Both sweet and savory … these delicious noodles take minutes to prepare and make a great side to an Asian-inspired meal or, as we did, serve with fresh Dungeness crab and garlic bread. (One can never have enough garlic in my opinion!) Grocery Outlet doesn’t sell fresh crab, but they do feature an amazing ocean caught salmon that would be terrific with a miso-soy glaze. Hubby says he could easily eat just a big bowl of the noodles all by themselves … they are THAT good!
Turkey is the hands-down favorite for Thanksgiving but when you are cooking for just a few (or have a tiny oven as I do), Cornish Game Hens are a great alternative and also make a festive meal during the winter holidays. Who doesn’t like having their own drumstick? Grocery Outlet has a wonderful frozen food section and these little birds are inexpensive and thaw in a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. You’ll also find a good selection of fresh produce in bulk, packaged and organic varieties to chose from.
Crabcakes Benedict is my hubby’s favorite breakfast and here in Northern California we have access to fresh crab year-round. If you are already doing a crab dinner, just buy a bit extra and save some meat for the next day. You could also do it with canned lump crab, as I did this time since we were traveling to a vacation spot and it transported easier than whole crab. (The kitchen in our vacay home wasn’t any bigger than the galley!)
This is a lovely, rich meal that is perfect for brunch on it’s own or paired with fresh fruit and/or potatoes. And mimosas … always mimosas!
Salmon is fresh and plentiful in California and it’s one of our favorite proteins to grill or poach. It also makes for a quick main course that is heartier than traditional clam chowder. It’s a great meal to serve for guests as it can be made hours beforehand and kept at room temperature until 10 minutes before sitting down to eat. Pop sourdough bread bowls into the oven to heat, add the final ingredients under the asterisk in the directions below, and serve with a small salad. Bonus: easy clean-up and few dishes!
Mashed potatoes are comfort food in our family so I make a big batch and almost always have leftovers. This is a quick recipe for a savory breakfast dish which pairs nicely with fresh melon and sausage or bacon. Take the potatoes out of the fridge to bring to room temperature while you are having your morning cup of tea or coffee; this will make them easier to mix and cook evenly.
“You live on a boat?! How is that? Does it move all the time? How does the weather affect you? Where do you keep your stuff? Do you have electricity? How about fresh water? Do you have a real kitchen? How do you deal with waste? Are you connected to cable and WiFi? Does your dog like living on a boat? What happens when you go sailing?”
Do you have a real kitchen? Yes, it’s real, but it’s tiny. (It’s called a galley on a boat.) I have about four feet by 6 feet, plus cabinet space, to work with. And in that small space I have a stove with three burners and an oven, refrigerator, double sink and counter space. The counter space also doubles as covers for my sink, fridge, storage and dish drainer, so clearing any clutter is always the first step to prepping/cooking. Heidi and Aaron have opted not to have a freezer any longer in order to save electricity, and the space will soon be used to store everyday pots and pans for easy access. It’s not uncommon for the steps from the galley to the cockpit and the navigation station to also be used in the prep process. 🙂
My stove, a Seaward Princess II, was built specially for a boat and operates on propane. It replaced my original stove (also a Seaward Princess) in 2014 and cared for properly will last over 20 years.
“You live on a boat?! How is that? Does it move all the time? How does the weather affect you? Where do you keep your stuff? Do you have electricity? How about fresh water? Do you have a real kitchen? How do you deal with waste? Are you connected to cable and WiFi? Does your dog like living on a boat? What happens when you go sailing?”
How about fresh water? Fresh water is essential to life. Living on a boat is considered “roughing it” by some, but I am not only equipped with the crucial elements taken for granted by land-lubbers, I am able to generate my own electricity (as shared last week) and water.
Having access to clean, drinkable water is something that most people in America (and other developed countries) take for granted. In a house, you turn on a faucet and clean water flows! It’s not that simple on a boat. When we are traveling in foreign waters, it is vital that we have the ability to obtain and stock clean water, either by purchasing on land or collecting and/or making onboard.
Water water everywhere and not a drop to drink – James Casey, Poet
Gnocchi is one of hubby’s favorite dishes. I’ve made it often from store-bought package, always thinking it would be difficult to make in my small galley. It turns out that it is incredibly easy with only three ingredients. I’ll actually be able to make this when we are at sea without fresh provisions as potatoes are one of the staples that keep for a very long time in a bag in a dark, cool cabinet (and we have quite a few of these onboard) and flour is one of our staples. For the sauce, I’ll have to resort to canned tomato sauce and mushrooms or a jar of Alfredo sauce, unless we are near shore where fresh ingredients are available. But while we’re tied to land, I’ll indulge in using real cream and fresh herbs and veggies.
“You live on a boat?! How is that? Does it move all the time? How does the weather affect you? Where do you keep your stuff? Do you have electricity? How about fresh water?Do you have a real kitchen? How do you deal with waste? Are you connected to cable and WiFi? Does your dog like living on a boat? What happens when you go sailing?”
Do you have electricity and water? Heidi and Aaron get this question quite often. Yes, I am a boat. But I’m a finely appointed vessel, built to cruise the world. So although I don’t offer amenities such as a dishwasher and washing machine, I have systems that provide far more than a roughing-it camping experience. These systems are quite complex though, and we are very fortunate that our Captain is an electrician who understands the intricacies of maintaining my electrical system and will be well-versed on my new water-maker in the coming months.
We invited guests for dinner and I learned that one was vegan. She told me that she’d bring her own food and it was no big deal. Vegans don’t eat any animal-based food, so meals need to have no eggs or dairy products. I love a good culinary challenge, so I did a little research and talked to co-workers that are both vegetarians and vegans and devised a recipe that is colorful and bursting with flavor and also filling. The key is to read the labels of everything … you’d be surprised how many items that you’d think are purely vegetarian have some form of dairy or meat product or are prepared in facilities that share machinery.
Vivo O Sonho 