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I’ve never been very interested in camping and wouldn’t even consider myself to be very outdoorsy—I’m the type to spend a nice day reading or baking—but something fundamental has changed for me within the last few years. First off, COVID happened. And it happened while me and my family were living in NYC. And second, I had two kids.

When COVID happened, I suddenly had very little reason to get outside, and lots of reasons to stay indoors. It was a very dark time for a lot of people, and we were no exception. In the midst of all that, I started to really miss the nature of my youth in a deeply fundamental way. There were days I felt I could cry if I could just go for a walk in a park. Feel grass beneath my feet. Hear the birds and wind, instead of the constant sirens. It felt like something switched in my brain, and I started to feel homesick in a way—not for my hometown, but a yearning for green spaces and open land.

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A New Chapter

So when the opportunity presented itself to move to Minnesota, I found a happiness and contentment here that I had lost. I feel rejuvenated. When spring and then summer hit, all I wanted/want is to be outside. We’ve gone to parks, splash pads, walking trails, outdoor restaurants. And I decided I wanted to tackle camping, too. I have 50/50 memories on camping as a kid, but seeing my kids outside getting dirty and having the time of their lives has made me reprocess those memories.

I think some people would probably think we’re nuts—taking two kids under the age of five camping? But the pull of nature is strong. I wanted my kids to experience eating what we’ve cooked over the fire (see my delicious breakfast burritos below!), being outside all day, and sleeping under the stars.

Now, our actual experience went a little more like: ate dinner outside, had s’mores, surprise thunderstorm (!) that made us scramble for the tent, trekking to the bathroom in the rain, baby didn’t want to sleep until 11 pm, lack of mattresses was a mistake, random damp spots, delicious breakfast, go home.

But I loved it. There were parts that were miserable. But I also raced my older daughter to the playground while singing “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt” at the top of our lungs. And it rained and we all got muddy, but I learned how to build a fire despite the rain. And while my husband took our kids to the campground playground at 9 am, I made these delicious breakfast burritos, drank a breakfast beer, and dreamed about future camping trips with our kids. Next time we’ll just remember to bring mattress pads . . .

The Best Campfire Burritos

INGREDIENTS

• ½ 16 oz package bacon (or you can cook the whole package like I did and eat it on the side)
• 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 4 burrito-sized tortillas
• 1 cup cheese of choice, shredded
• Salt and pepper
• Ketchup, optional
• Hot sauce, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Once you’ve built a steady fire, place your Dutch oven (without the lid) over the fire, preferably on a grate (as shown), to preheat. Line two plates with paper towels.

While the Dutch oven is preheating, dice your potatoes and onion (bell pepper would also be a lovely addition here). Place them in a large square of foil and season with salt and pepper. You can add a drizzle of oil here, if you have it, but it’s not necessary. (You’ll finish them in the bacon grease later.) Seal the foil up tightly with the opening at the top. Place it in the center of one more large piece of foil and wrap it again. Place it in the coals.

Put the bacon in the preheated Dutch oven. Cook until it has reached your desired level of crispiness (timing will vary based on your preference, the heat of your fire, and the distance your Dutch oven is from the heat).

When the bacon is a few minutes away from being done, carefully remove the foil packet from the fire using tongs and/or oven mitts and set it aside to cool slightly.

Remove the bacon carefully to a paper-towel lined plate and cover. If you have too much bacon grease leftover in the Dutch oven, you can carefully remove some with a spoon. (Be careful to not spill any into the fire!) The potatoes and onions will soak up a decent amount in the next step, and it’s delicious, but it’s certainly not healthy.

Carefully open the foil packet using tongs and/or oven mitts and tip the potatoes and onions into the bacon grease. Cook until tender and slightly crispy. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate and cover.

Crack your eggs into a bowl (or a plastic cup, if that’s what you have), season with salt and pepper, and whisk. Carefully add to the Dutch oven and cook to your desired doneness. Remove to a plate.

To assemble the burritos, sprinkle your desired cheese in the middle of a tortilla (you can wrap these in foil and warm them in the fire while the eggs cook), followed by bacon, eggs, and the potato and onion mixture. Finish with hot sauce and/or ketchup, if so desired. Wrap up and enjoy!

More Delicious Breakfast Burrito Fillings

• Swap breakfast sausage for bacon
• Add diced bell pepper to the potatoes and onion
• Add mushrooms to the potatoes and onion
• Swap chorizo for bacon
• Add avocado
• Use salsa instead of hot sauce/ketchup
• Hashbrowns instead of the potatoes and onion
• Add poblano peppers to the potatoes and onion

SERVE WITH: Fresh fruit / Coffee and/or juice

More On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas

• These nutritious homemade granola bars
• Banana Nut Bran Muffins with Streusel

Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you below! If you liked it, please take a picture and share it on Instagram with the tag #afamilythateatstogether