You CAN do Thanksgiving Dinner in A Camper!

It might seem crazy, or perhaps just intimidating (because it's hard enough in a house with a full sized kitchen to pull this off) but yes, you CAN do Thanksgiving dinner in a camper: the whole thing, with all the trimmings! And I'm here to show you how!

RDB and I were camping this Thanksgiving and I wanted to prepare a traditional meal for us, but I don't have a great history with cooking full turkeys, and, camper kitchens are notorious for being small, so I knew this was going to be ambitious, but, with a little prep - and a lot of planning - I believed it was possible!  My proposed menu for the day:

Everything-but-the-Bagel Deviled Eggs 

Smoked Bone-in Split Turkey Breast with Mushroom and Shallot Gravy

Butter and Heavy Cream Cauliflower Mash

Asparagus with Balsamic and Olive Oil

OceanSpray Canned Cranberry Sauce

Whipped Cheesecake Pumpkin Pie

Tackling the biggest hurdle first, let's talk turkey.  There's no way RDB and I could eat a a whole turkey, so on the few occasions we do want to roast one, we go for a bone-in split turkey breast. For the longest time, I didn't even know an option like this existed!  It's about 3-4lbs of breast meat, skin on, with ribs still attached.  Just about the right size for two people with a little for leftovers. 

I dress my turkey with an onion, an orange, rosemary and thyme, LOTS of butter, broth (or stock concentrate) and salt and pepper. All the above went into a vacuum bag in prep for our camping trip, but if I'm cooking at home, I'll fill whatever pan I'm roasting in with a tasty pale ale, and into the oven it goes. This time, I'm skipping adding the liquids for sake of my cooking method for the camping trip: sous vide. 

This is how I'll manage to do a full Thanksgiving dinner in our camper: using the sous vide cooking method. If you're not familiar with it, sous vide, which is a French term for “under vacuum,” refers to the process of vacuum-sealing food in a bag, then cooking it to a very precise temperature in a water bath.   I purchased an immersion cooker several months ago and really love the simplicity of it: bag and seal what you're cooking, raise the water to the temp you need, and cook for a prescribed period of time. Done!

The turkey needed the most time underwater, about 6 hrs at 150*.  After that, we put it on the pellet smoker at 400* for an additional hour or so to give it a nice mesquite smoked flavor and crisp up the skin.  The first time I sous vide a turkey breast it was still pink inside; it was fully cooked, pasteurized actually, but it was a bit off putting (so it went into the oven to roast out the pinkness!) You'll also notice that sous vide cooking results in an odd visual appearance for most meats, so food is often finished off with time under a broiler or a quick sear in a hot cast iron pan to give it that 'done' appearance. 

Spoiler alert: it was sooooo worth it!

Ok, with the turkey relaxing in the ‘spa’ and cooking, we enjoyed a few mimosas and then got the half-buzzed crazy idea that it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without deviled eggs  (My Lil Sis was always sure that we’d have a dozen or two for Thanksgiving at Dad’s every year).  So, using our rice cooker and the steamer basket, I whipped up a quick set of deviled eggs. We even had one that had a double yolk (hello, good luck omen!).  My personal tip: use Everything but the Bagel seasoning instead of paprika- the extra flavors it imparts are super tasty! Needless to say, they didn’t last long! 

When the turkey came out of the jacuzzi and went out for a smoke, I got to work on the sides.  A little prep at home made this so much easier to accomplish, too; I cut the cauliflower into one inch slices so that it would be a uniform size in the vacuum saver bag. The water temp goes up to 175* and the cauliflower slices stayed in the 'spa' for an hour to cook and soften.  After that, I pureed them in my food processor with a ridiculous amount of heavy whipping cream and butter, added a bit of salt and pepper to taste and that one's done. (Yes, I have a small food processor in the camper.  Come on now, if I'm #extra enough have an immersion cooker, is it really that much of a reach to think I'd have a food processor and electric mixer, too? We're way beyond our PB&J days here, folks!)

The cauliflower mash went into a pre-heated oven to stay warm (Light the oven, let it come up to about 300*, then turn it off.  You don't need the heat to cook, just to keep things warm as everything else is finished up; also, be sure to keep the door closed, to keep as much of that heat in as possible.) I used the cooking liquid from the turkey, along with some chicken stock and heavy whipping cream, a little rice flour for the roux, to make gravy.  It may seem a bit odd to have the orange in with the turkey while it cooks, but I found that little bit of citrus flavor really adds a nice zing to both the bird and the sauce. 

