Life on the Bus: The Menu

So what is the food like on the Adventure Bus? After all, it is a bus, and we are camping, so what is it going to be, hamburgers and hot dogs every night? No way!

Food on the Adventure Bus is very much a part of the journey. For starters, we know even though folks are on vacation, they still like to eat healthily. We also know that you need to be properly fueled for the climate and your activity level. Most importantly..... we LOVE to cook!

Our Bus carries all the equipment for an outdoor kitchen that can do almost anything! Guests are often surprised at our extensive menu, and often ask where they can get our recipes.

Lunch along the trail in Glacier National Park

We strive to prepare and serve interesting, healthy and satisfying meals. We know that if you are going hungry, you probably aren't happy! Breakfasts and Dinners are always hot meals and lunches are either packed sandwiches and snacks to be enjoyed out on the trail, or picnic style at the bus.

Here is a sample list of our meals with links to recipes:

Navajo Stew

Salmon Chowder

Frito Pie

Chicken Pesto Pasta

Burritos

Oatmeal Sundaes

When it is possible, we try and serve local dishes. For example, on our Southwest tours we often serve Navajo Stew with Fry Bread. This dish uses a lot beans, squash and corn and is served over traditional Navajo style Fry Bread. On our Pacific Northwest tours, we prepare Salmon Chowder made with local onions, potatoes and smoked salmon.

Meal time is a very social time. Although it is optional, most folks tend to lend a hand with meal prep and clean up. It is a great time to get to know others or share the day's adventures. On occasion, we have fun cooking over an open fire. There is always someone in every group that has never done it before, and we love to give them the opportunity!

As long as we know ahead of the tour, we can accommodate any kind of dietary need; vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, lactose intolerant, and nut, corn or wheat allergies. We serve a fresh fruit salad at every breakfast along with a hot entree. Most dinners include a fresh salad along with the hot entree. And there is always cereal and sandwich makings available if you don't like what else is being served!

AB Recipe: Pancakes!

Pancakes are a delicious way to start the day. To make sure our guests get enough protein to hike or bike their favorite trails, we use Krusteaz Brand Honey Wheat Pancake Mix. It doesn't have a strong "whole wheat" taste but it more protein of the regular mix! We also like to add nuts and other goodies! Check out some combos we use below!

Berry Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Pancake mix
semi sweet chocolate chips
sliced strawberries

Mix pancake batter as directed. Place sliced berries and
chocolate chips on the pancake before flipping.


Cinnamon Apple Walnut Pancakes
Pancake mix
1 cup applesauce
cinnamon
chopped walnuts

Mix the apples sauce with water before adding to the pancake mix. Place cinnamon
and walnuts on the pancake before flipping.


Fall Pumpkin Pancakes
pancake mix
1/2 cup Pumpkin Pie filling
Nutmeg, cinnamon,
chopped walnuts

Mix pancake batter as directed. Add pumpkin pie filling and spices. Add walnuts before flipping.


Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Pancake mix
semi sweet chocolate chips
1-2 mashed bananas

Mix mashed banana in waterwater. Add pancake mix. Place chocolate chips and/or walnuts on the pancake before flipping.

AB Recipe: Warm Beverages around the Campfire

Mint cocoa
Make a cup of mint tea and add cocoa mix for a nice minty chocolately drink.


Hot cider
Heat up some apple cider and add in some cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Hot mocha
Add some hot cocoa mix to your coffee for a nice mocha drink.

AB Recipe: Make your own Burritos

Burritos

Ingredients:
ground beef or turkey
taco seasoning
refried beans
guacamole
chopped onions
chopped tomatoes
chopped olives
chopped cilantro
shredded cheese, cheddar or Mexican Mix
sour cream
salsa
tortillas

Chop all veggies. Fry ground meat and add taco seasoning as directed. Heat up refried beans. Heat tortillas. Fill your tortilla with the ingredients you want and enjoy with some chips, salsa, and guacamole.

AB Recipe: Oatmeal Sundaes

Oatmeal Sundaes
Here is a great way to enjoy hot cereal in the morning! My favorite combo is oatmeal, apples, cinnamon, maple syrup and walnuts. What's yours?

raisins
chopped green apples
chopped walnuts
mapple syrup
brown sugar
cinnamon
dried cranberries or blueberries
granola
coconut flakes
mango
pineapple

Cook oatmeal as directed and add your own toppings!

AB Recipe: Frito Pie

Ingredients:
ground beef or turkey
chili seasoning
2-3 cans of various beans drained
chopped onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
shredded cheese
sour cream
fritos


Brown ground meat and season as directed on chili mix. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, onions and simmer. Serve over frito chips topped with cheese and sour cream.

