This is just a funny story about our cat last week.
Last week I roasted a chicken in our toaster oven and drove my husband crazy with the smells. Well we were on the sofa eating and watching TV while talking about using the leftover chicken for pot pie the next night. Second later there is a load slam and the cat had turned the roasting pan over trying to steal the chicken. Well my husband went loco and was chasing this grease covered cat all over the RV but smart cat got under the dash board and hid for the rest of the night. My husband however was covered in grease from trying to catch her and so was the floor and the bed where the cat kept running over the top. See when she flipped the pan it landed on top of her. Our dogs however were thankful for her mess as they got to have the leftover chicken for dinner.
Two days later the cat was still nasty looking and was finally letting us near her again. My poor husband was worrying about how he was going to wash the grease out of this cat that won't even let you hold her (she was a feral kitten) so I had to give her a good coating of corn starch. Something I was taught long ago for when you couldn't wash your hair and it was looking greasy.
Monday, March 31, 2014
What you need when living in an RV or Camper
I was asked the other day by a lady what she would need to set up house in an RV full time. The first thing I told her is, if you think you can live without it then you can, and then I explained the lack of storage. That got me to thinking about last year when we ended up in the same storage and the amount of things we didn't bring and the amount of things we shouldn't have brought. So everyone's needs will be different but let me give you a basic list, because who knows maybe you'll be like us last year and facing homelessness and traveling out of state to live in a strange RV you've never seen before.
Clothing
Be prepared for all weather but don't over do it. There is not much hanging room for clothing in an RV so you're better off taking less and doing more laundry. We have
7 days worth of : T shirts, shorts, jeans
2 weeks worth of : undies, bras, socks
2 pairs of sweatpants each encase it gets cold
1 lightweight coat each and 1 heavy coat each
1.5 weeks worth of work uniforms for my husband
and 1 stained outfit each for cleaning and whatever when we don't want to stain clothing
Some RV's have drawers but don't plan on this, many don't and some are so old (like this one) that the drawers are broke and been glued shut. If you find this then go to Dollar Tree and just buy a storage basket for you unmentionables and put them in the bottom of the closet
Bathroom
Ladies this is where you need to ask yourself do you really need 7 different styling products and 10 shades of lip stick.
People need to chose what they need here without my advice but I can give some helpful hints
Makeup- Rv's can get very hot in the summer and AC's are known to go out so instead of stocking up use up some of the things you have. Also buy a makeup case to store, mine is insulated. Also you can buy hanging makeup cases to hand on the shower door or in the closet to make more room
Medication- Make sure you have at least one month of all medications you need and at least one refill. Sometimes it's hard to get strange new doctors to prescribe the meds you need because none of them listen to your past doctors and all think they know best. Also have a good first aid kit
Other things you need to stock up on are: Sun screen, burn gel, bug spray, and anti itch cream. It amazed me how much faster I burned here then in North Carolina and if you're going to be anywhere near the coast the sand gnats bite
As far as things such as towels, we use ours more than once so we brought only four bath towels and 10 wash clothes (because they get used for everything is seems). We also brought one towel for each of our dogs.
If you will be using RV park showers I also recommend the following: Shower shoes or flip flops (you don't want someone else's planter's warts), shower caddy (can be bought at Dollar Tree) to carry your shampoo and such and has holes so everything dries, cheap over the door plastic hook (many showers don't have hooks for your towel (can also be found at dollar tree), and a tote for your clothing (we use reusable Walmart shopping bags). The over the door hook also works good back at the RV to hang your towel to dry.
Kitchen
The biggest cost in the RV is propane. It's needed to heat water (which is why we use the park's showers) and also for the stove. It's not cheap so if you have these following things then bring them
Electric Skillet with lid
Rice Cooker
Coffee Pot (can also heat water for washing dishes)
Electric Griddle
Microwave (not to big or it will blow the breakers in the RV)
Crockpot
Toaster oven
Yes it's a lot but you can cook most anything in these things and never once use gas. We also have a hot plate but honestly it takes forever to even boil water.
As for dishes, stay away from disposable. Yes it's nice not to have to heat water to wash the dishes but it's going to cost you a lot in the long run. We brought our normal plates because they're nothing fancy and if broken we wouldn't cry over them. We brought:
1 plate per person along with 2 extra (for guests)
1 coffee cup per person and 2 extra
2 glasses per person and 2 extra (we got 99cent plastic ones at Walmart, cheap to replace)
1 cereal bowl per person, 2 soup bowls per person (bought at Family Dollar and have plastic lids so also work for storage)
I don't know how much silverware, I brought the whole drawer but you can find some cheap stainless ones at Dollar Tree
As for pots and pans I bought one large pot and one small, then two frying pans to use on the hotplate. As for baking pans I brought everything that would fit in the toaster oven. Make sure to measure baking pans before buying because they list the dimensions on the inside of the pan, not the outside. As for cooking utensils I brought them all because my husband uses a lot at once.
