@TdeV, I actually have both of those books, I agree that they're pretty good. But mostly I came away from them more comfortable adapting my own regular food (which tends toward high-calorie anyway).
Everything turned out fine! Even that sticky messy mass of rice!! It was actually delicious, and the six-year old scarfed it down like a champion. Boiled sausage is not the most delicious thing ever, but I fixed it with salt and red pepper flakes, and the truth is that the texture was quite nice in the soup.
The slaw concept worked out really well, it added a fresh note which was great by day 3.
And no one died or even felt sick! The half-dehydrated half slow-thaw frozen seemed to work out fine, even though we just did not have the fuel for the 10 minute boil that I was trying to push.
And, finally. It was too much food. I'm not sure why I was so terrified that it wouldn't be enough food. It was, like, twice as much food. I kept thinking, you children are not eating enough . . . .
@palo, I was in FL for a day and an excellent seafood meal. And to pick up other goodies: in fact, the first camp-night's dinner was actually ribs from Jenkins, I called ahead and ordered three slabs and a bunch of non-mayo-type sides.
The main thing we were doing, after pre-gaming on ribs and ribs-sides at Stephen C. Foster State Park, was several days of canoe camping in Okefenokee (GA).
Thanks for the support, guys. I was freaking out, when the dehydration theory went south due to weather, I was quite anxious that I was gonna kill people, either through food poisoning or else through homicidal rage from having to portage three coolers full of food that was supposed to been dehydrated.
