A favorite Wisconsin vacation destination is "the Wisconsin North Woods". From what I can figure out, "the North Woods of Wisconsin" simply refers to anywhere in the northern half of the state which is forested and has a lake in close proximity. Each summer folks load up their cars with kids, recreational gear, a few clothes, and boxes of food staples. They drive north for hours until they arrive at a small, rustic house which they affectionately call their "cottage" or "camp" or "cabin". It is in this smaller version of home that they will pack a year's worth of outdoor recreation into three months of long weekends. They'll flitter like mosquitoes among swimming, boating, water-skiing, hiking, camping, sleeping, reading, card-playing, mini-golf, and horse-shoes. In their urgency to relax, there's definitely no time to work in the kitchen.
However, the perennial call of the stomach remains. We still gotta' eat, and eventually chips and roasted wienies lose their allure. Somebody better make some real food because all that outdoor, fresh air is revving up appetites. And because we're in the North Woods, there is no neighborhood restaurant just down the street, - that was the point of driving all those hours. So who will be in the kitchen, - Mom? Dad? Grandma? teenage kids? Some families share the misery and cook every meal communally. In this case, the party moves inside to the kitchen, and, depending on the people, this could be a good thing, or not. Other families put kitchen duty on a rotational schedule, and meal prep is written on a chore list. This means that the person preparing the meal is not out on the lake, hiking in the woods, or sleeping in the hammock, but instead is alone in the kitchen. Sometimes that somebody in the kitchen is grumbling about it, but no one else is listening because they are all outside having fun. Perhaps that somebody begins to dream of a vacation in which the ravenously hungry family is left back home in the city. Perhaps that somebody left behind in the kitchen is you.
Well, in that case, I've written this post for you and better yet, Jerry Minnich has written a whole cookbook filled with North Woods cottage recipes that are fast, easy, and guaranteed to get you out of the kitchen and back on the lake. Click on "Continue reading ... for more about Jerry's ideas on easy cooking in a cottage, camp, or cabin, and for his delicious ham salad recipe which uses up left-over ham and can be made to feed a crowd.
Jerry Minnich begins his North Woods Cottage Cookbook with a list of essential foods with which the vacationer should stock the cabin's cupboard. He then gives recipes which are meant to be prepared at home in the city and packed in the car so that at least the first day or two no one has to cook at the camp. Jerry has adapted his recipes to a limited variety of utensils and seasoning ingredients, but amazingly they do not sacrifice flavor. He gives tips on cooking fish and game, and instructions for cooking outside on a grill or campfire. And perhaps best of all, he gives recipes that kids will like.
One of Jerry's very first tips is: "Don't Forget The Ham!" Jerry writes:
I always take a big bone-in ham along to the cottage. It makes a grand dinner, served with fresh potatoes and vegetables that you pick up at a roadside stand along the way, and then the leftover meat can be used in a number of ways for up to a week afterward - or as long as it lasts. In addition to ham sandwiches and ham-and-egg breakfasts, ham is a great base for soups, and I give several ham recipes later, in the "Soups" section.
The other night I made Jerry's Ham Salad recipe and served it to friends for dinner with some crusty, whole-grain bread. It was a delicious and easy dinner, just right for summer.
Ham Salad
Mix together ham, celery, scallions, lemon juice, and pepper. Blend in eggs, mayonnaise, pickle relish, and mustard. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with paprika before serving. Makes sandwiches for 6. Hint: For Tomato Surprise! hollow out a large, fresh tomato and stuff it with the ham salad. Serve on a lettuce leaf. Click on the links for recipes for endive salad with smoked ham and lentil salad with smoked ham. Both are great recipes to use left-over ham.
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