What would you bring....We will be joining a family for a vacation on the beach. Staying at a hotel

B

barb_b

Well-known member
w/ a "small kitchenette" Basically, has plates/utensils kitchen table chairs, sink, fridge (Do not know about freezer) and micro. (No stove, oven)

Thought was to bring/make both breakfast and lunch to get some time away from the sun, reduce costs, provide quiet time (There will be 2 younger children) and avoid eating fast food 3xs/day....

Breakfast will be simple...Frozen mini quiches for dh (South Beach); bring them frozen and fridge.... reheat in micro; bring salsa to spice it up some days, etc...Cereal, bagels cream cheese for all. Plan on making a coffee cake to bring.

Lunch / snacks need some help. Besides the traditional sandwiches, chef salads, any other suggestions? Want to make it a fun experience.

Most importantly, as dh would say...Snacks! I will provide him his SB diet "stuff", but I know he will use vacation as an excuse to join in on the fun! Micro Popcorn, nachos, cheese/crackers/grapes come to mind. Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Best,

Barb

 
Lots of fresh fruit salad, homemade cookies (especially for the kids), muffins,

brownies if you need another sweet snack, pita chips and hummus, roasted nuts...

Yogurt Sundaes:
Yogurt - plain or flavors of choice (plain can be sweetened with a little pure maple syrup or honey, plus a little vanilla extract(optional): Alternate layers of yogurt, fresh fruit, granola, shredded coconut(optional), nuts (optional), etc., in parfait glasses. (Can also be topped with strawberry sauce - just fresh strawberries sweetened with a little sugar and pureed) Healthy and delicious.

For Salads - Lots of great ones listed in T&T - Here are a few of my favorites :
Curried Couscous Salad with Dried Cranberries (great main dish salad)
Citrus Green Bean Salad (side)
Thai Cucumber Salad (side)

Salade Nicoise is another great main dish salad.

 
Many hotels "down the shore" have grills set up around the pool. Check it out. You could easily...

grill hot dogs, sausage, etc. if one is available.

 
Chicken Couscous With Dried Fruit - I posted this awhile ago, and Heather tried

it with a few changes and liked it a lot - I haven't tried it yet:

CHICKEN COUSCOUS WITH DRIED FRUIT

2 lemons
4 Tbs. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin (or more to taste)
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups shredded roast chicken
1 cup chopped mixed dried fruits "(I used apricots and dried cranberries)"
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups couscous
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
(Salt, to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

Grate 1 1/2 tsp. zest from the lemons and squeeze 1/4 cup juice. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until the garlic and onion are golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cinnamon, and then mix in the chicken, lemon zest and juice, dried fruits and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Stir in the couscous, re-cover the pan and remove from the heat. Let stand until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and toss with a fork to fluff the couscous and distribute the cilantro. Garnish with the almonds and serve.

Serves 4.

From Williams-Sonoma
posted at:
http://whatdidyoueat.typepad.com/what_did_you_eat/2007/06/presto_pasta_ni_1.html#more

http://eat.at/swap/forum/index.php?action=display&forumid=1&msgid=120435

 
Pasta salad (vinegar dressing), homemade cookies in tins, pretzels, hummus for dipping.

Nut mixes (keep away from the kids!)stuff for margaritas!! Microwave some queso (small box of velveeta,one can of rotel and a little cream) for tortilla chips. You can make a non-spicy version for the kids. Have you tried those bags of apple slices at Costco? They look good, and would be great coming in off the hot beach.

 
You could pack purchaed ice cream (bars, or 1/2 gallon +cones) in a cooler with ice cubes

those old-fashioned push up sticks would be fun - or even popsicles.

 
Spiced walnuts (or any nut). They are easy make-ahead, so you could

make them before you leave. Or how about chunks of fruits (strawberries, watermelon, pineapple, etc.) alternating with cheese and/or cooked chicken chunks?

Both are relatively South-Beach-friendly, and the kabobs might be fun for the kids. Portable too.

 
THanks much! Appreciate all your insight/ideas...It has helped me pull together the list!

 
How about a snack mix. My sister makes this and it is devoured.

* Exported from MasterCook *
This is very flexible as you can use any kind of cracker or pretzel type snacks you like. I have made it with oyster crackers and they were good too, but I like my sister's recipe best.

