Tag: baking

In the Kitchen, Photo challenge

Is it Purple or is it Blue?

by Ingrid56 Comments on Is it Purple or is it Blue?
Is it Purple or is it Blue?

Oh darn! I seriously thought finding the images for today’s post would be easy. I scoured through photographs downloaded on my laptop. I racked my brain for possible photos in one of my external hard drives. I seriously have thousands of pictures, but do the images depict the color purple?

Scorpion Weed – yes, as dangerous as the name sounds. This plant can produce a poison ivy type of rash. So no picking the flowers.

For this week’s Sunday Stills photo challenge, we’re asked to share images of various shades of purple.

Wildflowers galore!

We enjoyed a glorious spring here in Phoenix, Arizona. We had above average precipitation and near perfect temperatures. The desert heat is upon us now, but I can still revel in the beautiful wildflower season we had. I tried getting out and about with the camera as much as possible.

Did I capture purple wildflowers or do they appear more blue?

My Lavender plant in my backyard. Since it’s called lavender, it must be purple.
A flowering bush at a nearby park

My neighbor has the most beautiful tree adorned with an abundance of purple blooms. I’m not sure what kind of tree it is though. I really should download one of those apps on my iPhone that identifies a plant or flower.

My neighbor’s tree. Could it be a Jacaranda tree?
The blooms on my neighbor’s tree up close.

As I sit in my comfy chair writing this post and occasionally glancing out the window to admire this beautiful tree, I struggle to think of other purple objects. Well, that is until my attention is drawn to the kitchen. The sweet aroma of baked goods still wafts in the air from the freshly baked coffee cake removed from the oven just a short time ago.

Blueberries or Purple-berries?

In my opinion, no Sunday brunch is complete without a tasty coffee cake. And I make one heck of a yummy Blueberry Coffee Cake, or so I’ve been told.

Blueberries definitely look blue when whole, but once we cut into them the color appears more purple. Am I right? Plus, after working with blueberries, my hands are definitely stained purple. Thus, let’s call them blueberries when they are whole and purple-berries once we start working with them … that is cutting them or pureeing them. #purple 😁

My hands can attest to the purple hue every time I make this coffee cake. I usually use frozen blueberries and after dipping my hands into the bag to retrieve the blueberries to add to the batter, I have to wash my hands immediately or else risk spreading the purple hue onto other surfaces.

Mother’s Day Brunch

Today is Mother’s Day and my favorite meal to celebrate the day is breakfast. My daughter is making brunch for me today and we’ll toast with mimosa’s. Nothing like a little mother-daughter time to bring a smile to my face. Of course, we’ll indulge in a slice (or two) of this delicious blueberry coffee cake.

And it would be just plain rude of me if I didn’t share the recipe for this scrumptious coffee cake, especially after showing you the pictures. Be sure and let me know if you give this recipe a try.

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Dry Ingredients for cake

2 cups all-purpose
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients for cake
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk (or water)
1/4 cup melted butter

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw, use frozen)

CRUMB TOPPING
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, slightly softened and cubed

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For the cake: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large measuring cup, whisk together egg and milk then add to dry ingredients. With a spatula or wooden spoon start mixing then add the melted butter. Once all ingredients are incorporated, fold in the blueberries.

Transfer to a greased baking pan (9×9 square non-stick or 10″ cast-iron skillet). Set aside.

For the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with a fork forming small pea-size crumbles. When all the butter is combined forming a crumbly mixture, top the cake evenly with the crumble, then place the cake into a preheated 375-degree oven for 30-35 minutes. (Do not overbake). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe by Ingrid @LiveLaughRV.net

Wishing you a wonderful Mother’s Day 💗

Ok, Lupines are they purple or are they blue? Regardless, they sure are pretty!
In the Kitchen, wildlife

Coffee Cake Debacle – Blame the Eagle

by Ingrid71 Comments on Coffee Cake Debacle – Blame the Eagle
Coffee Cake Debacle – Blame the Eagle

Being housebound isn’t all bad. The downtime has given me the opportunity to clean house, binge-watch something, get caught up on RV maintenance projects that we’ve been avoiding, binge-watch something, go for long walks, reorganize a bunch of crap stuff on my computer, binge-watch something, and finally finish editing a video that has been in the works since last August. 🥴

Quite frankly, I had put the whole YouTube channel/video stuff on the back burner. That is until I went looking for a recipe in my recipe notebook recently. When I finally found the blueberry coffee cake recipe that I was searching for, I was reminded that I had shot a video on how to make this easy blueberry coffee cake. So then I thought, ok if I’m going to post the recipe, I might as well share the video. Right?