I also brought four mixing bowls that can be doubled for serving, strainer, hand held mixer, blender, all my spices, cheese grater and quite a bit of plastic storage containers. However I don't need all the plastic storage containers since it's only a dorm fridge, I also have a deep freezer outside so they are needed for it. You would have to check with your RV park before putting one outside but this park has quite a few long term campers so they allow the freezers but no refrigerators outside the RV. If you do put a freezer outside your rv make sure to put it up on a pallet or bricks to get it off the ground. Also install a lock and cover the top. We have a rug on top for condensation and then a heave duty tarp on top of that, with small bricks on the corners to hold the tarp down.
This is a lot for an RV and honestly most of our storage is taken up by kitchen wear but we don't eat out.
As for food, don't overdo it and you may want a plastic tote. We have plastic shelves under the table in the kitchen with our canned foods on it. The the over head storage has out boxed food. You need to know that a lot or rv parks have problems with roaches, flies, mice, and gnats so remember that with boxed food. You may want to store those in a plastic tote. Also remember the fridge is tiny so don't plan on putting much in there either. We are planning to buy a second dorm fridge because of this problem.
Living Area
Don't bring a HUGE TV. There may not be room for it. Plan for there not to be a place to put your TV either so plan for something for it to set on. We used plastic shelving before so my husband's Xbox could sit before. Also make sure to have surge protectors large enough for the items plugged into it. My husband has now lost his Xbox because of this. Also know that the wifi can suck in RV parks also so plan ahead if you do online gaming.
Protect yourself from thieves also. Write down serial numbers and if possible label an area of the item were it can be removed or seen like in the inside of the housing. You can either etch your name or use auto touch up paint that can't easily be removed. I stress this because our RV last year was broken into. Also it's not a bad idea to have a small lock box for medications and valuables. My medications were stolen last year.
You may also want to bring a fan incase the heat or air doesn't work in your RV. It doesn't work in the RV so we have a space heater and fan. There is also a window ac but RV to circulate well with window ac's so a fan helps to move the air.
Bedroom
Let me give you a learning curb. Plan to have the money to buy an air mattress if needed. Last year when we moved in the bed in the RV looked like it was from the 60's and smelled like it also. Then the next RV they moved us to didn't have a mattress or box spring so the RV owner took my husband to his farm and got one out of an open sided barn complete with rat holes in it. We ended up having to rent a mattress and box springs because I have a cat so an air mattress wouldn't work. Also plan on not knowing the size of the mattress. Most are full but some are queens. I can tell you queen sheets will work on a full bed but will just be loose. I brought two sets of sheets and pillow cases thankfully due to my cat. I'll have to tell the cat chicken story sometime.
Also remember your alarm clock, a small bedside lamp or desk lamp may also be useful. Also you've need a surge protector here and everywhere else you plug into things. It might also be useful to bring a few cheap throw blankets like the $5 ones from walmart, encase there aren't any curtains. Throw blankets can be tacked up and thick enough to help with the heat and cold from the windows. Later if you plan on staying in the RV you can get blackout curtains that will help more.
Other Items
I suggest bringing a tool box because RV park owners aren't know for fixing their RV's that they rent. Duct tape (Alabama chrome) can give most anything, small sewing kit, caulk (we've needed it for leaks around doors and windows), Lysol, cleaning products, broom, mop, mop bucket, fly traps. Also a water filter. You can buy one at Walmart that connects at the spigot that connects to the RV. They last 3 months
Pets
I put this last because many don't have them but if you do make sure you have the following when traveling with pets or living in an RV park with them
Food
Bowls
Bottled Water (water change can cause diarrhea)
ID tags (legally required some places)
Rabies tag (on collar) and rabies paperwork and shot records (also required when traveling and going into Canada with your pet)
Kennel or Carrier
Extra collar and leash (if one should break)
Poo bags (you piss off RV park owners if you don't clean up after you dog)
tie out (required in most RV parks)
I also recommend children benadryl (check with vet on the amount your dog needs), and pepto (also check with vet on the amount)
Clothing
Be prepared for all weather but don't over do it. There is not much hanging room for clothing in an RV so you're better off taking less and doing more laundry. We have
7 days worth of : T shirts, shorts, jeans
2 weeks worth of : undies, bras, socks
2 pairs of sweatpants each encase it gets cold
1 lightweight coat each and 1 heavy coat each
1.5 weeks worth of work uniforms for my husband
and 1 stained outfit each for cleaning and whatever when we don't want to stain clothing
Some RV's have drawers but don't plan on this, many don't and some are so old (like this one) that the drawers are broke and been glued shut. If you find this then go to Dollar Tree and just buy a storage basket for you unmentionables and put them in the bottom of the closet
Bathroom
Ladies this is where you need to ask yourself do you really need 7 different styling products and 10 shades of lip stick.
People need to chose what they need here without my advice but I can give some helpful hints
Makeup- Rv's can get very hot in the summer and AC's are known to go out so instead of stocking up use up some of the things you have. Also buy a makeup case to store, mine is insulated. Also you can buy hanging makeup cases to hand on the shower door or in the closet to make more room
Medication- Make sure you have at least one month of all medications you need and at least one refill. Sometimes it's hard to get strange new doctors to prescribe the meds you need because none of them listen to your past doctors and all think they know best. Also have a good first aid kit
Other things you need to stock up on are: Sun screen, burn gel, bug spray, and anti itch cream. It amazed me how much faster I burned here then in North Carolina and if you're going to be anywhere near the coast the sand gnats bite
As far as things such as towels, we use ours more than once so we brought only four bath towels and 10 wash clothes (because they get used for everything is seems). We also brought one towel for each of our dogs.
