Schaffer Bend Recreation Area- Game On!!
Hi! I'm Nedra! Food tastes better when it's enjoyed in the great outdoors. Life's an adventure, so travel, explore, and go cooking!!
It’s already Spring again in Austin. The many temperature fluctuations and occasional cold rains of winter had given in to summerlike days and cool nights. Making for stellar camping weather, my usual posse of camping partners thought it was time to take a no stress camping trip where our days would be full of playing board games, paddleboarding, and cooking up some fantastic meals. Basically, just chillaxing.
Shaffer Bend Recreation Area sits just over an hour northeast of Austin almost to Marble Falls in the Texas Hill Country. After turning off the main highway and winding down a partially paved road, you’ll find the campground sitting on the shores of Lake Travis. Since it's an undeveloped LCRA park and
has only port-a-lets and no hook ups or running water, it remains a sleeper of a park and is rarely full. This is the ultimate, as we embrace the peace and quiet of an uncrowded campground where we can hang with our dogs, read, or maybe even get a little rowdy without disturbing anyone when caught up in one of our heated games.
I decided a trip to the mega Asian grocery, MT Supermarket, located in Northern Austin would be an adventurous culinary stop for my campmate, Gina, who had never visited the store. If you’ve never been to an Asian specialty grocery store, I recommend putting it on your list of places to check out. Browsing the isles of strange produce and dry goods labeled in Asian lettering can make you
feel as if you’ve stepped into another country. After a quick browse through the store, we picked up the necessary ingredients for the Tom Ka Soup with Tofu that we unanimously decided we were all craving. This soup is actually a cinch to prepare as long as you have procured the necessary ingredients which are difficult to find in a regular grocery store.
The water level had changed a lot since the last time I had been to the park which was only a year ago but at the end of the long Texas drought. What had been a trickle of a river with large sand bars had transformed into a canyon full of glassy water reaching almost up to the road. After picking out a stunner of a campsite and setting up our gear, we got down to the task at hand, namely playing rounds of Chickenfoot Dominos, Rummikub, and Yahtzee in-between making batches of margaritas. At some point we decided that talking in an Italian accent while game playing was the thing to do and this set the tone for the next couple days.
in the perfect weather and lazy days. The second day we paddled up and down the length of the park and hiked along the water’s edge during game breaks. There are also numerous hiking/mountain biking/horseback riding trails to take advantage of that crisscross the park.
At night we heard the howl of coyotes and the screech of an owl, but we were fortunate enough not to be disturbed by any of the feral hogs that roam the park. We indulged in too
We camped for two nights totally relishing
Tom Ka Soup
with Tofu
Egg-a-Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
much coffee, huge breakfasts, and gourmet dinners that we all partook in helping to prepare and clean up after using the one pot method.
The time finally came when we had to head home. Unable to stop, we continued playing round after round of games even after our cars were packed up and ready to go. Reluctantly, we finally had to vacate the site and head back to Austin as there were new folks arriving. Driving home through Marble Falls and the fantastic display of wildflowers lining the road, I couldn’t help chuckling to myself thinking about our Italian accents.
I was relaxed and happy. Mission accomplished.
Tom Kha Soup with Tofu
Tom Kha is a hearty coconut milk based soup made with authentic Thai ingredients. Unfortunately, there are no good substitutions for the true version of this recipe. Although the ingredients may be new to you, they are easily found in an Asian specialty grocery, most Wholefoods Markets, or a well stocked gourmet grocery store. The main flavoring ingredients include coconut milk, fish sauce, galangal (a fragrant root similar to ginger), lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves. I’m fortunate enough that I can grow both lemongrass and lime leaves in my garden in Texas giving me the welcome excuse to make this soup often. It can also be made with chicken or shrimp instead of tofu (See Note). Although it seems like a lot of ingredients, it’s actually a cinch to prepare. I know it seems like a lot of ingredients, but just have confidence and go for it. The effort is well worth it as nothing tastes like a good Tom Kha!!
The galangal and lime leaves are not meant to be eaten after the dish is completed. Remove them either before or while eating.
