Thanks to those of you following the latest trip report and urging me onward with your likes. 

Whenever Kat and I head out for a Man Hike, I always try to plan one improbable meal that goes beyond anything you’d normally pull out of a food sack.   This trip’s star culinary treat was going to be what I’ll call Campside Chicken Carbonara.

Ingredients:
2 cans of cooked chicken (in water)
1 can whole artichokes (in water)
1 package cooked bacon (approx 9 pieces)1 package McCormick’s Creamy Garlic Alfredo Sauce mix
few oz of olive oil
spice mix (mostly crushed red pepper & garlic powder)
1/4 c. of julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes
few squirts of Amore’ brand sun-dried tomato paste
1/2 lb of angel hair pasta
4 sleeves of Alessi breadsticks

I started by pouring the water from the artichoke and chicken cans into my boil pot & adding enough additional water to cook the pasta.  Tossed in the tomatoes, too, to rehydrate while the pasta cooked.

While that was cooking, I quartered about four of the artichokes and shredded the bacon.

The pasta cooked until it was just shy of al dente.  I set it aside, without draining it, and let it continue to cook in the water.   Put my little 4×4 on the stove and gave it a bit of oil.   Cooked the bacon & artichoke mixture on that until the ‘chokes started to brown a bit.  Seasoned the chicken and then browned it just enough to give it a firmer consistency and keep it from tasting like, well, canned chicken.  Mixed the meats & ‘chokes together in a bowl and set aside.

Forked out all of the pasta into another bowl, leaving about a cup of the water left.  It was a cloudy mix, but very fragrant.    Added the alfredo packet and the sun-dried tomato paste and stirred it real good.  Cooked over low heat until it thickened.

Plating:   Spooned the bacon, chicken, & artichoke mixture over the pasta.  Poured the sauce on top.  Crushed up the bread sticks and poured them on top.

It wasn’t my best dish, but it was pretty good.   Would’ve been improved had I used real bacon peppered bacon bits instead of the smoked pre-cooked bacon slices.   Also – capers.   I could justify the weight of capers next time.  I didn’t think to take pictures.   Will next time.