Delicious Reading: Vacation food (or, why I bring my Crock-Pot to the beach)

Going out to eat is one of the pleasures of vacation. From the famous cruise ship buffets to the Disney Dining Plan to the restaurants with T-shirts as famous as their fare, there are lots of opportunities to try different foods, have new experiences and just stay out of the kitchen. That's why it might seem a little strange that along with piles of suitcases and sand toys, I make sure we load up my trusty Crock-Pot when we head for Destin, Florida.

For the past few years, we have rented a condo along the Gulf of Mexico with some friends. We spend our days building sand castles, finding shells and obliging when the kids shout, "Watch this!"

Yet, except for a special lunch or two at our favorite seafood places and a treat during the local ice cream parlor's banana split night, we eat at "home." This saves money, time and stress. Really! I am not a martyr slaving away in the kitchen while everyone else frolics along the shore. I pop some things in the Crock-Pot in the morning when we head out. As the sun sets, dinner's ready for us as we gather around the table in our swimsuits and cover-ups. We finish up in time to grab our flashlights and go look for ghost crabs.

Here are some of my beach favorites that serve a crowd:

__CHICKEN NACHOS__

__In the Crock-Pot:__ Place six chicken breasts and one jar of mild salsa. Cook on low for six to eight hours.

Shred the chicken with two forks and serve with tortilla chips, cheese sauce, sour cream and guacamole.

__ITALIAN BEEF__

__In the Crock-Pot:__ Place 3 pounds boneless top sirloin roast, one packet Italian dressing mix and one bottle of banana peppers, undrained. Cook on low for eight hours.

Shred the beef with two forks and serve on Italian rolls with provolone cheese and extra peppers.

__BBQ SANDWICHES__

__In the Crock-Pot:__ Place 3 pounds lean center cut pork loin, cut into small pieces and coated in your favorite dry rub* and one bottle dark beer. Cook on low for eight hours.

Shred the pork with two forks and serve on buns or Hawaiian rolls with BBQ sauce.

*I pack a homemade dry rub in a baggie for the trip. It contains brown sugar, chili powder, onion powder, garlic salt, cumin and pepper.

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About Brooke

Brooke Clubbs is a Jackson mom of three, a freelance writer and a communications instructor.