Archive for December, 2009
Decadent Peanut Butter Pie to Enjoy While RV Camping
RV camping is more enjoyable when you prepare real good recipes. This recipe is a smucker’s recipe so I can’t take credit for it, but is it so good that I want to share it with you. Fortunately, it is easy and doesn’t take much time.
Decadent Peanut Butter Pie
Prep time: 15 min yield (6-8 servings)
Ingredients
1 cup creamy peanut putter, plus 2 T, divided
1 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C sugar
1 (12 oz ) container (4 1/2 cups) frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided
1 prepared chocolate pie crust
1 (11.75 oz) jar smucker’[s hot fudge spoonable ice cream topping, divided
Directions
BEAT together 1 C peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium,until well combined. Spoon mixture into pie shell. Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.
RESERVE 2 T of hot fudge topping into the corner of a resealable food storage bag: set aside. Microwave remaining topping on HIGH (100% power) for 1 minute. Stir, Spread topping over pie, covering entire peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until set. Spread remaining whipped topping (1 1/2 C), over hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.
CUT a small corner from bag containing topping. Squeeze bag to drizzle topping over pie. Place remaining 2 T peanut butter in a resealable food storage bag; cut bag corner and squeeze to drizzle in opposite direction from topping. refrigerate until ready to serve.
Start the Day with a Good Breakfast when RV Camping
When RV camping having a good breakfast is a great way to start the day. RVs today have just about everything you need to prepare meals, with the exception of portable cooking appliances.
We enjoy bacon, eggs, and pancakes, with a little fruit on the side. I have a folding griddle which makes the task of fixing a good breakfast easy and rewarding. It is really easy to clean after use, which makes it even better.
After we have had a hearty breakfast we are full of energy and ready to go and enjoy the day, whether it be site seeing or staying at the campground and enjoying the pool.
Snowbird Time – Where to Stay
Most snowbirds usually go to the same place each year. Maybe it is time to become a little adventurous. Do a little research to find a different place to camp in your RV. Think about what you want to do to occupy your time. It is great to spend time in the warm weather and there is so much to see and do in all the states with warm weather. Have you seen all there is to see in the South? I’m sure you haven’t.
Weather you are going to Florida, or Arizona, which are the most popular places to spend the winter. It doesn’t really matter. In all the states there are a variety of things to see and do. Arizona has so much to offer with many different types of scenery to see. New Mexico is the same way. Many many different types of scenery. Florida’s scenery isn’t that great, but there are so many different attractions, including lots of golf.
It might be worth researching to have a new exciting adventure RV camping.
Saving Space with a Bike Rack while RV Camping
It is so nice to have a bike to ride leisurely around RV campgrounds. It really is helpful when the campground does not have trash pick up service. Just ride your bike to the dumpster.
W all know space is valuable and a bike rack conserves much needed space in your RV. It is so much easier to take a bike off a bike rack than pulling a bike out of the storage area in your RV.
Swim with the Manatees in Crystal River, Florida when RV Camping
The mantees come in to Crystal River every year when the cooler weather comes. The water temperature of Crystal River is always 72. Manatees leave the gulf when the gulf water temperature gets cooler.
If you have never experienced swimming with the manatees, it is a exciting new adventure. The manatees are very docile animals and will hover around you. There is a law that you can only touch a manatee with one hand. The manatees like to be petted and are not at all afraid of people swimming amongst them.
There is a real nice campground in the Crystal River area called Encore Crystal Isles Resort. If you have a boat, there are lots along the water that access the Crystal River Kings Bay where the manatees stay in the winter time. To get one of the water front lots you must make a reservation way ahead of time. If you don’t get a water front lot to dock your boat, there is a boat ramp for access to the water and also a place to park your boat.
In Crystal River there are places that you can sign up for manatee tours that supply wetsuits, masks, and fins. If you have a boat, wetsuits, masks, and fins you can look for pontoon boats in Kings Bay with divers to find the manatees.
There is also three sisters springs to visit. It is an beautiful place and fairly large. The water is crystal clear. Sometimes th manatees are in that area.
Enjoy TV Like at Home when RV Camping
If you have direct TV or Dish you can take a box to the RV to watch TV. Fortunately my RV has a dish and hookup available. If your RV does not have the satellite dish and hookup capability, you can get a satellite dish and do it yourself.
We watch whatever we are use to watching.
You can get a mobile satellite dish that works when traveling. This really is good to have when you have kids traveling with you. It really keeps them busy and out of your hair.
