Each year I wait with great anticipation the arrival of the first fresh garden tomatoes.  And once they are here — I make sure to eat them every day because I know that in a matter of a few short weeks, they will only be a longing memory.

It doesn’t matter if you just slice them and eat them, put them in a salad, or use them to make a sauce — they simply make every meal taste better.  I remember when my kids would ask  “What are we having with tomatoes for dinner tonight?”

Here are a couple of simple recipes that I have enjoyed this year to celebrate fresh garden tomatoes.

Easy Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

2 lbs. very ripe tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp salt

10 basil leaves, chopped

1.  Cut tomatoes into a 1/2 inch dice  (if you prefer, you can half the tomatoes and remove the seeds first)

2.  Cook the garlic in olive oil over low heat until it is soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes)

3.  Add tomatoes and salt.  Increase heat to medium-high.  Cook until tomatoes give off their liquid and start to bubble.  Reduce heat to medium-low or low.  Gently simmer the sauce uncovered and undisturbed until oil separates from the sauce and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.

4.  Stir in basil and salt to taste.

Notes:  I like to add some shrimp into the sauce the last few minutes and continue simmering the sauce until the shrimp are pink and slightly curled.  Then pour the sauce over my favorite pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Serve with a salad and bread.

Tomato Ricotta Pie

1 15 oz container ricotta cheese

4 large eggs

1/4 cup grated romano or parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 cup milk

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 pound (or more) ripe tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1.  In a large bowl, whisk ricotta cheese, eggs, grated cheese, salt and pepper until blended.

2.  In a measuring cup, stir milk and cornstarch until smooth; whisk into cheese mixture.  Stir in basil.

3.  Pour mixture into a 10-inch pie pan or oven-safe skillet.  Arrange sliced tomatoes on top.  (Don’t skimp on the tomatoes!  Be sure to cover the entire top)

4.  Bake pie 35 to 40 minutes or until slightly browned and set around the edge and the center is puffed.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Variation:  Cut 4 – 6 slices of bacon into 1 inch pieces.  Cook bacon over medium-high heat, stirring often, until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain and cool.   Stir into cheese mixture in Step 2.  Continue with remaining steps.

No Recipe Broccoli Cherry Tomato Salad

Use proportions to your liking

1.  Chop broccoli and partially cook to just slightly tender.

2.   Cook chopped bacon and drain

3.   Chop cherry tomatoes in half

4.    Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Mix with bottled ranch salad dressing

5.  Serve and enjoy!

Lyrics to:  HOMEGROWN TOMATOES
(Guy Clark)

Recorded by : The Blue Dogs; Guy Clark; John Denver; Misty River; Jay Ungar.

There ain’t nothin’ in the world that I like better
Than bacon ‘n lettuce ‘n homegrown tomatoes
Up in the mornin’, out in the garden
Get you a ripe one, don’t pick a hard ‘un
All winter without ‘em is a culinary bummer
I forgot all about the sweatin’ and the diggin’
Every time I go out and pick me a big ‘un

Homegrown tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes
What would life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can’t buy
That’s true love and homegrown tomatoes.

You can go out to eat and that’s for sure
But there’s nothin’ a homegrown tomato won’t cure
Put ‘em in a salad, put ‘em in a stew
You can make your own tomato juice
You can eat ‘em with eggs, eat ‘em with gravy
You can eat ‘em with beans, pinto or navy
Put ‘em on the side, put ‘em in the middle
Homegrown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle.

Homegrown tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes
What would life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can’t buy
That’s true love and homegrown tomatoes.

If I’s to change this life I lead
You could call me Johnny Tomatoseed
Cause I know what this country needs
Homegrown tomatoes in every yard you see

When I die don’t bury me
In a box in a cold dark cemetery
Out in the garden would be much better
‘Cause I could be pushin’ up a homegrown tomato.

Homegrown tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes
What would life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can’t buy
That’s true love and homegrown tomatoes.

Here is a list of a few travel destination ideas for finding a beautiful display of fall colors.  This list is not meant to be a “Best” list, but rather a list of a few places you may not have thought about for viewing fall foliage.

Pacific Northwest – Columbia River Gorge

The Columbia River gorge, the nation’s first National Scenic Area, cuts through the Cascade Mountains and forms the border between Oregon and Washington.  The area is loaded with big-leaf maple, cottonwood, Oregon ash, and vine maple trees that show their colors from mid-September to mid-October.  Fall foliage viewing opportunities include a scenic drive, hiking, or boating.  The area is also known for a large collection of waterfalls including the 620-foot Multnomah Falls.

California Wine Country

Fall is the most beautiful time of year in wine country, with Sonoma being my favorite fall wine trip.  The wine and food is great any time of year, but nothing beats the cool temperatures of October and November and the breathtaking vistas of rolling hills in the vineyards with brilliant displays of purple, yellow and rust.

