Weekend Outdoor Activities

As the blistering days of summer come to end, we can still find ways to enjoy the last few weeks of warm weather. This weekend, find ways to enjoy the outdoors with your friends, family, or even by yourself. Here are some fun activities:

*Go for a bike ride. Find a neighborhood or public path to utilize this great means of transportation. Make sure to bring a helmet and water if you plan on being outside for a long time.

*Look up local parks and pack a picnic lunch. This is a great way to spend quality time with a significant other, get your children outdoors, or to lazily enjoy the day by reading a book.

*Break out that blanket and sit under the stars. If you're surrounded by trees in your background, some parks and neighborhoods have areas that allow people to relax amid the starry night. If you live near a college campus, some areas are big enough to allow passersbys to use the space.

*Read your local newspaper for weekend events. Some cities will have movie nights in parks or other fun events going on throughout the day.

*Take a stroll through the heart of your city. Most of the time during the weekend, the city can be a lot quieter without the hussle and bussle of the workweek. Walk around the sidewalks enjoying the sidewalk cafes and music of local artists.

*What's a weekend without a yummy barbecue! Invite some of your closest friends for a small get together. Head to your local grocery store to pick out some steaks or ribs and other delicious side items. Start up the grill and don't forget your GasWatch so you don't run out of propane while grilling!!

Mexican Food For The Grill

When you're trying to decide what type of food to cook on your grill, Mexican food probably isn't the first thing that pops into your mind. Interestingly enough, traditional Mexican food was cooked over an open fire in a method called "Barbacoa". The meat was placed in banana leaves and slowly cooked making the it so tender the meat just melted in your mouth.

Many of us at home don't have this type of fire pit to cook our meat the same way, but there are some recipes that make the meals just as mouth-watering. One such recipe is for Grilled Chile Lime Chicken:

Ingredients:

• 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 dried red chiles
• 4 limes
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 jalapeno
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed or diced
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Directions:

Rehydrate the chiles** and puree them with the garlic, lime juice and the jalapeno. Slice the limes into 1/4 inch slices and and fold the slices into the chile mixture with salt. Coat the chicken with the mixture, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Toss on a hot grill and cook until the meat is no longer pink inside. To add to this meal, place flour tortillas on the grill until they have grill marks on both sides. Serve with the grilled chicken.

**To rehydrate the chiles, cut the top off of the stem, split the side open, and remove all of the seeds. Place the chiles on your grill and roast them for 3-4 minutes. Make sure to turn them to prevent the chiles from burning. After they are roasted, place them in a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for 20-30 minutes. Now they will be ready to be pureed with the other ingredients.

The perfect finish for a sweltering summer evening. Enjoy your meal with a cold one!

Going Back to Basics with Camping

As the kids go back to school and the weather starts cooling off (hopefully!), weekends become a perfect way to escape the stresses of our every day lives. While the economy remains in the recovery phase, people are still trying to tighten their pursestrings. One way to still enjoy the outdoors is camping.

This doesn't just mean finding a camp site or packing up your RV, but thinking outside-the-box. Why not camp in your own backyard?

It's cheap and easy and most of all, you're still enjoying that sense of freedom and oneness with nature. Simply grab your tent, a couple of sleeping bags, and then head outside! It might be a little dangerous to start a campfire, but there are ways to get around it. Try a camping stove or invest in a small charcoal grill that is easily accessible. Head to your local grocery store and purchase all the s'mores necessities: Hershey's chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers, and even peanut butter (that's right, it's good).

Use this time to look at the stars, tell ghost stories, and enjoy your family's company. The best thing is if someone gets a little too scared or complains about the hard floor, you can always go inside and get a good night's rest.

When times get tough, that's when people realize what really matters in life. It's not how much money you have or what new electronics you've purchased, but the actual time you spend with your loved ones. These are the moments you'll never forget.

13 Year Old Wants to Sail Solo Around the World

According to the Associated Press, a 13 year old Dutch girl wants to be the youngest person to sail solo around the world. The request is being discussed with authorities who believe she is too young to sail by herself while her parents completely agree with this choice. Sounds crazy right?

The Dutch judges believe this is too dangerous what with the threats of pirates, harsh weather conditions, and the fact that this girl is very early in her emotional development which could cause problems later in life. A few psychologists feel that children beginning their adolescent development need to be around peers and adults during this difficult period. Being alone on a boat for 2 years could definitely cause some tramatic circumstances.