If you will be using RV park showers I also recommend the following: Shower shoes or flip flops (you don't want someone else's planter's warts), shower caddy (can be bought at Dollar Tree) to carry your shampoo and such and has holes so everything dries, cheap over the door plastic hook (many showers don't have hooks for your towel (can also be found at dollar tree), and a tote for your clothing (we use reusable Walmart shopping bags). The over the door hook also works good back at the RV to hang your towel to dry.
Kitchen
The biggest cost in the RV is propane. It's needed to heat water (which is why we use the park's showers) and also for the stove. It's not cheap so if you have these following things then bring them
Electric Skillet with lid
Rice Cooker
Coffee Pot (can also heat water for washing dishes)
Electric Griddle
Microwave (not to big or it will blow the breakers in the RV)
Crockpot
Toaster oven
Yes it's a lot but you can cook most anything in these things and never once use gas. We also have a hot plate but honestly it takes forever to even boil water.
As for dishes, stay away from disposable. Yes it's nice not to have to heat water to wash the dishes but it's going to cost you a lot in the long run. We brought our normal plates because they're nothing fancy and if broken we wouldn't cry over them. We brought:
1 plate per person along with 2 extra (for guests)
1 coffee cup per person and 2 extra
2 glasses per person and 2 extra (we got 99cent plastic ones at Walmart, cheap to replace)
1 cereal bowl per person, 2 soup bowls per person (bought at Family Dollar and have plastic lids so also work for storage)
I don't know how much silverware, I brought the whole drawer but you can find some cheap stainless ones at Dollar Tree
As for pots and pans I bought one large pot and one small, then two frying pans to use on the hotplate. As for baking pans I brought everything that would fit in the toaster oven. Make sure to measure baking pans before buying because they list the dimensions on the inside of the pan, not the outside. As for cooking utensils I brought them all because my husband uses a lot at once.
I also brought four mixing bowls that can be doubled for serving, strainer, hand held mixer, blender, all my spices, cheese grater and quite a bit of plastic storage containers. However I don't need all the plastic storage containers since it's only a dorm fridge, I also have a deep freezer outside so they are needed for it. You would have to check with your RV park before putting one outside but this park has quite a few long term campers so they allow the freezers but no refrigerators outside the RV. If you do put a freezer outside your rv make sure to put it up on a pallet or bricks to get it off the ground. Also install a lock and cover the top. We have a rug on top for condensation and then a heave duty tarp on top of that, with small bricks on the corners to hold the tarp down.
This is a lot for an RV and honestly most of our storage is taken up by kitchen wear but we don't eat out.
As for food, don't overdo it and you may want a plastic tote. We have plastic shelves under the table in the kitchen with our canned foods on it. The the over head storage has out boxed food. You need to know that a lot or rv parks have problems with roaches, flies, mice, and gnats so remember that with boxed food. You may want to store those in a plastic tote. Also remember the fridge is tiny so don't plan on putting much in there either. We are planning to buy a second dorm fridge because of this problem.
Living Area
Don't bring a HUGE TV. There may not be room for it. Plan for there not to be a place to put your TV either so plan for something for it to set on. We used plastic shelving before so my husband's Xbox could sit before. Also make sure to have surge protectors large enough for the items plugged into it. My husband has now lost his Xbox because of this. Also know that the wifi can suck in RV parks also so plan ahead if you do online gaming.
Protect yourself from thieves also. Write down serial numbers and if possible label an area of the item were it can be removed or seen like in the inside of the housing. You can either etch your name or use auto touch up paint that can't easily be removed. I stress this because our RV last year was broken into. Also it's not a bad idea to have a small lock box for medications and valuables. My medications were stolen last year.
You may also want to bring a fan incase the heat or air doesn't work in your RV. It doesn't work in the RV so we have a space heater and fan. There is also a window ac but RV to circulate well with window ac's so a fan helps to move the air.
Bedroom
Let me give you a learning curb. Plan to have the money to buy an air mattress if needed. Last year when we moved in the bed in the RV looked like it was from the 60's and smelled like it also. Then the next RV they moved us to didn't have a mattress or box spring so the RV owner took my husband to his farm and got one out of an open sided barn complete with rat holes in it. We ended up having to rent a mattress and box springs because I have a cat so an air mattress wouldn't work. Also plan on not knowing the size of the mattress. Most are full but some are queens. I can tell you queen sheets will work on a full bed but will just be loose. I brought two sets of sheets and pillow cases thankfully due to my cat. I'll have to tell the cat chicken story sometime.
