we'll be sailing with some friends in a week. we have a captain but no cook. looking for some simple recipes to prepare ahead of time to bring along and also some easy recipes/ideas for while we're onboard. i plan on making hummus to bring along. that's about as far as i've gotten. thanks in advance for suggestions.

For bigger groups, I make fresh salsa, usually the first afternoon on the boat. It isn't that hard, and the ingredients were readily available, including fresh cilantro.

I made a ton of it and kept it in the fridge for use all week. We had chips & salsa, salsa on eggs, salsa with steak, wraps w/salsa...you get the idea! It was a great fresh side accompaniment.

I don't usually bring anything from home, but usually plan to make simple dishes for bbqing while on the boat, and usually one foul weather dish (pasta with sauce & sausage for example).

One of my favourites is to take out frozen chicken first thing in the morning, throw it in a zip-lock with Italian salad dressing (or olive oil, lemon juice and some herbs & fresh garlic), and by the end of the day, it's ready for the grill - whenever I into the cabin, I give it a flip to marinate both sides. I make extra chicken and use the left over the next day for lunch - either in wraps (using some of that salsa!) or in a Chicken Caesar salad.

We also always by lots of pepperoni, cheeses & crackers for a mid afternoon snack - we keep all the cheese in one big zip-lock so we aren't always rooting around for it.

I am sure there are a ton of ideas out there, but that's a few that come to mind.

salsa for the week and extra chicken are great ideas- thanks! it's our first time sailing for longer than a day trip and only one other person besides myself who cooks, so the ideas are welcome.

CS... when racing, we always have a huge (2 gallon) ziplock baggie full of cantaloupe, honeydew, cassava mellons and watermellon...
all cut up into 1" cubes... kept on ice all day...
Nothing more refreshing after a rigorus day of racing!!!
Ice cold heaven, esp.on a hot, humid day!!!
everyone just eats right out of the bag with fingers... it never seems to make it into a serving dish!!!
The whole crew are like vultures on a fresh kill with this...

When grilling, I add extra servings of the meat (e.g. chicken, steak, etc.). I don't usually season or marinate those pieces. Then we use them the next day for sandwiches. I have also made the chicken into salad which is a nice change from the sandwiches.

If I'm taking a cooler with frozen food, I sometimes make some taco meat and then I only have to thaw and re-heat for tacos or salad.

Pizza: I like to pack several packages of tandoori bread as it's small and fits nicely on foil into the boat's oven. The crew seems to appreciate being able to personalize their pizzas.

My husband and I cook the first dinner on board and then the other couples get to pick a night to cook.

We just figured out our provisions for our April trip. We plan on 5 dinners on board:

Filet mignons
Rice
salad

Pork Tenderloins
stove top stuffing
salad

Marinated Chicken breast
red skin potatoes
salad

Cheeseburgers
pasta salad

Lasagna
Garlic bread
salad

We cook extra chicken for chicken salad, extra pork tenderloin for BBQ pork. We also bring taco meat, pre-cooked bacon and sasauge from home. The bacon and sausage are used for breakfast, or we make BLT's for lunch.

OB, Deb makes a Waldorf Chicken Salad that is wonderful!!!
We have it on the boat all the time...
just make chicken salad with onions and celrey and mayo and S&P...
then add sliced seedless red grapes and chopped walnuts...
Great on a nice fresh baguette!!! or just on crackers for an appy... YUMMMMM!!!