RV pantry organization

I am always looking for better ways to organize my pantry in our class A RV.  My husband accuses me of having a "nuclear storage" of food and perishables at home.  I am trying to fight back the desire to do the same thing on a smaller scale in our RV.  So, all of that to say.....I have implemented a few things that have freed up more cabinet space for more..........FOOD!

Above you will see the canisters from IKEA for flour, sugar, etc.  Below that are 2 plastic bins with a handle on the end from Wal-Mart.  These are good  for organizing snacks for the kids, drinks, etc.  They are both great for your home pantries also.

Orange Rice

Growing up in the Ozarks of Missouri, I didn't have any friends that ate grits for breakfast or things like red beans and rice and gumbo, like my family. My mom was born and raised in south Louisiana. She cooked foods for us that reflected her southern heritage. I will post more of her wonderful recipes soon, but let's start with a family favorite.

This recipe is no only a family favorite, it is super easy to make. Your kids will love it. What is funny about this recipe, is the name. In my family it is know as "Orange Rice." Truth is.....it isn't really orange at all, it is more of a reddish color. It consists of tomato sauce, shrimp and sausage as well as the rice. Perhaps there is a more glamorous title to be had, but in my family....it will remain "Orange Rice." Enjoy!

You need: 1 chopped onion, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. parsley,
1 tsp. cajun seasoning ( I use Tony Chachere's), 1 tsp. sugar,
2 lbs/1 qt. shrimp, 1 lb. Hillshire Farms smoked sausage,
1 28 oz. can of tomato sauce, 4-5 cups of rice.

Cook down your onion in a small amount of olive oil. Once the onions are cooked, add sausage that has been chopped into bite size chunks and all of the seasonings and sugar.

 

Let that cook a few minutes and then add your tomato sauce and 1 cup of water.



Now you will add your rice. You have some options here. You can add already cooked rice, and this will speed up your dish. If you wish to add raw rice, this will take a while longer, but will cook with your sauce and seasonings.

Once your rice is cooked, you will add the shrimp. Remember, shrimp does not take long to cook. Once they turn a pinkish/orange color they are cooked through.

Ta-da..Orange Rice is ready to serve!

RV Shower

Ok, so we have a wonderful RV that we enjoy traveling and sometimes living in .  However, there are a few times when it isn't exactly perfect.  For our family of 6, it never fails:  when someone is in the shower, someone else needs to go to the bathroom.  This means either the person in shower is forced to rush, or the person (child) waiting for bathroom is outside the hallway door making all sorts of distress sounds.  I for one, have been rushed for the last time. 

This is a simple DIY project that you can complete in 15 minutes.  Buy a shower curtain and a set of hooks.  Place the shower curtain hooks on curtain and hang over your shower.  Once the shower curtain is in the perfect place, mark on the curtain your cut line.  Make your cut line where the door meets the side.  Remove the shower curtain.  Lay flat on a surface and cut a straight line on your cut mark.  Thus, cutting your shower curtain into 2 pieces, but not of equal size.

 

 

 

You can sew the raw edges back to make a more finished look, or you can use liquid stitch(if you don't have your sewing machine) to finish off the edges.  Now, take the small part of the curtain, hook on curtain hooks and put into place.  Next, hang the larger portion of the shower curtain on the hooks over the top of the shower.  Once you are in the shower, pull on the end curtain hook that is  attached to the larger curtain piece and pull to cover the glass door.  People can now pass through, etc while you are in the shower.  WHEW!

RV Spice organization

Another tip for your RV or home pantry is these magnetic spice canisters.  Simply buy a magnetic strip and attach it to your wall, door, shelf, etc.  For your home, you can attach these magnetic strips to the inside of your pantry door, or the inside of your cabinet doors.  For your RV, attach it with Velcro on the back.