Also remember your alarm clock, a small bedside lamp or desk lamp may also be useful. Also you've need a surge protector here and everywhere else you plug into things. It might also be useful to bring a few cheap throw blankets like the $5 ones from walmart, encase there aren't any curtains. Throw blankets can be tacked up and thick enough to help with the heat and cold from the windows. Later if you plan on staying in the RV you can get blackout curtains that will help more.
Other Items
I suggest bringing a tool box because RV park owners aren't know for fixing their RV's that they rent. Duct tape (Alabama chrome) can give most anything, small sewing kit, caulk (we've needed it for leaks around doors and windows), Lysol, cleaning products, broom, mop, mop bucket, fly traps. Also a water filter. You can buy one at Walmart that connects at the spigot that connects to the RV. They last 3 months
Pets
I put this last because many don't have them but if you do make sure you have the following when traveling with pets or living in an RV park with them
Food
Bowls
Bottled Water (water change can cause diarrhea)
ID tags (legally required some places)
Rabies tag (on collar) and rabies paperwork and shot records (also required when traveling and going into Canada with your pet)
Kennel or Carrier
Extra collar and leash (if one should break)
Poo bags (you piss off RV park owners if you don't clean up after you dog)
tie out (required in most RV parks)
I also recommend children benadryl (check with vet on the amount your dog needs), and pepto (also check with vet on the amount)
Friday, March 28, 2014
RV Gardening
Since I had hoped to be in a house this summer I had planned on having a large garden but since I'm in an RV that's not going to stop me. Instead I'm going to container garden this year. After a lot of online research I'm amazed at the number of things you can grow in a gallon bucket and luck would have it my husband does apartment maintenance so he in large supply of paint buckets that are very easy to clean.
I'm going to go small this year. I plan to grow two or three tomato plants, some peppers, carrots, and some potatoes. The good thing about container gardening is you don't have to dig a garden and when you move your RV take your garden with you. Then in the fall and winter add your coffee grounds and potato and banana peeling to the soil to get it ready for the next year and store the buckets under the RV.
Since this is my first year I'm not an expert but I will share the links with you were I got a lot of information. That way you can decide if container gardening is right for you. I'm looking forward to having free food.
How to Grow Vegetables in Pots and Container- Tips, Guides, Facts http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Grow-Vegetables-in-Pots-and-Containers-Tips-Guides-Facts
Grow Carrots in containers http://www.vegetable-garden-guide.com/growing-carrots.html
5 Best Container Vegetables to grow for beginners http://brownthumbmama.com/2014/02/5-best-container-vegetables.html
Vegetable Container Gardening http://premeditatedleftovers.com/gardening/vegetable-container-gardening/
Plant Container Potatoes http://www.bcliving.ca/garden/plant-container-potatoes
Rubbermaid Container Gardening http://backporchgarden.blogspot.com/2011/04/rubbermaid-container-garden.html
Container Gardening Makes Use of Limited Space http://www.garden-seed-and-supply.com/container-gardening.html
These are just a few to get you started and as always you can also check out my Pinterest Boards for both RV container gardening and RV living ideas.
http://www.pinterest.com/laauton/rv-living/
http://www.pinterest.com/laauton/rv-container-gardening/
I'm going to go small this year. I plan to grow two or three tomato plants, some peppers, carrots, and some potatoes. The good thing about container gardening is you don't have to dig a garden and when you move your RV take your garden with you. Then in the fall and winter add your coffee grounds and potato and banana peeling to the soil to get it ready for the next year and store the buckets under the RV.
Since this is my first year I'm not an expert but I will share the links with you were I got a lot of information. That way you can decide if container gardening is right for you. I'm looking forward to having free food.
How to Grow Vegetables in Pots and Container- Tips, Guides, Facts http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Grow-Vegetables-in-Pots-and-Containers-Tips-Guides-Facts
Grow Carrots in containers http://www.vegetable-garden-guide.com/growing-carrots.html
5 Best Container Vegetables to grow for beginners http://brownthumbmama.com/2014/02/5-best-container-vegetables.html
Vegetable Container Gardening http://premeditatedleftovers.com/gardening/vegetable-container-gardening/
Plant Container Potatoes http://www.bcliving.ca/garden/plant-container-potatoes
Rubbermaid Container Gardening http://backporchgarden.blogspot.com/2011/04/rubbermaid-container-garden.html
Container Gardening Makes Use of Limited Space http://www.garden-seed-and-supply.com/container-gardening.html
These are just a few to get you started and as always you can also check out my Pinterest Boards for both RV container gardening and RV living ideas.
http://www.pinterest.com/laauton/rv-living/
http://www.pinterest.com/laauton/rv-container-gardening/
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Cheap meals while living in an RV, week one, three different chicken crock pot meals
The first thing to save money in and RV kitchen is don't use that gas stove. Fuel is too expensive and most RV parks electric is included in the rent. So embrace electronic products such as electric skillets, microwaves, and toaster ovens. Our toaster oven is actually a countertop convection oven. My favorite item is my crockpot. It doesn't have to be monitored, it doesn't heat up the RV in the summer and you would be amazed just what all you can make in one of these. Such things as cobblers and bread! So from now one I'm going to try and add a few easy meals that you can make in an RV and save money. Don't forget you can also take these items outside to the picnic table to cook also and leave no heat inside the RV.
