It’s Cruising Time Again

It's cruising time again. July and August seem to be the months most sailors/boaters drop the mooring lines at their local slips to head to distant anchorages: Beaver Island, Manitou, Door County, Les Cheneaux, Mackinaw, Detour and ultimately, the North Channel. With every drive-by of Grand Traverse Bay one can't help notice the hovering, white triangles floating gracefully on that oh, so gorgeous topaz gem we call our own. Memories of our 20-odd years of annual summer cruising time call out beckoning to bring "Kyeta" home (at present on the hard in Antigua). Maybe next year. It also elicits thoughts of preparations we made to ready the boat for the weeks onboard.

When we began cruising the North Channel in the early 80s provisions up north were often difficult to come by thus we stocked up before leaving Traverse. We continued that practice throughout the years and will do so again in the future. The galley is equipped with a three burner stove with oven, refrigerator with small freezer, hot and cold water, and all of my cooking stuff I think I might need – pots and pans, mixing bowls, baking dishes, mixer, blender/food processor, and utensils. We can serve 8 people for dinner or host a sundowner of 12+. We eat well, healthfully and nutritionally. We prepare 90% of our meals onboard. We are well stocked - the basics, plus. If I use it at home I might need it on the boat. It's added.

Ideas for meals and lists of ingredients needed and things to do before debarking routinely included must stops at many local establishments: Burritts and Maxbauers for meat, Carlsons for fish, Edson Farms for nuts, Folgarelli's for olives, cheese and coldcuts, Bay Bread, Oryana for staples and the Farmers Market for in-season, local produce.

I keep a few cookbooks on board (Denny says too many). Along with the basic Joy of Cooking and Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book my two favorites are Good Food Afloat: Tasty and Nutritious Recipes for Healthy Shipboard Meals by Joan Betterley and The Yachting Cookbook by Elizabeth Wheeler and Jennifer Trainer. I've used and adapted recipes from these for almost 20 years.

A couple hit recipes adapted from Good Food...

Crustless Spinach Pie
10 oz. cooked, well drained, chopped fresh spinach
1/2 lb. feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
4 eggs
6 T flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Combine spinach, feta and cottage cheese.
In a small bowl, mix eggs with a fork and add the flour, salt and pepper.
Combine both mixtures and mix well.
Place mixtures in lightly oiled pie pan and bake for 1 hour at 350°.

I've also used other kinds of cheese in place of feta and an assortment of vegetables in place of spinach. Along with a small salad this makes a good lunch or brunch.

Hibachi Peanut Pork Kabobs (also good with chicken)
(I usually double the marinade so it has more flavor.)
2 T peanut butter, either creamy or crunchy
1 T brown sugar
2 T lime juice
1/4 C soy sauce, I usually use tamari
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 lb. pork tenderloin cut into 1-inch cubes
2 green peppers cut into 1-inch squares

Combine first seven ingredients and mix well. Add pork and stir. Cover and chill for 4 hours or longer (if you have time).
Place pork and green peppers on 4 large skewers.
Grill over hot coals for 10 - 15 minutes or until browned and cooked through, turning twice.

I've used other vegetables/fruits in place of green pepper - onion, red pepper, mushrooms, pineapple - whatever is available. This also makes a great appetizer if a small skewer is used.

I like to serve this with cucumbers and onions in sour cream and vinegar and an in-season green vegetable and brown rice.

Filed under Active Outdoors • Books • Recipes • Appetizers • Entrees