Feb 9/08
Our February Bonfire Breakfast was another success.
My day began at 4:30 (just for the fun of it) and gathered all the cooking materials and got them ready to go out to the fire.
Our typical meal includes bacon, eggs and toast but today I added something new.
During on of the “road trips” that my sister-in-law and I were on (visiting antique stores) I bought a camping set which included a coffee pot, 4 dishes, and a stew pot. Well, today was the day to test them out so I had to make something for the stew pot.
A quick search online and I found a breakfast stew for campfires. ( 3 potatoes diced up and boiled for 15 min.; add 4 links of smoked sausage that was also diced up and one diced onion; then add 6 beaten egss; and when cooked, top with a cup of shredded cheese.) I prepared all the ingredients and had them ready to dump into the pot when it was time.
I made a big urn of coffee with the plan of filling the coffee pot and just keep it warm at the fire.
So… prep done and then it was time to enjoy the morning solitude before everyone else got up and our guests arrived.
Building the Fire 
As usual, we stood around and socialized while Rick got the fire ready for cooking. 
Rick then made the bacon; my aunt scrambled the eggs; and I put together the stew. (Which was yummy, by the way).
Our fire pit had ice around the edge of it for most of the morning. It was interesting that the pot of coffee, which never actually sat on the fire, was boiling. ( I don’t drink coffee, but I figured it should have been pretty thick and “campfire-ish” by the time people drank their second cup.)
My brother said that we looked like either a bunch of cowboys around the campfire or a bunch of hobos.
The gazebo was nice and warm, with it all covered up with the tarps. We put an electric heater inside to help warm it. The 6” of snow on the floor never did melt.
2 hours later, we were all fed, we’d teased everyone quite well, and everyone went on their way to enjoy the rest of their day.
The weather was GORGEOUS. Beautiful snow coming down, just a slight breeze, and relatively warm for a cold, winter morning.
Can’t wait til next month (which will be for my birthday probably).
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
11 comments so far
GrandmaT
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posted 286 days ago
Well it sounds (and looks) like you have a delicious breakfast and wonderful family gathering!!!!!! It snowed a bit here this morning … a pretty snow with the large flakes; so yes, I do imagine it was a beautiful morning there. (You guys normally get “the weather” before us.)
I’ll have to copy down your recipe for when we go camping …
It’s nice that you have this tradition!!
-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b
MsDebbieP
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posted 286 days ago
I was just thinking that is is such a wonderful time that it is a shame that every family doesn’t do it :)
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
XploreOrganics
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posted 286 days ago
It looks wonderful…theres nothing quite like a nice warm meal outside on a crips snowy day…I bet it tasted SO much better than at the dinner table…why is that I wonder?
It looks like you had a great success…perhaps THAT could be our next awards…The family garden….show something special you set up in your garden for time with family and/or friends.
-- Xploreorganics, 5b Canada, LFD 06-20
Eklectic
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posted 285 days ago
Dreaming!!!
-- Eklectic, Follow my Bliss, South East Ontario 5a
roman
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posted 285 days ago
Your crazy <vbg>
looks yummy
-- Central northish Ontario
MsDebbieP
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3776 posts in 497 days
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posted 285 days ago
haha
well, everyone has a super time. and they keep coming back every month so it can’t be TOO crazy! :)
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
GrandmaT
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posted 285 days ago
Deb … crazy like a FOX , I say … hahahaha!
-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b
MsDebbieP
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3776 posts in 497 days
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posted 285 days ago
hahaha yah that’s me :D
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
GrandmaT
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3182 posts in 375 days
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posted 284 days ago
This is off the subject … but SUNBURNS!!! Oh to have that warmth right now … as it feels like -20F and more snow is forecasted. Stop teasing Jed … :-)
-- "A perfect garden is just a garden to be in-perfection. Mornings to work on it and evenings to pause and look at it." Southeast Michigan, Zone 5a/5b
MsDebbieP
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3776 posts in 497 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 284 days ago
sunburns… oh you are so cruel!!!! :)
the firepit was purchased at Canadian Tire. It is round (obviously) with ceramic tiles around the outside edge and a round metal insert in the middle. You can switch the black insert (for fires, which also has a removable grate in it) with a stainless steel insert which is intended for ice (so it can be used as a cooler). The firepit also has a metal, mesh cover to go over top as a fire screen.
As to make / model.. I have no idea.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
MsDebbieP
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3776 posts in 497 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 284 days ago
had to go check out the pictures again … yah, sure is a special time. I’m so glad we started it last summer. At that time we laughed about doing it all year long—we weren’t sure what February would bring. Now we know!!
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)