San Isabel National Forest – Colorado

For the best aspen viewing in North America, head to San Isabel National Forest.  For viewing the yellows, golds and bold oranges of the largest stands of Aspen trees anywhere, against the backdrop of rugged mountains, head for Aspen in mid to late September, and take Highway 82 through the Lake District and over Independence Pass to Leadville, the highest incorporated city in the continental US.

Lost Maples – Texas

The Lost Maples State Natural Area features a large, isolated stand of rare Uvalde Bigtooth Maples boasting beautiful red and yellow fall color.  The area covers more than 2,000 acres on the Sabinal River, northwest of San Antonio.  Viewing times for the best fall foliage are typically the last 2 weeks of October through the first 2 weeks of November.

Great Smoky Mountains – N.Carolina/Tennessee

In addition to radiant fall colors from 100 species of native trees including sugar maples, scarlet oaks, sweetgums, red maples, and hickories – a visit in the fall to the Smoky Mountain National Park will reward you with breathtaking mountain views, rolling autumn fog, and countryside charm.  Memorable shades of crimson, orange and purple are best seen from early October through early November.

Upper Peninsula – Michigan

The area referred to as the Upper Peninsula is a 409 mile strip of land surrounded by lakes Michigan, Superior and Huron, providing awe-inspiring views of fall foliage reflected in the water.  The area has more than 100 species of trees such as oak, ash, birch, maple and sycamore. Leaves turn from mid- to late-September into October.  For a memorable scenic fall drive, US Highway 41 meanders across the Peninsula from Menominee on Lake Michigan to the Keweenaw Peninsula on Lake Superior.  You will also find many scenic trails for hiking or biking in the areas State Parks and national forests and parklands.

The Catskills – New York

The Catskills region, 100 miles north of New York City, is often referred to as “America’s First Wilderness”.  This area harbors a variety of trees including maple, oak, birch, and beech providing a fall display of colors that rival those of Vermont and Massachusetts.  The prime season starts in late September and continues through mid October.

P  W  L  F  O  E  Y  R  V  T  V  R  S  H  G  D  X  C  Q  X M  A  P  D  P  E  T  S  C  I  R  T  C  E  L  E  R  E  M  C A  G  Y  O  S  K  C  A  J  G  N  I  L  E  V  E  L  D  O  D R  O  T  U  K  R  A  C  W  O  T  S  M  J  U  U  F  I  L  I E  R  E  C  R  E  A  T  I  O  N  A  L  V  E  H  I  C  L  E M  T  B  R  N  U  K  R  E  H  S  U  P  L  E  S  E  I  D  R A  R  U  L  E  E  H  W  H  T  F  I  F  Z  Z  Y  T  A  O  G C  E  K  O  H  G  F  S  S  Z  E  Y  P  X  B  R  R  T  I  R P  L  A  E  E  S  Q  W  Z  M  H  J  N  K  O  E  A  C  I  J U  U  W  C  O  D  G  A  O  N  H  L  N  S  L  R  D  L  T  F K  A  N  Q  S  D  I  H  U  O  L  A  E  I  E  Z  N  E  R  V C  H  I  Q  A  E  R  L  Z  V  T  R  A  N  E  I  U  L  Q  O A  Y  N  U  Y  O  W  H  S  G  V  R  E  P  H  S  O  Z  O  P B  O  G  X  T  L  C  E  N  R  T  G  N  R  O  U  R  W  Q  N O  T  I  O  M  V  D  I  R  L  O  W  J  O  S  U  G  E  J  B F  R  M  N  W  T  D  W  E  H  K  L  O  P  T  I  P  F  T  V Z  E  R  V  B  L  D  V  W  V  O  U  J  A  F  J  M  I  W  G K  L  H  E  O  I  A  Y  A  C  R  S  L  N  L  H  A  S  N  N S  T  L  H  Y  R  I  H  I  T  C  H  E  E  L  T  C  K  Z  K F  C  J  B  T  M  H  W  A  T  E  R  P  U  M  P  G  E  B  R

When we have shopped for a “new to us” RV, I like to take along a checklist to make sure we consistently check out each rig, and document what we liked or didn’t like with each different unit.     Its also a good idea to take a couple of pictures, or even some video, to help refresh your memory as you compare the different units you have looked at.  Thoroughly testing all the different components of an RV and documenting the results is also helpful when it comes time to negotiate price.  If repairs are needed, you can  include in the negotiations that the seller complete the repairs, or reduce the sale price accordingly.

Here is a checklist that I found that you might find helpful if you are shopping for a used RV.  (Note: some of the items we have listed to check may not be applicable for all RVs.

