Lessons from a Fulltime RV Holiday Humbug

… or how one young fulltime RVer celebrates the holiday season

Coming in quick succession making mid-November through early January a blur for many, the trifecta of year-end holidays is once again upon us. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to pick up a publication right now that doesn’t offer some piece of advice on “surviving” the holiday or “how to do more with less time”. While living the fulltime RV lifestyle doesn’t give my husband Ray and me a pass on ‘all things holiday’ it does allow us to fly under the radar and celebrate in a way that’s meaningful to us.

Our Reason for the Season

Several years ago, like all mainstream holiday celebrants, I was part of the mall crush. Hurry. Hurry. Buy. Buy. It was far from the seasonal edict of peace on earth and goodwill toward men. I looked around and asked myself if this was my best interpretation of the season. My silent answer? Hardly. Maybe you’ve asked yourself that same question.

Ray and I discussed this topic at length. For us, the actionable answer to my question posed at the mall was that we were interested in experiences, not things; the quality of life as measured in relationships and giving back; the marrying of our dreams to the way we celebrated.

Holiday Presents Don’t Always Come Giftwrapped

Just being on the road seemed celebratory to us but as the first holiday season on the road approached we felt full of possibility. Ray had never experienced a warm winter and since we had to be somewhere for the year-end holidays we headed south. Thanksgiving that year was with my father, Christmas on an island and New Year’s in a hot tub. Aside from a few gifts for my dad, our exchange (if you can even call it that) was small but memorable – a TV/VCR combo so we could enjoy movies at home as opposed to in a park’s clubhouse, an outing to enjoy the holiday boat parade, a bag of delicious Texas grapefruit purchased from a roadside vendor in South Padre Island, and a memorable New Year’s Eve meal that included ceviche – recipe courtesy of a Hispanic produce manager’s wife – it doesn’t get any more authentic than that.

The following Thanksgiving we found ourselves workamping and not completely happy with our situation. The people were great but the job just wasn’t a good fit. This was putting quite a damper on our holiday season. It turns out the biggest gift we could give ourselves that year was to recognize when something didn’t feel right and take action to remedy it. Upon my father’s urging we pulled up stakes and embarked on a Florida Keys adventure. The Christmas week began with an encounter with manatees, an ice cream social, and a site with a view of the Florida Bay. New Year’s Eve was spent with new friends – some we still call close to this day – and that year January 1st was special as we strolled alongside the restoring turquoise ocean.

Thirteen Fulltime RV Living Years and Still Celebrating

Since those formative first two holiday seasons have come and gone, we’ve honed in on what we really love. Each Thanksgiving is special and different. We’ve spent it with family at a restaurant and with fellow campers at an RV park. We learned how to make Trash Can Turkey in New Mexico and have shared Mom’s Famous Cranberry Sauce with RV Cooking Show viewers across the globe…literally. It turns out our favorite Thanksgiving is where most American’s spend it…at home…for us that’d be our RV.

Sometimes I cook an unusual version of the holiday meal. For example, a couple years ago we had a Cuban Thanksgiving complete with Mojo Criollo crockpot turkey breast, Cuban black beans, yellow rice, steamed broccoli, and garlic bread (a throwback to the Florida Keys days we so enjoyed). Other years I cook a full on traditional turkey dinner. This year I tried my hand at Cornish game hens. If friends are around they are always invited.

Like many of you reading this piece, Ray and I do not exchange gifts. We have everything we need and if we have a want we simply go out and buy it. While certain items are needed/wanted, in our humble roadabode “stuff’ is overrated. Instead, in celebration of Ray’s late-December birthday we do something special each day of “birthday week”. It might be a hike, lunch out at a favorite haunt, a movie of his choice and popcorn at home, etc. 

Every Day a Holiday

Long ago we decided that the spirit of the season should prevail all year long. So instead of attempting to travel on just a few select days along with the entire U.S. population, dine together and with friends on one single day devoted to a big, heavy meal, and participate in the urgency of purchasing things as a way of demonstrating affection we endeavor to live as if every day was a holiday. Very merry! How about you?

Fast Fabulous Food Gifts From My RV Kitchen

Whether you're looking for a fabulous gift for your foodie friends, a delicious hostess gift that stands apart from the crowd, or a tasty treat to serve at your gathering or dinner party, these homemade food gifts - direct from the RV Cooking Show kitchen - are sure to please. Not only are they unique and personalized but they are fast to prepare and easy on the wallet.

Package these food gifts in pretty containers, add a ribbon, and a handwritten "how-to" card and you've got yourself something you'll be proud to give and the recipient will fondly remember.