This week I'm going to list a few of my favorites:
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Needed:
Chicken
The original recipe calls for four boneless skinless chicken breast but we are trying to save money so I'm going to give you the cheaper version but know that you can save time and fat with the boneless skinless breasts. I would rather save the money. Also if using boneless skinless breasts add two teaspoons of butter and I would recommend using chicken broth instead of water.
I prefer to buy leg quarters that you can get dirt cheap most of the time. I like to separate the legs and thighs and save the legs for hobos and bbq chicken on the grill. I don't bother taking the skin or bones off either because they make the broth more flavorful but make sure you stain the broth for small bones.
2 Cans of cheap canned biscuits
1 onion
seasonings of choice including salt and pepper
2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup
The day before I place the thighs in the crock pot on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Then I turn it off and place it in the fridge or cooler so that the next day I can debone the chicken and skim off any fat. As for seasoning at the step I only season with salt and pepper. Make sure to add just enough water to cover the chicken. Water doesn't evaporate in a crock pot
The next day I debone the chicken and strain the broth because thighs when cooking apart have some small bones. After deboning the chicken I dice it up and place it and the broth back in the crock pot on high. This is where I season to taste using poultry seasoning, bay leaves, more salt and pepper, and even chicken bouillon if the broth isn't flavorful enough. Mostly just add seasoning that you like. There is no rule to this. Smell the seasoning and think about what you're cooking. If the smell matches what you are tasting in your mind add a little. But only a little at a time. Remember you can always add but can't remove extra seasoning.
Next you are going to finely dice an onion. I know this wasn't in your grandmother's version but it's good I promise. Then just throw it into the crock pot along with the condensed soups and put the crock pot on high. As for time you can let this cook until 30 minutes before you're ready to eat but make sure it's hot enough it's bubbling 30 minutes before eating because you need it hot hot hot for the next step. It also gives you a chance to taste and adjust the seasoning of your broth.
Next you are going to need two cans of canned biscuits. Regular kind not butter me nots. Cheap ones work great for this and kids can help with the next step. All you do is pinch off small bites of the biscuits and throw them in the crock pot. After each biscuit use a spoon and press the biscuit pieces don't into the broth. This makes it so they don't stick together before adding more biscuits. Once you have all the biscuit pieces in there put the lid back on and don't open it again for 30 minutes so that the biscuits can cook.
Also an important note! If you like thicker broth then thicken the broth before adding the biscuits. You can do the with a little flour and water made into a rue or with cornstarch.
That's it and it tastes amazing!
Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole
Needed:
Cooked shredded chicken You can use canned chicken or even leftover rotisserie chicken or fried chicken with the skin removed. Whatever is cheapest
2 cans of mixed vegetables
1 can of condensed cream soup, your choice I use cream of chicken
1 cup uncooked rice
2 1/2 cups of water or chicken broth I prefer chicken broth or I add chicken bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
First: Combine rice and water (or broth) in the bottom of the crock pot. Next add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Cook: on high for three hours or on low for five hours
Notes: This is how the recipe was originally written but I want you to know that it's also even better with more seasoning and even a little hot sauce. Also I hate mixed veggies so I use a can of corn, carrots, and green beans drained. One cup of rice is still enough with the extra vegetables. This is also good over biscuits.
Slow Cooker Stove Top Chicken Dinner
Needed:
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts diced Or canned chicken, or leftover chicken, whatever is cheap
2 cups of stove top chicken flavored stuffing store brand and regular flavored work well also
1 can cream of mushroom soup Or cream of chicken or celery, your choice
1/3 cup of milk
1 2/3 cups of water
Place diced chicken in the bottom of the crock pot. Mix together soup and milk and spread over the top of the chicken. Next mix the stuffing and the water and place over the top of everything.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours
Note: I recommend adding some salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning over the chicken before adding the soup. For more flavor you can also add chicken broth instead of water to the stuffing but make sure it's low sodium broth because of the salt content in the stuffing.
Well there are three for tonight. Why did I do all chicken? Because that's what seems to be on sale right now in stores. Also because I don't think people realize that you can by the discounted rotisserie chickens at the grocery store and make other things out of them. Plus they already seasoned them for you! Just debone them and remove all the skin. You can also use left over fried chicken the same way! Cheap living is all around us, we just have to know where to look.
This week I'm going to list a few of my favorites:
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Needed:
Chicken
The original recipe calls for four boneless skinless chicken breast but we are trying to save money so I'm going to give you the cheaper version but know that you can save time and fat with the boneless skinless breasts. I would rather save the money. Also if using boneless skinless breasts add two teaspoons of butter and I would recommend using chicken broth instead of water.
I prefer to buy leg quarters that you can get dirt cheap most of the time. I like to separate the legs and thighs and save the legs for hobos and bbq chicken on the grill. I don't bother taking the skin or bones off either because they make the broth more flavorful but make sure you stain the broth for small bones.
