Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Ok, so the move I to the new house isn't going as smooth as hoped...my range failed the first time I used it, and while I have been finally told that the warranty folks will replace it, it's now on backorder for another 4 weeks! So I am left with only a single portable electric coil burner unit (a $20 job from Canadian tire, that will do eggs and things not requiring a ton of heat, but is not powerful enough to get a pot of water to come to a boil) and a toaster oven for cooking.

I'm feeling a little at the end of my creativity. Can anyone suggest anything other than baked chicken/fish, frozen pizza, and tuna melts???

I'm actually in need of "no-brainer" dinner ideas because I can't use my right arm, period.

Do you camp at all? If so, it might be time to buy a camp stove. We have a Stansport propane burner that generates 10,000 BTUs per burner I love. Definitely powerful enough to get you by. Also, I have friends in NYC whose building failed a NGV pressure test, so they're using a hot plate for about the next six MONTHS. I'd check Craigslist (Searchtempest.com being the optimal way to search them) to see if there's anything that might meet your needs. You could always re-list it once you're done with it.

Just some thoughts...

Amy

Broiled chicken or fish? I was without an oven, except for the toaster variety, for about 1 or 2 years after moving in with Geekboy. We had an actual stove, though, so it wasn't quite the same. I used to mix up some mustard, honey, and olive oil; slather it on some chicken breasts; broil; and serve on a bun. You can broil steaks or burgers, too. I would sometimes broil some chicken in tandoori sauce -- basically 95% of grill recipes can be done with a broiler.

Got a crock pot? It might be a good time to invest in one.

Tacos could probably be done on the burner you have.
chicken caesars
do you have a microwave?

Amy...yikes! I hope things get better soon! (suddenly I'm feeling grateful for the small things...like being able to get a bra on by myself and tie my shoes). We have a camp stove, but nowhere but the garage to set it up in and DH has vetoed this. He is convinced it is unsafe, and there is no budging him.

I do have a microwave and I can dig out my crockpot. That would open all sorts of doors in terms of soups and braised dishes for sure. I don't know why I didn't think of broiling, either. Doh! Tacos or chicken ceasars would be good right now too! (dare I confess that I ate a handful of appie-sized frozen samosas for dinner tonight?)

Hi Carey,
Soup on a college sized burner? Good luck. Amy, heal soon!

Carey,

You could buy a hot water circulator and get into home sous vide like the other folks on this board.

As for toaster oven, it depends on the model. Some are really small electric ovens and can be used to cook anything you can fit in them; cheaper ones are only good for warming stuff up.

Might I suggest a few books?

http://www.amazon.com/Toaster-Cookbook- ... 231&sr=1-5
http://www.powells.com/biblio/2-9781558324190-1
http://www.amazon.com/Fix-Forget-Big-Co ... 156148640X
http://southernfood.about.com/od/cookbo ... ckbook.htm

Note, I don't own any of the above. Nitty Gritty is a good publisher of very simple cookbooks though.

Fuzzy,

Sadly, the closest I am likely to get to sous-vide at this point is pulling a Marge Simpson with hefty bags in my tub!

I'll have to check out the books instead.

Carey, canadian living did a whole piece on toaster oven cooking and baking a few years back. However I can't locate it on their website. I'm not sure if it's my computer or what, but I'm having issues using that site.

Jean,

I'll have to check it out. I'm proud to say that dinner tonight was broiled salmon, steamed green beans (the microwave in the bag fresh ones that Sobeys sells are pretty good), and Asian slaw. So much better than frozen pizza and tuna melts.

Now if anyone has any suggestions regarding now to calm down a salmon crazed cat...I'm open to suggestions!