From savory to salty to sweet, take a look at these four simple recipes, add a few items to your grocery list and get ready to give the gift of flavor!

Herb Vinegar

Makes one bottle

1 bottle of white wine vinegar (I like Star brand...pretty bottle) generous handful of store bought fresh herbs - choose from or mix and match - thyme, oregano, basil, opal basil, rosemary, sage, tarragon, chive flowers, lavender – organic is always best. You can even add peppercorns, peeled garlic, chili peppers, lemon zest, or cinnamon sticks, etc. 

Rinse and dry herbs. Remove plastic shaker top from the vinegar bottle and pour about a half-inch of vinegar into a glass bowl. Feed the herbs into the bottle - gently bruising them as you go, cap, shake, and note the herb/herb-spice combo on the bottle. Set aside and allow the flavor to meld at least one week before using.

How-to card: This (type of vinegar/herb mixture) vinegar is delightful in salad dressings, marinades, combined with oil for bread dipping or drizzled over steamed vegetables or broiled fish/meat. Enjoy, you lucky dog you!

More details on how to make herb vinegar in this RV Cooking Show blog post.

Tamari Almonds

1 pound shelled raw almonds

2 T tamari soy sauce

Spread almonds in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet.



Bake at 350 degrees for 11-13 minutes or until the almonds are brown and toasted. Careful, don't burn them! 



Place hot almonds in a large bowl and pour tamari over them. Stir well to coat.



Return almonds to baking sheet allowing the almonds to soak in the tamari and cool.

How-to card: These crunchy, slightly salty, and thoroughly addictive nuts are perfect for parties, picnics, and backpack snacking. Good and good for you!  

Watch me make delicious Tamari Almonds and learn about some of my favorite kitchen gadgets in this "From the Vault" RV Cooking Show episode.

Gourmet Flavored Salt

Let your imagination run wild with this RV kitchen gift using a general recipe of 1/4 c sea salt - fine to coarse, your choice - and 1 teaspoon of each flavoring. To help get the flavor ideas flowing, consider the following:

• dried lemon zest and finely chopped rosemary
• smoked paprika
• roasted and ground Szechuan pepper
• Chinese 5-spice or garam masala
• dried ginger and ground kefir lime leaves
• 1/2 oz. dried and ground porcini mushrooms

How-to card: Use this delish (herb/combo) flavored salt as a finishing salt, sprinkled over your dish to add an extra and unexpected pop of flavor! Get crazy, be adventurous, live a little!

Visit this Rosa's Yummy Yums blog post for more flavored salt ideas as well as food pairings. It's a beauty to behold, as well.

Haute Fudge

Makes 2-3 cups

6 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate
3 oz. unsalted butter - cubed
1/3 c light corn syrup
1 c sugar
1 c water - boiling
2 t pure vanilla extract (can substitute mint, rum, banana, etc. extract)

On very low heat, melt chocolate and butter. Stir to combine chocolate/butter mixture and add corn syrup, sugar and boiling water. Stir well making sure everything is completely blended.

Gently boil 8-10 minutes - without stirring...and I mean it! - until thick and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla or other flavored extract.

Pour into half pint (1 cup) jars.

How-to card: Will keep in refrigerator for several months...but good luck with that! Heat servings in microwavable bowl or cup. Serve over ice cream, poundcake or as a dip for bananas or strawberries.

Watch me make Haute Fudge, check out some of my favorite chocolatiers, and learn about some very romantic RV escapes in this "From the Vault" RV Cooking Show episode.


Fast Fabulous Food Gifts Make Giving Fun

Enjoy making and giving these easy, delicious, homemade RV kitchen gifts of food. Fast, simple, sensational...there's so much there to love.

Evanne
RVCookingShow.com

Turkey Pot Pie - RV Kitchen Recipe

What a great Thanksgiving 2012 we had in my RV kitchen! It was such a beautiful day out that I got the turkey into the crockpot and then headed out to play. I returned a little later than I'd hoped and it was time to take the bird out of the crockpot...but nothing else had been started! Yikes!

I covered the turkey breast with foil and got down to business. It took us about an hour and a half to get everything else prepared and cooked. I was a little concerned about the turkey but that was for naught. It was fabulous...moist, flavorful, and sliced like butter.

Today, like so many of us, I made a delicious turkey, cranberry and stuffing sandwich on sourdough bread with a little mayo, salt, and pepper. Devine! But also like many of us, I've got a lot of turkey leftover - even after a couple more sandwiches. Fortunately, I have an amazing, easy-peasy pot pie recipe that will make quick work out of your leftover turkey. I use all store-bought ingredients in this dish and believe me, it's a comfort food favorite recipe in my RV camper! Give it a go and let me know what you think.

