Meatballs, Enchiladas, and Football: A Missouri Camping Trip

Tents at HipCamp Site

We went on our third camping trip of the year with this one in Missouri at a HipCamp called Hickory Forest TV Camp Site and we had a great time. We left on Thursday, September 26 and stayed through Sunday, September 29. We went with Erin and Greg. No dogs on this trip although dogs are allowed, but we planned to attend the Washburn game on Saturday, so we left our dogs at home.

We arrived late afternoon to our camp site. Unpacked our cars and got our tents set up. Then it was time to get the stovetop going so we could eat dinner. We would be cooking two meals while camping which would be Thursday and Friday nights. We planned to eat out Saturday night after the football game.

Meatball Sandwiches on Stovetop

Our plan for Thursday night meal was simple with meatball sandwiches. Carrie warmed the meatballs in the crockpot and then finished everything put together in the stovetop. Our site had power which is something new for us when camping, but it was nice to be able to warm the meat in the crockpot before assembling and putting cheese on the sandwiches. They were perfect and just what we needed for the first night.

Fire pit, Chairs, and Perfection

Following dinner, we spent the evening around the fire pit listening to baseball and music. Prior to our trip, Carrie had everyone provide 5 - 10 songs that were five minutes or longer and she created a playlist. Part of the listening of the playlist was to guess who of the four of us submitted the song. Usually when we camp, we do some type of game around songs and playlists so we have something new for us to listen to while we camp. 

View from Lookout Tower at Weston State Park

Saturday morning we all slept a little late before getting up and going for the day. I think we were all up and going by 9 am. We started the day with cereal and then relaxing around the camp site. A few of us read, relaxed in the hammock, or just sat and chilled. Eventually, we decided to venture out to check out some new sites in the area. We made it over to Weston State Park to check out camp sites although we were not impressed with what was available. We did have a picnic while we were there which was nice. We stopped by a store on the side of the road and picked up some cider, snacks, and other knick-knacks. 

Dutch Oven for Cooking

Friday night was layered enchiladas using the Dutch Oven. It took about thirty minutes to cook with goals on the bottom and top of the Dutch Oven. Worked great! The bottom the enchiladas got a little crunchy, but it was very good. As is usually the case, Carrie finds things to adjust the next time we do these when camping, but overall, everyone ate them up and we all had full bellies. 

Food is Ready

I realized that I did not get a picture of the food plated, but the picture to the right is the food ready to start dishing out. It looks a little soupy in the picture, but it was really good. Nice job, Carrie!

Saturday morning we started the day with Carrie making us pancakes on the stovetop. We were not sure if Erin and Greg would like them as they are made with yogurt, but everyone enjoyed the pancakes and we at all of the double recipe. Again, I did not get any pictures, but Carrie has used this recipe twice that we got from the cookbook of a couple we follow on YouTube that have been camping for a long time. The cookbook is titled Gourmet in the Forest by Kellie Oden. We have used a few of the recipes from the cookbook. The pancakes are one of my favorites.

Missouri Western State University

Part of the reason we picked the Hickory Forest TV Camp Site where we camped was because of the location to where Washburn was playing on Saturday, September 28. We were set to play Missouri Western State University at 2 pm. It was our first time at this stadium. We won the game 24 - 16. 

Selfie at Football Game in Missouri

We started the game on the visitors side, but it was so hot and no wind, we moved over the home side where there was shade and a nice breeze. The fourth quarter took a long time, but we won the game. Following the football game, we had already decided we would eat in St. Joseph at Boudreaux's Louisiana Seafood and Steaks. Carrie and I had been there years before Brenda and her family, but first time for Erin and Greg. Other than it taking a very long time to get our food, it was a good meal. 

Sunset at Camp Site

We enjoyed our time camping in Missouri. The Hickory Forest TV Camp Site was beautiful and well cared for by the owner that we spoke to a few different times during our stay. We would go back to stay there again. Good location and layout of the camp site. We were in heavy wooded areas and I got a lot of bug bites. We are not sure what was getting me, but bug spray did not help. I had bites all over my arms, legs, back, and even the palms of my hands as well as fingertips. Very odd!

I was hoping to get a few more times in camping this year, but it did not work out where we could do more than the three we did this year. We got started early in February with a trip to Texas for camping and then two other new spots for us to close out the camping season. We enjoy the slow lifestyle of camping where we read, enjoy nature, and maybe go on a hike. 

Until next time, have a great week and I will talk to you later.

Mowing the lawn, looking at camp sites, a visit to site of parents cabin, and remembering past fun at Lone Star Lake cabin

Mowed Lawn and Fire Pit

First time to mow for the year and decided to do some limb cleanup too. Goal for the year is to stay ahead of limbs and not have a huge pile at the end of the season that needs to be hauled off. I have been burning for about four hours so far today as I started after I had finished the front and had just started mowing the back when I decided to start burning. Carrie was giving me grief saying that need to keep the limbs for camping, but where we camp, there are a lot of limbs or we can just buy firewood. Plus, we will have more limbs down that is a guarantee. 

Oliver stayed outside with me for most of the burning today although he just went inside as I think he is a sleep and needs an afternoon nap. Poor guy! He likes to help and watch what I am doing when I am outside. He also loves to watch for people walking along the street and run out to bark at them. So, we have a party while we are outside working in the back yard and Oliver is the leader of the other neighborhood dogs making sure to alert the others when there is something to bark at.

On Saturday, we decided to drive around and look at camp sites and we started at Clinton Lake which is just outside of Lawrence, KS. We found some good spots we are hoping to be able to do here soon. A lot more camp sites than I was thinking from when I would go out to Clinton Lake. However, way back when I was going there, it was not to camp, but to boat, so camp sites was not something I was paying attention to at the time. We found some good spots that Carrie wrote down in her notes.

Cabin at Lone Star 2014

After Clinton Lake, we drove out to Lone Star Lake where my parents had a cabin for many years. Again, I did not realize that Lone Star Lake had camp sites, but we found some good spots that we plan to check out this summer. The early months of May and June are already filling up with events for us, so hoping to be able to get at least one camping trip, maybe two, in there somewhere within May or June.

While we were at Lone Star Lake, we did stop by to look at the lot where my parents had their cabin. I spent many a day out at the cabin when I was little, growing up, and even after Carrie and I were married, we spent time out at the cabin. I had not been to look at the cabin, or land, since it was sold in 2015 or so. The people who bought it have done amazing things with the land. Still the same structure for the cabin, but modernized as far as I can tell from the outside. I could tell it was the same base with a rock structure, but they completely redid the outside siding, new deck, and made the drive much better. A new dock was nice too that was covered, had a lift to lift their boat out, and good swimming area. It looked really nice which was good to see. It did bring back a flood of memories of spending so much time out at Lone Star.

I did not take any pictures while we were at the old spot of my parents cabin, but there were a lot of memories of the good times had when we would go there. I also remember all the work that it took and I only did a small portion of the work with my Dad and Mom doing most of the work. Cleaning, getting ready for parties, mowing, and the list goes on and on. I appreciate all the work my parents did to keep the cabin so we could go to it for all of those years.

It has been a fun weekend and on that I will end this update. Have a great week!