Fall brings these meals to our tiny kitchen
Autumn calls for getting cozy and these creations get us in the mood for the chill – and chili – season.
The slow-cooker comes through: Ever since Leslie scored a mini Crock-Pot several years ago, she’s been doing a deep dive into the art of making soups, stews and sauces in that 1.5 quart cooker. The best example might boil down to the most humble food of all: dried beans. Our head chef is a big fan of beans of every stripe – from pinto beans to those gorgeous cranberry beans – simmering those beauties all day and seasoning simply and serving with delicious extras.
On a Meatless Monday, that might mean chopping taco toppings and letting everyone customize their own bowl. One of our favorite bean buddies is a sort-of salsa creation called Calabacitas. That’s a combination of diced summer squash, corn (even out of season, a small can of corn works well) and some hot peppers such as Mama Lil’s pickled peppers. Finish this bright-tasting condiment with a generous squeeze of lime.
Want to take these meals in a fancy direction? Try using some Rancho Gordo beans. This California-based operation has done so much to elevate the humble bean to star status.
Saucy Sunday roast: While we love the tradition of a one-pan meal in the oven, that’s not an option when you’re in most RVs. We have a decent microwave that doubles as a convection oven, but that time Leslie tried roasting a chicken? Well, let’s just say the chorus of smoke alarms reached three-alarm levels.
The work-around is once again to pull out the Crock-Pot and load it up with chunks of pork shoulder or butt, pieces of chuck or a big mess of mushrooms. Add onions, carrots, garlic, a splash of wine or beer, a squeeze of tomato paste. Boom! Dinner’s done in a matter of hours. Big bonus: The aroma while cooking is pretty fantastic. Pro tip: Always season towards the end of cooking, tasting before serving and adjusting if necessary.
Something sweet: This year’s apples have been extra-special, so sweet-tart and don’t you love the crisp of a Honeycrisp? We eat a whole lot of fresh fruit during the day, but when fall rolls around, Leslie likes to take those apples in a pie-like direction. Still, after many crust-making fails, she’s become devoted to perfecting the crisp. The stove-top version couldn’t be easier to make.
Slice some of your favorites, between four and six apples depending on the size of your pan. Don’t bother peeling. Place those slices in a saute pan and cook slowly over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When they begin to brown, sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of sugar and a few shakes of cinnamon. Shave a couple of tablespoons of cold butter into a cup of granola. Add that mixture to the apples, lower heat and cover. That autumn crisp should be good to go in 10 minutes. Grab the ice cream!
Whiskey season: Oh, who are we kidding? John doesn’t need a changing calendar to enjoy a wee dram of brown liquor. The seasonal shift involves the mixer and when the cooler temps roll around, that’s a splash of ginger beer over ice with a double shot of Maker’s Mark. Yes, he’s dabbled in fancy bourbon and even tippled some high-end Scotch, but Maker’s has become the go-to for happy hour. Cheers to sweater season!
Holiday gifting
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