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INTRODUCTION |
Living for an extended length of time in an RV, as opposed to weekend camping or a couple
weeks of vacation, will give a person a whole new perspective on life. It will also
require a considerable change of both thinking and lifestyle if he is to gain the greatest
pleasure from the experience. There is an old saying which pretty well sums it up, 'IF YOU
AIN'T WHERE YOU ARE, YOU AIN'T NOWHERE." So slow down, kick back and enjoy what is
happening to you. When you are living full time in an RV, all days are good days; some
just happen to be a lot better than others.
When you leave the basic security of a home with its large kitchen, equipped with countless electrical gadgets, and condense your life into the compact galley of an RV, you must also alter your thinking to match the limitations of both space and facilities. This will need to include changes in both your cooking and eating habits.
Along with the changes in both scenery and lifestyle, trying new and different foods will make life and the experience more exciting.
Over the years, I have come up with three basic rules for cooking in an RV. You are
welcome to add to, subtract from, change in any way that you like or completely ignore
them, but they work for me.
Rule Number One: Never cook anything which takes longer to prepare than it does to eat.
Rule Number Two: The fewer pots that you use, the fewer that you have to wash.
Rule Number Three: No cosine de todo vaca por un taco. (Don't cook the whole cow
for one taco.)
Traveling, camping or living in an RV is supposed to be fun for everyone, including the
cook. There are just too many other things to do for someone to spend long hours over a
hot stove. I attempted to keep the recipes in this book easy to follow, quick to prepare
and interesting enough to prevent boredom. I also tried to use items which are the most
likely to be found in the average RV because there will be many times when a trip to the
grocery store could prove to be very difficult. Most of the recipes are for four people
but can be expanded or reduced to suit your particular needs. Few RV refrigerators have
the storage space to hold more than the basics, much less a bunch of leftovers.
ARMADILLO PIE isn't a Mexican or even a Tex-Mex cookbook, although many of the recipes are based on favorites of that region. This comes from my having spent most of my life in the southwest as well as many pleasant winters camped along the beaches of Baja.
While this certainly isn't a diet cookbook, salt will not be shown in any recipe unless it is necessary for the outcome of the dish. Individual cooks can add salt to suit their tastes or it can be added at the table. Since it has been medically proven that salt is one of the major causes of heart problems, one should consider reducing their intake of sodium by using one of the many salt substitutes available on the market today. In fact, I find that a dash of one of my favorite herbs or a little lime juice will often give the food a lot more flavor than does salt. The use of fats has also been kept to a minimum in these recipes. For better health and fitness while on the road, the RV traveler should take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables which are available just about anywhere one would be camping.
The main thing that I have to say in this book is: Have fun, enjoy life and Mucho Gusto.