September 30th, 2013 -
Photo Courtesy of Richelle Antipolo
As the weather changes, so do the sports. Fans of football are already dreaming about tailgating and the new friends they’ll make. However, no trip to see a big game is complete without all of the requisite snacks, half-time munchies, and other foods you need for the celebration.
Traveling to the tailgating spot with your RV fifth wheels in Minneapolis MD gives you a great way to cook your favorite tailgate recipes right there in the parking lot. Try these two simple snacks to keep you full and ready to cheer for your team.
Choose Your Own Kabobs
Chopping up a variety of meats and veggies allows everyone to make their own tasty snack.
Pack of bamboo skewers, soaked in water overnight
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts<
1 pound of beef, either inexpensive steak or pre-cut cubes
1 pound of pork, loin or thick cut chops
Three large bell peppers, any color
8 oz of whole button mushrooms
2 yellow onions
2 bottles of your favorite barbecue sauce
Chop your ingredients into bite-sized pieces, aiming for evenness among the meats. Keep the veggies a little larger so they don’t burn before the meats are done. Skewer an assortment onto each bamboo stick, then slather with barbecue sauce and cook them over a medium flame on the grill until the meats are done, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn regularly to prevent burning.
Cold Weather Chili
When the fall and winter breezes are blowing, nothing warms up a tailgating party like chili. This version can be ready to eat in as little as 30 minutes.
1 tablespoon of oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
3 tablespoons of chili powder
1 3 oz can of chipotle chiles
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 pounds chuck ground beef
3 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes in juice
1 can of mild lager beer
2 14 oz cans of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Heat up the oil in a heavy bottom pot or an enameled Dutch oven. Toss in the garlic and onion, then sprinkle on the salt. Cook the two ingredients until softened. Mix in the tomato paste, chiles, chili powder, and cinnamon. Stir and cook for 3 minutes, then add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Introduce the diced tomatoes with all of their juice, the beans, and the beer. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.
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September 23rd, 2013 -
The summer of 2013 is behind us and along with it, the warm temperatures. While there are many who bemoan the passing of summer, there are some really great reasons to enjoy RVing in the fall.
At Pleasureland RV, your Minnesota RV dealership, we thought it would be timely to remind you of 10 great reasons to love the autumn in your RV.
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The amazing fall colors. Probably at the top of everyone’s list, the changing trees and brilliant colors are truly a wonder to behold. Living where we do, it is easy to forget that some people from the south make trips up north each autumn just to bask in the colors. RV’ing gives us a front row seat.
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Campgrounds are less crowded. For those that enjoy a bit of solitude when RV’ing the fall is an amazing time. The whole feel of the season is more laid back, quieter, and at a slower pace. Fall gives us a great time to sit back and relax.
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Cooler temperatures. This time of year it is possible to sleep with the windows open and turn off the A/C. The air somehow seems cleaner and fresher.
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There is less traffic. The fall means fewer cars on the roadways and less traffic jams. This makes travel more enjoyable and less stressful.
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Lower gas prices. Generally the end of summer leads to lower fuel costs. This can help the travel budget and may even lead to longer excursions.
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Less chance of thunderstorms. Once the heat of summer dissipates, the chances for severe thunderstorms seem to dissipate as well. This can make for quieter, and safer RV trips.
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New RV models are out. Fall is a great time for RV’ers because the new models are out, and even in you are not in the market for a new RV, it is fun to take a walk-through of the new models.
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New fall recipes. A change of seasons brings about a change in the foods we eat. Seasonal foods like pumpkin, squash and apples play a bigger part in our diets and we seem to move from barbecues to casseroles.
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Football. For those who like college and pro football, “tailgating” in our RV’s while watching the games is hard to beat.
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A sense of gratitude. In the hustle and bustle of the summer, we can sometimes forget to be grateful. In the fall, we sense our days in the out of doors are limited for the year and we seem to be thankful.
Enjoy your RV this fall. PleasureLand RV Center invites you to visit us to see the 2014 models and to get your RV ready for the winter.
September 16th, 2013 -
Photographer Tracy Ducasse via Flickr Creative Commons
It doesn’t get any more American than apple pie and in celebration of the luscious fruit, National Apple Dumpling Day will be celebrated, nationwide, Tuesday, September 17. This annual celebration is a chance to pay tribute to your favorite, whether it’s the red, green, or golden variety.
Make the day extra special with a luscious apple dumpling dessert using one of these fragrant recipes.
Apple Dumplings
- Pastry – 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1-1/3 cups shortening, 2 tsp salt and 8 tbsp water
- Filling – 8 tart apples, peeled and chopped, 1/4 cup sugar and 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- Syrup – 1 cup of packed brown sugar and 2 cups water
- Combine flour, salt and cut in the shortening. Sprinkle mixture with water a little at a time. Mix until dough is ready to form into a ball. Divide into four equal parts.
- Roll each section of dough on a floured surface then place in an ungreased 13-inch baking dish. Fill with 1/3 apples. Sprinkle with a combination of cinnamon and sugar.
- Repeat the dough/apple/cinnamon/sugar process two times.
