“The more you know, the more you can create. There’s no end to imagination in the kitchen.” – Julia Child
Time Saving Cheats
“How long is this one going to take?” It’s a common question I often hear. I could literally spend the entire day cooking because it’s my happy time, my me time, my stress reducer and passion. When you can sit back with a glass of good wine and enjoy the fruits of your labor…that taste bud tickler, a total flavor explosion to the senses type of meal, it’s more than worth it. The pile of dishes, not so much (I think we all can agree). When it comes to a busy day of hiking, a traveling day to the next campsite or let’s face it a day to rest, we want to minimize the prepping time because those minutes add up.
Garlic
I am, or could possibly be the biggest garlic lover in all of the world. So much garlic in-fact that I’ve never experienced a vampire attack. The peeling, oh the peeling! I can’t be the only one that gets ridiculously annoyed with this tedious task. One or two cloves, meh no problem but when you’re peeling multiple cloves and the tissue paper like peels stick all over your hands, all over your knife and even fall to the floor, those are the time stealing moments we want to minimize. So what’s the solution you ask? When it comes to camp and travel cooking, you can easily find pre-peeled garlic at most grocery stores. Yup, that’s right. Bye peels, I’m buying peeled. You can even purchase minced garlic in a jar. It’s the easiest solution out there! Garlic lovers rejoice!
Vegetables
I love fresh veggies the most and I find it super satisfying and fun to make a farmers market meal. Not only are you supporting the local town you’re visiting, you get to try new things. So load up on your veggies at the nearest local farmers market. But also when traveling, sometimes you’re limited time or often find yourself in a pinch, opting for frozen will certainly do!
Frozen peas are fabulous for tossing into stews and pastas. Try meal prepping by pre-measuring your frozen vegetables and tossing them into their individual zip lock bags. For example, when I plan ahead to make a gumbo, I pre-measure my frozen okra and into the RV freezer it goes. It’s ready to just toss right in! The same thing goes for stews. You can do the same with corn, carrots, spinach, peppers, chopped onions etc. The list is endless and boy is it simple! Its an easy cheat you can get away with! Don’t stop there, shredded carrots in the refrigerator isle are super handy too for quick salads, soups or my Thai Curry Chicken recipe.
Tomato Paste
I don’t know about you but I love convenience, especially when it comes to simple things. Many recipes call for a certain amount of tomato paste. So many times I’ve opened up one of those mini cans of tomato paste and then have found myself with over half a can left. Behold the solution, tomato paste in a tube! Holy smokes, this treasure of a find has been a cooking rescue. This is so perfect for those recipes that call for only a tablespoon or two. Squeeze it, cap it and into the fridge it goes. Yes, I am truly excited for a tube of tomato paste!