Her parents on the other hand are excellent sailors, having spent most of their life sailing around the world. The young girl spent the first 4 years of her life at sea. Her lawyer is trying to petition for her right to decide on the outcome of this requested trip.

On the one hand, we're always pushing ourselves to pursue our dreams and passions even if they seem crazy to others; but on the other hand, doesn't it seem extremely dangerous for a child to make such important decisions about their livelihood?

It's a catch-22 between that desire to fulfill your goal of becoming one with the sea, experiencing life like nobody else can and looking out for your safety, knowing firsthand how responsible and mature you need to be to succeed.

If you were given a chance like this, what would you do?

A New Kind of Dessert: Grilled Fruit

It can be stressful when you've planned the perfect barbecue and have yet to decide on dessert for the evening. This is a big decision because we all know dessert is the most important course of the meal. Well, not to worry, we have come up with the perfect concept: grilled fruit.

This idea came from Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis. Instead of turning off your grill when you're done with your steaks, simply allow the grease to burn off and get your fruit ready!

De Laurentiis suggests using nectarines, plums, or peaches. The heat from the grill brings out the natural sugars to create a sugary crust. Place the fruits on some skewers and watch them sizzle with flavor as your guests' eyes light up in anticipation.

Here is the recipe for Giada's Grilled Fruit:

Ingredients:

• 3 firm, but ripe, nectarines, pitted and halved
• 3 firm, but ripe, plums, pitted and halved
• 3 firm, but ripe, apricots, pitted and halved
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 6 metal or wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes
• nonstick spray
• vanilla ice cream

Directions:

Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium-high heat or preheat a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread one piece of each fruit on each of six skewers so that the cut sides line up and lay flat. Sprinkle the sugar over the cut sides of the fruit.

Let them stand until the sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes. Place the fruit skewers on the grill cut side down. Grill the fruit until it is heated through and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Place one fruit skewer on each plate and serve with a scoop of ice cream if you like.

Other grilled fruit recipes can be found at: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32462546/ns/today-today_food_and_wine/

Weekend Fun with GasWatch

As the week comes to a close, I'm sure everyone is getting psyched about the weekend. Early in the week, we plan outings and events for the upcoming 2 days of rest and relaxation. When our alarm wakes us up at the crack of dawn, we usually roll over wishing for another 30 minutes to finish that amazing dream we were just having.

Most people look forward to the weekend mornings where you can sleep in as late as you want. Then lazily stroll downstairs knowing you have more than enough time before you need to change out of your pajamas.

This weekend, let's celebrate one of the last few weekends of summer with a great summer BBQ complete with your very own GasWatch!

Pick out that perfect rib recipe where the meat just falls off the bone then add some fresh vegetables for a summer salad, maybe a few extra items like a creamy potato salad or juicy watermelon, and top it off with a cooler of your favorite beer.

Make sure to pick up your GasWatch so you know how much gas is left in the tank (you don't want to run out in the middle of your mouth-watering grilling adventure). If you haven't planned this meal ahead of time, you can always visit your local Home Depot, Lowe's, Sears, Ace Hardware, or True Value to find your gas gauge.

Enjoy the beautiful weather and have a tasty weekend!

RV's Go Green!

An article was released today about an RV company, Evergreen, beginning to use composite materials to make RV's more eco-friendly. Sounds interesting right?

These RV's are much lighter than other RV's and also use less gas. People might be hesitate to trust these "lighter" RV's but trust me, they are just as durable, tough, and weather resistant as the normal models we have all grown to love.

Ever-lite is the model name of these new RV's and are made out of composite materials named ComposiTek. This material is made by “vacuum laminat[ing] it onto a structural frame of double-welded aluminum”. This allows the RV to be sealed completely from floor to ceiling. The lab also found the ComposiTek to be “four times the strength of wood products.” That's pretty strong!

It's great to see technology being used to create alternatives for cars, trucks, and now RV's. It shows what a little perseverance and creativity can do for you. GasWatch is looking at ways to create more environmentally friendly BBQ products with the introduction of Antimicrobial Tools. These tools will be infused with silver which is nature's most pure antimicrobial agent. Stay posted as we will include updates of these products in the next few weeks!

