cooking in the truck

Before I bought my Keurig, we made the Starbucks jaunt everyday. And I have parked in some slightly scary places to do so. But since I bought the Keurig, nothing compares, not even Starbucks. My favorite is the Tullys House Blend, but sometimes I buy the Starbucks Pike Place in the Kcups just for old times sake. I was a three a day Starbucks customer prior to getting in the truck 4 1/2 years ago. If you like milk or cream and have a microwave you are set. I buy the Chinet brand coffee cups, high quality, pour 1/4 cup milk, add 3 Splenda, pop it in the microwave for 1 minute and when my single cup of coffee drips, pour it in. THE PERFECT LATTE!

 

My husband and I are both chefs, his cuisine Northern Italian, mine New American. We sold our last restaurant 15 years ago, and no we don't miss it, but eating truck stop food is a NO GO! We rarely eat fast food either. I buy groceries at all my favorite Safeways, or HEB Central Markets when possible and cook all of our meals.

Some essentials:

Ziplock Steam Bags- can steam any vegetable perfectly. I put in the garlic or whatever I'm spicing with in the bag along with produce.

George Forman mini grill - I use it for everything - makes killer paninis
NuWave Mini oven - not as good as the NuWave but not a terrible convection oven. Roast, grill, or bake straight from the freezer.

I've actually toyed with the idea of a cookbook for truckers...

 

No help for the freezer, but cooking stuff...
Only withh canned goods, open the can, set on exhaust manifold, idle for about 5(Depends on how long it takes the engine to heat up, with a CAT or any MAXXFORCE, not to long.)minutes. BAM! Get a potholder, let it cool, enjoy. Only problem, this only works in the summer...

 

Thanks for the tip. I'm not yet a trucker... gotta wait for my school year to be over and then head out to school...
Since EVENTUALLY I will be in my own truck, I have to plan ahead...
I've heard of the Keurig and but never tried it. Have an old Bunn that works okay but not hot enough...
Gotta nuke it 60 secs.... Oh well... Right now, I can still pull into a local Starbucks..
Thanks!

 

I would buy your book! Be sure to include all the appliances that are workable on a truck! Not yet on the road, but once I am, my wife and dog will be joining me and she will be in charge of navigation and cooking... lol! Thanks!

 

I am curious what you would suggest in terms of kitchen tools for folks without inverters.

So far I know I can live decently for quite a while off of a lunchbox cooker, hot pot, kitchen knife, and cutting board.

 

Sounds like a good plan. A roadside fruit and vegetable market in the summer is a great place to hit if they have somewhere to pull off. I've added grilled fresh peaches with cinnamon and sugar to veggies and chicken in a wrap.

 

By what I have read the lunchbox cookers they must be great. We had one of the little, I think 1 qt size saucepots that plugged in the cigarette holder before inverter was put in, but it had hot places on it that would burn food; I put an old stoneware saucer upside down in the bottom of it to help keep it from burning the food. I also had one of the old real small potpourri looking crockpots that was about big enough to put a can of soup or vegetables in and covered it with an old saucer for a lid. Had these plugged in and sitting on floor of the one cabinet where they wouldn't scoot or tip over. George Foreman was great if you didn't have really juicy food you wanted to cook; it could get a little messy. We had enough room for the cooler with the fan in that is at most truckstops and I used it for surface to cook on. We also had a little refrig.

Hubby is in truck alone right now, so he uses a microwave, and has a larger refrigerator. Those other coolers just don't last, but they are cheaper if you need something in a hurry.

 

That's true.

I've been out about a year and a half and I am on my third cooler.
The first one had a fan go out, but I could not find a fan of the correct size to replace it.
The second worked well until the power switch melted.

This time I spent the extra few and got the Coleman. It cools better, and from what I understand the fan is easier to replace (meaning, it is a more standard size).
It also has no 'warm/cool/on/off switch.

The lunchbox ovens are great.
The first one I bought was the one with the adjustable temp. It overheated the 12V plugs, and blew fuses.
Recently I got the simpler one that has no settings, it simply heats to 300 degrees or so.
No problems with it at all.
Currently I am baking a potato, which it does very well - even if it does take 2-2.5 hours to do it.
Baked potatoes are great!

This is the oven that uses the rectangular foil liners.
They are great for keeping things clean, and for easy cleanup.
But something like a can of soup doesn't need the liner. Just put the can in, and bake it until it is hot enough.

Did I mention?
Baked potatoes are great!
A microwaved potato simply can't compete. The insides are never fluffy when you micro it.
And, potatoes are full of all the good stuff your body needs.
Add a stick of butter to a big baked tater and some salt and pepper - heaven on wheels.

 

Shredded cheeze, sharp of course, and bacon buds are also a nice topping! Yum!