Recipes from the Road: Our Favorite Summer Pasta Salad

Posted by shannon watt on May 15, 2013 · Leave a Comment

One of the questions we get asked most frequently is if we really do cook in the RV or if we eat out all the time. While we do eat out occasionally, our health and our pocketbook could not afford to do it daily.

Luckily most of my tried and true recipes can be easily made in my limited cooking space, with the most basic cooking tools.

The hardest days to cook are travel days. We can’t pull off to the side of the road, pop out the sides of our trailer and cook up a hot meal. Sandwiches got boring 2 weeks into our travels. I’m on a constant quest to find easy, edible dishes that don’t need to be re-heated, and in some cases, don’t even need silverware.

One of my go-to recipes is something I picked up while living in Italy 20 years ago, Caprese Pasta Salad. The fresh ingredients make a wonderful summer salad that tastes even better when left in the fridge overnight.

Caprese Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 box penne pasta
4-5 Roma tomatoes
1 block (8-12 oz.) fresh mozzarella cheese
1 bunch of fresh basil
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt

Directions:

Cook pasta as directed. Strain and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and coat in olive oil.

While pasta is cooking, chop tomatoes and cheese into medium-sized chunks. Add to bowl. Chop basil and add to bowl. Sprinkle salt, vinegar, and olive oil to taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour. If you let it marinate overnight, stir before serving.

Note: You might need to add more olive oil or balsamic vinegar if it sits more than a few hours.

Mangia!

Because of limited fridge space, I tend to put the pasta in a gallon ziploc bag. It’s easier to mix before serving, and it’s easy clean up. Enjoy!

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National Parks Week- Where will you go?

Posted by shannon watt on April 20, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Quick, name 5 national parks in America NOT named the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone or Yosemite. What’d you come up with? Zion? The Smoky Mountains? Those are all great parks, I’ve been to 4 out of the 5, and loved each one of them. So as the National Park Service kicks off their annual spring celebration today with National Park Week, which includes free entry to all parks from Monday to Friday this week, I’d like to give you my 5 recommendations of parks that might be lesser known, but equally worth a visit.

Image via Shannon Watt

Montezuma Castle National Monument - Sure, Arizona is best known for the Grand Canyon, but it has many other scenic and historical must-see destinations for families. We recently visited the Petrified National Forest, and Montezuma Castle. The Castle is comprised of cliff dwellings built into the side of a mountain over 800 years ago. The intricate 5 story building and ladder system are incredible testaments to the ingenuity of the Sinaguan people. The self-guided, 1/3 mile loop is an easy walk for young kids, and would only take half a day to explore.

Image via Flickr/ beeron2003

Redwood National Park - When you think of California’s national parks, Yosemite usually tops the list. But an equally grand experience can be had walking through the forest of ancient redwoods. Standing in awe at the base of a tree that towers hundreds of feet above you and has been alive for centuries can touch your soul the way only nature can.

Image via Flickr/ fortherock

Grand Teton National Park - Wyoming is the home of two spectacular parks; the infamous Yellowstone National Park, and just to the south, the Grand Teton National Park. The Tetons are home to hikers, climbers, and photography enthusiasts from around the world. Close to Jackson Hole’s fine dining, art and entertainment, it’s a wonderful place to spend your next vacation.

Image via Flickr/ MoabAdventurer

Arches National Park - Utah is a mecca of national parks, with Zion being its most famous. Yet, equally impressive is the Arches National Park, with over 2,000 naturally occurring arches, colorful rock formations, and gorgeous vistas. It’s definitely a place to put on your bucket list.

Image via Flickr/ Mathieu Lebreton

Carlsbad Caverns - In a quiet corner of New Mexico sits one of the worlds oldest cave systems, consisting of over 100 underground chambers and some of the most intriguing hikes available. The Big Cave, the biggest cavern, boasts some of the largest and most colorful rock formations. There are self-guided as well as guided tours to choose from. If you’re looking for something different on your next vacation, the caverns definitely fit the bill.

No matter what national park sparks your interest, I just urge you to visit one soon. These national treasures are often overlooked amidst the hype of manmade attractions like Disney World, Las Vegas, and the like; however they can be the most memorable adventures of all. Happy National Park Week!

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The Louisiana Bayou

Posted by shannon watt on April 18, 2013 · Leave a Comment

One of the main things I wanted to do in New Orleans, besides visiting the French Quarter and tasting the Cajun & Creole cuisine, was to see the backcountry swamps of the Louisiana Bayou. Every time I’ve seen a movie featuring the intriguing swamps that house the large Cypress trees, lush foliage, and diverse wildlife, I’ve wanted to visit. Today I finally got to experience it in person.

Thanks to Cajun Encounters Tours my family was able to take a boat tour of the swamps of the famous Honey Island, and get an up-close look at life in the bayou. Our terrific boat operator, Adam, swiftly guided us down the river in search of alligator sightings. We began the journey knowing the alligators don’t usually come out of brumation (similar to hibernation) until late March, and our visit was a week or so early. We kept our fingers crossed and cameras ready for any glimpse of alligator we might get.

