Pantry Camp Stew

This week is my daughter's spring break, so I'm paying her to do all of my weekly chores while I concentrate on some personal projects.  She made Camp Stew tonight that is just like what my Grandma would always have cooking in a slow cooker to accompany all the other great food served at family gatherings.  Pantry camp stew makes a great food storage recipe because all of the ingredients below are easy to store.  I specified my preference for canned chicken and barbecue, but use your favorite brands or use fresh ingredients or a combination--whatever you have on hand will work!  Yankee Corn Sticks go great with this recipe.  

Pantry Camp Stew (Print)

1 med. onion, chopped (or dehydrated onion)
1 stalk of celery, diced

4 small russet potatoes (or 2, 15-oz. cans sliced potatoes, drained)

2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes

1 (15-oz.) can cream-style corn

1-2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (or 1, 12.5-oz. can Hormel chicken breast in water)

1 (10-oz.) can Vietti Pork in BBQ sauce, (optional)

2 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. pepper

1-2 t. hot pepper sauce
lima beans, mostly drained

Stir all ingredients together in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer 20-30 minutes, stirring often.  Add the lima beans about 15 minutes before serving.  Or place all of the ingredients in a slow cooker.

Here are some tips that might be helpful when making Camp Stew:

If you cut the ends off the onion first and discard, your eyes won't tear up while chopping!

When adding the chopped celery, I noticed that the remaining celery had gone limp.  Before returning the celery to the vegetable drawer in the fridge, I when ahead and prepped the last of the stalks and put them in a baggie with a tablespoon of cold water.  The celery will magically firm up again!

This recipe uses a lot of cans.  Here is a wonderful new tool I discovered recently!  The can opener takes the whole lid off so there are no sharp edges and it is pretty easy to do.  Just read the instructions on the back of the packaging.  I found mine at Walmart for less than $10.00.