Tight quarters

Whatever your plans for the long Labor Day weekend—be it at your lake cabin, aboard your sailboat, in your recreational vehicle or curled up with a book in your studio apartment—sometime or other you gotta eat.

And just because your kitchen space is small doesn’t mean your meals have to be limited to sandwiches and warmed up baked beans.

Many professional chefs prepared hundreds of dishes each day in a space not much larger than a closet equipped with only a couple of burners, a convection oven and a few feet of counter space.

It goes without saying that kitchens in most cabins, RVs and sailboats are tiny. The stove, refrigerator and oven are compact and the overall washing and preparation space is only a little larger than a bread box.

So, what’s the secret to making satisfying meals in a cozy space?

“You have to be really organized and make lists right down to the tools you’ll need,” said Kathy Farron, a lifelong sailor and author of the “Gimbaled Gourmet” cookbooks.

Liberty Lake attorneys and sailors Karen and Dick Sayre agree. “The most important thing is to plan well,” said Karen. “You have to determine what you are going to cook and take only what you need.”

Whenever possible, the Sayres spend their weekends aboard their 36-foot Catalina sailboat on Lake Coeur d’Alene. Their galley kitchen has room for “a cook with an assistant on one side,” said Dick.

“Both Karen and I love to cook,” he said, “so while we keep our menus simple, we enjoy good tasting foods. We do a flank steak with a tomato mushroom sauce that is easy and delicious.” (See recipe below.)

Sailor Farron of Friday Harbor, Wash., said that when it comes to food on extended boating trips, the big concern is refrigeration.

“I advise people to have a separate ice chest with only beverages because every time someone opens that chest it warms up,” she said. “You want to keep people out of where you are storing items that need to be kept cold, like salmon or a standing rib roast.” (See recipe below.)

More than one use

In addition to simplified menus, most small space dwellers limit and consolidate their equipment and utensils.

“Be sure to have things that serve more than one purpose,” said Carolyn Cavanaugh who splits her time between a 33-foot motor home and an old cabin near Mt. Rainier. “For example, instead of a mixing bowl, I use a large 8-cup measuring cup.”

In Cavanaugh’s small 24- by 28-foot cabin, her kitchen counter “has enough room to stack the dirty dishes on one side of the sink and the clean dishes on the other. My microwave/convection oven sits at the end of counter.” In addition, she has a 3- by 5-foot kitchen island that her gas cook top sits in.

“Basically I’ve almost had small spaces to cook in,” she said. “I prefer the smaller kitchen because everything is within reach.”

Extended-time RVer Marilyn Abraham of Santa Fe, N.M., also knows about small kitchens. “I grew up in Manhattan apartments,” she said. “Those are the kitchens that I knew.”

Abraham and her husband, Sandy MacGregor, wrote “The Happy Camper’s Cookbook: Eating Well is Portable” led a cooking workshop at the recent RV Life on Wheels Conference in Moscow, Idaho.

“In a small space,” said Abraham, “you really have to take a hard look at your cooking utensils and determine what you really need. Chances are you don’t use all those spatulas, knives and wooden spoons.”

When Abraham and MacGregor travel in their motor home, they take along only three pans — a wok; large pasta, soup and sauce pot; and a two-quart pan. “I do omelets, scrambled eggs and pancakes in the wok,” said Abraham.

They also advise tossing the heavy, wood cutting board. “Get rid of them,” said MacGregor. “Get those thin, flexible plastic cutting mats that come in all sizes. After chopping vegetables on one, you can pick it up and bend it in the middle to form a funnel and dump everything in a pot or bowl.” These mats are inexpensive and can be stored standing up on their edge in the slightest space.

As for equipment, “the microwave is a godsend,” said Abraham. “Even if you only have a little spot under a cabinet, hang it there. It will save so much on cleanup and reheating things. We made a quick and super easy Six Minute Fudge in the microwave when we crave something sweet in a hurry.” (See recipe below.)

10 additional small space hints

“ When possible use the cooking vessel as the serving dish.

“ Clean as you go. “Keep valuable counter tops clear,” said Abraham, “so you don’t feel overwhelmed with all the dishes.”

“ Have a fitted cutting board for your sink to extend the work surface.

“ Add drop leaf or gate-leg tables that can be stowed when not in use.

“ Pack refrigerator or ice chest in reverse order so that the items needed first are in the front or on top.

“ Convection microwaves instead of conventional ovens.

“ Bowls that nest to cut down on space.

“ Shop farmers’ markets. “Think seasonally,” said Karen Sayre. “If you buy it fresh and use it fast, it won’t require refrigeration.”

“ Ziploc bags and freezer containers for food storage. “They are lightweight, easy to wash and stack well in the fridge,” said Cavanaugh.

