Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, and Lake Powell are the best lakes in winter for houseboating. In fact, every year, more families are choosing to spend their holidays on a houseboat on one of these three southwestern lakes.
At Forever Houseboats, we understand that preparing your first Christmas dinner on a houseboat may be a little intimidating. But with a little planning and a fully-stocked kitchen on each houseboat in our Forever Fleet, you will easily have a holiday feast to remember.
Glazed Ham
Despite how impressive it looks on the table, a perfectly glazed holiday ham doesn’t have to take a lot of work. If you buy a cured, fully-cooked ham, all you have to do is heat the ham according to the package directions and add a glaze. You can use the glaze packet that comes with most hams, or you can make a simple glaze by mixing a cup of brown sugar with one 12-ounce can of cola. If you make your own glaze, add it when you would the included glaze, usually about 45 minutes before it is done.
Roasted Squash and Sprouts
Acorn squash and brussel sprouts are hearty winter vegetables that travel well and become extra flavorful when roasted. You can throw them in the oven at the same temperature as your ham, and they are the perfect side dish for a houseboat Christmas dinner.
Just peel and dice one small acorn squash and halve four cups of brussel sprouts. Toss with one-quarter cup of oil (coconut is especially nice, but olive oil is fine, too) and one-quarter cup of apple cider vinegar. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of maple syrup and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a single layer for 30 to 45 minutes.
Cookies
For simple Christmas cookies, you can buy frozen or refrigerated cookie dough or even make and freeze your own cookie dough in advance. If you put the cookies in the oven as soon as the ham is finished, they will be done before the ham has cooled.
For those who enjoy the tradition of making Christmas cookies with family members, consider trying cake mix cookies or making your own cookie mix by combining the dry ingredients in advance.
This Christmas, start a new family tradition by spending the holidays on the water. At Forever Houseboats, we still have some of our most popular houseboat models available on the best lakes in winter for houseboating. Contact us today to make your reservation.