So since we’re all stuck at home during this pandemic, I’m pretty sure many of you are cooking and possibly baking more than normal. For me, I may be baking more but only cooking slightly more since we don’t normally go out to eat on any sort of regular basis anyway. It’s usually about once a week that we’ll eat out, and I’ll admit, I’m missing that. Sorry, but carry-outs aren’t the same.

blueberry coffee cake baked in a cast iron skillet

With the whole pandemic in full swing during the month of April, Easter Sunday was naturally a little quiet for us. Of course, all along we’ve been adhering to a good practice of social distancing, but distancing from my daughter doesn’t count since I’ve been seeing her regularly ever since the beginning of this pandemic. With that said, our daughter, Ashton, joined us for Easter Sunday and we started off the day with blueberry coffee cake and mimosas. 🥂

You see, the RV park where we’ve been sheltering shortened the hours that the laundry facility is open, making the laundry room more crowded than it normally would be 😬 which kind of defeats the purpose of social distancing in my opinion. Therefore, I’ve been doing my laundry at Ashton’s place while keeping her company during lunch. I feel that’s safer than using a busy laundry facility filled with germs. Since my daughter lives by herself and is currently working from home until June 1st, she gets a little lonely and enjoys my laundry/lunch dates.

So as Easter was approaching, I decided to use up the last of the wild blueberries in my freezer to make this easy blueberry coffee cake. During Ashton’s Easter visit while enjoying the coffee cake and mimosas, we reminisced about picking blueberries in northern Wisconsin and being awed by the bald eagle family that we’d see either in the trees or hanging on the boat dock.

bald eagle in a tree with wings spread

The eagle was a routine distraction for me in Wisconsin and I was constantly jumping out of the RV to try and capture images and footage. It was a frustrating endeavor, but I did manage to capture a little video on my iPhone.  (Video deleted) Ah, distractions while trying to follow a recipe is usually a recipe for disaster. And although I didn’t encounter a disaster per se, there was a little faux pas with the failure to add an ingredient … a very important ingredient … the star of the show ingredient … blueberries. Yep, I made a blueberry coffee cake without the blueberries 🤪 I blame the eagle!

blueberry coffee cake in a cast iron skillet, picnic

Which is better … non-stick or cast-iron?

Oh well, my little mistake in my RV kitchen served as the perfect opportunity to bake a second coffee cake (WITH blueberries) and do a little experiment. Does the choice of the baking pan make a difference? Is there a pro or con to baking in a non-stick metal pan versus a cast-iron skillet?

Is one brand of all-purpose flour better than another? Yes! I’ve been a fan of King Arthur Flour products long before they started distributing across the country. I used to order their products directly and have them shipped to me, but somewhere along the way, I ended up purchasing a different brand, and this little experiment of mine reminded me that King Arthur Flour is superior. It bakes a fluffier, less dense coffee cake, and personally, I think it’s worth the extra buck or two. (This is not a sponsored post. I’m merely a happy customer.)

Anyway, if you’re looking for a tasty and easy blueberry crumb coffee cake recipe, give this one a try. And don’t forget to add ALL the ingredients. Yep, when you’re making a blueberry coffee cake, don’t forget to add the blueberries.

This summer, I swear, I won’t go out of the RV without my big camera with zoom on my person at all times and hopefully there will be another eagle family for me to photograph … but not while I’m baking 😉

Sometimes you win. Sometimes you learn!

Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Dry Ingredients for cakeblueberry coffee cake
2 cups all-purpose
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients for cake
1 large egg
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw, use frozen)

CRUMB TOPPING
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, slightly softened and cubed

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For the cake: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large measuring cup, whisk together egg and milk then add to dry ingredients. With a spatula or wooden spoon start mixing then add the melted butter. Once all ingredients are incorporated, fold in the blueberries.

