What's in your cooler???

[Sir Smithwick]

Our small group is coming up Halloween weekend.  I have been put in charge of supplies and cooking.  I feel like I am planing for the invasion of a small country.  So far I have two coolers full or will be.  Between two cases of assorted beer, soda, water, mixers, and food [pork chops on friday and burgers saturday night] it is starting to seem a little over whelming.  I was just wondering what other campers have in there cooler and whats going to be on your menu for the weekend.  A little over a month away and starting to get excited.  HAZZAH   

[Hercules]

Soon as I get the friggen fish smell outa my coolers.

I'm freezing some bottles of water to use as both ice and drinking water once they melt. Also planning on Low Sodium V-8 (stuff is packed with potasium), sports drinks, beer and tequila. Also hafta pack some small milk cartons because the lady who recently asked to go with me reques....eeer demands cereal for breakfast. I'm thinking chorizo, eggs and tortillas too but will see how heavy this thing gets.   

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

We have 3 coolers rolling with us... one for beer (120qt) one for food, (120qt) and a 70qt for extra ice....

[Blue66669]

Well, as far as menus are concerned, we actually have a large enough group to warrant having a kitchen and grill master *looks over at Advent and smiles*. We have close to 40 people AT LEAST camping with McLotofus. Normally, there are coolers aplenty with everything from sodas and water, to Jager and Tequila, and another few dedicated to the wonders of BEER!

I think we're having brats for Opening Weekend, seeing as though the theme is German Oktoberfest. For Halloween, we're pulling out the brisket and sausages, and chili for the cold nights. On Thanksgiving weekend, our clan hosts the Annual RF Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner at camp on Turkey Day. Last year we had two turkeys, one ham, game hens, a metric crap ton of dressing, mac and cheese casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravies, and about 15 pies and cakes. We ended our season with a performance from Wine and Alchemy at our camp, which was magical and wonderous.

We almost always are ready and prepped to do a round or two of Jager Bombs, and there's more loki in our clan than you can shake a stick at.

Depending on your group and how much they drink, I would say about 8 beers per person, per day. Now, I stick to the hard stuff, with a cider for sippin in between. My husband (as are many of the McLotofus men) is a beer disposal unit, with the ability to drain an entire case in a few hours (with a little help from the beer gnomes). As far as food is concerned, I would definitely include some bagged snacks for munching on until dinner is ready. A day of drinking and making "merry" will make even the sanest of Rennies into a ravenous beast come dinner time.

Please feel free to swing by and meet some of your fellow RFers with McLotofus. We love making new friends, and we only kinda leave lasting scars to one's psyche...

[SirRichardBear]

In the food cooler for opening weekend it will be brats, bacon, eggs, milk, juices.   In the drinks a Gatorade, flavored water ,couple of six packs and a couple bottle of loki.

[Hercules]

OK I gotta ask...with so much food on the menu inside the faire. Why is cooking and barbequing so big in the camping area? I can understand breakfast since that doesn't seem to be too plentiful on the faire grounds. But aren't ya'll stuffed when ya come out there? I'm planning on packing lite snacks and maybe one meal for Friday evening and then cramming as much faire-food as I can when I get in.

Is it because the faire-food costs so much? Me thinks I'm missing something..?

[Blue66669]

Well, between the cost of faire food (which I've found is MUCH higher here than at other faires), and the fact that we have cannon at 7ish (which means that by the time all the festivities go down at 9, it's time to throw a meal in there so that we can keep drinking until 3am with no issues), it's really just nice to have noms. I mean, there's no need to stuff ourselves stoopid. But fewd is good LOL.

And late at night, you know the time... it's the time when you'd be riding drunk to a Denny's.... best time to NOM.

[Lady Laura]

Many of us camp Friday night too, so we have to eat dinner then.  Also, I know for us, it's expensive to eat our fill inside faire.  We get a few of our favorite things, but do our main dinner meal after we get back after faire Saturday evening and have changed and relaxed awhile around camp.

As we're not big eaters, and there are only 4 of us anyway, we just take cans of Ravioli and Dinty Moore beef stew, bread and butter for the dinners.  And I usually cook eggs, lil smokies and toast for breakfast.  Then cheese and meat roll-ups and various snacks and fruit.

Oh, and of course two 18 packs of beer (one cold, one hot), soft drinks, milk, water, and ice.

One ice chest has the drinks, one has the food, one has extra ice.

We've really tried to make it as easy as we can over the years.

[Bonny Pearl]

It is expensive to eat in faire and with all the walking you do; you can eat all day and then be ravenous by dark.  So yep, we make sure we have plenty to eat out at camp. 

[Sir William Marcus]

Soon as I get the friggen fish smell outa my coolers.

Try baking soda and if that doesn't work toothpaste can do the trick

[Hercules]

Carp...guess I better add some more stuff to the list I thought I was done with.

Well! Guess I know what I'll be doing this weekend!     

[Aiacha]

I'm putting together my kitchen for Halloween, so far I've got eggs and Jimmy dean scramblers for brekkie, and sausage for jambalaya, plus links for dogs and some frozen homemade chili for one night.  As for refreshments, we'll have beer (probably Newcastle or Shiner), Hard Cranberry Lemonade and whatever our guests request.  Oh yeah, and water.  Yes, I have forgotten water in the past  ::blush::

[bellevivre]

Beer for the hubby (probably Leinenkugels Wheat, or Franziskaner)
Cider for me (mmm... Blackthorn or Strongbow)
Loki
Possibly a bottle or two of Shmitt-Shone Reisling
Drumgray Whisky Cream
Bruadar (best whiskey liquer around- dunno if this will get here in time for opening weekend)
Glenfiddich 15 and 18

spam, potatoes, onion, garlic and eggs for trash hash
tortillas
monkeybread makings
brisket & fixins for Saturday night dinner
munchies

the list will be longer for Highland Fling weekend- there's a beef & ale stew I want to try that weekend..

[SirRichardBear]

Beside there is just something friendly about sitting around a fire doing BBQ and drinking. 

[JimsDana]

Brie Cheeses, Crackers, Grapes,  Jalapeno pie, Boiled shrimp, Pears
Apples, Pumpkin muffins, Prosciutto, Caviar and the assorted beverages adult and otherwise.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 Can pumpkin
1 Box spiced cake mix

Preheat oven per box.

Mix pumpkin and cake mix.
This will take some time!
There is enough moisture, just keep mixing.
Line muffin pan w/ cupcake foils.
Fill and smooth, what you see is what you get; this does not rise or settle as it bakes.

Bake till toothpick come out clean

Tooth pick test. Insert toothpick into muffin, if it is clean and dry when pulled out, the muffins are done.

Frosting or no, your choice.
May be served hot or cold.
Freezes very well.