The asparagus was last, only needing about 8 minutes in the bath with the temp brought down just a bit to 165*. I used another method for bagging the spears - rather than vacuum sealing, you can use a gallon sized ziplock bag, put your ingredients in and then submerge the bag in water all the way up to the ziptop, pushing out the air, and seal.  Balsamic vinegar and oil/avocado oil, and a little salt and pepper are the only seasonings the asparagus needs. 

And, for nostalgia sake, canned jellied cranberry sauce makes this meal complete. Did you know they put the label on upside down on purpose? I attempted, and was incredibly pleased with, a homemade keto jellied cranberry last year, but with all the effort and a chill time that requires an overnight in the fridge, I decided to splurge on the OG*  version from a can. (*original good)

All that talk of cranberry sauce and I forgot to plate it before the picture!

We’ll, there you have it. A full (keto-friendly, mostly) Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, cooked in our camper this year.  But, of course, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without dessert, so I made our favorite version of whipped cheesecake pumpkin pie. It's hard to go back to a traditional pumpkin pie after having this one, its so easy and tastes so good!

I hope that you had a splendid feast for your Turkey Day, and that you and yours stay healthy, find joy, and have all the fullness you can handle this holiday season!

Camp Cooking #13: 10 minute Whipped Cheesecake Pumpkin Pie

So, I wasn't sure what would be a more enticing title: "10 minute" or "no bake"? Because in this case, they're BOTH true!

Traveling for Thanksgiving and we're having a very toned-down family gathering at R&S's house this year, so I volunteered to bring dessert since I had just recently made this pie and RDB and I LOVE it!  It's incredibly easy - though you'll not likely have a pair of electric beaters in your camper kitchen.  

Though, for as easy as this is? You just _might_ want to bring a set!

Ok, let's go!

2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
3/4 can of Libby's Pumpkin Puree
Jell-o sugar free instant pudding, Cheesecake flavor
about 3/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 regular spoon's worth of Monk Fruit Blend Sugar substitute

Pecan pie crust 

Measuring spoons, can opener, spatula, electric mixer, big and small bowl

So, you'll notice a theme in the ingredients up there - this dessert is meant to be keto-friendly. RDB started eating that way last January and I've tried to be supportive - finding recipes like this that taste amazing certainly helps.  Give it a try before you turn your nose up at it... or just change out the sugars for the regular and it'll likely turn out just fine, too!

Measure out 2 cups of heavy whipping cream.  Or, if like me, you somehow manage to have measuring spoons but not measuring cups... then measure out 16 tablespoons of HWC into a dixie cup and mark a line (so that you don't have to measure another 16 tablespoons.....)

Pour your heavy whipping cream into a large bowl and sprinkle over the entire package of Jello instant pudding.  Mix on low for a moment to combine, then on high speed for nearly a minute until it stiffens.

Now, truth be told?  You could stop right there - ignore the pumpkin puree, grab a spoon, go turn on the Thanksgiving Day parade and go to town on that pudding mix.  Cause y'all?  That stuff is the BEST.  Super simple and WAY good.  Wanna be fancy? Put it in a bowl with your favorite berries. *mic drop*

But really, we're going for pie, so, prep your pumpkin mixture in a separate small bowl by combining about 3/4 a can of the puree with the pumpkin pie spice and sugar, using the spatula or a spoon.

Next up, scrape the spiced pumpkin puree into the stiffened pudding mix, turn the mixer back on and blend it all together.

You know what's coming next - spoon the mixture into your pecan pie shell and smooth out the top.  From there - you're done!  Or, if you want to get fancy - put a few pecan halves decoratively on the top, and then you're done!  

You can cut and serve this immediately or let it sit in the fridge till later.  But I'm telling you, once you've tried this, it'll be hard to wait!

Happy Thanksgiving - or happy any day you make this delicious dessert!! 

Camp Cooking #12: Way Easier Watermelon

A trip to Lockhart State Park wouldn't be complete without dropping by the Farmer's Market in Lulling and picking up one of their famous watermelons!