Transfer to a greased baking pan (9×9 square non-stick or 10″ cast-iron skillet). Set aside.

For the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in butter with a fork forming small pea-size crumbles. When all the butter is combined forming a crumbly mixture, top the cake evenly with the crumble, then place the cake into a preheated 375-degree oven for 30-35 minutes. (Do not overbake). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe by Ingrid @LiveLaughRV.net

(This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support❤ )

The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook
Non-Stick 9-Inch Square Baking Pan with Lid, Set of 2
Lodge 10.25″ Cast Iron Skillet

In the Kitchen

Cheesecake Cupcakes and a Wedding

by Ingrid53 Comments on Cheesecake Cupcakes and a Wedding

With the impending wedding less than two weeks away, final preparations are in full swing. Oh, what wedding you ask? Did I not mention, my son is getting married in mid August? Yes, exciting times for us around Arizona!

Although, Al and I had several reasons for not traveling outside of the state of Arizona this summer, the number one reason to stay somewhat close to Phoenix was the wedding. Being only an hours drive away from Phoenix has worked out perfectly, and I’ve been able to be included in any and all wedding festivities and preparations.

yellow rose

Even though the children live in Phoenix, the actual wedding venue is on a ranch in Skull Valley, just west of our RV Park in Prescott, Arizona. Thus, the location of the wedding is rather convenient for Al and me, but then again, we did plan accordingly 😀

I haven’t really had much involvement in the whole process. The bride seems to have everything under control, but I’ve been around to attend dress fittings, doing a tour of the venue, and a few other events. The one thing the bride did ask me to do was bake my son’s favorite dessert for the wedding.

dessert tray
This is a dessert tray I took over to a friend’s house last fall. All made by yours truly!

Instead of a wedding cake …

You see, the bride and groom don’t intend to have a big wedding cake. Probably just a little one for them to cut for traditional purposes. Instead of serving guests a slice of wedding cake, they’ve chosen to have a dessert bar for their guests so guests can enjoy a variety of desserts. For this, the bride has enlisted the help of several people.

easy cheesecake cupcakes recipeWith that said, I’ve been asked to make my famous cheesecake cupcakes for the wedding. My son loves cheesecake. It’s his favorite dessert.

I used to make him a yummy New York style cheesecake, but it was always a great deal of work and a tad more challenging to make in my little RV kitchen.

Then I discovered an easy recipe for cheesecake cupcakes, which my son enjoys equally as much. These are so much easier to make than a big cheesecake, especially in the RV.

I didn’t think twice about saying yes to the bride when she asked me if I would make my son’s favorite dessert for the wedding … until … until … until she told me around 90 cupcakes should be about the right amount 😲 Say what?

Okay, I’ve adapted to working in my little RV kitchen and can put out some amazing meals and baked goods. Quite frankly, with a little organization, anything that can be made in a sticks and bricks dwelling, can be made in a RV, but now we’re talking about production … large quantities. No, the RV wouldn’t work. Sure, I could actually make them all in the RV, that’s not the problem. Cheesecake needs to be refrigerated, and therein lies the problem. You know how big my refrigerator is? Six (6) cubic feet! Yeah, that’s small. Let’s compare … how big is yours?

easy cheesecake cupcake recipe
production at daughters place

I needed to come up with another plan. That is, after trying logically to enlighten my future daughter-in-law on the wisdom of serving a chilled dessert like cheesecake at an outdoor wedding in the middle of August … I was met with a blank stare. Ah, brides!!!

Cheesecake it is, and for plan B, I enlisted the help of my daughter. I still haven’t totally figured out how we’re going to keep these little cheesecakes chilled at the outdoor wedding venue, but I have a few possible ideas swirling in my head.

So, a couple of weekends ago, I took the 90 mile drive to the Phoenix valley to spend the weekend at my daughter’s place and dive into the baking production challenge.

She and I always have so much fun spending a weekend together. However, during this visit, we were on a mission and the baking task at hand took precedence. Oh, not that we didn’t have fun … we did indeed. There was plenty of laughing and shenanigans in the kitchen all the while binge watching “Nailed It”. We had to keep motivated, and the baking show did just that!

Nailed it Pinterest fail
Happy birthday Daughter – my Pinterest fail – it’s the thought that counts – Nailed It!

