Whooo boy....We're getting ready to move into our 35 ft motor home full time
and hit the road. As a kitchen addict, I am really having a problem
downsizing all my equipment and gadgets to fit.

Has any one done this and what suggestions do you have? Here's what I've
decided to keep so far:

1 - electric frying pan, regular size
1 - electric frying pan, egg size (6x6)
1 - 12 cup Kitchen Aid food processor & accessories
1 - Bamix stick blender & accessories
1 - crock pot
1 - 12 inch cast iron frying pan
1 - 8 inch non-stick frying pan
3 - 1 qt saucepans
1 - 2 qt saucepan
1 - 3 qt saucepan
1 - 5 qt Dutch oven
1 - strainer/colander combination (also sits in Dutch oven & 3 qt pan for
steaming)
1 - sauciere'
1 - bread pan with insert rack for draining meatloaf
1 - silicon muffin pan
1 - 9 inch round cake pan
1 - 8 inch square pan, non-stick
1 - 9 inch square stoneware baking dish (Pampered Chef)
1 - 10x13 metal baking pan
2 - smaller sized cookie sheets with raised edges
1 - small mortar & pestle
1 - Vidalia type chopper
2 - Corning small casseroles with handles
2 - Corning French White casseroles w/covers
1 - 2 qt electric water kettle
1 - 1 burner electric stove

I have other stuff, but these are the main items. The RV has a small gas
oven, 3 burner gas range, and small microwave.

I've already pared my herb/spice collection from around 80 to about 25, put
all my staples in screw-top plastic jars, and replaced my huge set of
matching stoneware with Corell for 4. I'm really feeling like a naked
chef!!!

Thanks for your thoughts!

Merryann

Here's my suggestion:

Get rid of the following items...

> 1 - electric frying pan, egg size (6x6)
> 1 - 12 cup Kitchen Aid food processor & accessories
> 1 - crock pot
> 1 - 12 inch cast iron frying pan

2 of the
> 3 - 1 qt saucepans

> 1 - 2 qt saucepan
> 1 - 5 qt Dutch oven
> 1 - sauciere'
> 1 - bread pan with insert rack for draining meatloaf
> 1 - 8 inch square pan, non-stick
> 1 - 9 inch square stoneware baking dish

1 of the
> 2 - smaller sized cookie sheets with raised edges

> 1 - small mortar & pestle
> 1 - Vidalia type chopper

1 of the
> 2 - Corning small casseroles with handles

both of the
> 2 - Corning French White casseroles w/covers

> 1 - 1 burner electric stove
>
> I have other stuff, but these are the main items.

Get rid of them too. Your list of items was ridiculous.

M.A.P. wrote:
> Whooo boy....We're getting ready to move into our 35 ft motor home full
> time and hit the road. As a kitchen addict, I am really having a problem
> downsizing all my equipment and gadgets to fit.
>
> Has any one done this and what suggestions do you have? Here's what I've
> decided to keep so far:
>
> 1 - electric frying pan, regular size
> 1 - electric frying pan, egg size (6x6)
> 1 - 12 cup Kitchen Aid food processor & accessories
> 1 - Bamix stick blender & accessories
> 1 - crock pot
> 1 - 12 inch cast iron frying pan
> 1 - 8 inch non-stick frying pan
> 3 - 1 qt saucepans
> 1 - 2 qt saucepan
> 1 - 3 qt saucepan
> 1 - 5 qt Dutch oven
> 1 - strainer/colander combination (also sits in Dutch oven & 3 qt pan
> for steaming)
> 1 - sauciere'
> 1 - bread pan with insert rack for draining meatloaf
> 1 - silicon muffin pan
> 1 - 9 inch round cake pan
> 1 - 8 inch square pan, non-stick
> 1 - 9 inch square stoneware baking dish (Pampered Chef)
> 1 - 10x13 metal baking pan
> 2 - smaller sized cookie sheets with raised edges
> 1 - small mortar & pestle
> 1 - Vidalia type chopper
> 2 - Corning small casseroles with handles
> 2 - Corning French White casseroles w/covers
> 1 - 2 qt electric water kettle
> 1 - 1 burner electric stove
>
> I have other stuff, but these are the main items. The RV has a small gas
> oven, 3 burner gas range, and small microwave.
>
> I've already pared my herb/spice collection from around 80 to about 25,
> put all my staples in screw-top plastic jars, and replaced my huge set
> of matching stoneware with Corell for 4. I'm really feeling like a naked
> chef!!!
>
> Thanks for your thoughts!
>
> Merryann
>