2 Cans of cheap canned biscuits
1 onion
seasonings of choice including salt and pepper
2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup
The day before I place the thighs in the crock pot on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Then I turn it off and place it in the fridge or cooler so that the next day I can debone the chicken and skim off any fat. As for seasoning at the step I only season with salt and pepper. Make sure to add just enough water to cover the chicken. Water doesn't evaporate in a crock pot
The next day I debone the chicken and strain the broth because thighs when cooking apart have some small bones. After deboning the chicken I dice it up and place it and the broth back in the crock pot on high. This is where I season to taste using poultry seasoning, bay leaves, more salt and pepper, and even chicken bouillon if the broth isn't flavorful enough. Mostly just add seasoning that you like. There is no rule to this. Smell the seasoning and think about what you're cooking. If the smell matches what you are tasting in your mind add a little. But only a little at a time. Remember you can always add but can't remove extra seasoning.
Next you are going to finely dice an onion. I know this wasn't in your grandmother's version but it's good I promise. Then just throw it into the crock pot along with the condensed soups and put the crock pot on high. As for time you can let this cook until 30 minutes before you're ready to eat but make sure it's hot enough it's bubbling 30 minutes before eating because you need it hot hot hot for the next step. It also gives you a chance to taste and adjust the seasoning of your broth.
Next you are going to need two cans of canned biscuits. Regular kind not butter me nots. Cheap ones work great for this and kids can help with the next step. All you do is pinch off small bites of the biscuits and throw them in the crock pot. After each biscuit use a spoon and press the biscuit pieces don't into the broth. This makes it so they don't stick together before adding more biscuits. Once you have all the biscuit pieces in there put the lid back on and don't open it again for 30 minutes so that the biscuits can cook.
Also an important note! If you like thicker broth then thicken the broth before adding the biscuits. You can do the with a little flour and water made into a rue or with cornstarch.
That's it and it tastes amazing!
Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole
Needed:
Cooked shredded chicken You can use canned chicken or even leftover rotisserie chicken or fried chicken with the skin removed. Whatever is cheapest
2 cans of mixed vegetables
1 can of condensed cream soup, your choice I use cream of chicken
1 cup uncooked rice
2 1/2 cups of water or chicken broth I prefer chicken broth or I add chicken bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
First: Combine rice and water (or broth) in the bottom of the crock pot. Next add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Cook: on high for three hours or on low for five hours
Notes: This is how the recipe was originally written but I want you to know that it's also even better with more seasoning and even a little hot sauce. Also I hate mixed veggies so I use a can of corn, carrots, and green beans drained. One cup of rice is still enough with the extra vegetables. This is also good over biscuits.
Slow Cooker Stove Top Chicken Dinner
Needed:
4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts diced Or canned chicken, or leftover chicken, whatever is cheap
2 cups of stove top chicken flavored stuffing store brand and regular flavored work well also
1 can cream of mushroom soup Or cream of chicken or celery, your choice
1/3 cup of milk
1 2/3 cups of water
Place diced chicken in the bottom of the crock pot. Mix together soup and milk and spread over the top of the chicken. Next mix the stuffing and the water and place over the top of everything.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours
Note: I recommend adding some salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning over the chicken before adding the soup. For more flavor you can also add chicken broth instead of water to the stuffing but make sure it's low sodium broth because of the salt content in the stuffing.
Well there are three for tonight. Why did I do all chicken? Because that's what seems to be on sale right now in stores. Also because I don't think people realize that you can by the discounted rotisserie chickens at the grocery store and make other things out of them. Plus they already seasoned them for you! Just debone them and remove all the skin. You can also use left over fried chicken the same way! Cheap living is all around us, we just have to know where to look.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Do you RV with your cat?
So in the RV we have two chihuahuas and a cat. One of the biggest problems is one of the chi's has a love for cat poo. Well thanks to the world wide web I discovered a cat litter box with a hole in the top and tracking so that it stops the litter from being spread all over the RV like standard litter boxes. Sounds great right?! Well get this! It's $30! What are these people smoking!!! So let me give you the 411 on this. It's nothing but a stupid plastic tote with a hole in the top and tractions. So I made my own and here's how to do it.
All you need is:
Plastic tote w/ lid ($5 at Walmart)
Scrap carpet (cheap rug from truck stop would work, or scraps from a carpet store) My husband got ours when they were replacing the carpet at his work.
Hot glue and glue gun
Carpet Knife
Sharpie
Something to trace the hole in the top
I'll have to add picture later but all you need to do is cut a hole in the top of the lid large enough for your cat and make sure you smooth the edges. Then you use the carpet knife and cut the carpet to fit the top of the lid and hot glue it to the lid. Now on mine we didn't use hot glue because we didn't have any, instead we used caulking but make sure it's non toxic and water proof and it takes longer to dry. After gluing the carpet down then cut out the hole in the carpet. I did this after gluing down to make sure the hole was the same size and centered. Then place litter inside and that's it. I did dump my cat inside so she would know the litter was there.
Now instead of sweeping up litter everyday it only needs sweeping during regular cleaning and I use my dust buster to clean the carpet. Also the chihuahuas can't get inside and the smell is better than a front opened litter box.