My daughter recently discovered this Netflix original baking show and immediately thought of me. Seriously, if you have never heard of the show, I recommend you Google images of Nailed It, and you too will laugh your a*s off. She thinks I’d make the perfect contestant with my many a Pinterest fail … ah, my baking endeavors and failures 😏

Whew! Five exhausting hours later – success!  We had the cupcake containers filled with the requested 90 cheesecake cupcakes. Now it was time to take them over to son’s house to be stored in his deep freezer. The decorating on top of the cheesecakes will be done the morning of the wedding. After all, I have nothing else to do the morning of the wedding other than decorate 90 80 cupcakes 😏

The cupcake container was so heavy that Ashton and I decided to weigh it. Oh my gosh, almost twelve (12) pounds of cupcakes!!!

recipe for easy Cheesecake cupcakes
We weigh the cupcakes – nearly 12 pounds!

While I lead the way carrying my pans and utensils down the outdoor apartment steps to load into the car, Ashton followed carrying the cupcakes. She had gone down maybe four steps, when I heard some very unladylike exclamations loudly uttered. I didn’t need to turn around to know what had happened, but I did need to know the extent of the damage. The cupcakes were so heavy that one of the container clips on the side gave way. (Note to self … in the future, do not carry by the handle but rather cradle in arms holding from bottom. Do not trust the clips to hold. Lesson learned!)

Although Ashton was on the verge of tears, I quickly calmed her concerns and gathered up the tossed cupcakes. We returned to her apartment to see what I could salvage.

what to bring to a social gathering
This plate of desserts made it successful to a social gathering!

Turns out about ten of the cheesecake cupcakes were not salvageable to serve to wedding guests. The main problem was the shape. Only two had actually touched the ground while the others remained in the container, but ended up either upside down or smashed to one side. The ones that were still slightly warm were now misshapen and not very pretty … tasty, but not pretty.

I gathered the rejects and placed them on a paper plate, and with a sharpie, I marked the paper liners of the two cupcakes that had touched the ground. This plate of rejects would return with me to the RV. The rest of the cupcakes eventually made it safely into my son’s freezer where they await the big day.

With the cupcake challenge behind us, next on our list was to go to the liquor store and purchase the wine for the wedding which Al and I, parents of the groom, had offered to do. With the wine loaded in my backseat and then dropped off at son’s place, Ashton and I returned to her apartment with a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio for ourselves and a healthy take-out dinner order from Panera Bread. We were exhausted and needed an evening of fun and relaxation.

The rest of the evening was spent laughing, drinking, and eating while we watched a combination of Nailed It and comedian Ali Wong. I’d say we had a very successful and entertaining day in spite of the little mishap on the apartment steps.

Between Al and our RV Park neighbors, the reject cupcakes were devoured in short order with requests for more rejects. And to think, my daughter was going to throw them away! They may not have been pretty, but they were still very tasty as evidenced by their quick disappearance and request for more .

Recipe for my dessert contribution to the wedding

Easy Cheesecake Cupcakes

  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

Cheesecake Filling
2 – 8 ounce packages of softened cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
easy cheesecake cupcake recipe2 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla

Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons melted butter

Directions – Turn oven on to 325 degrees.
Crust – In a food processor, grind graham crackers into crumbs. In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs with sugar. Add in melted butter. Using a spoon, combine until all crumbs are coated with butter.

Line a muffin tin with paper liners (do not use foil liners) – 18 cupcakes. With non-stick cooking spray, lightly spray paper liners then add about 1 Tablespoon (or slightly less) of graham cracker mixture to each liner. Firmly press crumbs down.

Filling – In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat together cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until combined. Spoon mixture into prepared graham cracker muffin tin. Fill about 3/4 full.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until filling looks baked. Cool completely before decorating. This recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.

Decoration –
Top with buttercream frosting and a teaspoon of strawberry or blueberry preserves or  instead of frosting, top with strawberry or blueberry preserves and whip cream.