Date:
Year:
Make/Model:
Mileage:
Size:
Gross Weight:
Description:
Location:
Asking Price:
Contact:

Once you have found the perfect RV for both your budget and your liftstyle and are ready to get down to the business of purchasing it, here are some useful checklists from TaxFree RV to help you reduce or even eliminate sales taxes and registration fees.

Here are some gas giveaways going on this summer that are easy to sign up for, as well as ways to save on your gas bill just by purchasing things you need everyday.

• Three separate KOA’s are each giving away a $100 gas card every month to one lucky Facebook Fan through September 1st.   If you have a Facebook page, all you have to do is visit each KOA’s Facebook page and use the links to enter.  That’s it.  Here are the links to their Facebook pages:

Willington KOA

New Bern KOA

Smithfield KOA

• You could win gas for life or one of thousands of other gas prizes at 76 Gas stations.  Simply fill up with 10 gallons or more now through August 31, 2011, then go inside to get a Game Card.

Click here for more information about the 76 gas giveaway on their website.

• Walmart recently announced a 90-day Rollback at the pump to give customers a savings of 10 cents a gallon at participating Murphy USA and Walmart gas stations. The discount applies to gas purchases made when using a reloadable Walmart gift card, reloadable Walmart MoneyCard® or Walmart credit card through September 30, 2011.

Click here for more information on gas savings at Walmart, including a list of participating locations

• Do you shop at CVS/pharmacy?   Simply present your ExtraCare card when you buy $30 worth of qualifying products and receive a coupon for a FREE $10 gas card automatically on your receipt.   You can earn a new coupon each week.

Click here for more information on the CVS gas promotion and to view their online circular with this week’s qualifying products.

• Do you buy groceries?   Do you fill prescriptions?   Save 10 cents per gallon at participating gas stations for every 100 points earned shopping at Safeway.  While you may already know that grocery purchases qualify for 1 point per each dollar spent, did you know that just filling one prescription can earn you 50 points?  And you can earn unlimited points in each calendar month.

This promotion is not available in all areas, and may vary slightly by region, so check out this website for more information on Safeway’s gas promotion.

Let us know if you come across other gas giveways and promotions during your travels.

Once part of the Pacific extension of the Milwaukee Railroad, what is now The Route of the Hiawatha was known for being one of the most scenic stretches of railroad in the country.   The train tracks have since been removed and replaced with a 15-mile, very well maintained gravel biking and hiking trail.

But before you stop reading — the entire trail averages an extremely easy 1.7% downgrade the entire way!  And once you make it to the end of the trail, if you aren’t interested in riding your bike back up the trail, there are shuttle buses that take you and your bike back up to the top of the trail, only a short distance from the parking lot.   We have met people biking on this trail ranging from young children with training wheels on their bikes to grandparents in their 80′s, and everything in between.

Over the course of the trail, you will ride through 10 tunnels, and over 7 railroad trestles — each with a breathtaking view of the Bitterroot Mountains between Idaho and Montana.   All but one of the trestles are over 100 feet above the valley floor, and two of them are over 200 feet high.  The trail is best known for the 1.7 mile long Taft Tunnel which is located  at the very beginning of the trail when you first leave the parking lot.

All along the route are interpretive signs that share the history of the railroad, old mining towns that used to populate the area including stories about the colorful citizens that lived in them, and information about the early Forest Service in the region.  These historical tidbits are not only interesting, they also provide a good excuse for a lot of rest breaks and picture-taking opportunities.

To ensure everyone has an opportunity to enjoy this spectacular excursion, if you don’t have bicycles with you, rental bikes, lights and helmets are available at the Lookout Pass Ski Area (this is also where you purchase your trail pass, which are required).

The Route of the Hiawatha is a quick 56 miles East of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and 100 miles West of Missoula, Montana.  For more information on the trail, a gallery of photos, ticket prices, and hours operation, visit their website at http://www.skilookout.com/hiawatha/.

For an RV park on the water, we stay at Blackwell Island RV Park.  The park has plenty of spaces to accommodate big rigs, and is conveniently located just a few miles off the freeway and only a few minutes from downtown Coeur d’Alene.  The RV park has its own boat slips, as well as pontoon boat, canoe and paddle boat rentals.

At the heart of downtown is The Coeur d’Alene Resort, home of the world’s longest floating boardwalk.  The boardwalk is open daily to the public and rims the hotel’s 372 slip marina.  There are plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy the lake including boat rentals, jet ski rentals, sea plane excursions, and daily brunch and dinner cruises of the lake.