Honey, your motorhome must have some kind of super chassis! That's a lot
of weight! A few years ago I published a book about what to pack in an
RV. The book is now out of print so I'm not spamming, merely letting you
know that you have way, way too much stuff.

Look at the weight tag on the motorhome. It should be inside one of the
cabinets. That should tell you the *estimated* carrying capacity. I say
estimated because most manufacturers do not weigh each coach with all of
the options added. They just use an average. If you need some
information on how to calculate the actual net carrying capacity, try
one of the forums at www.escapees.com (you might want to join Escapees
as they are really the best organization out there for full-time RVers)

First, one medium-sized electric skillet will suffice. I had one that
had a heat-proof glass lid that also doubled as a baking dish. Cast iron
is very, very heavy. Get one small omelet pan and use the electric
skillet for everything else.

Get some silicone baking pans. You probably have one of those
microwave/convection ovens and silicone pans work better in them than
metal ones do. They are a lot lighter. The woman who teaches the
convection oven class at Family Motor Coach Association and other RV
rallies recommends silicone.

If you have a propane oven, get a pizza stone. store it in the oven in
its box. Put it in the oven (without the box) before you preheat the
oven and use an air-bake pan on top of it. Trust me, this is a trial and
error-proved way to keep the bottoms of your biscuits from getting hard.

Buy a package of the flexible plastic cutting boards. Much more
practical than a wooden board in an RV.

Unless you have one of those half-million dollar units, your RV will
have 50 amp service so when you are running both air conditioners to
keep it cool in the summer, you won't be using all of those electric
appliances. The breakers will flip.

A crockpot in the sink plugged in with the generator or inverter running
will have a nice dinner waiting for you when you get to your
destination. Remember, when you are traveling, your motorhome is a motor
vehicle and you should not be mucking around in the kitchen while the
vehicle is hurtling down the highway at 60+ mph. Besides breaking the
seatbelt laws (which do apply to motorhomes) you are making yourself a
potential projectile if the driver has to make a panic stop.

Get rid of all the heavy Pampered Chef and Corning ware stuff. They
weigh a ton and they will just rattle around in the motorhome unless you
pack them with foam all around them. One oblong glass baking dish and
one round casserole should serve your needs.

All you really need is a one quart and a 3 quart sauce pan.
Use the Dutch oven for cooking pasta or corn or steaming veggies. The
stove top will only have 3 burners. My last motorhome only had 2.

I'd get one of those portable propane grills. There is no need to buy an
expensive one. We would buy the $20 models at Wal*Mart and they would
last for a couple of years then we'd just get a new one.

Motorhomes have such tiny kitchens with negligible counter space and
storage. If you are planning upon storing all this heavy gear in the
basement, you'll never use it. I was a full-time RVer for 9 years. I
know what I'm talking about.

You are going to be so busy enjoying your new adventure that gourmet
cooking will be the last thing you'll want to bother with. I managed to
make us interesting and nutritious meals in our fifth wheels and
motorhome with much less gear than you intend to tote.

If you can't part with stuff right now. Take it (as long as you will not
be making your coach overweight) and wait 6 months. Go through your
stuff and you'll find I'm right. Go another 6 months and you'll be
getting rid of even more stuff.

Feel free to email me at this addy. It's legit. Just put something about
RVing in the subject so I'll know it's not spam.

Good luck on your adventure.

Safe and happy travels.

Janet



--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life