COOKED MEALS

TUNA PASTA

I = pasta, 1 can of tuna, tomato paste, herbs, cheese, water.

M= cook pasta until firm in big pot; mix tomato paste ,tuna and herbs then heat in little pot; drain pasta; top with tuna/tomato; 'fork grate' some cheese on top.

INDIAN RICE

I = brown rice, sultanas, dried veges, crushed chili, curry powder, water

M = 'cool cook' rice in container in pannier all day; heat in evening with dried veges; add curry powder and a pinch of chili; stir in and thicken, add sultanas.

SUPA MEAL

I = spam ham, dried veges, deb potato, gravox, water.

M = boil veges in 1 cup of water in little pot; mix (drained) hot water to potato powder and make potato; push potato to one side of pot; bit of water on other side of pot; stir gravox into hot water; drain veges and add to potato pot; slice some ham and fry; add to potato/veges/gravy.

CB RICE

Corned beef cooked to nearly a crisp and broken into small strand like pieces (on the BBQ is best) mixed in well to a heap of rice and peas.

This is just an unbelievable combo. Quite colourful to look at too. Sort of a Christmas looking meal.

SOUP

I = packet soup, water, 1/3 cup rice, dried veges, dried onion and garlic, cheese, herbs.

M = prepare rice cool/hot cook; boil dried veges etc. in 1 1/2 cups water; add soup mix to vege stuff and mix; drain and add rice to soup; simmer for a bit.

ROLLED OAT SLUDGE

I can't handle the porridge so I have created an alternative.

Get a few tablespoons of rolled oats and add to them some milk powder, brown sugar, dried fruit and nuts and a dash of Sustagen. Do this in your mug. Add a little bit of water to soften the oats and make the milk powder sticky. (A variation includes dried pineapple and sultanas)

Looks pretty ordinary but tastes 1000 x better than porridge. [I'm getting smart and making a prepared mix for the next leg of the journey... sick of fumbling through all those bags every morning and spilling stuff on my sleeping bag.]

BEAN RICE SOUP

I saw some cans of stuff at Thredbo supermarket and noted that beans offered more than steak/vege mixes in cans, hence the beans.

I = 300g can of 3 bean mix, rice, ground chili, chicken stock cube, spring onion soup mix.

M = boil up you rice and make sure there's water still in the pot. Add beans and heat through nicely. Add in stock cube and chili and thicken a bit. Add dry soup mix and stir through well.

SNACKS

DRIED FRUIT

I = sultanas, dried apples, apricots, prunes, pineapple

M = eat them straight out of the packet using fingers; reseal packet.

HOT CHOCOLATE

I = water, milk powder, cocoa or sustagen

M = boil water; add in milk powder and mix; add in cocoa/sustagen and mix; pour into cup; hug cup as you drink; say "Mmmmm... that tastes good."

RICE AND VEGEMITE

My mum used to add vegemite to her and our rice when we were kids as rice can be a little bland. A little odd for an American, but she liked vegemite.

If you have leftover rice simply add a dash of the old vege-m and mix through. Tasty.

TERRY'S BANANAS

Terry, who I met at Dunns Swamp, fried up some bananas on the BBQ with the onions. I was hesitant, but this is an absolute winner. Very complimentary so don't be scared - give it a go.

Slice the bananas in half lengthways and cook well with onion rings. Eat it together.

DAMPER

I wasn't really into condensed milk in the tube. I'd heard about it, but that was it. I'd pay extra now. The old damper can come out a bit dry and I don't usually make it with milk or a lot of milk powder. I usually just add a dab of honey, but this hides the plain taste a bit. A good squirt of condensed milk makes damper a gift from heaven. Makes it a little more moist and adds that sweet milk taste. A real winner.

After some thorough research I have found that a) letting the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes before cooking makes it hold together better, and that b) stuff the condensed milk! - go for something a little stronger... like Southern Comfort or Bundy Rum. Uh, I think I am beginning to make a damper-fruit cake hybrid.

As for cooking it : 7 minute rotations (for about an hour+) on the coals for a damper about half the size of a loaf of bread, or get yourself an old wood fire oven - they are truly the best!

MICHAEL'S POWER DAMPER

I = 1 cup wholemeal SRF, tablespoon sustagen, tablespoon milk powder, 2 tablespoons of cocoa, water.

M = mix flour and powders, add in water; knead into a ball/some weird shape; wrap in al-foil and toss on fire/embers and turn occasionally. Yeah!

WILD GAME

TROUT

M = go toss a line with hook and bait into a river; sit and wait for as long as your patience permits; respond to tug on line if it happens; pull big trout onto bank; check it's healthy; gut it; scale it; cook it; eat it. Boy do I hope this happens. 

Come the end of the trip: 0/3 attempts

BOAR

Apparently there are a few pigs to be found/encountered.  If hungry then choose your battles wisely.  If trying to sleep or protect yourself, then use firecrackers... so they say at Wombyean.

RABBITS

Are aplenty in rural areas, so do your thing for the native animals and eat a few.  Not so many seen in the NPs.