It is finally comfort food season! Last weekend, the fall foliage put on a colorful show in Crested Butte, and the chilly nights are motivators for warming meals.

This dish is, you guessed it, a one-pan meal and is packed full of protein and carbs to fill you up for a longer autumn night at camp.

As promised, I will save the story for after the recipe!

COMFORTING ITALIAN MEATBALLS,

SAUTEED PEPPERS AND ORZO

Feeds: 4 Equipment: Pot of Dutch Oven, Metal Spoon Storage: D50/R50

Ingredients:

* 2 lbs Mild Italian Sausage

* 1 Small Yellow Onion

* 2 Cups Orzo

* 3 Garlic Cloves, minced

* 2 Large Red Bell Peppers

* 4 Cups of Chicken Stock

* 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella

* .25 tsp Salt and Pepper

* .5 tsp Oregano or Italian Seasoning

* 2 tbsp of avocado oil

Prep at Home

If you bought sausage links, de-case the filling. Roll the sausage blend into small bite-sized meatballs. Smaller balls mean the meat cooks more quickly. Put the meatballs in a hard-sided container so that they don’t get mushed in the fridge or cooler.

Slice the yellow onion and bell peppers into long thin slices and place into a zip-lock with a paper towel in the bottom together.

Portion the rest of the ingredients needed in to zip lock bags and add all ingredients to one gallon zip-lock bag, label with the recipe.

Cook at Camp

Heat your Dutch oven or deep pan on your stove with avocado oil on medium-high heat. Add the precut onion and peppers to the pan and sauté until they are slightly caramelized and the onion is translucent.

Add your minced garlic and spices and sauté for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Add your Italian sausage balls and cook them until they are browned but not cooked all of the way through. Push them to one side of the pan.

Add the orzo and toast for a few minutes before adding the chicken stock.

Turn the heat to medium and cook the mixture for 10-14 minutes until the orzo is well-cooked. Stir every couple of minutes to prevent burning in your pan.

A few minutes before serving, add the basil to let it wilt. Serve with mozzarella cheese on top.

Tips:

* Use a bigger pan than you think you need. I almost always use my Dutch oven or Stanley stock pot. The broth takes up a lot of space until it is absorbed into the orzo.

* Use a spoon instead of a ladle for easy clean up and serving. Fewer utensils means more time around the campfire.

* You don’t have to prep this meal at home and can just grab the ingredients to prepare at camp. Just remember this is a raw-to-cooked recipe, and special care should be taken to make sure the sausage doesn’t spoil and that your prep surfaces aren’t contaminated.

* Put your basil in dry storage. Basil doesn’t like the cold and will turn black or brown once it is exposed to cold.

This recipe is a D50/R50 for half dry storage, half refrigerated. It is a great meal that doesn’t take up very much space in either the dry storage or refrigerator.

As we discussed in our last recipe post, it is important to distribute your ingredients not only to make wholesome but also filling meals.

This is the first recipe I will post with a raw ingredient because precooking the sausage balls does not have the same texture as when they are cooked raw at camp. I cooked this on our very first night camping because two of the ingredients are at risk.

The meat we know could pose a risk of food-borne illness, but the basil is delicate and doesn’t like to be too hot or too cold. Sounds a little like Hansel and Gretel. Hints: the tip above to keep the basil in dry storage.

Not every recipe includes fresh herbs, but when it does, there are a couple of herbs that I have found last much longer on the trail, and some that really struggle to keep.

If you are on a multiday trip, remember, restocking fresh herbs can be difficult in the backcountry or even at grocery stores in small towns. Sometimes, the fresh ingredients are what set camp cooking apart, so I always try to include them when I can.

Camping Work Horse Herbs

My two personal favorites to include in recipes are cilantro and parsley. They both keep well in a zip-lock or herb bag from the grocery store with a moist paper towel wrapped around their stems. I keep them in my home fridge in mason jars and change their water out as needed.

Cilantro

One of the most versatile herbs for on and off the trail, Cilantro can be used in soups, curries, dips like guac, and even an easy roadside quesadilla for lunch. Remember to wrap its stems in a damp paper towel in its bag, and remember to place it on top of refrigerated or cooler items to keep it from getting crushed.

Parsley

Fresh, bright, and also versatile, Parsley can be used in soups, pasta sauces, on roasted proteins, and in egg or potato salad. Again, store in a plastic bag with the stems wrapped in a moist paper towel, and place at the top of your fridge or cooler.

Learning what ingredients I can carry for longer means I can plan to use them in more recipes to keep the meals I make seem gourmet every time.

Don’t underestimate the power of meals on the trail. It can be one of the biggest moral boosters and stress relievers to know you are nourishing your body well when traveling.

In my next post, I will make a list of herbs and how to store them for your meals at camp and at home to get the most use out of them. Hopefully, this recipe inspires you to bring the best from your kitchen to camp. Stay tuned for more camp recipes, camp cooking tips, camp crafts, and adventure stories.

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