Now, you might be wondering: how on earth is a post about watermelon necessary? I mean, you jut cut it, and enjoy it. Simple, right?

Well, yes! But I'm about to make it even easier for you!

It was honestly the SMALLEST watermelon we could find!

First, grab your supplies:

Watermelon

Large Knife

Cheese Cutter

Screwdriver

Salt

So, yes, a cheese cutter.  I would never have thought about this had I not seen Alton Brown post his secret weapon for watermelon cutting on Facebook during our trip - but it's AWESOME! and totally worth repeating.  Here we go:

Slice your watermelon in half width wise.

Cut it into two inch slices.

Cut a small slit into the rind.

Use the screwdriver to unscrew and remove the bar under the wire that determines the thickness of a cheese slice (when used for it's actual intended purpose...) from your cheese slicer.

Hello, new watermelon cutter!

With your new watermelon cutter, insert the wire into the slit you cut in the rind.

And follow the rind all the way around back to your starting point.

Now, pop the center fruit out from the rind.

And there you have it! Repeat for the other slices of your watermelon!

Cut your slices into wedges....

... sprinkle some salt over the top (coarse, kosher, or flakes is best!)....

and enjoy your perfect summer treat!

Camp Cooking #11: Not your Mamma's Cast-Iron Queso

I love cheese.  Sliced, shredded, melted - you name it, I'm a fan of it. With chips, with crackers, with wine or beer or all by its little ole' lonesome.  Yep, I'm a huge fan of all things cheesy (including jokes, like this one: Q: What do you call a cheese that doesn't belong to you? A: Nacho Cheese!)

All joking aside, this recipe is not you're mamma's basic cheese dip - this is a cast-iron, melty, hotter-than-Hades, good-stuff, kick you in the teeth kind of queso. It's not for the faint of heart!

First up, Gather your Ingredients!

1 lb Jimmy Dean HOT sausage

Cayenne, Chili Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, 

Black Pepper, Cumin (all to taste)

1 lb Velveeta

1 can HOT Rotel

1 can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

3 Jalapenos, diced

Chips For Dipping

Cast-iron Dutch-oven, wooden spoon, knife, can opener, strainer

As we get started, a quick note on serving sizes - RDB and I halved everything but the Velveeta - and still ended up with waaay more than two people could finish - that being said, the complete ingredient list makes plenty enough for a crowd, but if you're making it for a couple, you might want to cut it down to a quarter can of beans, quarter pound of meat and only half the block of cheese. 

Begin by browning your sausage in your cast iron skillet over medium heat.  I highly recommend cast iron for this recipe - nothing sticks, everything melts well, it helps to retain heat (you'll serve it straight from the pot) and clean up couldn't be easier. 

When your sausage is still slightly pink, add in your spices (and if needed, drain the fat from your meat).  I wasn't very precise on how much of what (I rarely ever am, much to RDB's chagrin) so for the most part, you'll have to feel it out for yourself.  So far as heat goes, the ingredients listed above are from from hottest to mildest and remember - you're starting with a spicy meat and are also adding in HOT Rotel.  Adjust to your camper's Scoville preferences.  

Cube up and add in your Velveeta - and from this point on, dedicate someone to continuously stir the pot.  Cast iron cleans beautifully, yes, but cheese also burns quickly!  While the cheese is getting gooey, open your cans, drain your beans, and chop your jalapenos.  Note: don't drain the Rotel - you'll want the liquid to help thin out the cheese enough to make it scoopable.  Yes, 'scoopable.'  (Spellcheck, leave me alone!)

Add your (un-drained) can of Rotel at any point once you've got everything else ready to go. And stir, stir, stir.

You'll want to save the beans for last - right before the fresh jalapenos - because you don't want to mush them to pieces as you continue to stir and blend your queso.  One you have a completed melted and smooth consistency, add the beans, give a stir, then as you're taking this whole delightful pot to the table to serve, fold in your fresh jalapenos.

RDB and I both recommend serving this with Fritos - the extra bit of salt just sets this off!  Oh, and thinking about setting things off - you may want to have a fire extinguisher (aka, beer) nearby, because a few bites of this cheesy deliciousness will set your mouth on fire!

