When it comes to travel, I’ve mentioned time and again, how much I appreciate access to a kitchen. A full-size refrigerator, microwave, utensils, dishes, pots and pans make it so easy to prepare our own meals, appease picky eaters and save money on food costs.
As my kids got older and we realized the benefit of added space when traveling, I began to seek out hotels with kitchenettes and timeshare properties. Timeshares ended up being my favorite due to all of the additional amenities the other two options just could not match. Along with space to spread out, many properties offer additional amenities like on-site entertainment, game rooms, multiple TV’s, pools, extra bathrooms and stocked kitchens. Some of the essentials that my family enjoys.
Cooking in a timeshare kitchen isn’t much different than cooking at home. In my case, it’s often better than cooking at home. I admit my home kitchen is somewhat neglected.
While many families enjoy dining out and count it as part of the total vacation package, my family has always preferred to eat in because we spent so much time on the road. Even though we prefer not to dine out, that doesn’t mean that I want to spend all my vacation trapped in the kitchen, so I select meals that are economical and super easy to prepare. Here are some of my go-to meals when I’m traveling.
5 Easy Recipes that won’t Take Away from your Vacation
Beef and Bean Burritoes
Approximate time to prepare and cook: Less than 15 minutes.
1 lb. of hamburger
1 can of black beans
1 pkg. taco seasoning
sour cream
flour tortillas
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
Brown the hamburger and drain. Add the taco seasoning by following directions on the package. Drain and rinse the beans. Mix the hamburger and beans together. Heat the tortillas in the microwave until warm. Spread sour cream on the tortilla (if desired). Add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese, followed by a layer of the beef and bean mixture. Roll up the tortilla and enjoy. Serve with a garden salad or tortilla chips and salsa.
Vegetable Pizza
Approximate time to prepare and cook: 30-35 minutes.
1 can refrigerated pizza crust
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 TBSP. mayonnaise
¼- ½ tsp. garlic powder (I use ½, but we like our garlic flavor strong)
1 tsp. of dill weed (more if desired)
1 ½ cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
Variety of vegetables- 1-2 mushrooms, ½ pepper, ½ cup broccoli florets, ½ cup cauliflower, ¼ cup shredded carrots
Bake pizza crust as directed and allow to cool for 15 minutes. While the crust is cooling, mix the cream cheese with mayonnaise, garlic powder and dill weed. Set aside. Chop your selection of vegetables. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on the crust. Top with chopped vegetables and cheese. Eat immediately. Serve with garden salad or fresh fruit.
Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry
Approximate time to prepare and cook: Less than 30 minutes
1-1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup mushrooms
1 cup red bell pepper strips
1 cup green bell pepper strips
1 cup thinly slice carrots
1 medium onion sliced
Rice
Soy Sauce
Cook rice according to package and set aside. Cook chicken in a skillet with a little bit of oil until cooked through (about 5 minutes), remove chicken from the skillet. Cook the vegetables over medium-high heat 3-5 minutes. Add the chicken to the vegetables to heat. Serve mixture over rice with soy sauce. Serve with egg rolls if desired.
Tip: Frozen stir fry mix can be substituted for the fresh vegetables if desired.
Easy Beef and Noodles
Approximate time to prepare and cook: Less than 30 minutes.
1 package wide egg noodles
1 28 oz. can of Keystone All Natural Beef (or brand of your preference)
Beef Broth or Beef Boullion
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cook egg noodles as directed on package. Add beef broth to the pot of noodles. Add beef. Heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with broccoli (or other vegetable) and Italian bread.
Rye Bread (I use Seedless Rye)
Sauerkraut
Corned Beef
Thousand Island Dressing
Swiss or Provolone Cheese
Butter or Margarine
Rinse and drain the sauerkraut. Butter your bread on one side like you do for grilled cheese sandwiches. Preheat skillet or griddle to medium or medium-high. Place the bread butter-side down and add a slice of cheese with several layers of Corned Beef. Add sauerkraut and heat until the bread is golden brown. Flip the sandwich over and heat on the opposite side until it is also golden brown. Remove the sandwich from the griddle or pan and drizzle with Thousand Island Dressing.
Serve with a salad, soup, chips or vegetables.
To make it easy to plan, I’ve created a printable grocery list for you to download and print.
You can find discounted timeshare villas that include kitchens and learn more about the benefits of timeshares by visiting SellMyTimeshareNow’s helpful timeshare page.
What are your go-to recipes when cooking while you’re traveling?
Tracey
Wednesday 13th of April 2016
I love all these recipes! I'm heading off for vacation in a few weeks so I'll be sure to print off this shopping checklist.