Taste of Home on the Road: 3 Summer Family Favourites

There is an old saying amongst campers that food just tastes better when cooked outside, surrounded by nature and good company. But as any seasoned caravanner knows, the secret to a stress-free holiday kitchen lies in having a repertoire of reliable, hearty, and delicious recipes that don’t demand hours of fuss. We are delighted to feature three standout recipes from the 2025 Summer Family Cookbook, a collection that celebrates the joy of sharing a “good plate of food.”

We extend a huge thank you to the Southern African Caravan Club for sharing this gem with us, and full credit goes to author Maggie van Onselen and her family for opening their kitchen to ours. Whether you are looking for the perfect morning rusk to dunk in your coffee or a quick dinner after a long day at the beach, these recipes are sure to add value to your next adventure.

Buttermilk Rusks

No camping morning is complete without a cup of “boerie” coffee and a homemade rusk. These classics travel well and are perfect for those early mornings watching the sun rise over the campsite.

Ingredients

• 250g Melted Margarine
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 kg Self-Raising Flour
• 2 Eggs (Room temperature)
• 500ml Buttermilk
• Pinch of Salt

Method

1. Mix the sugar and buttermilk together.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt.
3. Pour the buttermilk mixture and the 2 eggs into the dry ingredients.
4. Mix well (it is often easier to do this by hand).
5. Add the melted margarine little by little until you have a smooth dough.
6. Make small balls of dough and pack them into prepared bread tins.
7. Place into a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 minutes.
8. Decrease heat to 160°C and bake until done. Test with a toothpick—it should come out clean with no dough sticking to it.
9. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a cooling rack. Leave to cool to handling temperature.
10. Separate into individual rusks and place into a warming drawer (or cool oven) to dry for approximately 3 hours.

Bacon Mushroom Pie

This savoury pie is an excellent dinner option. It uses ready-made puff pastry, which is a great cheat for camp cooking, and the filling is hearty enough to satisfy the whole family.

Ingredients

• 1 Roll ready dough puffed pastry (thawed)
• 1 Packet bacon bits
• 1 Punnet mushrooms, sliced
• ½ Onion, chopped
• ½ Green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Aromat
• ½ Teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ Cup grated cheese (plus extra for topping)
• 1 Tablespoon cake flour (heaped)
• Approx. 1 Cup of milk (add as needed)

Method

1. Roll out the pastry. Spray a baking pan (must have sides of at least 2cm height) with Spray-n-Cook.
2. Place pastry over the pan, leaving the excess pastry to hang over the sides.
3. Fry the bacon, onion, peppers, and mushrooms in a little oil until cooked.
4. Add the cake flour, Aromat, and pepper, and mix through.
5. Add the milk little by little to make a thick sauce.
6. Add a little cheese and mix through until melted. (Note: If the sauce is too thick, thin it out by adding a splash more milk).
7. Pour the mixture onto the pastry lining the pan.
8. Fold over the overhanging pastry (it does not have to cover the mixture completely).
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for approximately 20 minutes.

Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over the mixture and continue baking until the cheese has melted.

Cremora Tart

A South African legend. This fridge tart is incredibly simple, requires no baking, and is the perfect cool, sweet treat for a hot summer afternoon.

Ingredients

• 1 Tin Condensed Milk
• 250g Packet Cremora
• ½ Cup Lemon Juice (Adjust to taste for thickness/tartness)
• 1 Packet Tennis Biscuits
• 1 Tablespoon Margarine, melted
• 200ml Ice Cold Water

Method

1. Crush most of the Tennis biscuits and mix with the melted margarine. Line the base of your dish with this mixture.
2. Line the sides of the dish with whole Tennis biscuits.
3. In a bowl, mix the Cremora with the ice-cold water until completely dissolved and lump-free.
4. Mix in the condensed milk until smooth.
5. Add the lemon juice and whisk or beat until the mixture thickens.
6. Pour into the prepared dish and place in the refrigerator (or camp fridge/cooler box) for at least 1 hour to set.

What is your secret family camping recipe?

We’ve shared Maggie’s favourites, but we know every family has that one dish that tastes better outside. Do you have a “road trip standard” meal? Tell us what’s cooking at your campsite in the comments below – we’d love to try your suggestions!

Recipes courtesy of the 2025 Summer Family Cookbook by Maggie van Onselen. Special thanks to the Southern African Caravan Club.