[pct-l] Backpacking meals

[briandid at telusplanet.net (Brian Forestell)]

Heh Everybody; 

Reading posts here is a lot like hanging out around the pop can stove with a bunch of hikers. Although philosophy, theology. metaphysics will often come up a more frequent topic for conversation is "What's for supper?" (No one has ever asked me the color of my pee) So, I have decided to contribute my absolute favorite tried and true backpacking lasagne recipe. The only complaint I get is that there needs to be more. 

Backpacking Lasagne 

Cook up some lasagne noodles in boiling salted water until al dente, still a little bite left. Cut these up into about two inch squares. Put aside 

Fry up a pound of lean hamburger and drain the fat off. Then rinse the hamburger with very hot water in a stainer. The idea is that you want to get as much fat off as possible. Put the meat into a large bowl. I have also made this without meat and increased the cottage cheese/ricotta for more protein. Mix the meat with one large jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce. Don't cheap out, use the good stuff. If you are more adventurous in the kitchen you can of course make your favorite tomato based spaghetti sauce. Then stir in a couple cups of ricotta or cottage cheese, and three cups of grated cheese. I like to use a combination of mozzarella. provolone, asiago. freshly grated Parmesan or any other Italian cheeses. I then throw in a box of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed out. Season it to taste with garlic and oregano and thyme and whatever else suits your fancy. I make mine a bit on the salty side because it seems to loose some zip in the dehydrating process. 

Pour it onto the food dehydrator trays. You need to put some of the fruit leather trays on top of the trays to keep the juice from running through. I have a cheap food dehydrator from Walmart which cost about 60 bucks or so. I turn it on high and leave it to dry for about 12 hours. Turn the dehydrator off and let it cool down for a couple of hours. 

Make sure it has dried all the way through. Crumble the dried lasagne up gently. You want it to be in bite size pieces. Put into a zip lock bag and take it one the trail. I have stored this for months. It arrives unscathed in my resupply boxes. 

On the trail I take a 4 cup tupperware container with a lid. Sometime in the afternoon I put some dry lasagne into my tupperware and mix it with an equal amount of water. I snap the lid on and go hiking. Within three or four hours the meal has completely rehydrated. It is great either heated up or just cold. Hiking the southern portion of the PCT this spring I quite happily ate it on the warmish side after sitting in my pack. The only problem was keeping others from eating it. 

If you like lasagne you will love it this way. It is amazing the way it comes through the dehydrating process. One small complaint. The lasagne noodles are sharp and sometime poke holes in the zip lock bags. 

Does anyone else have any guaranteed to please recipes? 

Brian (aka Trouble)