Planing for a Week of RV Camping
Planing for a week of RV camping. First of all, where to go? Then what to prepare for meals while RV camping so that you can have more time for fun. What food to take, kitchen stuff, bathroom stuff, cloths, and miscellaneous items.
Store as many things in your RV as you can to make getting ready easier. I store all bedding and towels, first aid kit, chairs for outside and the beach, cleaning supplies, soap, shampoo, tooth paste, mouthwash, pots and pans, bowls and baking pans, place mats and pot holders, paper towels, napkins, dishes, flatware, glasses, cooking utensils, glad bags, garbage bags, tools, flashlight, bug spray, grill, cleaning supplies for cleaning the outside of the RV, broom, games.
If you plan well, your camping experience will be great!
Meal preparation Food to take
spaghetti sauce Spaghetti
macaroni & cheese Texas Toast
soup Steaks
vegetables for steaming Chicken
Salmon Loaf Potatoes
Carrots
What to take for kitchen Onions
Slow cooker Roast to cook in
Folding griddle slowcooker
Spaghetti pan for draining 1 can of mushroom soup
Sharp knife 1 packet lipton onion soup
hamburger
Mayo
Already stored in RV mustard
Can opener catchup
Coffee pot butter
Flat ware bread
Glasses peanut butter
Dishes jelly
eggs
What to take for bathroom bacon
Tooth paste bisquick
Tooth brushes milk
Mouth wash cereal
Bar soap tea
Shampoo coffee
Qtips sugar
Deoderant coffee creamer
Clothing Miscellaneous
Bathing suits Flashlight
Beach Towels Cell phone chargers
Underwear Cameras & chargers
socks CD’s
Thongs First aid kit
Shorts Books
Long pants Games
Tee shirts Chairs
Shirts Cover for picnic table
Jacket Tools
Time to Hit the Road…
If you have kids, you probably take an annual family vacation. However, between expensive hotel rooms, dining out and pricy amusement parks, family vacations can cost a small fortune. One solution to high priced vacations is investing in an RV (Recreational Vehicle). Once thought to be vacation travel mode of senior citizens, more and more families with young children are purchasing RV’s or tow-behind campers, instead of tickets to Disney. Even with gas prices rocketing, camping with an RV is still cheaper than staying at many resorts and hotels.
There are numerous benefits of RV camping. Prices of RV campgrounds are far less than that of most hotels. You can stay a month at a campground for what you would pay for a weekend at some hotels. In addition, there are hundreds of national parks and campgrounds to choose from all across the United States. Some parks have RV restrictions, but many, including, Yosemite, Yellowstone and the White Mountains National Forest in New Hampshire, all have RV accommodations.
Squash Casserole Recipe
Winter squash have hard, thick rinds like acorn squash. You can keep winter squash fresh in cool, dark places for one to three months. Winter squash are drier and they contain less moisture than summer squash.
Summer squash, on the other hand, are thin-skinned and bruise easily. Summer squash are good for about a week in the refrigerator before they begin to soften and wrinkle.
This recipe uses summer squash. It is a great complement to any dinner, especially when serving ham.
My family really loves squash fixed this way. If your kids do not like squash, they may eat it prepared with this recipe.
Squash Casserole
3 to 4 C squash (zucchini and yellow) 1 medium size squash = about 2 C
1/2 C sliced onion
1/2 stick butter
1 egg (beaten a little)
1 T sugar
1 3/4 C cracker crumbs, divided. I use ritz crackers
1 C white sharp cheese, divided
Dash cayenne pepper
1/2 C mayonnaise
Salt & pepper
Herbs (optional) I use fresh basil and parsley
Slice squash & onion, put in pan with water and cook until tender. Drain
Put well drained squash in large mixing bowl. Add egg, butter, mayonnaise, sugar, half of cheese, and half of cracker crumbs. Season with salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, and herbs. Mix all ingredients well. put into buttered 1 1/2 qurt casserole and top with remaining cheese and cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 for 20 min.
It takes about 1 hour to prepare, so I usually double the recipe and freeze the second casserole without the cracker crumbs on the top. Freezing does not change the flavor at all.
Perfect Coffee Maker for a RV
When driving your RV the coffeemaker is a problem? Where to put it? Leave coffee in it for drinking while driving?
Can you imagine not having to find a place for the coffeemaker when leaving home or leaving a campground. The space saver coffeemaker takes the problem of the coffeemaker away.
The space saver coffeemaker was specifically designed for RVs. The space saver coffeemaker is stationary at all times. Coffee can be left in it without a problem. It stays in your RV at all times. Never have to lug it to the RV when leaving for a RV camping trip.
Enjoy your coffee when camping!