I remember the days of camping with dear old mom and dad; we would pitch our tent in the local camp grounds and get settled in for the weekend, our cooler overflowing with pop, beer, and hotdogs and a supply of doughnuts in the picnic basket to eat for breakfast each morning.

Over the weekend we survived on our store of doughnuts and hotdogs, because preparing food over a fire was more work than we cared to do. To young children this seems like a good idea initially, but ultimately the excitement of toasting hotdogs over a fire while being consumed by mosquitoes grows old. By the final day the doughnuts are hard and a breakfast of bacon and eggs would appeal to the fussiest of kids.

Things have certainly changed as the RV's pull into the camp grounds these days sporting a full kitchen and DVD players, not too mention the air condition units and full size beds. Camping has become a luxury for some, no more roughing it unless you really want to.

Those of us who still like to rough it; we can still have some amenities of the rich and famous RV fellows we camp beside. We have our blow up air mattresses, ceiling fans (although quite small) for our tents, and cooking has become simpler as well with the use of a camp stove.

Available in many sizes and styles, camping stoves have really changed from the old days. They now make it possible to cook on a campsite as easily as you would at home. When I set up camp nowadays, I come prepared with a supply of steak, patties, vegetables and other things that I'd also cook at home.

I own a camping stove with one grill and two burners. It grills steaks perfectly and is easily moved. It simplifies my life when I'm camping and attempting to provide a meal for a fussy bunch of kids, although they still like toasting hotdogs on a stick till they're blackened, a simple hamburger or a handful of chicken nuggets makes my weekend a breeze.

I have such fond memories of camping with my family as a child. But the food left something to be desired, because cooking on a campfire was difficult. Do you want an authentic camping experience, but still enjoy the comforts of home? Cooking outdoors is now a lot easier with a camp stove. They are available in numerous sizes, styles, and models to affordably fit almost any lifestyle. Of the many camping stoves, one of my favorites has a grill and two burners. It's portable and grills a steak to perfection. It easily cooks hamburgers or even chicken nuggets, and you still get to enjoy the great outdoors.