Hitting the road this holiday season? You can still enjoy a traditional holiday dinner that makes the season special and cozy.
Whether you’re taking in stunning views in British Columbia, motoring up the slopes in Alberta, or touring the gorgeous New Brunswick coast, these easy RV holiday recipes will bring the celebration home.
The Main Dish: An Elegant Bird
While turkey may be the most traditional choice for a holiday meal, most RV ovens simply can’t accommodate such a large bird. Of course, if you can find a turkey that fits your oven, snap it up! Otherwise, consider roasting a smaller bird, like a large chicken or Cornish game hens (one per person).
Cranberry-Orange Roasted Chicken/Cornish Game Hen
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Chicken or Cornish game hens, totalling 4-5 pounds
- 1 small orange
- 1 8-ounce can whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/3 cup reduced sodium teriyaki sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup orange marmalade
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh herbs, such as thyme and rosemary
- 1 onion, cut into wedges
Directions:
Set oven to 325 degrees. Combine garlic powder, salt and pepper and rub into and underneath poultry skin.
Juice the orange and set rind aside. In a bowl, combine juice, cranberries, teriyaki, honey, marmalade and soy sauce. Set aside 2 cups and refrigerate.
Rub remaining cranberry mixture under poultry skin. Put herb springs and orange rind in cavity.
Scatter onion wedges in cooking dish and place bird on top. Roast until thigh temperature reads 170 degrees (about 20 minutes per pound).
Remove bird from oven, discard herbs and rind, and let sit for 20 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, heat reserved sauce to serve with the bird.
Stuffing on the Side
Most chickens aren’t quite big enough for traditional stuffing. That’s OK; simply make this savoury stuffing separately.
Traditional Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 3 ounces breakfast sausage, casings removed
- 1/4 cup celery rib, diced
- 1/4 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1/2 tablespoon mustard
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 loaf day-old bread, cubed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
Directions:
Set oven to 350 degrees. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and cook sausage, celery and onion until meat is lightly browned, breaking up meat into crumbled bits.
Remove from heat and drain any fat. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, sage and seasoning.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs with broth. In a large bowl, toss bread cubes with sausage mixture. Pour egg mixture over the top and stir gently to combine.
Transfer stuffing to a 2-quart baking dish coasted with cooking spray. Cover and bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer or until temperature reaches 165 degrees.
A Savory Side Dish
This simple side dish delivers delicious flavour and requires minimal effort.
Butternut Squash with Sage
Ingredients:
- 1 small butternut squash
- 1 medium onion, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- black pepper and kosher salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.
Peel the squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Toss squash with onion, olive oil and sage. Place in baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is lightly browned and tender.
Mashed Potatoes You’ll Want to Dig Into
Add creamy deliciousness to your holiday dinner with these mashed potatoes.
Ingredients:
- 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place potatoes in saucepan. Fill pan with room temperature water to just cover potatoes. Add a pinch of salt and bring to boil over high heat.
Cover pan and simmer potatoes for 15 minutes. Drain and place in large bowl.
Toss hot potatoes with butter, sour cream and milk. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Stir in garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Top it All Off: Pie
No traditional holiday dinner would be complete without dessert. A pre-made pie crust makes the process even easier.
Pumpkin Pie
Adapted from RV Life
Ingredients:
- 9-inch pastry crust, unbaked
- 2 lightly beaten eggs
- 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 12 ounce can evaporated milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix ingredients together. Pour mixture into the prepared pastry crust.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes longer.
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