GIRL'S ROOM: Hello ladies

[BoomBoom]

Howdy everyone. Just started this new lifestyle fulltime approx Feb 4. Before that we  tent camped fulltime six months out of the year and holed up for the winter. We traded the tent for a 96 dodge high top van (kind of a short bus) and are slowly but surely getting it fixed up to our standards lol. Was looking for any advice or tips on the lifestyle that makes day to day things easier or more Homier if that makes sense lol. I desperately need female mentors..tell me your favorite recipies or anything that can help me be more independent in this mans world . So far I celebrate small victories for me such as learning how to disconnect the battery or finding the place to get water here in the desert when everything looks exactly the same lol (we are currently in ehrenberg..I have a bit of a fear of driving in unfamiliar places and getting lost in the desert..silly yes lol ) My name is Bambi ..my partner calls me possum (i answer to either one) he's been on the forums awhile now (wabbit is what he goes by) any feedback is greatly appreciated.

 

[Queen]

Hiya Bambi, welcome!

Read through the threads her in the women's area and you'll glean tons of helpful info.

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

Hi Bambi, good to meet you.
You will pick up many tips here on this forum. Just read, read, read.
You will be amazed at how much information these folks here are willing to give away.
I don't go full time, but we have camped for our whole married life, 46 yrs. If you did any cooking in a tent, you can do it in a van. I am sure you will pick it up easily.
Any recipe you used in a sticks and brick house you can do in a van, just a bit of a trial to keep on trying.
I like to cook over an open fire, in a cast iron dutch oven. I have baked bread, cakes and roasts in them, just google Cast Iron Cooking over an open fire and also check on Amazon.com for their Free Kindle books, a lot of times they have them there, but you will be looking at a lot of different books before finding any there. Good Luck!!
Sharon

 

[#1BonBonQueen]

http://prepforshtf.com/free-kindle-books-limited-time-offers/

This is a good link for finding free survival books and they also have some for cooking too. Keep going back daily as they do change daily and they always tell you to check before buying, to be sure they are still free.
Sharon

 

[TrainChaser]

If you're going to spend much time in the open lands (desert or plains), it would be a good idea to learn how to use a compass.

 

[DrJean]

It's a man's world? Who knew? hahahahah we just let them think that way..

Welcome.

Watch videos of RVers, van dwellers, campers etc... and Bob's of course! you won't agree with most of it, but even a few tidbitds will be good enough (which is all I care about nowdays, "good enough")

 

[crofter]

Hi Bambi!
Here's a recipie I cook all the time. It takes two days from scratch.
couple pounds carne asada (unseasoned)
beans (small red or pintos, can substitute canned)
a third cup medium red chili powder
tortillas & oil
The first day I soak the dry beans for 8 hours, then cook them for 2 hours slow. (skip this if you're using canned)
The second day I cut the carne asada in bite size pieces and cook in some oil, adding chili and anything else you want.
Add the cooked beans to this last and heat thru good.
You can eat this as chili or roll in tortillas and bake for baked chimichangas.
If you are making the baked chimichangas, oil the pan and the tops and bake for about 15 minutes or so till crispy. Yum!
I save the chili to make my chimichangas all through the week. It's a staple for me.
 - Crofter

 

[DrJean]

Trainchaser said:
If you're going to spend much time in the open lands (desert or plains), it would be a good idea to learn how to use a compass.


Oh my! I don't usually.... but happened to be watching tv and the Amazing Race... and I'm embarrassed to say that one of the ladies couldn't understand the guy's upset because she was insisting that north is where the map points! (The little North arrow on the usually upper part of the map, for orientation.) :O

 

[TrainChaser]

North is whichever way I'm going, eh? A compass and map do take a few more brain cells than a GPS, and some people can't even use those without getting into trouble.

 

[DrJean]

Exactly! Oh if life were only that way eh?

 

[TrainChaser]

The reason that I mentioned the compass and map was due to a rather "high-mileage error" I made on my way to Wyoming one time.  Maybe it wouldn't have helped, but...

I was headed north on SR 191 in Utah, planning to cross into Wyoming on the east side of Flaming Gorge, and hit I-80 just west of Rock Springs (my destination).  Going through Vernal, UT, I was looking at the large pink dinosaur ("Dinah") on the east side of town, and somehow got onto SR 40, eastbound.  If the sun had been shining, I probably/might have noticed the rather subtle change in direction, but a thunderstorm was brewing and it was overcast.  And you just don't see a 40-ft pink dinosaur every day.  (That's my excuse.)

FORTY-FIVE MILES LATER, I noticed a highway sign that said "CO 40".  CO, as in Colorado.  So I turned around and went back to the turn I should have made.  Ninety miles of wasted gas and time.  What a dunce!

When I was chasing trains, my work Suburban had a handy dash compass.  I would really like to have one of those...

 

[XFILE36]

I was recently VERY sick and could barely eat anything.  I was very ill and could barely do anything but stay in bed 24 hours a day for a month.  I needed to eat SOMETHING and knew I would die if I didn't.  I had no strength to cook, but managed this recipe:  It turned out so good, I still make it.  It is easy and delicious.  Just throw it all in and wait about a half hour.  It is a good side dish for a main course like meat, or as a meal when you don't mind the carbohydrates.  

1.  1 cup Uncooked Rice (I used Jasmine Basmatti Rice, but you could use any kind)
2.  2 cups water
3.  1 or 2 carrots
4.  Frozen peas (about 1/2 cup)
5.  Chicken Bouillon (I like Better Than Bouillon brand from Costco)  BUT BETTER YET, use Bone Broth you make yourself.
6.   Garlic powder (to taste)
7.  Cumin Seeds  (I like a lot, but maybe 1 TBL?)
8.  Lime Juice (2-3 TBLS? or more)
9.  Salt & Pepper
10.  Optional;  Nutritional Yeast Powder (as much as you like)
11.  Turmeric powder (just a little, like about 1/4 teas.)
12.  Yogurt (as much as you like.  I like to add it to my dish instead of the whole pot.)

This is a very simple CHEAP dish, but tastes amazing!  Everything is estimated and is according to your taste.

 

[XFILE36]

By the way you cover the pot and it's plain yogurt.