- Roll out the last piece of dough and place on top. Cut several slits through the layers.
- Boil the sugar and water until dissolved to make the syrup. Pour over the top layer. Bake 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve warm with ice cream of whipped topping.
Country Apple Dumplings
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and peeled
- 2 cans of refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1 1/2 cups of white sugar
- 1 cup of butter
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 12 ounces of Mountain Dew soda
- Cut each of the apples into 8 wedges.
- Separate the dough into triangles.
- Place one apple wedge on a triangle and roll. Pinch and seal the apple inside the dough.
- Place apples in a greased 9×13 inch dish.
- Stir sugar and cinnamon into melted butter and pour over apples. Pour the soda over the apples.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven set at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.
If you’ll be traveling and plan to whip up one of these tasty desserts, be sure your RV is tuned up. Stop by PleasureLand RV and get a service check by this trusted RV dealership in Minnesota, inside and out, so your trip will be as sweet as Apple Dumpling Day.
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September 4th, 2013 -
September is National Courtesy Month! That means different things to different people, of course. Holding open a door, allowing a car into your lane, or holding an elevator door open are simple little things that show what this month is trying to promote.
For someone driving off the lot of PleasureLand RV dealership in Minnesota, it just means taking that natural RVer’s courtesy an extra step. Here are some ideas as you share the road this Courtesy Month:
Form a Welcoming Party
When we stay at RV parks, there’s a good chance that we’re only going to be there for a few days. This can make it hard to form lasting relationships with other RVers, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother making friends in the first place. When someone new moves into the park, have a meet and greet, bring them a few drinks, and invite them over.
Share Your Intel
Contribute to the knowledge database that is the worldwide web. In the golden age of the American Hobo, they used to leave signs in coded language to help each other out. The signs might warn others of a mean guard dog, or let them know where a charitable old lady lives who likes to bake pies in exchange for some housework. RVers don’t need the secret language since we have the web to let one another know which towns are RVer friendly and where to get a great steak in Tucson.
Give and Take
Many travelers don’t have the time to stop and do laundry every few days, and, instead, simply buy new thrift store clothes on a regular basis, tossing out the old rags. Well, if this is you, don’t toss them out: rather, donate them. You’re already there, it’s not even out of your way!
Being courteous isn’t just for RVers and it isn’t just for September, it’s for everyone, every day. This month is a good time to reflect on the times we’ve been helpful and welcoming to those around us, and times when we could have been better.
August 9th, 2013 -
For chocolate lovers, August 10 is the day for celebration as the scrumptious, creamy, luscious treat known as s’mores celebrates its own national day. What a treat for RVers who plan to be camping on this special day.
At PleasureLand RV, your top-of-the-line RV dealership in Minnesota, there are new and used RV’s, travel trailers, utility and cargo trailers, and even rentals in stock that can get you to a local campground to make your own s’mores over the campfire.
S’mores History
According to The Hershey Company* – experts in all things chocolate – the s’mores recipe made its debut in the Girl Scout handbook in 1927 and has been a favorite treat ever since. From Hershey, the company produces “enough Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars to make 746 million S’mores annually.”
That’s a lot of chocolate. Hershey’s also noted “Americans buy more than 90 million pounds of marshmallows,” so it’s obvious s’mores deserve their own special day.
S’mores are one of the easiest treats to make using a campfire or even a microwave. If you’ve never had the experience of creating this mouth watering treat, follow these simple tips of how to make s’mores.
Things you’ll need include Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, a bag of marshmallows, graham crackers, and wooden sticks or skewers to roast the marshmallows.
- Break one graham cracker in half. One half is the top, the other the bottom of the s’more.
- Break the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bar into individual squares of 2 squares each.
- Place the chocolate on one of the cracker halves.
- Place a marshmallow on the stick or skewer and toast it till it’s light golden and mushy. Turn the skewer to get all sides of the marshmallow roasted.
- Place the roasted marshmallow onto the graham cracker with the chocolate.
- Place the other half of graham cracker on top of the marshmallow, press firmly and gently pull the skewer or stick out of the marshmallow.
- Let the s’more sit for a minute or two allowing the hot marshmallow to melt the chocolate and cool a little.
- Press the crackers together, one more time, then enjoy the goodness.
Enjoy the day at your local campground or RV park, but, before heading out, have your recreational vehicle serviced to ensure everything is running as it should. The experts at PleasureLand RV can handle any problems and have you on your way to enjoy National S’mores Day with friends and family.
*Source
August 5th, 2013 -
It’s National Picnic Month, and that means, well, picnics, all month long. If you’ve ever driven off of the lot of an RV dealership, then National Picnic Month is just another name for “August,” and “September,” and “October” and about nine other months, for that matter.
In any event, when National Picnic Month rolls around, we may as well take the time to honor that the rest of the country is having fun doing the same thing that we do all year round. Here are a few ideas for ways to celebrate the event:
Picnic at the Grand Canyon
You really can’t ask for greater scenery for your picnic, and you can’t ask for a more American setting, either. There are guided tours at the Grand Canyon that offer lunch as part of the deal, but you might prefer to simply park as near to the edge as you can with some home-made subs and potato salad.
