Oct 272014
 

Top 10 RV Kitchen Must Haves via J5MM.com

For a while now I have been wanting to share with you some of my most favorite kitchen essentials.  Finally, I have had some time to sit down and really think about which goodies in my Airstream kitchen I couldn’t live with out.

So without further adieu —  I begin with my cast iron skillets . . .

  1. Top of my list and rightly so — a cast iron skillet trio.  Two skillets and a griddle (that serves as lid for the 9″ skillet).  From your RV stovetop/oven to the campfire — these cast iron beauties will keep your culinary creations delicious and beautiful at the same time.   I especially love that each time I use mine, they only get better.  I got mine from LODGE and keep them in my oven at all times for storage.  Even when I bake, I keep the ones I am not using on the lowest part of the oven.  The heat from the baking helps to continue seasoning the skillets which will make them even better the next time they’re used.
  2. Yes you can roast a turkey in your RV oven — but not without an oven thermometer because you just can’t trust the temperature knob on your RV oven.  Last Thanksgiving I roasted an 18.7 pound turkey in my RV oven and I couldn’t have done it without my trusty oven thermometer.  Find it here at Williams-Sonoma
  3. With self adhesive industrial strength velcro you can easily attach an iPad to your RV kitchen (or anywhere else?). Remove your iPad when you need it or leave it in place for reading recipes while cooking up a storm in your tiny kitchen. I’ve taken mine off and put it back on at least a hundred times so far and the velcro still keeps a great grip.  I found my velcro “coins” at Michaels here (scroll down to the “coins”)
  4. I hemmed and hawed for a long time before I broke down and bought these nesting enamelware mixing bowls.  They weren’t inexpensive, but after having them on board now for over a year I can say I’m very satisfied with my purchase.  They are super durable and super cute.  Plus the set comes with a strainer.  Falconware Enamel
  5. My magnetic board oringally came in silver until I covered it with white contact paper and bought matching white magnetic pencil holders at the Container Store to hold my pairing knives and other goodies. Its very handy having my little kitchen tools readily accessible :)  I found my magnetic board and white spice holders at the Container Store.
  6. This magnetic knife holder from Ikea is ridiculously strong.  I can even put my Kuhron Rikon Knives (see #7) with their plastic covers on and they stay put no matter what super large pot hole we bump over while under tow.  IKEA
  7. Kuhron Rikon Knives are cute and super sharp (hence the covers I am sure).  Not only do they make slicing and dicing a breeze but the different colors make me happy.  Kuhron Rikon
  8. Over the sink cutting board with removable silicone strainer — expands my counter space for prepping to cook or bake.  This is the one I have in my Airstream kitchen now from Uncommon Goods and I couldn’t imagine cooking in my silver kitchen without it.
  9. Chemex Coffee Maker.  Not just a coffee maker — how about a flower vase or a wine decanter?  Plus it looks beautiful on the counter.  Prefer an electric small coffee maker?  Check out my Fab Finds Tuesday post here for a small espresso maker-dream-come-true :)  CHEMEX
  10. Kikkerland Timer — this kitchen timer is about as loud as a school bell at the end of the day (okay, maybe not that loud, but it is loud). That’s especially a good thing if you  are outside mingling with your friends and you’ve got a precious pie baking away — never another burnt anything.  That I can promise you.   AMAZON

All of those items listed above, I should mention — they are not my sponsors — just lovely things I want to share with you :)

Did I miss anything?  I wonder . . .

I also wonder what lives in your RV kitchen that you absolutely couldn’t live without . . .

On a completely different note now, I have been having a grand old time in my garage at home.  You see — I made myself a little space there — a little space all my own where I work on making pretty pieces of jewelry!  I am surrounded by all sorts of tools from a torch, hammers, pliers, jewelry saws and even a flex shaft (a power rotary tool).  YIKES.  It can be a very dangerous tool to use that flex shaft as I have learned.  It runs fast and hot and if one does not exercise proper safety (eye protection, hair pinned up and a mask to protect from dust particles) what can happen can be quite dreadful!  I am very careful that is for certain.

Since our silver girl has been in service for the last few weeks, we haven’t done much as far as traveling (sad face) but on the bright side — this time has given me the opportunity to sit in my little space and happily create.  I have been carefully sawing out shapes of little fall leaves for a pair of earrings.  The sound of my saw, sawing through a sheet of silver was quite therapeutic.  Relaxing.  Meditative.  I then filed, hammered, forged and soldered them with even more filing and  polishing with my flex shaft :)

Just look at what I made :)

Metalsmithed Earrings via J5MM.com

Each time I made progress on a piece, I would bring it into the house with a happy smile on :)

“Look!  Look what I made!” I would proudly declare :)

“Wow!  Mommy those are beautiful!” B would tell me.  He would also help me along with some advice . . .

“Maybe you should make two leaves instead of one,” he suggested and I listened (and thought, by golly this kid is right!)

Imagine the boys happiness when mom took his advice :)

Falling For Fall // Silversmithed Earrings via J5MM.com

Hope you had a wonderful weekend !!

Thank you for being here :)

~ Monica xoxo

  28 Responses to “Monica’s Top 10 RV Kitchen Essentials”

  1. Hi Monica,
    I love your post. I have a 2008 25′ FB Airstream and I love to cook. We spent 4.5 months traveling the US last year. It was great! I would like to use cast iron inside. I wanted to know if your cast iron skillets bang around in the oven when traveling? Seams like they would destroy the inside of the oven. Thank you for sharing you kitchen essentials. So helpful and super cute!

    • Hi Berta — you know, I haven’t noticed if that has happened and I recently did an entire oven cleaning/scrubbing bringing it back to an almost brand new condition inside and didn’t notice any marks.