All you need is:
Plastic tote w/ lid ($5 at Walmart)
Scrap carpet (cheap rug from truck stop would work, or scraps from a carpet store) My husband got ours when they were replacing the carpet at his work.
Hot glue and glue gun
Carpet Knife
Sharpie
Something to trace the hole in the top
I'll have to add picture later but all you need to do is cut a hole in the top of the lid large enough for your cat and make sure you smooth the edges. Then you use the carpet knife and cut the carpet to fit the top of the lid and hot glue it to the lid. Now on mine we didn't use hot glue because we didn't have any, instead we used caulking but make sure it's non toxic and water proof and it takes longer to dry. After gluing the carpet down then cut out the hole in the carpet. I did this after gluing down to make sure the hole was the same size and centered. Then place litter inside and that's it. I did dump my cat inside so she would know the litter was there.
Now instead of sweeping up litter everyday it only needs sweeping during regular cleaning and I use my dust buster to clean the carpet. Also the chihuahuas can't get inside and the smell is better than a front opened litter box.
Love the one you're with
So here we are in this rental RV. It's a very nice (or once was very nice) Winnebago. The engine is a long time gone so the RV park owner bought it and permanently set it up here in his RV park. The poor thing looks sad where people have slapped house paint on the outside of it a few times. It's now 4 or 5 different colors. But like the song says, "Love the one you're with" we are loving the one we are in even though it's not ours.
At some point people have ripped the screen door and done cheap repairs to fix it over the years, so my husband ripped out all their half hearted repairs and 20 layers of Alabama chrome (duct tape), then he replaced the screen properly with new screen. Now he's bought some plastic latis to go over the inside of the screen and is going to pop rivet it on so that no future renter destroy the screen again. This is all out of our pocket since the owner doesn't do repairs in these RV's but we live here so we might as well make it nice to live in. My husband also removed the table and built in chairs that were broken in here but people just left without telling the owner in fear of being blamed. We have a small table and two chairs we will place in here if we should move to replace the broken ones. Until then my foldable table is where it's used to be so that we could have more counter space.
Now my husband and I are thinking of asking the owner if he would sale the RV to us since it needs other repairs he doesn't want to do. Like the dump tank is busted and they threw dirt under the rv to try to hide the hole but it doesn't kill the smell!! So since it's permanently set up my husband would like to remove the cracked dump tank and place in a standard sewage line. It's not like this rv is drivable anymore. If we ever move it it will have to be towed.
What we love about this old rv is the storage. There are over head cabinets from right behind the front seats all the way back through the kitchen. The bathroom has a short closet and very short shower that we use for dirty laundry since no one can stand in that thing (plus it's only 10 gallons of hot water). The drawers have been destroyed over time but my husband said that whole front could be opened and the air duct removed for more storage space, since the central air and heat no longer work. (It has a window AC and no heats so we use a plug in heater.) I also placed curtains behind the front seats to block heat from the windows and we use the front seat so store items in totes and the cat's litter box is in the front floor board.
This rv if cared for and repairs were made could make a great little home. I wouldn't mind it being my home. The list of repairs isn't as bad as the one we used to own but there is a lot to do. The hardwood flooring in the kitchen is bowed and cracking and needs to be ripped up and replaced, at some point a full size bed was placed over the two twin beds and they thought it would last long term so it needs to come out and plywood placed over the gap between the twin beds to support a full size bed (or queen even), the dump tank needs removing, there a leak above the fridge that needs fixing, the faucet in the kitchen is broken and needs replacing, all the drawers in the kitchen need to be glued and nailed because they're falling apart the microwave needs replacing, and all the ceiling liner either needs to be repaired or removed.
At some point people have ripped the screen door and done cheap repairs to fix it over the years, so my husband ripped out all their half hearted repairs and 20 layers of Alabama chrome (duct tape), then he replaced the screen properly with new screen. Now he's bought some plastic latis to go over the inside of the screen and is going to pop rivet it on so that no future renter destroy the screen again. This is all out of our pocket since the owner doesn't do repairs in these RV's but we live here so we might as well make it nice to live in. My husband also removed the table and built in chairs that were broken in here but people just left without telling the owner in fear of being blamed. We have a small table and two chairs we will place in here if we should move to replace the broken ones. Until then my foldable table is where it's used to be so that we could have more counter space.
Now my husband and I are thinking of asking the owner if he would sale the RV to us since it needs other repairs he doesn't want to do. Like the dump tank is busted and they threw dirt under the rv to try to hide the hole but it doesn't kill the smell!! So since it's permanently set up my husband would like to remove the cracked dump tank and place in a standard sewage line. It's not like this rv is drivable anymore. If we ever move it it will have to be towed.
What we love about this old rv is the storage. There are over head cabinets from right behind the front seats all the way back through the kitchen. The bathroom has a short closet and very short shower that we use for dirty laundry since no one can stand in that thing (plus it's only 10 gallons of hot water). The drawers have been destroyed over time but my husband said that whole front could be opened and the air duct removed for more storage space, since the central air and heat no longer work. (It has a window AC and no heats so we use a plug in heater.) I also placed curtains behind the front seats to block heat from the windows and we use the front seat so store items in totes and the cat's litter box is in the front floor board.
