Hi
Just wondering if anyone has come up with meals suitable for solo's.I haven't started my trip yet,wont be until early 2010 when i pack up and take of to wherever i want.In my yet to be decided 20' caravan with shower toilet and everything else i need towed by a yet to be decided vehicle.Patrol or Cruiser ?

I imagine i will get sick and tired of the old hamburgers sausage sandwich etc real fast.I don't intend to buy take away's as i will be staying in remote and isolated areas..But i cant seem to find recipe books catering for cooking for singles.Would like to be able to cook meals which freeze or store well so i can take care of a couple of night's worth of meals in one cooking session.

Is it worth having a bread maker?I have never seen one in the flesh.They seem to have taken a very quick nose dive in popularity.If you live in a city i cant the sense in one,but out in the bush are they worth having?

Hi Stefan,

If you go through the search tab up the top and put in bread maker I think you will find it in the "what's cooking" thread.  We discussed this issue at some length some time ago, but it might be helpful to you.

Also if you go to Angus and Robertson there is a little book they can order for you.  It's called a Chunky book, they will know what you mean.

I got the "Fish Food" one and am very impressed.  They only seem to use things that you would ordinarily have in the pantry so there's no need to go to any great expense buying ingredients that you may never use again.

I do believe there is one called "Cooking for One".

Hope this helps

Ma

Hi
Thanks for that i should remember about that darn search facility ggggrrrrrr must be a having a "grey" day

Thanks  Stef

I used a bread maker for a while and they do provide you with a fresh loaf when you need it. You do need 240V to use them though but if you are going bush with a gennie then I'd grab one and run with it. They did take a nose dive on the domestic market and I suspect that was because they simply do not fit in with the current generations needs - you have to be organised to use one....
 We used to have people standing outside our van sniffing and trying to guess what sort of bun SWMBO had in her oven....

Tried a search for bread maker etc nothing showed up,you wouldn't have a link to your post ?

Sorry Stefan.  I know it's on here somewhere.  Will keep looking and get back to you.  I think from memory the thread started out as an entirely different topic and just evolved into bread machines.

I'll get back to you

Ma

We bought one for van. Got the lowest power-drawing one we could find, because the genset is Honda 10i. Found it didn't really work all that well. I went back to making bread using camp oven and campfire. Even at home, tend to hand make bread rather than use bread maker.

Hi
So you cant run a bread maker from the caravans power source ?

Stefan wrote:

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Hi
So you cant run a bread maker from the caravans power source ?

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They vary in consumption, Stefan.

But it's always rather a lot and unless you have a ginormous solar set up with a very large inverter, or a big genny which will need to be running for the whole of the b/m's cycle, then only 'shore' power will suffice.

Many people camp regularly in CPs and use their bread makers there.

For 'bush' use they seem to have limited application.

If you 'google' <no knead breadmaking> and <camp oven cooking>you'll find enough reading to keep you busy for the rest of the Winter

 

Stefan,
have run it using the inverter in the van, as well as tried it on the genset. With both, it labours to do the mixing  and, from the heaviness of the final product, suspect temperature is an issue too. Can also, obviously, run it on 240 when on a powered site, and the result is then normal - but usually in such places, commercial bread is available, and I would prefer to see the sites rather than hang around for a couple of hours waiting for breadmaker to do its thing!

Hi
Thanks for that i will give the old bread maker a miss then.A bit useless if you can only use it with shore power.The cost of a maker doesn't make it worthwhile if you can only use it when in a town.

Regards Stefan

Get with the "real thing" and buy a camp oven. Learn to use it, and you'll never regret it.

Stefan, said I'd get back to you when I found the thread.  It's on page 18 of the General Forum called BREAD MAKER.

Ma

Stefan, we use a breadmaker via an inverter (PSW) in our MH on a regular basis. Would not be without it. A loaf takes about 3 hours to bake from go to whoa and uses a total of about 30Ahrs over that time. For us that is only about 1 hour charge time from our solar panels, so we finish with more power than we started with during the bake. The highest power use is during the (fairly short) baking time and is about 450W (just under 40A @ 12V) for our unit. Cheers, Peter

Stefan, I completely agree with Rolly. Buy a camp oven. They come in various sizes. Learn to use it and you'll soon be making your own bread. [Sort of]. Hey.... if I can cook in it anyone can..lol. Truely,it's great.

I cant see you being that far from a bakery to warrant a breadmaker and all the expensive solar needed to run it, a loaf will last 3 -4 days easy enough, try a camp oven or just buy fresh

I'm probably having a blonde moment (no offence meant) here but just one question.....what happens if there is a total fire ban and you can't light a fire for the camp oven?

Ma wrote:

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I'm probably having a blonde moment (no offence meant) here but just one question.....what happens if there is a total fire ban and you can't light a fire for the camp oven?

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In my case; use the gas oven or the convection oven.

Some people carry an old, disused, electric fry pan and set a 'heat bead' fire in that, indoors, windows wide open, and stich the camp oven on that.