Recipe by Ingrid at LiveLaughRV.com

Tips for making these cheesecake cupcakes

1.  Organization is tip number one, especially when working in a small kitchen.

2. Use a Tablespoon to measure out the graham cracker crust into the cupcake liners to try to get an equal amount into each well.how to make easy cheesecake cupcakes3. Use the top of a wine bottle to firmly press down the graham cracker crust. Of course, we washed the top of the bottle well before using. Perk … drink and enjoy when done using the bottle 🤣
recipe for cheesecake for a wedding
4. Cool the cheesecakes completely before decorating or moving them to a new location. Do as I say, not as I do!

Final thoughts …

With the groom’s mother (me) doing her part for the wedding, let’s hope Mother Nature does hers and cooperates by giving us a reprieve from the daily afternoon thunderstorms that we’ve been experiencing since early July.

I don’t know why, but the bride and groom didn’t share my sense of humor when I told them my rubber muck boots and raincoat coordinate with my dress nicely and dad (Al) intended to bring his fishing waders just in case. Hey, when ya live in a RV, as Al and I do, one is always prepared for adversity … it’s part of the RV adventure!

Arizona wedding venue
Let’s hope the monsoon season takes a break for us to enjoy this setting for the ceremony! Photo taken during the winter … foliage is much prettier now especially after all the rain!

(affiliate links)
Sunbeam MixMaster Stand Mixer
 Nonstick Carbon Steel Muffin Pan – 2-Pack


Silicone Spatula Set
Wonder Woman Adjustable  Apron

In the Kitchen

Apple Pie, Holidays and RVing

by Ingrid70 Comments on Apple Pie, Holidays and RVing

Cooking and baking in a RV

“I could never live in a RV full-time because I’d get bored living on hot dogs and hamburgers”. Al patiently listened to this comment. Then in a somewhat perplexed tone, he looked at the guy and asked, “What are you talking about?” The guy quickly responded, “Isn’t that what you eat when you’re camping?”

easy apple pie recipe

With a chuckle, Al quickly responded by rattling off a list of meals he had enjoyed that week – all lovingly made by his dear wife …. Chicken Marsala, Shrimp Pasta Primavera, Fish Tacos with homemade guacamole, T-bone steak topped with sautéed mushrooms, Chicken Enchiladas, and of course, Hamburgers, but not just any old Blueberry Oatmeal Squareshamburger, a Hatch Chili Burger.

Then hubby went on to list a few delectable treats that he had the pleasure of devouring (also made by the love of his life). The guy was in total shock and exclaimed, “Wow, if that’s how you eat, I could live in a RV full-time. As a matter of fact, can I move in with you?” 😆

The bottom line is, if it can be made in a sticks and bricks home, it can be made in a RV. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some challenges to overcome cooking in a RV. First and foremost is the size of the RV which dictates the size of the kitchen, the size of the appliances, and the amount of storage space available. But with good organizational skills and thoughtful planning, anything is possible. Just ask my family and friends.

Game of Thrones birthday cakeLast month I baked a delicious birthday cake for my daughter, and all from scratch. No box mixes that day. Her millennial girlfriends (non RVer’s) were surprised this was all done in an RV.

According to my daughter, it seems I may have redeemed myself from last years mess of a birthday cake.

And no, I won’t be sharing a photo of that cake, too embarrassing, but she sure had fun re-posting the photo of it on Facebook. Last years cake was one of those failures in crafting –  “A” for effort and “F” for execution.

(This post contains affiliate links)  This years birthday cake was a tasty Black Forest Cake with a Game of Thrones inspired theme and actually turned out cute and tasty. My daughter is a huge Game of Thrones fan and loved the beanie baby Dragon on top. (FYI – Black Forest Cake = chocolate cake covered in chocolate frosting with a cherry filling between layers – oh, yum indeed!) Yeah, I did good creating this birthday cake, and I had fun doing it and all in the confines of my little RV kitchen.

I’ve talked many times before how social RVing and blogging can be. We’ve developed some fabulous friendships these past several years between RVing and blogging. Usually the meet ups are centered around food and beverages. Either we meet at a restaurant or preferably at someone’s home which could be a sticks and bricks or an RV, and everyone brings something to share.

sharing a dish to pass

Many of us, whether we live in a traditional house or a RV do not have family close by, and this can bring on a feeling of loneliness and even more so during the holiday season. We love and miss our family during the entire year, but especially during the holidays. Al and I have lived most of our adult lives far from extended family and have learned to adjust. We turn to friends during those times when we aren’t near family for the holidays.