Our first stop along the river was

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Lessons the snowbirds taught me

Posted by shannon watt on March 18, 2013 · Leave a Comment

In our pursuit of traveling in warm weather during the winter, we’ve been living amongst the “snowbirds”- retired people who spend half the year in Arizona, then leave once the summer heat sets in. As we’ve spent the past couple weeks eating, camping and mingling with a generation that primarily grew up between the Korean and Vietnam wars, I’ve been reminded of FIVE important life lessons. Read more…

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Exploring the Grand Canyon without the family

Posted by shannon watt on March 7, 2013 · Leave a Comment

grand-canyon-3-watts

Some of the biggest lessons I’m learning this year are to be fluid and flexible. I’m putting more focus on my intuition than in my pre-planned schedule. I used to think that an attitude of “going where the wind blows” would drive me crazy, but in reality, I’m realizing that it’s contributing to some of the beautiful moments of this trip. Now I approach our itinerary with a loose outline of where to go and what to do each week, and allow the schedule to be adjusted daily as needed.

This has made all the difference in our journey.

For instance, while in Flagstaff we’d planned on going up to the Grand Canyon for a day

Tips on How To Fund Your Travels

Posted by shannon watt on March 5, 2013 · Leave a Comment

funding-trips-text

Our daily encounters with people will invariably lead to talks of our lifestyle of full-time travel around the U.S. as a family. It’s usually followed by our new acquaintance saying some variation of the comment, “I wish I could do that, but I don’t have the time or money.” Yesterday Dino quickly answered back, “Then you never will.”

At first I was startled by his response, but once it sunk in, I saw how profound it was. I don’t think there’s a traveler out there who “found” a pile of time or money- they created it. And so can you.

People tend to be more concerned with how to find the money, than the time, so here’s a few tips to show you how numerous travelers like us have created the funds to travel frequently, and in some cases, indefinitely.

How can you pay for your next travel adventure?

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Fun with the Flintstones

Posted by shannon watt on March 4, 2013 · Leave a Comment

During my solo day of travel, I drove up to the Grand Canyon to capture it during sunrise. On my way back home, I happened upon a curious attraction off the side of the road. The sign said “Welcome to Bedrock City”, and I recognized the character, Fred Flintstone, from my childhood cartoons. I immediately turned in to investigate what this was all about.

As I pulled into the nearly empty parking lot, I couldn’t help but smile at the nostalgic scene before me. Somebody, several years ago, put a lot of effort into recreating the Flintstones TV show, into a real place to visit.

I parked and went inside to check it out. The nice clerk told me a little history of the place, and how it was built over 20 years ago. In it’s heyday there were tens of thousands of visitors every summer. Now, the family owned business struggles to stay open. She was a sweet lady, and waived the $5 entrance fee so I could take a quick sneak peek of the infamous Bedrock City.

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Episode 1- Tough Decisions

Posted by shannon watt on January 7, 2013 · Leave a Comment

We have had to make some tough decisions before they head out on the road with their family. From selling almost everything in their home to whether or not they should take a certain member of their family with them, it’s not always a easy choice.

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Taking the Leap into Full-time Travel

Posted by shannon watt on December 6, 2012 · 2 Comments

Taking the Leap into Full Time Travel

After months of planning, selling, saving, waiting, and praying, all that was left to do was to actually GO. The night before our departure – the big leap into the great unknown, we were all a bit nervous. As I put my son, Hayden, to bed he said, “Mom, I have butterflies in my stomach. Maybe we shouldn’t go.

I knew exactly what he was feeling. I’ve been in this situation many times before; the night before leaving for college, driving to the hospital to have a baby, strapping myself into a new roller coaster ride, or taking on a new business venture. It’s always the same cycle; I eagerly anticipate it until the moment actually arrives and then that limbic part of my brain (that’s in charge of self-preservation) kicks in and wants to shut the whole thing down. Tonight was no different. Even though my house was occupied with renters and our possessions were in storage, a part of my brain was panicking and wanting to go back to the familiar, not wanting to risk failure by moving forward into an unknown future.

In moments like these I have to choose between my head and my heart. Will I listen to my head trying to make rational sense of the situation? Or will I listen to my soul as it encourages me to expand my horizons and grow? Deep down I know that every time I’ve followed my spirit, I’ve never regretted it. All that’s left to do is to make the choice – take action.

As I lay next to my son, stroking his hair in the dark and listening to his chest rise and fall, I recalled a sage piece of advice someone had given me once. Our bodies experience excitement and fear with the same flush of biological reactions. We choose in our minds which label to attach to the experience.

When I shared this with Hayden he took a moment to think about it and then simply said, “My butterflies are excited.” I squeezed him and replied, “Mine too, buddy.”

The next morning we took the leap, and haven’t looked back since.

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