      I keep them stacked one on top of the other on the very, very bottom of the oven — under the broiler. I feel like they stay nice and safe in that spot.

      But I will have to check now and see once we get our trailer back from service, I am curious! Thank you for that good question and for your nice words :) xoxo

      • Curious as to whether you have a microwave with a timer in your camper.
        I use my microwave time all the time even when I’m not using the microwave. Just one less thing to make space for.

  2. Lv these hints, and your jewelry pieces are beautiful!!!

  3. Monica:

    Thank you so much for such a great blog! I have a 2014 25′ Flying Cloud that I just moved into last summer (solo full-timer) and your kitchen suggestions have been beyond helpful. I am a PNW girl myself (Yakima/White Pass ski kid). I hope to run into you and your family on the road one day so I can make you a beverage and thank you in person for your solid gold suggestions.

    Take care, LL

    • Awe thank you Lauren. Those are such sweet words — thank you! Congrats on your silver girl and for full timing it. You must have some great adventures under your sleeve and I agree, I would LOVE to meet you on the road one day. Please keep in touch !!!

      • Hi Monica — Love your latest Olympic Peninsula post! I am going to roam the peninsula for the next couple months when I head north (leaving Oregon Coast mid-April).

        I was wondering if you put anything under your velcro when you hang things – so between the velcro strips and the skin/vinyl? For example, your knife holder and your magnet board in the kitchen. Sorry in advance if you already addressed this and I missed it.

        Thanks!

        • Hi Lauren — thanks for your sweet words about my OP post :)

          For the knife holder and magnetic board in the kitchen — I used silicone sealant to hang those items. I did use the velcro circles to mount the iPad to the wall and I didn’t put anything in between the velcro and the wall. The velcro that is on the wall is self adhesive so it stuck right to it.

          I hope I am making sense, please do let me know . . .

          • HI Monica- I wanted to ask you more about the silicone sealant you used to mount the magnetic board to the wall. Is is safe to say that this is a permanent solution? Meaning there is no turning back once you use the silicone sealant to adhere it to the wall? Also, is the board itself magnetic or just the items you stick to it? Also, how is the white contact paper holding up? I was debating on weather to follow your lead or try to paint the board. We are just barely getting started on our Airstream journey and your blog has been a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to me.❤️❤️❤️ @grandstreamofthings

          • You know, you could probably take the board down but I am not sure how the wall would fare to where the silicone glue is . . . but in my opinion, that route was a better way to go vs. drilling holes into the wood. Also the contact paper is holding up nicely, thankfully — I never thought to paint the board, that’s a good idea. I guess I was thinking if I got tired of the white, I could just peel it off and revert back to the silver color. I hope that helps and thank you for your kind words about J5MM ♥

  4. Hi Monica,
    I just discovered your blog on a FB Airstream page, and I LOVE it! We are taking our season opener voyage this weekend and I hope to use some quiet time to catch up on everything you’ve posted (and try those baked potato muffins!). You asked what kitchen implement I couldn’t live without and I have two: a small Santoku knife and my cast iron dutch oven with feet. I stew things over the campfire — lamb & rice, beef veggie, whatever sounds good. Oh, and maybe my electric skillet because it’s so much easier to make breakfast outside the camper on hot summer mornings.

    Our ’08 25′ Safari FB has had many great adventures with my husband, son and me; now Dave and I camp with our 130 lb dog, Harley. So nice to know that others love their campers as much as we love ours!

    Peace,
    Pam

    • Hey Pam — thank you so much for reaching out and sharing with me your fav kitchen items. I’ve wondered about an electric skillet and am intrigued. Which one do you have? Do you place your dutch oven right into the fire or do you hang it from a tripod? I’m so curious. I love that you travel with Harley — we used to have a yellow lab named Buddy when we first started ‘Streaming back in 2010. He was big like Harley too. I miss him so much. Thanks again for reaching out — I always love hearing from fellow campers. Happy and safe travels my friend XOXO

  5. Hi Monica –
    You have a fantastic blog! We recently purchased a travel trailer and I’m looking for a stainless steel stove top cover, like yours. Any chance you can let me know where you found yours?

    Thanks

    • Hi M — thank you! I wish I could point you in the right direction for that stainless steel cover but it came with our Airstream. I bet if you reached out to them, their service department nearest to you they could probably help you find one. Hope that helps ♥

  6. […] I like to make. Denise got the idea for the cast iron griddle doubling as a lid from this genius Airstream blog. We store items like measuring cups and and smaller utensils in it to save on space and reduce […]

  7. Hi Monica- Quick question…how did you attach the magnetic knife bar to the wall?

  8. Hello!
    Love your beautiful Airstream!! We should be getting ours in a couple months! I’m scouting for organizing products and really love the wooden drain board you have over your kitchen sink in some pictures; where did you find that?

  9. Thank you so much!!! Your posts – including this one- are showing me how it will be much more fun to go RVing with my husband. Do you have a post on how you store linens- I think I see some color in the storage over the kitchen area. Do you have 2 sets of sheets etc? or just take them off and do laundry?

  10. Hi Monica, It’s an amazing article. You shear in all accessories very essential for a kitchen. I want to follow your list and add my kitchen. This is a very helpful and informative article. Thank you for shear a very helpful information.

  11. This is really superb article and great concern about kitchen tools. You have done a great listing of RV kitchen tools. I definitely follow your list. Thanks for sharing this.

  12. Excellent tips! I love when people cook together and include the whole family no matter what the age.

  13. Just got a travel trailer, but it’s parked full time, just found your 10 kitchen must haves, hope to see more!

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