKEN BREAST INTO STRIPS ORCUBES 2INPIECES SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER

2)TAKE PRETEZLS AND EITHER IN A CUISINART OR AS YOU CHILDREN DID PUT IN A DOUBLED ZIPLOCK BAG AND STAMP ON THEM WITH SHOES ON TILL CRUMBS

3)DREAD IN FLOUR….coating the chicken

4)DIP IN THE EGG….

5)COAT WITH CRUSHED PRETZELS

6)FRY IN THE GRAPESEED OIL ON MEDUIM HEAT

VERY EASY AND FAST…..

SERVE WITH KETCHUP, HONEYMUSTARD OR HORSERADDISH SAUCE

YOU CAN ALSO USE HONEY MUSTARD PRETZELS FOR A DIFFERENT TASTE….

Posted on by camptowanda

Camp Towanda Farm Blueberry Cake Muffins Recipe

Here at Camp Towanda, it has been a tradition for 90 years and counting to go blueberry picking on our beautiful farm grounds.  This summer, we took our blueberry picking one step further at our Culinary Cooking Class at The Farm (where there are blueberry bushes a plenty!). Even if you don’t have a blueberry bush in your backyard, you can still make these delicious morning treats (and think fondly of Camp Towanda blueberries).

Blueberry Cake Muffins from The Farm

1 ½ sticks of unsalted butter

1 ½ cups of sugar

3 extra large eggs

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup of sour cream or greek yougurt (chobani the best)

¼ cup of milk

2 ½ cups of all purpose flour

2 teaspoon of baking powder

½ teaspoon of baking soda

½ teaspoon of kosher salt

1 pint of fresh blueberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pleace 16 paper liners in the muffin pan

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment

Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy about 1 minute

With mixer on low speed add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and the salt. On a low speed add the flour mixture to the batter until just mixed…do not over mix

Fold in the blueberries..

Fill the baking cups till half full

Bake for 25 mins until the muffins are lightly browned

Enjoy!!!!

Posted on by camptowanda

Corn Flake Chicken Recipe

Our campers love cereal for breakfast.  So you can imagine their excitement when we said we were making Corn Flake Chicken at our culinary cooking class with Chef Paulette!  Try this delicious, fun and healthy twist on chicken.  Winner, winner, yummy chicken dinner!

Send us your own favorite camp-inspired recipes to be featured on our blog (and you can even send us a pic of you and your creation!)–send all recipes and photos to [email protected].

CORN FLAKE CHICKEN

1 WHOLE CHICKEN CUT UP TO 8THS (RECOMMEND CUTTING BREASTS IN HALF

8 EGGS ….FOR DIPPING

CORNFLAKE CRUMBS…(KELLOG OR BUY REGULAR CORNFLAKES AND GRINF\D FINE IN CUISINART)

SPRAY PAM

SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

1) CUT CHICKEN IN TO 1/8THS

2) DIP IN EGG

3) DREDGE IN CORN FLAKE CRUMBS

4) PLACE ON SHEET PAN COATED WITH PAM ( OF\R ANY SPRAY OIL

5) BAKE AT 400 FOR 25 MINS

6) ENJOY

Posted on by camptowanda

Healthy, Happy Campers!

By Stephanie Reiter

Several people have shared with us the recent article in the NYTimes about food at summer camp. Here at Camp Towanda we are all about kid-friendly, parent-approved healthy choices. Our nutritionist helps us create balanced menu so that kids actually eat, enjoy and try. We always serve fresh fruit throughout the day, and campers can find fresh vegetables, brown rice, pastas, and many other healthy choices at our extensive salad bar. We strongly believe that refreshing and nourishing snacks help keep our kids properly fueled for success here at camp (hey, just ask your kids about our Camp Towanda Fusion Water)!

At Camp Towanda our health and wellness initiatives go beyond the dining hall. When we came to camp in 1991, I decided to start a garden.  What started out as a passion project of mine has evolved over the years to become a haven in the center of Camp Towanda.

Fruits, vegetables and herbs aren’t the only things that grow in our garden. Our campers grow too!  The benefits of our garden program truly benefit the whole child, beyond just teaching healthy, natural eating:

“Gardening captures kids’ interest, teaches them nurturing skills, gives them a sense of pride in their accomplishments, introduces them to try healthful foods, and provides a way to improve and give back to the community. Working in a garden can be one of a child’s first experiences with care-taking.  Understanding that he is responsible for the growth or decline of the plants in the garden allows him to see the results of being responsible, protective, and gentle. Additionally, the delayed but inevitable gratification that comes with growing a garden teaches patience and self-confidence.”[1]

Beyond these universal benefits of gardening with children, our garden also serves another purpose here at Camp Towanda.  The garden is a safe, nurturing place during free time where campers can get a little extra TLC and a break from the day-to-day excitement.  It does for campers what a spa does for grown-ups!  The results are beautiful and campers feel confident, recharged and renewed to re-enter their daily routine.

I am also very excited about how we have been able to take some of our freshest ingredients (like romaine, corn and rosemary) and bring them to our Farmhouse where campers are whipping up delicious creations in our Camp Culinary program.

To learn more about our garden and other inspirational tips about gardening with children, visit our Pinterest board “Stephanie’s Garden”: http://pinterest.com/camptowanda/stephanie-s-garden.

[1] National Garden Association, “Why Youth Gardens”.