To check out this article, go to: http://tech.blorge.com/Structure:%20/2009/08/19/even-rvs-are-going-green-with-evergreen/

For more information on the Eco-Friendly RV's, visit: http://goevergreenrv.com

Boating Safety in Bad Weather

In light of the recent news regarding Hurricane Bill's amplifying speed day by day, it makes sense to be aware of ways to remain safe while enjoying your boating adventure.

We all know that weather can change in the blink of an eye. You started out lazily cruising along the water with the sun sparkling off the water, only to have a massive black cloud looming across the sky forcing the waves in the distance to become increasingly choppy. Not a good thing.

Let's make a check list of the safety requirements expected on your boat before heading out to the open seas:

• Make sure there are enough life jackets for every boater present. No one wants to be stuck fighting for the last jacket WWE-style.
• Check to see if you have a fire extinguisher on board. Sounds crazy, a fire. On a boat. In the middle of the water. But hey. . . it happens and it's better to be safe than sorry. Think about the times when you were cooking in your tiny kitchen below deck and almost caught your oven baked fish on fire. Yeah, that's why you need it.
• Look to see if your boat lights work! This is a big deal. What if you got caught in a storm only to emerge in the dead of night and you suddenly realize your boat lights have failed. Makes it kind of hard for anyone to find you huh?
• Always make sure you have emergency supplies on hand including a map (in case you get lost), flares (either for 4th of July or when you're in the middle of nowhere), and a first aid kit (for those klutz's who always spoil the fun by either getting a splinter or obtaining a random injury only they would find)
• And last, but not least, an anchor. Where would you be without the single device designed to keep you in one spot if, in fact, crazy weather does decide to strike?

Keep in mind, these aren't the only safety tips one might need, but they are the most important. Heed these tips and you will be sure to maintain a safe and enjoyable adventure at sea.

Camping Becomes Digitalized

If you thought going on a camping trip meant pulling out your dusty tent and scouring the woods for a secluded spot to settle, you're wrong. According to the Washington Post, these days people are now "glamping"- a word used to call camping for the digital age. State parks around the nation are now incorporating WIFI in some campgrounds as well as a complete camping kit they provide including tents, chairs, propane stoves, and lanterns. What do you think of that?

It's amazing how dependent our generation has become on computers, cell phones, and the internet. We can't even go back to nature and enjoy the outdoors without feeling "naked" if we can't check our email.

Despite the downfalls of becoming addicted to technology, it's smart to merge these two contrasting concepts together. At least state and national parks are doing everything they can to make our experience more enjoyable.

Let's relish this new idea of camping! Now we can sit out by the lake, fishing to our hearts content on the right while the football game is being broadcast from the flat screen on the left.

For more information about this article, go to: "Glamping"

iPhone App for the Grill

iPhone has just released a new application for barbecue enthusiasts according to CNet.com. This app takes recipes from Weber's On the Grill recipebook and lists them in a fashion where they're easily viewable for every consumer.

You can scroll through over 250 recipes and pick the one that fits your craving. You can even create a grocery list of ingredients from that recipe so you won't forget anything while you prepare for your barbecue.

What a great device for the avid griller! Now if only this app could do all the grilling for you. . .

For more details on this review, click here.

Weekend Weather Update

Looks like there will be a string of thunderstorms this weekend throughout the nation! The Southeast and Midwest will be hit the most, while the Northeast and West stay mostly high and dry.

We all know we need the rain especially as the days grow hotter and hotter. If you're located in these rainy/lightning parts, lighting up your grill might be out of the picture (unless you're willing to take the chance of becoming as roasted as your steaks!!). For those in the drier areas, go grab yourself a cold one, slap on some tender ribs, and head outside while you enjoy the last of your summer evenings.

Don't forget to check your propane tank! You won't want to run out in the middle of grilling your delicious feast, unless you're one of the few still living in the stone ages with your beloved charcoal grill. We understand. It can be hard to resist that certain flavor that only comes from the smoke of the coals.

Enjoy your weekend and try to stay dry!

"World's Best Grill Gadget"

Welcome to the new blog for GasWatch!

We are a manufacturer of a propane gauge that allows you to know how much gas is left in your tank. We have gas gauges in our cars, so why not have one for our grills? The best part is GasWatch can be used on any propane appliance with a Type 1 connection including BBQ gas grills, turkey fryers, RV's, boats, patio heaters, camping stoves, propane torches, and more.

Follow our blog for information on new products, exciting company news, grilling recipes, and other fun ideas for the avid outdoorsman as we continue our journey to become the market leader in the Outdoor Living category!