AB Recipe: A Great Pasta Salad

Here is a great recipe for a hot summer night, not too filling. Add some pepperoni or salami or serve with fried chicken.


Pasta Salad
1 jar roasted red peppers chopped
2 small zucchini diced and sauted
2 small summer squash diced and sauted
1 can sliced black olives
1 red onion sauted
2 small jars artichokes
8-16oz crumbled feta cheese
1-2 boxes multi-colored spiral pasta
½ bottle Zesty Italian Dressing
Cook the pasta as directed and run through cold water to cool it off quickly. Saute the zucinni, summer squash, and red onion. Chop up the olives, artichokes and red peppers. Mix with the pasta when it is cooled off. Add the feta cheese and salad dressing last and chill until serving. This salad goes great with sliced watermelon.

AB Recipe: Fresh Berry Pound Cake

Here is an easy but super yummy desert! It is a nice and light tasting desert.
Ingredients:
1 pre made bound cake
2-3 cups berries (strawberries, black berries, raspberries, whatever you have)
1/2 cup sugar

Mash 1 cup of berries and add in sugar. Mix easily with the other berries. Slice the pound cake and drizzle with the berries. Top with whip cream if you have it.

AB Recipe: Fun Around the Campfire

Nights around a warm campfire are a big part of the Adventure Bus experience. Here are a few delightful deserts we like to cook over the fire.


Banana Boats
bananas
chocolate chips
marshmallows
tinfoil

Slit open one side of the banana peel. Scoop out 1/3 of the banana. Place bits of marshmallow and chocolate chips in the banana. Replace the peel. Wrap in foil and place in the coals until chocolate is melted.


S'mores
Marshmallows
Hershey's Chocolate Bars
Graham Crackers

Toast marshmallows on a stick over the fire. Eat between two graham crackers and a hershey bar.

Crescent Rolls
Pre-made crescent rolls
tinfoil

Wrap the end of a thick stick with tin foil. Wrap 1 or 2 crescent rolls around the stick on the foil. Toast over the fire until it easily slips off the tinfoil.

Popcorn!
oil
popcorn

Put a small bit of oil on the bottom of a sturdy pot. Pour in popcorn and shake over the fire until popcorn pops.


Baked Apples
butter
cinnamon
Core an apple. Place butter and cinnamon in the core. Wrap in tinfoil and place in the coals until soft.

AB Recipe: Spicy Mac and Cheese

Spicy Mac and Cheese

1 box tight spiral pasta
2 cups milk
1 tbs butter
1 c shredded sharp cheddar
1 c shredded swiss
1 c shredded parmesan
2 tbs spicy brown mustard (the secret ingredient!)

Cook and drain pasta as directed. Over low heat, combine butter and milk. When hot add in the cheeses and mustard. Stir like crazy until melted and mix with the pasta. We like to serve this with bratwurst cooked over the campfire!

AB Recipe: Chicken Pesto Pasta

Chicken Pesto Pasta
Serve with garlic bread and a fresh greens salad!
Chicken breast or tenders
Italian spices
olive oil
Farfalle pasta (bow tie) or Rotini
pesto sauce, Classico or other brand
parmesan cheese (topping)

Saute chicken and cut into bite size pieces and season with lemon pepper or italian spices. Cook pasta as directed. Combine chicken and pasta with the pesto and serve! We like to serve this dish at Ruby's Inn Campground, just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park.

AB Recipe: Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage

1 package small penne or favorite pasta
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
1 onion diced
1 green pepper diced
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 small container ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed. Fry up Italian sausage and crumble. Add in onion and pepper and fry. Heat sauce. Mix in ricotta, sausage, and pasta. Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Serve with a fresh greens salad and garlic bread. Yum! We like to serve this harty dinner at Madison Campground in Yellowstone National Park, near the site where it was first discussed to make Yellowstone a National Park. Yellowstone was the world's first national park.

Adventure Bus Celebrates Mardi Gras!

We celebrated Mardi Gras on our last tour with some Gumbo and a King's Cake. Everyone liked Ardell's Gumbo so much, we thought we'd share the recipe with you! Enjoy!