Holiday journey …

I recall, the first Thanksgiving Al and I ever spent together. He was a Pilot and I a Flight Attendant for a small regional airline based in Chicago, Illinois. It was the second time we had met and worked together, and we were on a three-day trip over the Thanksgiving holiday. During those three days, we found ourselves bouncing between the cities of Chicago, New York, Omaha, Kansas City and Philadelphia.

easy apple pie recipeBy the time we landed in Philadelphia on Thanksgiving Day, it was around 4:00 in the afternoon. The entire crew was famished after a very long second day of this three-day trip.

We scoured the airport for food, but everything was closed except for a cafeteria which was also in the process of closing down. Our only choice …. Phillie cheese steak sandwiches. We’ll take’m! Not one crew member complained as we sat in silence filling our growling bellies. This was just the beginning of a blossoming romance between a Pilot and a Flight Attendant ❤

Quail

Many years and two kids later, we were living in Colorado Springs, Colorado. With extended family more than a thousand miles away, we decided to head to the mountains for the Thanksgiving weekend. I booked a hotel room in Dillon, Colorado, so the kids, who were about 12 and 14 years old at the time, could enjoy opening ski season.

Armed with walkie-talkies, we turned the kids loose on the slopes at Copper Mountain while Al and I enjoyed the comforts of a roaring fire at the base of the mountain accompanied by hot toddies.  (Al and I are certified flat-landers who have never been bitten by the skiing bug, but we encouraged our children to ski. After all, if you grow up in Colorado, you have to ski. It’s a rule 🎿 😄). Less than two hours later, we were greeted with a hysterically crying twelve-year-old daughter, whom I might add was dressed quite adorably by moi with her powder blue ski boots, matching jacket, headband and bouncing French braided pigtails … so cute, but back to the crying mess …

ColoradoThrough all her hiccuping cries, we had trouble understanding a word she said. She didn’t seem hurt and her hysterically laughing brother following behind her lead us to believe it wasn’t serious.

Once the crying and laughing subsided, we were briefed on the kids faux pas. You see, when they got off the chair lift, they took a wrong turn and found themselves going down a challenging slope with moguls. Those two young novice skiers didn’t even know what the term mogul skiing meant, let alone know how to navigate that slope. To make a long story short, there were a few wipe-outs and somersaults involved, but no injuries. Something to be thankful for!

To stem the hysteria, we gave the kids the choice of where to eat for our Thanksgiving dinner and they unanimously picked pizza at Old Chicago in Silverthorn.  Another turkey saved. Fun and memorable times!

friendship
sharing a meal with fellow RVers / bloggers – camaraderie at its finest!

For our family, it isn’t so much about the food as it is about making memories, spending time together, and being thankful. We’ve always opened our home to neighbors and friends and we’ve continued that tradition in our RVing life. Full-time RVing finds most of us many miles away from family, and this is when we reach out to our RVing and blogging community.

I’ll never forget the toast friends of ours made before sharing a Thanksgiving dinner together, “You can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family.  Cheers … here’s to picking us”. 

Whether you’re spending the holiday by yourself, or sharing it with a partner, or with extended family, or even with a friend made the day before, remember to make your own holiday tradition. There are no rules …. well …. except for one ….. apple pie. For an American Thanksgiving meal, dinner can be the traditional turkey with all the trimmings, or a Phillie cheese steak sandwich, or even pizza, but you must have apple pie … it’s the American thing to do 😆

easy apple pie recipe

Easy apple pie recipe …

As I mentioned earlier, cooking and baking in a small kitchen like a RV can be a challenge. When we lived in a sticks and bricks home, I always made my apple pie from scratch, including the crust, but I have a counter top space issue in my RV, meaning I easy homemade apple piehave very little room to roll out a pie crust …. sigh!

Believe me, I’ve tried every possibility including the table and even my desk, but in all cases it was a huge pain, not to mention a mess, to try to roll out a pie crust. Don’t even get me started on trying to roll out Christmas cookies. Ah, that’s another story and another sigh.

So onto plan B which includes a store-bought frozen pie crust. Hey, when you live in a RV full-time, some sacrifices are needed, but I still insist on making as much from scratch as possible, and this pie still tastes better than any store-bought version.