This rv if cared for and repairs were made could make a great little home. I wouldn't mind it being my home. The list of repairs isn't as bad as the one we used to own but there is a lot to do. The hardwood flooring in the kitchen is bowed and cracking and needs to be ripped up and replaced, at some point a full size bed was placed over the two twin beds and they thought it would last long term so it needs to come out and plywood placed over the gap between the twin beds to support a full size bed (or queen even), the dump tank needs removing, there a leak above the fridge that needs fixing, the faucet in the kitchen is broken and needs replacing, all the drawers in the kitchen need to be glued and nailed because they're falling apart the microwave needs replacing, and all the ceiling liner either needs to be repaired or removed.
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
I feel like a superfly idiot!
Back at the end if October when my husband's friends came to us with the house. At first I was like IT'S GO! But then I started crunching numbers and didn't think we could afford the move but my husband was insistent on it so I did and even sold the RV to make the move easier. Stupid move! Well here we are back in the same dang RV we started out in last March when we lost our home. Problem this time is we don't have a job here at the RV park to pay the rent so they play with how much the rent is on a weekly basis because they know they can. So here we go again on the same road we were on last year trying to rebuild and hopefully buy another RV. Honestly it's left a nasty taste in my mouth and I'm a little more than pissed at my husband and his bad attitude and pity party because of us having to be back here.
Last time I was able to find us the job working here. This is he's got to step forward and ask because the last time we lived here this woman and they guy she was staying with broke into our RV and stole a lot of stuff and I took it to the manager of the park who is good friends with the woman. Not only did we not get our items back I'm now not liked by quite a few people here in the park because I dared say a bad thing about the manager's friend. So since we're back here I'm keeping a low profile and my husband is going to have to step up and he doesn't like doing that kind of thing.
I don't mind being back in the RV. I only wish I still had mine instead of renting one from the park that has a leak, faulty plumbing, gives the park to much control over me. It's okay though because it's a starting point and a place to build on. We're looking everyday online for RV's for sale that are fixer uppers but good enough for us to live in while we do the repairs. It would be amazing if I could find someone that let us make payments but most RV payments I've noticed seem higher than a house payment which is crazy!
Last time I was able to find us the job working here. This is he's got to step forward and ask because the last time we lived here this woman and they guy she was staying with broke into our RV and stole a lot of stuff and I took it to the manager of the park who is good friends with the woman. Not only did we not get our items back I'm now not liked by quite a few people here in the park because I dared say a bad thing about the manager's friend. So since we're back here I'm keeping a low profile and my husband is going to have to step up and he doesn't like doing that kind of thing.
I don't mind being back in the RV. I only wish I still had mine instead of renting one from the park that has a leak, faulty plumbing, gives the park to much control over me. It's okay though because it's a starting point and a place to build on. We're looking everyday online for RV's for sale that are fixer uppers but good enough for us to live in while we do the repairs. It would be amazing if I could find someone that let us make payments but most RV payments I've noticed seem higher than a house payment which is crazy!
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Biting the big one
I haven't posted in a while because honestly I'm not even living in the RV anymore. At the beginning of November a friend came to us and offered us their home to rent to own and my husband jumped at the chance head first without thinking it through. We weren't in the place financially to get back into a home but here we are barely treading water. Every time a bill goes into that mailbox I wish I was back in the RV but at the same time I don't miss it either.
It's nice not having to back out of each other's way so we can pass. I had a love affair with the kitchen for two months after moving in here. I've turned into the cupcake lady at my husband's work because I'm always making them for them. It's nice to have a private bathroom.
The drawbacks! The first 4 weeks here I stayed in the bedroom because the house felt to dang big. I couldn't handle the master bedroom because of it and we are now living in the guest bedroom and looking for a roommate to go into the master. Then there are the bills and bills and bills and bills.... I've also gotten so used to being in the RV that we have yet to turn on gas service in the house for the heat. Our friends we are buying it from are upset about this. It's also to quiet here. I miss hearing the fighting and kids playing in the RV park.
I will continue this blog as I think of things and if anyone would like to co-write it with me please let me know. I've actually started another blog about living with empty pockets and how we are making it on next to nothing without government help.
It's nice not having to back out of each other's way so we can pass. I had a love affair with the kitchen for two months after moving in here. I've turned into the cupcake lady at my husband's work because I'm always making them for them. It's nice to have a private bathroom.
The drawbacks! The first 4 weeks here I stayed in the bedroom because the house felt to dang big. I couldn't handle the master bedroom because of it and we are now living in the guest bedroom and looking for a roommate to go into the master. Then there are the bills and bills and bills and bills.... I've also gotten so used to being in the RV that we have yet to turn on gas service in the house for the heat. Our friends we are buying it from are upset about this. It's also to quiet here. I miss hearing the fighting and kids playing in the RV park.
I will continue this blog as I think of things and if anyone would like to co-write it with me please let me know. I've actually started another blog about living with empty pockets and how we are making it on next to nothing without government help.
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