Snack Mix2

Recipe By :Christy
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Appetizers Snacks

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

1 bag small pretzel twists
1 bag Bugels
2 Cups nuts of your choice
2 Cups Goldfish crackers or other snack cracker -- Chex
of your choice
Cereal -- etc.
1 evelope of Hidden Valley Salad dressing
1/4 Cup Canola or Vegetable oil

As you know you can do any variation of the mix but the main thing is the
right amount of snack mix to oil.
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REC: Garlic Pretzels

* Exported from MasterCook *

Garlic Pretzels

Recipe By :John and Peggy
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Appetizers Formulating Recipes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

1 bag pretzels -- (12 ounces) buy the
traditional shaped small ones
1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup canola oil

Pull the pretzels out of their bag with your hands, leaving the salt in the bottom. Put them in a plastic zip lock style bag. In a separate container mix the remaining ingredients thoroughly. Pour the wet ingredients onto the pretzels and shake well without breaking the pretzels.
The pretzels will absorb the ingredients. Trust me! Remove the pretzels again by hand, out of the zip lock bag and lay out on two cookie sheets for approximately one hour, allowing the oil to be absorbed. Store the pretzels in plastic storage containers.
DO NOT try to dry the pretzels in an oven. They will absorb the oil and seasonings all by themselves. Regular pretzels have no moisture content and will last forever (almost) as is. These will not last as long, but you do not have to worry, they are so addictive, you may be making your second batch while eating the first!

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REC: Boston Baked Peanuts

* Exported from MasterCook *
These were very good and easy to make.

Boston Baked Peanuts Recipe #11818

Recipe By :by Divinemom5
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Appetizers Nuts
Superbowl

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

2 cups raw Spanish peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a heavy medium skillet,cook peanuts,sugar and water over medium heat until all liquid is absorbed and peanuts are coated with sugar (about 20 minutes) Sprinkle with salt.
Transfer to greased jellyroll pan.
Bake 10 minutes,stirring after 5 minutes.
Spread on aluminum foil to cool.
Store in airtight container.

Yield:
"4 cups"
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NOTES : This is a nice gift in a pretty jar or tin.

 
REC: Poppycock

* Exported from MasterCook *

POPPYCOCK

Recipe By :Mom
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Desserts

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

2 quarts popcorn -- popped
2 cups mixed nuts
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup light Karo syrup

Mix popped corn and nuts on a cookie sheet. Combine sugar, butter, and Karo syrup in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling and stirring occasionally, 10-15 minutes, or until a light caramel color. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour over popped corn and nuts, mix to coat well. Spread out to dry. Break apart and store in tightly covered container. Makes about 2 pounds.

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We brought our Panini Maker to Hilton Head with us this year...

it was a big hit....much better than just cold cuts for lunch. Of course it depends on how you are traveling...we load the good ol' mini van to the gills....I make lots of cookies ahead of time, muffins don't seem to fair too well in the humidity. Don't cringe but our tradition is pop tarts at breakfast at the beach....when our kids were little it was the only time they ever got poptarts, now, even though they are all grown, they want pop tarts at the beach...although I noticed this year they didn't eat them very much.
Charlie's suggestion of looking for grills is a great one...we grill down by the pool almost every night...relaxing way to wind down a fun day at the beach.....I want to go back!!

 
My SIL served a layered taco dip last night.

She layered refried beans, green chiles, salsa, cilantro, shredded cheese and black olives and served them with Scoops, and people couldn't stop eating it. She used a mild salsa so even the kids liked it.
Here is the one that I like to make, and there is never any left. Sometimes I mix some sslsa with the cream cheese so it is easy to scoop up.


* Exported from MasterCook *

AUNT ANNIE'S TACO DIP

Recipe By :Sharon
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Appetizers

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

16 ounces cream cheese -- softened
1/2 cup green onions -- sliced
1 large can green chiles -- chopped
16 ounces mild picante sauce -- or spiciness desired
1 can sliced black olives
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese
cilantro leaves -- chopped

Soften cream cheese with a bit of milk or sour cream. Spread onto a shallow decorative dish. Layer rest of ingredients in sequence given. Serve with tortilla chips.

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Everyone seems to like layered bean dips like this. I've even seen it made...

...with an envelope of Lawry's Taco Seasoning scattered on top of the sour cream layer as the only seasoning present, and people eat it so fast it's amazing!

I usually mix a mild salsa into the cooked beans so they don't get too stiff when chilled.

Michael

 
An easy way to make sandwiches for a crowd is using a long loaf of french bread, split in half

lengthwise, layered up with desired condiments, cold cuts, cheese, lettuce/tomato/super-thin-sliced-onion/sliced-pepperoncini or pickles, if desired. Then slice and serve. Easier and more fun than laying out various slices of bread to make sammies.

 
great idea. those little portable grills should be on clearance now. can buy for next to nothing

to bring with you and then leave it. I have brought a crockpot along on a trip to make soup(visiting Denali Park on a cool fall day), but it might be handy for hot beef sandwiches or chicken legs or whatever.

 
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