Photo by Danielle Scott

While I'm not the most experienced camper (I went last weekend and am still convincing myself that whatever was crawling on my shoulder was not a scorpion), I do enjoy a night or two under the stars. The crackling fire. The darkness of the night. It's all so peaceful.

But perhaps my favorite part of the whole experience? Cooking over the fire.

From a hearty Breakfast Quesadilla to S'mores Two Ways, check out seven easy recipes to savor during your next camping trip:

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Paula and Christa

Pack a picnic basket filled with these easy dishes.

When the weather is nice, I always like to head outside and eat my meals. Whether I'm sitting in the grass or on a bench in the park, or sitting on a beach blanket poolside, having a picnic is one of my favorite perks to summer.

Unfortunately, some foods just don't work logistically when you're transferring them outside, and they don't hold up in the summer heat for too long. In fact, my mom tells me a dreadful story of packing tuna fish sandwiches for the beach and how the summer heat turned them into a warm, unpalatable and overly fishy meal that caused several people stomach distress.

You can guarantee tuna fish sandwiches are not on this list, unless you love tuna -- in that case, pack it in a cooler with ice -- but here are five foods you can easily pack, transport safely and eat at your picnic location, wherever that may be.

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Photos by Katharine Shilcutt

The first news that many people heard of Batanga came before the downtown tapas restaurant even opened its doors.

Late last November, a local resident was infuriated to find that Batanga's owners had moved into the long-vacant space at the corner of Travis and Congress and chopped down some of the cedar trees on the grassy patio outside. Regardless of the tenants that came and went over the years, the restaurant space itself was always unique for its grassy, canopied patio -- an anomaly in concrete-clad downtown Houston -- and people were initially flummoxed by Batanga's decision to denude it.

I do hope those people have found their way back to Batanga since then, as the restaurant has done an admirable job of transforming the patio since opening on April 1. There are still two cedar trees left, too, which provide a pleasant natural fence between the patio and an always-bustling bus stop next to the Old City Hall Clock which overlooks Batanga and the rest of Market Square.

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Le moules marinière

My first experience at Étoile Cuisine et Bar happened a few months ago, my girlfriends and I chose a new restaurant at random and went in without any expectations or preconceived notions. We left that dinner enamored of the space, the front-of- house service by Monique Bui, and the simple yet elegant menu of traditional French fare cooked by Bui's husband, chef Philippe Verpiand.

Bui and Verpiand recently moved to Houston from San Diego to open Étoile, drawn here by Bui's family ties, the growing food scene and the city's strong economy. The food, although traditional, it also draws from the light and fresh ideals of California cuisine.

My second visit didn't happen soon enough but I eventually made my way back. This time, it was to experience lunch outside on Étoile's front patio, enjoying one of those beautiful spring days our fair city throws our way every so often.

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Photos by Carla Soriano

There were plenty of executives to be found at The Grove, but no executive lunch menu in sight, to my surprise and disappointment.

Whether you are a typical office worker with a strict 60-minute lunch break or a lady who lunches, executive lunches are an excellent mid-day meal option. Simply put, they're quick and easy and usually designed to give you a decent amount of bang for your buck. In this series, we explore executive lunch options across the city to scope out the good, the bad and the ugly.

For a while now, I've been following The Grove's Instagram account, drooling at looking at the mouth-watering photos on display, many of which advertise the restaurant's three-course lunch special for $19.

After yearning to try this menu for far too long, I decided that a visit to The Grove was in order. And what better way to kick off the executive lunch series than by visiting a spot that looked promising?

On an unassuming Thursday, I left my Post Oak office and made my way downtown to quiet my curiosity once and for all. My visit panned out like this:

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Chuck Cook Photography

A sampling of artistic creations suitable for bentos

The Consulate-General of Japan at Houston and the Japan-America Society of Houston hosted its second annual bento competition this past Saturday, along with sponsors H-E-B's Sushiya, Satake USA Incorporated and Glen Gondo of the Greater Houston Partnership.

It was held in the Community Room at the H-E-B at Bunker Hill and I-10. Five finalists from an initial call for entries were selected to prove who could make the most attractive, fun and nutritional bento. The competitors had no idea what ingredients they would have to choose from until they arrived at the site.

Bentos (known as obentos in Japan) are portable boxed meals, but they are far different from the "box lunch" you might have had at a corporate meeting. The artistic aspect of the contents, as well as the container, is considered to be important. The time and care put into making a bento represents a show of love and caring to the recipient. Moms make them for their children and wives for their husbands. Of course, sometimes people make bentos just to have a nice, healthy lunch. Bentos are also helpful for people watching their weight, as they assist with portion control.

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