Hope you enjoy this super easy apple pie recipe, and be sure to let me know if you give it a try!

Easy Apple Pie

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

easy apple pie recipeFor the crumb topping;
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 Tablespoons butter (softened)

Whisk together flour and sugar then cut in butter with a pastry cutter/blender forming crumbles. Set aside.

For the Pie and filling
1 frozen pie crust (defrosted)
3 large tart apples, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Place sliced apples in pie crust.  In a measuring cup add 1/4 cup sugar and mix in 1 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, depending on how much you like cinnamon. Combine well. Pour sugar cinnamon mixture over apples. Top apples with crumb topping

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.
Recipe by Ingrid @ LiveLaughRV.com

desert sunset
Arizona has the most amazing sunsets!

Apple pie, a bottle of pinot grigio, good friends, and an amazing sunset …. things to be thankful for. With that said, I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving. How and where will you be spending Thanksgiving?

**********************************************

A few of my favorite items that you might find handy especially if you decide to make your own crust … note: these are affiliate links
Bamber Wood Rolling Pin

Check Easy Care Spillproof Table Cover for Dinning (Rectangle/Oblong, 54 x 70 Inch,

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

In the Kitchen

Comforted by Banana Nut Muffins

by Ingrid41 Comments on Comforted by Banana Nut Muffins

We’ve had an incredibly busy August which lead to feeling like the summer whizzed by. Can you believe it’s already the beginning of September?  And to think, when Al and I decided to spend the summer parked in the same RV Resort for four months, I thought for sure I’d be bored and ready to roll after the first month. But Prescott, Arizona, is a lovely community surrounded by beauty which kept me entertained and the camera clicking. We had a great summer!

sunset at Goldwater Lake
Goldwater Lake, Prescott, Arizona

As the end of August rolled around, it was time for us to get the wheels rolling again. I’ll be honest, I had a few mixed emotions about packing up and leaving and actually thought about staying another month, but with twinges of hitch itch nipping at my heels, I knew it was time for a new backyard.

camping in Kaibab National Forest
My new yard. Our home for the Labor Day weekend

Currently I’m sitting in the Kaibab National Forest just south of the Grand Canyon surrounded by tall pine trees and enjoying the crisp fresh air. Wow, talk about a change of scenery along with cooler temperatures. I found myself pulling out pants and a sweatshirt camping in Kaibab National Forest near Grand Canyonas the evening temperatures dropped into the 50’s … refreshing, and ah, the smell of pine is intoxicating!

As I sit here relishing the tranquil beauty around me, I feel incredibly lucky yet overcome with sadness. Mother Nature can be gracious and bless us with amazing desert sunsets or spectacular beach sunrises or she can lower her hammer sending death and destruction.

This past week, the Texas Gulf Coast certainly felt Mother Nature’s wrath when she sent hurricane Harvey ashore. I’ve stayed glued to my computer following news stories and getting updates from friends via Facebook and email. The photos and updates are heartbreaking.

Banana bread
I need some comfort food!

Al and I have a special relationship with the Rockport area (this is where the center of the hurricane came ashore). Rockport has been our winter home for the past four years and just a little ways down the coast is where my parents used to winter. Al was also stationed in the area during his military days. Thus, you can see, we have a fond connection to this part of the Texas Gulf Coast.

bird photography
This little guy poses nicely for me. I’m sad there won’t be any Texas birding for me this winter.

For obvious reasons, our usual Texas sojourn won’t be happening this winter. I always look forward to our visits which includes communing with shore birds and reconnecting with friends. I’ll definitely miss this years excursion. I’m afraid if I talk anymore about this disaster the flood of tears will short out my laptop 😪

banana muffinsSo instead of crying, let’s head into the kitchen and bake up something comforting … well, at least comforting to me.

I’ve always loved banana bread, and it usually makes me think of my mom. She made the best, and I could literally devour half a loaf in one sitting provided she didn’t take it away from me.