There's a whole website dedicated to camp oven cooking.

http://www.aussiecampovencook.com/

 

Ma I spoke to different fire cheifs/supers/officers in charge about this concerning my cobb, the answer was always the same if I maintain a fire perimiter of not less than 3 mtrs of cleared open ground, and I have "adequate" water on hand, and the fire is kept small and always under supervision by an adult then I am allowed to have the fire burning on all but complete fireban days even then it is up to the discression of the officer who comes to check on you. in all my years of travel I have never been questioned or asked to extinguish my fire, but I have talked to others that have keep the fire small and able to be handled and you will be fine or with a cobb you could take it inside wih adequate ventilation

We took a "cob" with us on one trip.. Never did work the damn thing out .!! Direction say x amount of heat beads...... well, maybe I couldn't count. I think it very over rated, sooo, back to the camp oven we went. We tried all sorts of things in it for our 6 wk trip and the only real success was had with a sponge pudding. We now have a "cob" to give away. Hey Ma.... go easy on the blonds eh.....lol.

I came upon this interesting alternative the other day:

http://rvseachange.com/

Which has a report on the  Kelly Kamper Kooka

Delliemay I am shocked and appalled, to berate a Cobb is nothing short of sacrilige, I am deeply wounded at the very notion of an "inoperable cobb", I will now have to have a little lie down to regain my composure after such an outburst against an innocent and faithfull cooking implement I have of course covered the eyes of my little companion Cobb so as to not expose him to such cruel taunts, he would never recover, dear oh dear, I am at a loss for words,.............. (shut up rolly)

Sorry Dave. Are you feeling better? I didn't say the "cob" was COMPLETELY useless!!!! It did cook a lovely ginger beer sponge desert for us......Did I mention my cooking skill? lol. {Lack there of}Ahhhhhh, the good ol' camp oven . Can't mess it up, even me.lol. The aroma of sultana damper, cup of coffee, tea or amber liquid.....what more can you want? ....Did I mention I have a "cob" to give away. Cheers

sorry Del, I spoke to my little mate ( my companion cobb) and he is not ready to forgive, perhaps with the passing of time the pain may subside a little, but for now he is just far too upset I gave up counting the heat beads, I just place twelve in the base whatever I am cooking, everything scrumptious, I am no cook but my roasts are the hit of the camp!, like my visa I would not leave home without him!

That gave me a chuchle Dave.. O.K. I'll give "it" one more go !!! 12 beads you reckon eh? If that doesn't work....well.....it back up for anyone game enough to try it. One problem tho...it's going to be awhile before we are lucky enough to get away for a while.....BUGGER!!! Cheers

Now back to cooking for singles. I use my Waeco as a deep freeze. I freeze a loaf and it lasts about 2-3 weeks. Bread isn't a staple in my diet. I have a big pot cook up every couple of weeks when I make large one-pot casseroles/stews with a meat base of choice, lots of veges, onions, garlic, curry, sweet chilli sauce, tomatoes - oh, you get the idea. I use chicken, mince or beef, and I've used lamb occasionally. The cooking options are up to your taste buds. All the goodness stays in the pot. I then pack into meal sized containers, cool and freeze. My pot does about 12-14 meals. When about half has been used I do another cook up of something else, and then just switch around. I have had up to 4 different types of dishes in my freezer at the one time. I also buy the occasional frozen dinner for a change. I don't see any value for me to have a breadmaker. The ingredients can cost more than a loaf if you get into the really nice fancy breads. I recently traded food with a fellow nomad. I shared one of my meals, he made the bread. Such magnificent bread he made too. Mmmmmm. Anyway, there's always eggs, fish and other food for variety. I also bake a spud in the micky wave, in the jacket, and add one of those meals to the spud eg mince with all it's additions over a spud with a sprinkle of grated cheese - yummmmm! Tuna is a handy, healthy filler. You can buy easy cook rice to be zapped in the micky wave and it's very tasty, filling and wholesome. You can add tuna or a beaten egg and extra veges. I can't be bothered cooking from scratch every day, and I don't have the storage space, as I hate shopping every day. Lunch is my main meal, and I only have a light something in the evening. There's more than one way to skin a cat but whatever you do, don't eat it! To each his/her own, but this method works great for me when I'm parked up or when I'm on the road. There's no meal time hustle to get a feed. I don't free camp, so I always have 240v, but there's always gas or the fire if you free camp. I love camp cooking but only when I'm camping. As this is my lifestyle, camping is a special occasion. The meal options are only limited by your lack of imagination. Bon apetite. Cheers Chris

I have just returned from a trip from Toowoomba QLD (home) to the Great Ocean Rd - solo.  Before I left I made several casserole meals and cryvacced them.  This way if you have limited freezer room, they can be stored in the fridge for weeks.
It turned out to be a great idea, as I only had to heat the meal up after a day of travelling. 
The cryvacc machines sell for approx $150 from places like Good Guys, Retravision.
Good money spent for many future trips.

Kay.

-- Edited by travelkid3 on Monday 28th of September 2009 05:26:23 PM

Welcome travelkid3 Kay. That's a good idea too. It's all about storage space I guess. My little van fridge is always full of my fresh fruit etc, and the little ice box on the top is not good enough for freezing food. I use it for ice blocks and cold packs etc. I suppose the cryvac machine requires special shrinking bags as well. Another expense. Horses for courses. Safe and happy travels. Cheers Chris