Camp Cooking #10: Cinnamon Banana Nut Quinoa

By now you've probably heard me mention my rice cooker about a thousand times. I am in love with this little device; so much so, that I have one both for the camper and the kitchen at home!  It's versatile - for so much more than just cooking rice and grains. My Oster brand rice cooker also came with a steamer basket feature. For about $20, this has been one of the best additions to my cooking arsenal.

Cinnamon Banana Nut Quinoa is a quick and easy staple of our camping trips - using the rice cooker makes this a set-it-and-forget-it kind of breakfast.

First, gather your ingredients:

Quinoa

Banana(s)

Nuts (pecans, walnuts, etc)

Cinnamon to taste

rice cooker, water, knife, bowls

I pre-measure out 2 servings of quinoa before we leave home and put it in snack sized ziplocks- 

again, its one more thing that makes this an easy throw together meal.

Add your quinoa, water, and cinnamon to the rice cooker.   Set to "cook."

While the grains are steaming, rough chop your nuts and slice your bananas.
(Wow, taken out of context that could sound really painful!)

Once the rice cooker pops over to "warm" and your grains are done cooking,
add in your pecans and bananas and serve.

Easy, peasy, delicious!

Camp Cooking #9: Rice Cake

Really?  You really thought this was about rice cake?  Wow, I love you for jumping on over to read then, because this is sooo much better than stale-as-air rice cake. 

This is a rice cooker cake.

Yum.

Our Easter Camping trip coincided this year with one of D&J+3's munchkin's birthdays, so I decided to surprise them with a cake for the little guy.   It's a small cake at about 6 inches - the size of your cooker bowl- but we were able to stretch it to give 12 people (mostly kids) a taste.   I was thrilled with the results and hope you'll try this on one of your upcoming trips.

First, gather your ingredients.

For the Cake:

Jiffy brand White Cake Mix

3/4 c Milk

1 Egg White

For the Frosting:

Canned Frosting 

Sprinkles

measuring cups, fork or spoon, baking non-stick spray

This one's about as easy as it gets - following the directions on the Jiffy Mix box, combine wet and dry ingredients and stir briefly.  I prefer the Jiffy mix because it makes a smaller amount of batter, but it only comes in white and yellow.  If you're in the mood for a different flavor cake you can certainly try this with a different box mix - but it may take longer to cook, and you may end up with a lot more batter than what fits in the cooker bowl.

Once you have your batter mixed, take a quick moment to grease the cooker bowl. I use a Pam spray for baking (flour and oil in one) but you could probably get away with a smearing of butter or oil that you already have on hand.  After your bowl is greased, pour in your batter.

Pop the lid on your cooker and press "cook."  Oh, and lick the spoon (or fork).  Very important step there.  Quality control and all.  ;-)

The rice cooker is designed to cook its contents until a certain temperature is reached and then turn itself to warm, but often that temp is reached before the cake is fully cooked.  Through trial and error, I've figured out that my brand of cooker needs three cook cycles to fully cook the cake but really, it's not that big of a deal.  Hit the button, go play a round of corn-hole, come back, turn the bowl, hit the button again, go play another round.  Repeat once more and you're done. IMPORTANT TIP: Be sure to rotate the bowl each time you reset the cook cycle - otherwise you'll end up with one spot on the cake that's burned.  Again, trial and error.  (Oh the things I do for you, my lovely readers!) 

As always, the tooth-pick test will let you know if you need to run another cook cycle.  This baking method does steam the top of the cake, so it's gonna be sticky to the touch (and stick to whatever plate you turn it out on) but the stickiness doesn't mean it's not finished on the inside.  Tooth-pick test, 'nuff said.

I took the easy route and used canned frosting for this one (why make it harder than it has to be, right?).  I do recommend a crumb cost first - though it's golden brown and firm on top (that used to be bottom closest to the heating element) since the to (now bottom) was steamed, it crumbles apart a bit.  A good crumb coat will make fully icing it much easier.  Personal preference on this, but since it's such a small cake, it didn't need the entire jar of frosting, in fact, there was quiet a bit left over and I still feel like the cake got a thick coating.

I'm a huge fan of simple and plain - so we could have left the cake just as it is above - luscious, thick, white vanilla frosting.  Yum!  But, since it was for a kiddo, it certainly needed to be adorned with fun and festive sprinkles.

I hope your camping adventures continue to be full of great food and good times - and that you'll attempt this awesome rice cooker cake on your next trip out!