Because of this lack of will power, I make muffins instead of loaves and can usually limit myself to one a day. But as my emotions run rampant thinking of the Gulf Coast, my mom (RIP), and her favorite beach in Texas …. I think two or three 😋 might be in order. I need something to comfort my emotions. I’ll take an extra long hike tomorrow 🐾

Banana Nut MuffinsBanana Nut Muffins 
4 very ripe bananas
5 Tablespoon of melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 Tablespoons of brewed coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork. Add melted butter and sugar and mix well. Mix in egg, coffee and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda, and salt mixing until all ingredients incorporated well. Fold in walnuts. In a paper lined muffin tin, divide batter equally by filling each muffin cup about 3/4 full.

Bake in a preheated oven – 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Makes 12.

Banana nut muffins

Stay strong Texas … You’re not alone … sending prayers and support!

never alone in the woods
Never alone !

BTW – this is not my mom’s banana bread recipe. I don’t know what I do wrong, but mine never tastes as good as hers did. My mom was a great baker. Oh well, I found this recipe online a few years ago and tweaked it and am sharing my version. It’s not the same as mom’s, but it’ll do. Hope you enjoy it!

Some items I used during this post – pls note: these are affiliate links 😀
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites

In the Kitchen

Blueberry Oatmeal Squares

by Ingrid66 Comments on Blueberry Oatmeal Squares

The RV lifestyle can be as social or anti-social as one chooses. I know lots of RVer’s who engage in activities regularly with fellow traveler’s and even go so far as to caravan together. Others prefer solitude and rarely socialize with their fellow RVer. It’s all about personal preference.

For Al and I, we’ve discovered the middle of the road is the perfect fit for us. We’ll go weeks without socializing enjoying our solitude, and then we’ll find ourselves in a location where we embrace multiple get togethers…. quite often with folks we’ve never met before. And this is how complete strangers become friends.

Blueberry Oatmeal Squares

Our socializing usually centers around hiking and eating. Although it’s fun to meet up at a local restaurant or brewery, we prefer pot lucks around a picnic table or at someone’s home.

Wonderful friendships have been made at campgrounds and through clubs like Escapees, but most surprising are the friendships we’ve forged through the blogosphere with RVer’s AND non-RVer’s a like. When I started this little thing called a blog, I never imaged it would lead to some genuine friendships. It has and I’m ever so grateful 😁

Blueberry Oatmeal Squares Bars

For those of us that travel, it’s so much fun running into a fellow Blogger in one state and then reconnecting months later in another state. Most times these re-connections are serendipitous.

Over the years, we’ve met some of the most culinary talented folks and shared some very flavorful meals together. Occasionally the sharing of recipes ensues and the scribbled notes get passed around. That’s exactly how I came about this Blueberry Oatmeal Square recipe, and it has become one of my all time favorite go to dishes to bring to a get together.

Smucker's Blueberry preserve recipes

It’s super easy to make and because it has oatmeal in it, we know it’s healthy (she says while winking). The fact that it’s calorie-laden with refined sugars and flour is irrelevant. Oatmeal equal healthy, and that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

I belong to a few “RV” related Facebook groups and a common question that seems to pop up is about whether an oven in the RV is necessary? A lot of RV’s only have a convection/microwave combo unit. I love my little propane oven, and since I enjoy baking and use my easy bake RV oven often, I couldn’t live without it. I’m sure many of you have perfected convection/micro baking, and I congratulate you, but I’ll stick with my propane oven that doubles as additional storage when not in use.

Blueberry Oatmeal Squares

And since many of my friends know I enjoy baking, I’m the one they count on to bring the dessert to those get togethers.

So the next time you’re getting together with friends and need to bring a dish/dessert to share, give these Blueberry Oatmeal Squares a try, and be sure you tell your friends to indulge because they’re healthy …. Ingrid said so!

Blueberry Oatmeal Squares

  • Servings: 20
  • Print

Blueberry Oatmeal Squares1 3/4 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 jar of blueberry preserves (I use 3/4’s of an 18 ounce jar of Smucker’s Blueberry preserves)

Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter just enough until the butter is broken down and incorporated with the ingredients. Add in the oats and with your hands mix well. Press half the mixture into a buttered 13-by-9 inch rectangular shaped baking pan. Top the dough with the preserves, spreading evenly. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over preserves and then press down lightly.

Bake for 30-40 minutes in a 350 degree pre-heated oven. Once cooled, cut into squares.

A couple of products I used …. (affiliate links)

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.