Try a Five Star Picnic
We’ve all had our share of ribs and corn on the cob and beer at a picnic, so why not step it up a notch for Picnic Month and mix some five star gourmet ingredients into the mix? Try short ribs marinated in Cognac, or your own favorite liquor, and sandwiches with fancy bleu cheese and Boar’s Head turkey. Finish it off with a bottle of chardonnay or a good microbrew and you can transform a normal picnic into the sort of picnic a food snob would go nuts for.
Chicken Crusted in Everything
Fried chicken is one of the staples of a good picnic, especially in Minnesota, so keep things lively by trying out a variety of crusts. Try rolling your chicken in breadcrumbs, crushed corn flakes, potato chips, corn chips, pork rinds, Rice Krispies, whole wheat crackers, crushed peanuts, sliced almonds, and everything else you can think of.
The truth is that, for anyone who’s been shopping at PleasureLand RV, picnics aren’t just a fun thing to do for lunch, picnics are a lifestyle. All the same, why not take National Picnic Month as an opportunity to experiment a little with the grand tradition?
Ready to start touring the country and having a picnic for every meal? Come check out our inventory today!
June 28th, 2013 -
There’s no better time to plan a mini getaway vacation than during a holiday event when excitement is high and party-style events are usually scheduled throughout the U.S.A.. With the Fourth of July just a couple of weeks away, this is the perfect time to pack up your RV and plan a visit to a local state park or a RV campground overflowing with amenities and holiday festivities.
To help get you on your way, PleasureLand RV has just what you need from new and used recreational vehicles and pop-up campers to RV travel trailers and toy haulers to bring all of your fun items. You name it, they have it in stock. With a large selection of inventory to choose from, you’ll have plenty of options to suit what works for you, your family, your itinerary and your budget.
Planning Your Getaway
With your RV fueled up, the toy hauler packed and ready to go, celebrating the Fourth of July with your mobile room with a view just got easier and a lot more fun. With an RV, it’s easy to plan an extended vacation over the holiday, a weekend getaway or an overnight trip and celebrate the country’s birthday with your own red, white and blue birthday bash.
Plan your trip by making a checklist of things to do in preparation of leaving and check each one off as it’s completed. Include packing your RV’s refrigerator with plenty of traditional goodies like hotdogs and hamburgers, barbeque and chips. Don’t forget the marshmallows for toasting or making s’mores. Be sure to bring a grill and charcoal, assorted condiments and a traditional apple pie for the July 4th celebration.
Choose a park where fireworks displays will be going on along with festive events scheduled for those staying at the park. Find a camping location in the area where you’ll be able to see fireworks from the comfort of your RV across a lake or river. Create your own birthday bash for America by bringing along your own fireworks and sparklers to set off at your camp site. Be sure these items are allowed before setting them off at you’re camping destination. Use caution when setting off any type of fireworks and keep children and pets a safe distance away when lighting.
However you choose to celebrate, before hitting the highways and byways, visit PleasureLand for an upgrade to your current ride or to add to your personal RV inventory. If you aren’t in need of a new or used recreational vehicle but need your current RV serviced, make an appointment with the professional technicians at PleasureLand for a complete check-up and travel with peace of mind.
June 10th, 2013 -
One of the great things about having an RV is that you can go just about anywhere. Your father does a lot for your, so for father’s day, why not plan a trip that will make him feel like the most special man in the world. There are some great events going on in Minnesota for Father’s Day, and you could take him to one of those.
Father’s Day 5K
This annual race brings fathers and their children together on Sunday June 17. The race is held at Lake Phalen, and is a celebration of healthy active generations. The race begins at 8:30, and is followed by a 1/4 mile run for kids. Race participates must pre-register, but you can also come the day of the race and be a spectator.
Father’s Day Paddle and Picnic
You and your dad can visit Oseca Landing and spend the day paddling kayaks. Start the day with breakfast at Oseca Landing, and then head into the water for some fun paddling through the rapids. After Kayaking, you and dad can spend some quality time together at the BBQ.This annual event is sponsored by Wahoo Adventures, and is sure to be a blast.
Father’s Day Lunch and Outdoor Activities
This a fun event for the whole family. Everyone, especially dad will love this picnic at the log cabin lodge at Baker Near Wilderness Settlement. Enjoy brats and burgers at this annual picnic while you experience the beauty and splendor of nature. There are also naturalist led activities including rock climbing, archery, and more.
No matter what you decide to do with dad for father’s day, it is sure to be fun filled day full of laughter, fun, and nature. You can create memories that you and your father will come to cherish for years to come. And if you have children of your own, they can join in the fun and excitement as well. No one needs to be left out on this day that celebrates our fathers.
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About Me
Hi, my name is Dan Pearson and I am the Owner of PleasureLand RV Centers based out of St. Cloud, MN. We have three other Minnesota locations to serve all of you RV needs. I look forward to providing you with all your RV information from buying an RV to tips and maintenance. If you would like to contact me, be sure to leave a comment.
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