Serves: 4 Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 20 min
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1-3 tbsp peanut oil
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1 package 14 oz firm tofu, drained
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1 tbsp peanut oil
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½ cup shallots sliced thin
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1 tbsp. garlic minced, about 1 large clove
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1 -2 tbsp fresh lemongrass minced or use Gourmet Garden brand prepared lemongrass in a tube from the produce section of the grocery store
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1 tsp Roasted Red Chili Paste (I like Thai Kitchen brand)
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1 tsp to 1 tbsp Sambal (ground fresh chili paste), the more you add the spicier the dish
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4 cups vegetable stock
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1 - 4-inch piece of Galangal sliced into ¼ in thick rounds
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6 whole kaffir lime leaves
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1 tbsp fish sauce (can be substituted with Bragg’s Liquid Aminos if you are a veggie)
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1 tbsp minced palm sugar, brown sugar, or sugar in the raw
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Juice of 1 lime, about 2 tbsp
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1 package white beech mushrooms, pulled into individual stems or 2 cups sliced button mushrooms
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1 small (5.6 oz) can coconut milk
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¼ cup cilantro leaves pulled off the stem and left whole
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1 tsp salt or to taste
Heat a cast iron or a sauté pan over medium high heat. While the pan is heating, cut the tofu into 8 equal size batons. Blot off any excess moisture on the tofu with paper towels. Add oil to the pan and when hot, add the tofu batons. Fry on each of the four sides until each side is golden brown. If the pan is too small to hold all the tofu all at once, fry tofu in batches. Add more peanut oil if necessary during the frying process to keep tofu from sticking. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
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Prepare all the ingredients for the recipe and have them ready to throw into the pot. This preparation goes quickly and having your “mis en place” (everything prepped and ready) is essential. Put a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat and add peanut oil. When hot, add shallots and cook stirring often until the shallots have wilted and begun to brown around the edges, about five minutes. Add the garlic and lemongrass and stir a couple times to incorporate, then add chili paste and sambal, stir again for 30 seconds to release flavors. Add the vegetable stock, galangal, lime leaves, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 min on medium low heat.
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While the soup is simmering, cut the tofu batons down to squares having the four fried edges and two cut edges.
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After the 10 minutes of simmering, add the mushrooms to the soup. Cook until mushrooms have just wilted, about three minutes. Add the coconut milk, tofu and salt to the soup and cook for a minute or two to warm through. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls and garnish each bowl with a generous pinch of cilantro leaves and serve.
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Note: The galangal and lime leaves are not meant to be eaten after the dish is completed. Remove them either before or while eating.
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If using chicken, there is no need to cook beforehand. Cut two small chicken breasts into thin strips and add to the soup with the mushrooms. Stir often and test to be sure the pieces are cooked through before continuing with the recipe.
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If using shrimp, there is no need to cook beforehand. Peel, devein, and remove tails from shrimp and add to soup with the mushrooms. Stir often and test to be sure they are cooked before continuing with the recipe.
Egg-a-Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
A healthy version of the famed Egg McMuffin, this is a great breakfast to prepare for a group on the go. This is a recipe for four, but you can multiply accordingly. English or Irish bacon is a perfect topper for this sandwich as it’s less fatty than its American counterpart. Resembling Canadian bacon, it’s quick and easy to fry up, just brown and serve. It can be found in most Wholefoods Market’s or a well stocked gourmet grocery. Since it comes in a cryovaced package it also holds up well in the cooler. If you’re a veggie, substitute Yves Meatless Canadian Bacon. Add a schmear of your favorite hot condiment such as harissa or salsa for an added zing.
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Serves 4 Prep time: 5 min Cook time: 20 min
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4 tbsp. butter, divided into tablespoons
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1 clove minced garlic
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4 cups triple washed baby spinach leaves
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Salt and pepper to taste
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4 English Muffins, split open
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4 eggs
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4 slices English, Irish, or Canadian bacon
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4 slices Swiss or cheddar cheese
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4 slices of tomato
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1 avocado, pit and skin removed and sliced into wedges
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Your favorite hot condiment such as harissa or salsa: optional
Melt one tbsp. of the butter in a cast iron pan or sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and quickly sauté for 30 seconds. Add the spinach and cook turning often until wilted, about one minute. Season with salt and pepper and remove to a plate or bowl and cover to keep warm. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel and return to heat. Add another one tbsp. of butter. When melted add the bacon and sauté until browned on both sides about 1- 2 minutes per side. Turn off heat and leave bacon in the pan to keep warm.
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Heat another sauté pan over medium heat and add another tbsp. of butter. When melted and hot add the English muffins to the pan split side down. Toast, rotating if necessary, until they are evenly browned about three minutes, flip and warm the outside for just a minute. If pan is too small to add all the halves at once, toast in two batches. Put two muffin halves on each of four plates split side up and top one of the halves with one slice of cheese. Wipe out the pan, return to heat and add the last tbsp. of butter. When melted and hot, add the eggs to the pan one at a time. Break the yolks, so the eggs will get fried hard. When fully set on one side, flip the eggs to cook on the other side. While eggs are cooking, top each English muffin half that has the cheese with a slice of bacon. When eggs are cooked through, separate them and add one egg to the top of each half with bacon. Add a slice of tomato on top of each egg, then several slices of avocado, and finally one forth of the spinach mixture. Schmear the other top half of the muffin with desired hot condiment, top the sandwich and serve.
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Note: Everything can be made in one pan, just clean the pan between steps and keep ingredients warm by covering.
