Sweet Treats for River Runners

Creamy Pumpkin Pie

Yield: 8-inch pie
Preparation time: 1 1/4 hours

Whole wheat pastry flour 1 1/2 cups
Salt 1/4 teaspoon
Oil 2 tablespoons
Cold water 1/2 cup
Pumpkin 15-ounce can
Eggs 2
Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk 16-ounce can
Pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon each
Heavy cream 1/2 pint
Honey 2 tablespoons

Stir salt into flour. Mix in oil using a fork. Add water, a few drops at a time, until dough holds together easily. Place in bottom of a heated, well-seasoned 8-inch Dutch oven. Combine pumpkin with eggs, half the sweetened condensed milk, and spices. Pour into shell. Bake 1 hour with 4 briquets underneath and 9 on top for a medium oven. Whip cream until thick, adding honey as cream begins to stiffen. Serve pie topped with whipped cream.

Boundary Waters Apple Crisp

Yield: 8-inch pie
Preparation time: 1 hour

In the Boundary Waters Canoe area, canoeists can paddle an entire summer without retracing or even crossing their own trails. The extensive waterways are lined by a large variety of wildlife and a medley of birds nesting in the Boundary Waters Wilderness, which covers over a million acres in northern Minnesota and another million in Canada.

Large apples 8
Graham crackers 2/3 pound
Butter 1/2 cup, melted
Fresh lemon juice of 1 lemon
Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste
Brown sugar 1/2 cup

Cut apples into small slices and steam or boil 10 minutes or until partially softened. Drain off water. Crush graham crackers by placing them in a plastic bag and mashing them with a blunt object. Place crumbs in a well seasoned 8-inch Dutch oven. Combine with butter to form crust. Put partially cooked apples on top of crumbs. Squeeze lemon over apples and sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Bake 30 minutes with 4 briquets underneath and 9 on top for a medium oven. Serve.

Silver Grotto Sopaipillas

Serves 6 to 8
Preparation time: 1 hour

Undulating walls and a series of pools hide the Silver Grotto on the Colorado River from the casual eye. With some time and climbing ability, however, you can reach this lovely place and pass a special afternoon within its confines.

Whole wheat pastry flour 3 cups
Salt 1 teaspoon
Milk powder 1/4 cup
Eggs 2
Water 1 cup
Oil 1 1/2 cups
Honey 1/4 cup
Butter 1/4 cup, melted

Combine 1/2 cup of flour with salt and milk powder. Blend in eggs and water. Add remaining flour, a little at a time, until consistency of dough is firm and dry. Dust a cutting board and a glass jar with flour. Separate dough into 3- to 4-inch squares. Heat oil in a deep saucepan and drop squares of dough one at a time into very hot oil. The dough will instantly puff up if oil is hot enough. Deep fry until a light golden brown. Transfer sopaipillas to paper towels for draining. Combine honey and butter. Heat. Dip sopaipillas into hot butter and honey mixture.

Rice Pudding

Serves 6
Preparation time: 2 hours

Milk powder 1/3 cup
Water 1 1/4 cups
Brown sugar 1/2 cup
Butter 1 tablespoon, softened
Vanilla 1 teaspoon
Eggs 3
Lemon 1/2
Basic Brown Rice 4 cups
Raisins 1/3 cup

Combine milk powder with water. Add brown sugar, butter, vanilla, eggs, and lemon juice and pulp, mixing well. Stir into cooked rice and add raisins. Pour into a heated, well-seasoned 8-inch Dutch oven. Bake 50 minutes with 4 briquets underneath and 9 on top for a medium oven.

Crushed Fruit Tapioca Pudding

Serves 8
Preparation time: 1 1/4 hours

Water 2 cups
Minute Tapioca 1/3 cup
Brown sugar 3/4 cup
Crushed pineapple 20 ounce can
Small lemon 1
Whipped cream topping optional

Bring water to a boil in saucepan. Gradually stir in tapioca and sugar. Bring more water to boil in a second saucepan slightly larger than the first pan. When tapioca and sugar are boiling, place smaller pan in the boiling water of larger pan, creating a double boiler. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool about 15 minutes. Stir in pineapple chunks and lemon juice and pulp. Chill before serving by placing in a cooler or putting bottom of pan in cold water. Serve either plain or with whipped cream topping.

East Carson Bread Pudding

Serves 8
Preparation time: 1 1/4 hours

The east fork of the Carson River begins in the pine forest of the high Sierra and flows into the desert country of juniper and sagebrush. The vistas of snowcapped mountains are striking, and a natural hot springs pool at camp makes this a very relaxing trip.

Whole grain bread 4 cups (about 6 to 8 slices)
Medium apples 2
Medium lemon 1
Plain yogurt 1/2 cup
Raisins 1/3 cup
Cinnamon to taste
Milk powder 2/3 cup
Water 2 cups
Egg 1
Brown sugar 1/4 cup
Butter or margarine 1 tablespoon

Crumble bread into small pieces. Put 1/3 of the bread into the bottom of a well-seasoned 8-inch Dutch oven. Grate apples. Combine with lemon juice and pulp. Cover bread crumbs with 1/2 apples, yogurt, and raisins. Sprinkle cinnamon over top. Combine milk powder with water. Add egg and brown sugar to milk, stirring until smooth. Pour 1/2 of this mixture over ingredients in Dutch oven. Place another 1/3 of the bread crumbs on top, then remaining apples, yogurt, raisins, and rest of bread crumbs. Pour milk mixture over top. Add cinnamon and top with pats of butter. Let pudding sit 20 to 30 minutes. Bake 45 minutes with 4 briquets underneath and 9 on top. Let cool slightly before serving.

Yogurt Dessert

Serves 6
Preparation time: 5 minutes

Plain yogurt 2 pounds
Honey 3 tablespoons
Vanilla 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon to taste
Raspberries 15-ounce can

Combine yogurt with honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. Put in separate serving dishes and top with raspberries.

Androscoggin Dessert

Serves 8
Preparation time: 5 minutes

The Androscoggin River in New Hampshire has a steady year-round flow and the best whitewater in the state. In addition, this river has clean water lovely spruce- and fir-lined banks, and good views of the Presidential Range. It is a popular run for canoeists and kayakers.

Applesauce quart jar
Oatmeal cookies 16-ounce package

Open applesauce and cookies. All in the party serve themselves.