You Can Bake in an RV!

You know, it's a common misconception that you can't bake in an RV. I mean, sure, the oven is miniature and the elements are weird and it's hard to find cookie sheets and muffin tins that fit. But with a few simple hacks, baking in the RV can be fun and just as productive as baking in a sticks and bricks house.

I started baking on our travels because I am weird and socially awkward when it comes to neighbors. I like people, generally, and one of the reasons we wanted to do this whole adventure was to get to know people in different parts of the country, who had different lives and experiences than we did. Getting to know people who aren't like you is valuable and, in my opinion, crucial to the survival of our culture. We must meet people, instead of just yelling at each other on social media! It's important!

However, it is hard for me to just...introduce myself. My friend Jacque is brilliant at it. She can talk to anyone at any time, about anything, just by asking them questions. We were in Amish country in Ohio last summer, and Jacque gave a pair of young ladies a ride home, peppering them with questions the whole time:

"So I see you're Amish. What's that like? Can you go on dates? Do you have a boyfriend? Is he Amish too? Are there different types of Amish people? Can you use the computers at the library?"

People love talking about themselves, it's genius, and Jacque has made friends all over the country by doing this.

I am not so good at this. I'm more like Chris Farley in that old episode of Saturday Night Live, when he meets Paul McCartney:

"Remember when you were in the Beatles? And that record said that Paul was dead? That was a hoax, right?"

Ugh. So awkward. So stomach sinking-ly uncomfortable.

But baking makes it less weird. Well, actually, it doesn't. But if/when it's weird, at least people have tasty snacks in their mouths and that tends to smooth things over a bit.

With crippling social anxiety in mind, here are my favorite baking hacks for the RV:

1: A baking stone. This is non-negotiable. An RV oven is, essentially, a poorly-insulated metal box, with a propane heating element only at the bottom of it. This isn't shocking to your grandma, but for me, it was an adjustment, because modern ovens have heating elements on top and on bottom, and are better insulated than old ones.

The solution to the uneven heat and single element is a baking stone. You can get these at any restaurant supply store, or places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but they are expensive. Terra cotta plant trays, however, are dirt cheap and work just as well! I use a large tray, upside down, between the metal plate and the rack. Don't cover the holes in the metal plate. Also, for explosion-proof baking, be sure to use unglazed terra cotta. You can also use a cast iron pan, flipped upside down, but I think a stone that can just live in your oven is more convenient.

2: Parchment paper will also ensure good color and even temperatures on your bakes. It seems like such a small thing, but it makes a huge difference in how things turn out. It's so valuable to me that now I buy the double giant mega pack of parchment from Costco. As a bonus, it also makes cleanup a ton easier, which is nice because if you're living in a trailer, you probably don't have a dishwasher.

3: You'll also want an oven thermometer, unless you're like me and want to do a LOT of experimenting with temperature. My tiny oven runs cold, so if a recipe calls for 350, I have to crank it up to 375. Furthermore, I know it's tempting to save propane and do a short pre-heat. But this is a mistake. Remember, you have to heat the baking stone, and you will have prettier, tastier results if you let your oven heat for half an hour or more.

There you have it: my easy tricks for baking delicious treats in your RV. There is no better way to bribe the neighbors into becoming friends with me than a yummy plate of cookies or a hot sourdough baguette. If you're at a park one day and smell something baking, come and find me! I'm happy to feed you...I just don't want to have to introduce myself.