Thanks for letting me join you on this wild RV ride! 

Evanne and the RVCookingShow.com gang

RV Cooking Show's Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 frozen pie crusts - pot pie needs a top crust

16 oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables (as upscale or basic as you wish)
1+ cups of chunked turkey or chicken (I use half of a rotisserie chicken if it's not turkey season)

2 T butter
2 T flour
chicken broth
1/4 c dry white wine
1/4 - 1/2 c Parmesan or Romano cheese - grated
salt and pepper to taste

How-to:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Set one pie crust out to thaw.

In a large saute pan cover frozen vegetables with water and allow to simmer until cooked. Remove from pan.

In the same pan, make a roux - melt butter, add flour, stir to combine, allow to brown. (Watch me make a roux in this year's Thanksgiving show - How to Make Gravy)

Add chicken broth. It will seize into a paste at first, continue adding until it's a thick liquid. Add white wine and allow it to bubble about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add more broth if it's thickened too much for your taste.

Add turkey or chicken and veggies to the sauce, allow to warm. Add cheese, allow to melt in.

Pour turkey or chicken/veggie/sauce mixture into frozen crust. Top with thawed crust - you'll probably have too much, trim as needed and press edges together with fork tines to make it look pretty. Cut a few vent slits on the top in an attractive pattern.

Place on a foil covered baking sheet and bake at 400 for 15 minutes then decrease heat* to 350 and bake until the edges are brown and the top is golden.

Remove, allow to cool slightly so the liquid thickens a bit and enjoy. Serve with a fresh green salad and a beverage of choice.

Cheers!

*begin baking at a higher heat to avoid a soggy bottom crust

RV Cooking Show's Thanksgiving Episode: How to Make Turkey Gravy (and very versatile roux!)

Happy Thanksgiving...and what would the big meal be without gravy?!? In this quick 2-Minute RV Kitchen Tip episode of the RV Cooking Show learn how to make gravy using a roux! Easy, delish, and down right good to know.

Who among us does not like gravy, that thick, rich, velvety liquid that graces mashed potatoes and makes everything taste even better? Unfortunately, making gravy has the reputation of being difficult and labor intensive. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The secret to making good gravy is in its foundation - the roux (pronounced "roo" - like kangaroo). Roux is cooked fat, in this case butter, and flour, browned to a particular color, thus imparting a particular flavor. This is the thickening agent in your gravy and you can control just how thick - or thin - you want to go.

And guess what? Roux isn't only for gravy. It's the base for sauces such as bechamal (white sauce), soups like New England-style corn or clam chowder - even a fantastic sauce for chicken pot pie.

So stop right there, put down the jar of gravy or the powder envelope, and spend a quick couple minutes watching this RV Cooking Show 2-Minute RV Kitchen Tip episode - How To Make Gravy.

We've also got a nifty little archive of turkey dinner episodes and recipes for your holiday pleasure:

Crockpot Turkey Breast
Gourmet Trash Can Turkey
Aunt Lucy's Stuffing
Mom's Famous Cranberry Sauce
Sweet Potato Fries

This RV Cooking Show episode is different from others we've produced - just barely over 2 minutes and all cooking, no travel talk. How do you like it? Thumbs up, down or other comments to share? Drop me a line, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Meantime, Happy Thanksgiving, RV Cooking Show friends. I wish you an abundance of people, places, and things to be grateful for this holiday season.

Evanne and the RVCookingShow.com crew

Six Words About Your RV Holidays

A while back we did an RV-spin on the Six Words Project popularized by SMITH Magazine (you can read the blog and resulting post replies here). It was a blast and I was absolutely amazed at readers creativity and engagement.

We asked you to post six word memoirs along this theme: Six Words About Your RV Life. Some RV Cooking Show crew favorites included:

• Memories are made of this. RVing.
• Let’s stay another day, OK Hon?
• Why wait, let’s do it now.
• hundreds of stories from new friends

 and a sad one:

• And then, the open road, closed. 

I added a couple, too:

• Loves to travel. Loves to eat.
• Never RV’d. Sold the house first. 

Since we are in the midst of the holiday season I'm opening up a new Six Word project: Six Words About Your RV Holidays. What's your experience...are you on the road in a new place? a seasonal spot with new and old friends? wish you were traveling? can't wait to land at a family member's home? Tell us about it in exactly six words.

I'll begin by adding a couple of my own in the comments section below and will be eagerly watching this blog space and our Facebook Page for your responses. Check back for Six Word updates and have a very happy holiday!

Evanne
RVCookingShow.com