A walk through the town will reward you with plenty of shops, galleries, and restaurants.   One of our favorite watering holes is the Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company, and the Coeur d’Alene Olive Oil Company is  fun stop to sample and buy olive oils made from locally grown groves. The galleries host the ArtWalk Downtown the second Friday of each month with receptions, live music, and opportunities to meet the artists and see their new works of art.

If you enjoy golfing, the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course is a must do.  Its famous floating green and million-dollar views made it Golf Digest’s selection for America’s most beautiful resort golf course.

For those of you interested in biking and hiking, you will not be disappointed.  Tubbs Hill is an easy 2-mile loop walk that starts just off the marina parking lot, and features non-stop viewpoints of the lake and marinas.  The North Idaho Centennial Trail is a 23 mile paved trail for both cyclists and strollers.  The trail follows the Spokane River, and can be accessed from multiple locations, including downtown Coeur d’Alene.   Trail amenities include restrooms, doggy bags, water fountains, benches, picnic tables and artwork.

If you are interested in learning more about things to do and places to stay in and around Coeur d’Alene, visit their Visitor’s Bureau website.   I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

When traveling in an RV for extended periods of time, few things are more important than keeping your belongings organized so everything is accessible, easy to find, and free from clutter.   Compact life quickly looses some of its luster if you are forever packing and unpacking cupboards and closets or digging through stacks of items.  Here are a few of the tips and tricks I have picked up over the years to help keep everything conveniently in its place.

• RV cupboards are typically very high, leaving a lot of wasted space between shelves.   I add an extra adjustable shelf or undershelf basket (available at most all department stores) to my cupboards giving me two shelves instead of one.  I also like to use the undershelf baskets as a bin in my pantry to hold all my canned goods in place.  This way its easy to pull the whole thing out to find something instead of removing all the cans individually.  A small shelf also works great if your freezer doesn’t come with shelves.

• An empty wine box with all the dividers is a great organization tool.  And better yet — they’re free!   These boxes fit nicely under the dinette bench, under the bed, or in the back of a closet.  They work great for safely storing breakables bottles like vinegars, oils, and even pickle jars.  They also work great as a shoe organizer!

• I found the best way to keep bread and other baked goods fresher longer is to store them in either the microwave  or the oven.  The added bonus is that this keeps them from getting crushed while traveling, and keeps the oven shelf from rattling.

• For women that like to wear jewelry, packing earrings and necklaces can be a challenge.  One tip I discovered was to install a cork board on the back of a closet door and then add push pins to hang necklaces and bracelets.   A simple kitchen splatter screen works great as an earring organizer, and you can hang it from its handle from one of the push pins.

• Magazines and large road atlases tuck neatly away under couch or dinette cushions when not in use.

• I keep a narrow desktop file organizer beside the passenger seat to keep all my maps and travel guides organized and easy to find.

If you’ve picked up some handy storage tips and tricks along the way, I’d love to hear about them.

In the Proclamation, he states “This month, let each of us resolve to protect our great outdoors; discover their wonders; and share them with our friends, our neighbors, and our children.”

Click here to read the Presidential Proclamation.

Great Outdoors month is in support of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative.  America’s Great Outdoors: A Promise to Future Generations, lays the foundation for smarter, more community-driven action to protect our invaluable natural heritage.  Instead of dictating policies, this initiative turns to communities for local, grassroots conservation initiatives. Instead of growing bureaucracy, it calls for reworking inefficient policies and making the Federal Government a better partner with states, tribes, and local communities.  The plan is to restore and increase recreational access to public lands and waterways; bolster rural landscapes, including working farms and ranches; develop the next generation of urban parks and community green spaces.  It also calls for the creation of a new Conservation Service Corps so that young people can experience and restore the great outdoors.  To learn more about this initiative and ways to get involved, visit the America’s Great Outdoors website.

Regardless of your political association, as a member of the RV community, this is important news.  Access to parks and recreational facilities is vital to the way of life we have chosen.  And it is our responsibility to do what we can to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities.

There are many simple ways to get involved.

• Choose to support our National Parks and state and federal facilities with your travel dollars.

• Take your grandchildren camping.  Help them develop an appreciation for the beauty and bounty available to them in this country.

• Never pass up an opportunity to vote.

• Volunteer.  There is never a shortage of opportunities to volunteer your services.  If you don’t know where to look, the National Park Service website can help you find volunteer opportunities at over 400 national parks.  You can search based on a specific park, by State, or even by a specific zip code.  This site is also a great resource on our National Parks.

If you haven’t been to a National Park recently, and are looking for a some information on the different parks, National Geographic has a great book entitled National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States.  I found it on Amazon for $15.85. This book presents the parks alphabetically region by region, with individual maps and provides practical advice on visiting—park contact information, camping and lodging, accessibility, pet restrictions, things to do, and special advisories.

Happy travels — and Enjoy the Great Outdoors!