Ardell's Gumbo Recipe

Ingredients

One pound (.4 kg) boneless chicken breasts

One pound (.4 kg) boneless SMOKED unsliced ham

One pound (.4 kg) Andouille sausage

One pound (.4 kg) Peeled, deveined shrimp

One pound (.4 kg) cut okra

One can of Chicken stock

Rice

1 cup (.38 litre) of Canola oil

3/4 cup (.28 litre) of flour of your choice (don't use spelt, try rice or corn)

a couple of Cayenne peppers

Making the roux

In a medium sauce pan, pour the oil, and stir in the flour. Stir until there are no lumps in it and heat over a medium low flame. Stir constantly, this caramelization process takes a while, but the results of a good roux are worth it.

Be careful of getting any burning on the bottom, burns look like little black flecks and this RUINS the nuttysmoky flavor that we're going for here, if you burn it, discard it and start over. Continue to heat until the mixture becomes the color of MILK chocolate, then remove from heat.Congratulations, you have made a roux, the base for many Cajun dishes.

Preparing the Gumbo

In a large stock pot put the cayennes, chicken breasts, ham, and sausage, and cover with just enough water to cover them all. Boil well, until the chicken and ham are fairly soft, and the sausage well cooked. Remove heat and put the meat in a bowl and allow to cool. Reserve the stock, and discard the cayennes. When the meat has cooled, slice the sausage into medallions, and shred the ham and chicken with a fork. return the meat to the stock pot, return heat to a low boil and stir in the roux and chicken stock simmer for 20 minutes allowing the roux to infuse and thicken the stock. Add the okra, simmer another 5 minutes. Add the shrimp last as overcooked shrimp gets tough.

Serve over a little mound of rice.

Freeze any unused gumbo for a great dinner anytime!

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

AB Recipe: Peanut Stew

Ingredients
1 zucchini
1 summer squash
1 onion white or red
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1/2 lb. spinach

1 1b chicken
1 can diced tomatoes (with chiles if you like a bit of spice)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1-2 boxes chicken broth

Cut up all vegetables into bite size pieces. Place chicken broth, diced tomatoes and vegetables in a large pot and heat until vegetables soften. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and cook in a separate pan. Add to the broth mixture and simmer. Just before serving add in the spinach and stir in the peanut butter. Serve as is or over couscous or quinoa.

AB Recipe: Smoked Salmon Chowder

Serves about 6
Ingredients:
1 onion
butter
6-8 potatoes
1 14 oz carton chicken broth (or seafood or veggie)
1 qt half and half
2-6 tbl flour
1 1lb smoked salmon
seasoned salt
1/2 c white cooking wine

Dice the onion and cook in a large pot with butter until translucent. Peel and dice the potato, add to the pot. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes and boil until just cooked. When the potatoes are soft, add in the chicken broth and half and half. Remove a cup or 2 of the liquid, whisk in flour, and add back to the pot. This will thicken the chowder. Add more if you like it thicker. Sprinkle with seasoned salt. Chop the salmon into flakes and add to the liquid. Stir in the white wine and simmer on low, being careful not to scald the bottom. Serve with biscuits, saltines, or oyster crackers.

We first served this chowder in La Push, Washington on our Washington Coast to Cascades tour. We made it with sweet walla walla washington onions, local potatoes, and salmon that was smoked by a local Quileute Native American. We were camping right on the beach, so we listened to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean while we dined. We liked it so much, we've learned to smoke our own salmon and plan on making it on many more tours!

Left Over Turkey? Try this AB Recipe: Navajo Stew with Fry Bread

Navajo Stew with Fry Bread
Ingredients:
1 butter nut squash diced
3-4 cloves garlic
3-4 cans various beans, drained. (red, white, black, pinto, kidney, black-eye pea,)
1 jar napolitos
1 can hominy
1 can green enchilada sauce
1 can tomatillo sauce
Turkey or Chicken

Fry Bread
Bisquick
Flour
Milk
Oil

Cook turkey/chicken and cut into bite sized pieces. Chop garlic and fry in oil. Add in diced squash and brown. Add in enchilada sauce, beans, tomatillo sauce, hominy, and chicken. Just before serving add in the chopped napolitos. Serve over fry bread.
Fry Bread
Mix flour and bisquick in a 2 -1 ratio. Add milk until a dough like mixture forms. Roll into 4 inch x 1/4 inch thick and deep fry in 2 inches of hot oil. until golden.

Serve the stew on top of the fry bread. Spice it up with ground pepper and jalapeno tabasco sauce.
This a favorite on Adventure Bus tours. People love it for its unique ingredients like hominy and cactus. We usually serve it on our Grand Canyon and the Wild West tour at Grand Canyon or Lake Powell. When guests return on a different trip, we are always prepared to make it, as we know they will demand it!