Super Easy Doxie Dinners

In planning meals aboard Doxie (she has a grill, microwave, and gas stove/oven) I knew it would still be a challenge. So, here are some of our more successful dinners that anyone can do:

Smoked Salmon Fried Egg Sandwiches

1 package smoked salmon, cream cheese, chopped onion, lemon, capers (I just bring enough for this dish in a zippy), eggs, bagels (any flavor), salt, pepper, and spray olive oil

Spray down your frying pan with olive oil and toast your bagels, cut side down. Smear cream cheese on top, followed by smoked salmon (if you tear this into smaller bits it’s easier to eat), capers, onion, and a little squeeze of lemon. Fry your eggs (we like them with just a little bit of run, but that’s not important) and then place on top. Salt and pepper to taste, serve open face. This makes a hardy lunch or light dinner. If you still have fresh greens on board, add a spinach salad or grilled broccolini.

Note: If you purchase your eggs from a small seller, ask to get them unwashed. These will last up to five weeks unrefrigerated! There’s a film that the hen’s body coats them with that once they’re washed is removed and then air can penetrate the shell. You will need to scrub them thoroughly with warm soapy water and a brush to get off any chicken poop. You can always test the freshness of your eggs by dropping them into a cup of water - if it floats throw it out!!

Grilled Stir Fry

1 package chicken tenderloins, 1 large onion, 1 green pepper, 1 package Uncle Ben’s 90-Second Rice, soy sauce, salt, pepper, & spray olive oil.

Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces. Cut the onion and green pepper into strips. Coat meet and veggies with olive oil and season meat with salt and pepper to taste. Line the grill with aluminum foil and spray liberally with olive oil and throw everything on. Using a spatula turn frequently to avoid burned spots (these little grills are notorious for not cooking evenly). Cook the rice in the microwave. While the meat and veggies are cooking, sprinkle with soy sauce (or terraki sauce if you’d prefer).

Serve the stir fry over rice in large bowls.

Note: by cutting the meat small you will only need to wash a fork for each guest! You can also use a packaged veggie mix for stir fry if you are going to cook this within a few days. If you freeze the meat beforehand it will keep in your onboard freezer, this meal could easily keep well into week two of your trip :-)

Pasta with Meat Sauce

1 lbs. ground turkey or beef, 1 jar or can of pasta sauce, 1 package dry filled tortellini, ravioli or spaghetti, salt, pepper, & spray olive oil.

Yes, this is your very basic pasta dish - but if you can cook the noodles in advance of your trip and then vacuum seal them, it will save you a lot of heat and steam in the galley. You don’t want to cook pasta (or anything that has to be boiled for more than a couple of minutes) onboard unless you can vent the ship as you’ll end up creating a sauna/steam room all in one - an added bonus but probably not what you were going for! I use ground meat that’s in a tube as they tend to have a longer use-by date and if I freeze them ahead of time, they last the trip down to the marina (for us that’s seven hours).

Note: One of the best purchases I’ve made for the galley is a collapsible colander. I found mine at Aldi for about $7 and it’s been great!