“ Windex. “On a boat it cuts grease and can be used on a lot of other things including stainless steel and the inside of an icebox,” said Farron.

Eggs George

From Karen and Dick Sayre

1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

1 large sweet onion, sliced into thin strips

3 tablespoons canola oil

8 eggs

1 (4-ounce) package of cream cheese

Fresh chives, sliced

Sauté the vegetables in the oil until they are tender and set aside covered in foil to keep warm. Scramble the eggs and cook until they are beginning to set. Add the cream cheese and let it melt into the eggs. When the eggs are set, serve them in the center of a large platter surrounded by the vegetables. Sprinkle with chives.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 363 calories, 30 grams fat (10 grams saturated, 74 percent fat calories), 15.5 grams protein, 7.9 grams carbohydrate, 456 milligrams cholesterol, 1.5 grams dietary fiber, 212 milligrams sodium.

Flank Steak with Tomato Mushroom Sauce

From Karen and Dick Sayre

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1/3 pound brown mushrooms thinly sliced (about 2 cups)

2 tablespoons shallots, minced

Salt and pepper

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 medium tomato, peeled and cut in 1/4 -inch dice

2/3 cup beef broth

1/2 teaspoon dry tarragon

1 teaspoon arrowroot (or cornstarch)

2 teaspoons water

For the steak:

1 1/2 pounds flank steak

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter

Chopped parsley

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a skillet and add the mushrooms, shallots, salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are soft and the liquid has evaporated. Add the wine and cook over medium-high heat until the liquid is almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes, beef broth and tarragon. Cook 5 minutes. Blend arrowroot into the water and stir into sauce to thicken.

To make the steak: Rub the steak with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the steak for 3 to 5 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer steak to platter and top with butter. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add butter and juices to sauce. Add parsley and serve with sauce.

This can be served over any flat noodle or over spinach leaves to reduce carbs.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 414 calories, 25.5 grams fat (11.7 grams saturated, 56 percent fat calories), 37.5 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrate, 111 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 515 milligrams sodium.

Perfect Roast Beef

From Kathryn Farron, The Gimbaled Gourmet at www.gimbaledgourmet.com.

1 standing rib roast, any size

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place roast in oven and cook 1 hour. Turn oven off. Keep the oven door closed. Forty-five minutes before serving, turn oven to 300 degrees. The roast beef will be a juicy medium-rare and perfect every time.

Yield: Varies depending on the size of roast you choose

Nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.

Fire and Ice

From Kathryn Farron, The Gimbaled Gourmet at www.gimbaledgourmet.com.

6 large tomatoes, peeled and quartered

1 large green pepper, sliced into strips

1 red onion, cut into rings

3/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup cold water

4 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt

1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pinch of red pepper

Place first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Place the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 2 minutes. Pour the hot marinade mixture over the tomatoes. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Serve cold.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 65 calories, .8 grams fat (no saturated fat), 2 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 2.5 grams dietary fiber, 579 milligrams sodium.

Six Minute Fudge

From “The Happy Camper’s Cookbook: Eating Well is Portable,” by Marilyn Abraham and Sandy MacGregor

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 pound cold butter

8 ounces chocolate chips

Place milk and butter in deep glass or ceramic bowl. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir until well combined. Cover and microwave again for 3 more minutes. Stir and let cool until you can comfortably touch the bowl. Stir in chips. Pour into an 8-by-8-inch aluminum pan. Chill, cut and serve.

Yield: 16 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 226 calories, 12.9 grams fat (7.9 grams saturated, 49 percent fat calories), 3.3 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrate, 26.8 milligrams cholesterol, .8 grams dietary fiber, 102 milligrams sodium.

Cary’s Salad

From “The Happy Camper’s Cookbook: Eating Well is Portable.”

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground

1 crisp, tart apple, cut as desired

4 handfuls romaine lettuce, cut, washed and well dried

2 to 4 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

1/3 cup toasted pecans or other nuts

In a large bowl, combine oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and apple. Toss in lettuce, top with cheese and nuts.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: 237 calories, 22 grams fat (3.9 grams saturated, 80 percent fat calories), 3.6 grams protein, 8.7 grams carbohydrate, 6.4 milligrams cholesterol, 2.3 grams dietary fiber, 415 milligrams sodium.

Trail Mix Chutney

From “The Happy Camper’s Cookbook: Eating Well is Portable.”

1 1/2 cups firm fruit or vegetable, diced (apple, onion, pear, celery, etc.)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 cup trail mix

Combine all ingredients except trail mix. Cover and microwave 2 to 3 minutes or heat on cook top. When cool, stir in trail mix. Well covered, this keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.