We went camping last weekend. We don’t campground camp. We go out in the woods to camp. No cell service, no restrooms, no convenience stores.

When packing for camping trips, it’s import to remember everything I’m going to need! Unfortunately, I am human and sometimes I forget stuff.

Some of our most memorable camping trips have been when we forgot something and problem solving to make it work! Like forgetting the syrup. We tried to find huckleberries to make a sauce for the pancakes but it was too late in the season. I ended up boiling down Dr. Pepper and using that as syrup. It wasn’t the best but it worked-ish and we still remember it! There was the time we forget the top to the sunshade canopy. We bungeed a tarp to the top of the frame. It worked!

The time I forgot the hot dogs I was a bit upset. Oooops! I think we actually had to drive all the way back to civilization that time. I have never forgotten the hot dogs again!

I think that is one of the best things about camping and why I think it’s important for families to camp! It provides many opportunities for problem solving and working together to fix things . It allows us to unplug from things that “entertain” us and allows our brains to actually work. It teaches us to be grateful for nature and also to be grateful for what we have at home!

Last weekend I had decided to make Hamburger Stroganoff while camping. I brought everything I needed…. I thought. I started making it and realized I had forgotten a key ingredient. The Cream of Mushroom Soup. I had to come up with a way to make dinner without it.

Fortunately, I had a little baggie of flour on hand. I am not even sure why I put it in there but I am grateful it was there! I melted butter and finely chopped about eight of the crimini mushrooms and sauteed them in the butter. When they were cooked they had absorbed all the butter so I added two more tablespoons of butter and melted that. Then added two tablespoons of the flour and stirred it to combine it. Then I slowly poured in a cup of milk and stirred until it was the right consistency. I added quite a bit of salt and pepper.

It was bomb!! It was way better then Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom! I am not sure if I will ever buy it again, it was that good!

Dinner turned out great!! Yummy!!

Sometimes mistakes or forgetfulness can turn into great adventures or great recipes!

I am sure you can find a bunch of recipes for homemade cream of mushroom soup, but I wanted to share the one I made up in a pinch that turned out to be really good!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

4 tablespoons divided butter

6–8 cremini mushrooms finely diced

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon salt more if needed

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add the diced mushrooms and saute until they are slightly carmelized and have absorbed a lot of the butter. Sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Slowly add the milk stirring constantly. Stir until quite thick then remove from heat. Add salt and pepper and taste for seasoning. Add more if necessary.

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I hope enjoy this recipe! Happy cooking and maybe take the family camping!

Elizabeth XOXO