Hipcamp Support Guide Alisson Xavier shares four staple dishes along with his experiences adopting Thanksgiving upon moving to the US.
I was born and raised in Brazil until I was 12 years old. In the summer of 2000, my family moved to New York, and that fall, we were invited to our very first Thanksgiving. It quickly became my favorite holiday. I still look forward to Thanksgiving—once the air cools down a little, and the leaves start to change colors.
Fast forward to 2012, I had been living in San Francisco for almost two years. My family, still in New York, couldn’t make it out to me for Thanksgiving, and I couldn’t afford to go home.
Luckily, I was working with a large group of many other Bay Area transplants who weren’t planning to go home for the holiday either. My good friend Dan invited me to join him and two other friends on a camping trip to Big Sur for Thanksgiving weekend. I had never been to Big Sur, nor had I ever been camping, so I jumped at the opportunity.
The trip was transformative in many ways, but one of the most impressive elements was the full Thanksgiving meal. Dan cooked for us and brought us together in nature to build some pretty spectacular memories.
This year, my boyfriend and I decided to invite our friend Michele to an early Campsgiving, not only to thank her for all her help (she’s a great aunt to my fur baby!) but to also recreate some of the special memories inspired by my time in Big Sur—surrounded by friends, eating a great meal by the fire, and just feeling super thankful.
This lineup may seem daunting at first, but I believe in you. You can do it! Here are the four recipes.
Prep time: 40 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes plus 10 minutes resting | Total time: 1.5 hours
Serving size: 6
Chicken under a brick ensures that the chicken has constant contact with the grill, and since it’s been butterflied, the chicken cooks quickly and evenly.
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Total time: 50 minutes
Serving size: 6
You can make this chunky or super smooth…it all depends on your patience and your taste!
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Total time: 25 minutes
Serving size: 6
For the stuffing and gravy, we took a shortcut with our favorite stuffing mix and turkey gravy from Trader Joe’s. It’s super affordable and delicious! It also just takes about 20 minutes to come together, so win-win-win all around!
Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes
Serving size: 6
Wrap the corn in foil and throw it on the coals, make a foil pack with a splash of chicken stock, and steam the green beans on the coals! This is a quick and easy way to add veggies to your Campsgiving plate.
My wish this Thanksgiving is that you too can get outside, gather around a meal with friends or family, and build even better memories of times spent together. Happy holidays!
To help you find the best camping in the country, each year we compile data from bookings, reviews, and ratings…
To help you find the best camping in the country, each year we compile data from bookings, reviews, and ratings…
Awards season has arrived! To help you find the best camping in the country, each year we compile data from…
To help you find the best camping in the country, each year we compile data from bookings, reviews, and ratings…
To help you find the best camping in the country, each year we compile data from bookings, reviews, and ratings…
To help you find the best camping in the country, each year we compile data from bookings, reviews, and ratings…