Part of the lure of camping in a motorhome or travel trailer is the feeling of freedom it elicits. So squandering that vacation free time with meal planning and preparation seems counterintuitive. Why not create great dinners in advance of your trip, leaving you with more play time when you really want it? Here are 5 simple and savory recipes to help fill your RV freezer with easy meals.
Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
10 to 12 corn tortillas
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder, plus more for sprinkling
2 tablespoons Cajun spice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cans of boneless cooked chicken, drained
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
Two 15-ounce cans green or red enchilada sauce
3 cups grated cheddar jack cheese, plus more if needed
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the cumin, chili powder, Cajun spice, salt, and pepper. Next, mix in the cans of chicken, shredding chicken into small pieces with a fork.
- Throw the onions into a skillet, stir and cook until deep golden brown and caramelized (4 to 5 minutes). Set aside on a plate. Pour the enchilada sauce into the skillet and reduce the heat to low, allowing it to warm.
- To assemble the enchiladas: Pour 1 cup of the sauce into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and leave the rest in the skillet. Place a layer of flat tortillas on top of the sauce in the casserole dish, then add a layer of the chicken mixture, a layer of caramelized onions, then a layer of shredded cheese.
- Follow this same pattern for a second layer of tortillas, chicken, onions and cheese. Top with the last layer of flat tortillas, and pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the top. Add a final topping of cheese and give it a sprinkling of chili powder.
- Bake until hot and bubbly (about 30 minutes). Let the enchiladas sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Hamburger Soup
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
4 cups water
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, chopped
Directions
- In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef; drain. Add the next 10 ingredients; bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Add green beans. Cover and simmer 15 minutes longer or until the beans are tender.
- Serve and enjoy!
Green Chili
Ingredients
2 red onions, chopped
1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and halved
2 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons canola oil
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt
Pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the onions, tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Roast in oven until soft and starting to brown (about 20 to 30 minutes), stirring twice during roasting.
- Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil and heat. Brown the pork, in batches, until well-browned. When browned, add all of the pork back into the pan and cover with chicken stock.
- Add the roasted vegetables, cover the pan and place in the oven. Cook until the pork is very tender (about 1 1/2 hours).
- While pork is cooking, place the cilantro in a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of water and puree. Remove the pork from the oven and stir in the cilantro puree.
- Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve with warm flour tortillas. Enjoy!
Twice Baked Potatoes
Ingredients
8 baking potatoes, washed
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 sticks salted butter
1 cup bacon bits
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar or jack cheese, plus more for topping
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
Black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Brush the skins with vegetable oil and bake for 1 hour.
- Slice butter into pats. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the bacon bits and sour cream. Remove the potatoes from oven. Lower heat to 350 degrees.
- Cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.
- Mix the potatoes into butter, bacon and sour cream. Add cheese, milk, seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and mix together well.
- Fill the potato shells with the filling. Top each potato with some grated cheese and place in oven until the potato is warmed through (about 15 to 20 minutes).
Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds cubed round steak, cut into thin strips
Salt
Black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, sliced
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can beef broth
1 cup sour cream
Cooked egg noodles
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
Directions
- Sprinkle the steak strips with salt, pepper and garlic powder, then dust with flour. In a large skillet, quickly brown them on both sides in the olive oil and butter. Remove the steak from the pan. Add the onion slices and mushrooms to the pan drippings. Saute for a few minutes until the onion slices are tender. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon flour.
- Put the steak back into the pan with the onion and mushrooms. Add the mushroom soup and beef broth. Cook over low heat for about 30 minutes, covered. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding salt and pepper, as needed.
- Stir in the sour cream in the last few minutes, right before serving. Serve over cooked noodles. (If freezing, freeze stroganoff mixture without noodles.)
More time for camping fun with easy meals
Be sure to freeze servings of all of these meals with labels and dates in your home freezer. Most of these recipes are good for one to three months, and each is assured to assuage your hunger—while giving you more time to enjoy your camping adventures.
Now you’re all set to find a great RV rental on Outdoorsy and transfer your frozen containers to the camper freezer.
