How many people do you have to serve? A roast chicken, a ham or a pork loin all do well in the Nesco. Maybe one of those rolled and stuffed pork loins with apricots or a rolled beef roast stuffed with spinach?

Annie

No way of knowing how many people will attend but there will be several people, I'm sure, who will contribute an entree. They were using the alphabet as a way of organizing the "courses"and A thru G, (I'm an "E"), was desiginated an entree. Elery can tell you about southern "dinner on the ground"for sure!LOL

Your suggestions sound interesting but maybe for another occasion where I know how many I'm serving. Bob says there will be a lot of fried chicken and I don't doubt it. I'd say people will stop at KFC or the grocery delis on their way to church. In a way it is a sort of potluck.

I should have said not only do I not know how many I'd be serving but also who
I'd be serving. Those recipes sound too good to be thrown out there for grabs,-)

Another thing about the dinner on the grounds....in my part of E.Tn, Memorial Day was often called "Decoration Day": and there would be "all day singing and dinner on the ground". That was when I was growing up, in the country and I don't think they do that anymore.

OK, so probably not BBQ'd ribs either.

How about pulled pork, or a meatloaf/meatball kind of thing? Cabbage rolls? Goulash?

Anything sound good?

Annie

They all sound good! Do you find you need to adjust the average crockpot recipe if you cook it in the Nesco? I need to start using that thing!

Tell me about your goulash, Annie. Recipe, by chance?

jude

I recently took a meat dish to an event and I cooked a 10 pound pork loin in my range oven the day before the event, cut it in half, then sliced in serving size pieces, but left it together as if were in two large pieces, side by side. I wrapped it in foil and refrigerated it overnight in the pan of my Nesco. The next day, I put the pan into the roasted, transported it to the serving location cold and plugged it in to heat when I got there. It was painless because the work was done a day ahead.

Soup, stew, chili, pasta dishes, meatballs, sloppy Joes, taco meat, pulled pork or beef, Swiss steak, French Dips... You could also use it to warm things if you make it another way. Scalloped potatoes & ham, Salisbury steak, turkey breast, ham, pork roast, biscuits & gravy, country style ribs, stuffed peppers, stuffed tomatoes, Spanish rice, Dirty rice, Sausage and cabbage, brats, hot dogs, burgers, Meat (Beef, pork, turkey, chicken) in gravy...

How about chicken & rice, chicken & potatoes, Jambalaya, baked eggs, breakfast casserole , ...

Basically anything you'd put in an oven can go in there. Most anything you'd pan fry could be kept hot in there.

This post was edited by cynic on Sun, Apr 28, 13 at 23:33

Jude, I grew up believing that goulash was hamburger, onions, tomatoes and macaroni.

Now I make this instead. I got the recipe from a Penzey's catalog, readers send in recipes. I liked that it took chicken, although I've made it with beef cubes, with pork, and with a mixture of beef/pork. I've used venison too, it's all good. I sometimes leave the potatoes out and serve it over noodles, mashed potatoes or rice. I'm not sure what purpose the 1 teaspoon of sour cream serves, LOL, but I leave it in. Sometimes I add more...

Chicken Goulash

3-4 lbs. chicken pieces, or 2 pounds boneless/skinless chicken breasts
tsp. olive oil
large Vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
2 Cups cubed potato, optional
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground BLACK PEPPER
2 TB. HUNGARIAN SWEET PAPRIKA
1 Cup warm water
1 tsp. sour cream

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the chicken and brown lightly on both sides. Add the onion, green pepper, tomato, potato (if desired), salt, PEPPER and PAPRIKA. Add the water and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 1 hour for bone-in chicken, 20-30 minutes for boneless breasts. Stir in the sour cream.

Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40-70 minutes
Serves: 6

Cynic, I was hoping you'd chime in here.

Annie

I think meatballs would be a good item to take. The sweet and sour version would be good made small then folks could serve themselves only 1 or 2 so they could sample the other entrees.

Here is a good recipe:

The Best Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 pound ground beef
1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 onion, diced

1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce

1. In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs and onion. Mix thoroughly and shape into golf ball-sized balls.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, gently brown the meatballs and set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, combine the brown sugar, flour, water, white vinegar and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly. Add meatballs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for 30 minutes.

note: I bake the meatballs in the oven, then add to the sauce and keep warm in the Nesco.

I am making Jambalaya in my Nesco for my annual Derby Day party. Lots of peppers, onions, chicken, Andouille, ham, shrimp, rice and spices. Flexible servings and not going to break the bank.

Alexa

The beauty of an electric roaster is you don't need "special" recipes for it. If you can use a pan on the stove you can probably make it in the roaster. If you can bake it in the oven I can't think of anything you couldn't make in the roaster. If you can make it in a Dutch Oven you can make it in the roaster. If you can make it in a slow cooker, you can make it in a roaster.

I was reading on guy in college whose cooking device was a Nesco Roaster so that's what he used for everything. He really used the philosophy that if all you have is a hammer, everything is a nail. He make hamburgers, pancakes, sausage, French Toast, bacon... Granted it's not the *best* device for applying heat to some of them, but it does show the versatility of it.

The best lasagna I ever made was in my 4 qt when I tried for the first time using conventional noodles but not precooking them.

Here's some Recipes from Nesco that might give you some ideas to get you started. Or check any number of sites with recipes for Dutch Ovens, slow cookers, etc.

You could do up the cocktail franks in sauce too, or what I refer to as a Sausagepalooza where I take an assortment of sausages, links, rope, kielbasa, Polish, brats, etc and mix them up. I'm not a fan of sauerkraut but sausage & kraut would be a good option too. 'Twer it me, I'd opt for the sausages, meatballs or a pot full of country style ribs or a pulled pork. You could shred or chop the ribs to make it easier to eat and probably go farther.

cynic: Some of those Nesco recipes certainly are inspiring. Is that Lazy Lasagna the best lasagna recipe you used? I was planning lasagna for dinner when brother and SIL come for a visit soon. Using the roaster oven never occurred to me.
Jude: Would love to know what you decide to do!
I use my roaster oven (not a Nesco, however) for hams and small turkeys. The hams just seem better in the roaster for some reason. But as has been stated, if you can put it in the oven or slow cook it, you can put it in the roaster oven. The only reason I still use my slow cooker, is that it is a smaller capacity.

I agree, cynic, the roaster is good for nearly everything. I've baked brownies in one, used it as a slow cooker, it's my favorite appliance for roasting chicken and it makes the best baked potatoes I've ever eaten, plus if it's hot, I can put it out on the deck and if my oven is full, it's a combination extra oven and hot plate!

It's a lot less expensive to use than my gas oven if I have just a single dish too.

Annie

Annie, I sort of used my own modified recipe for the lasagna, just used the "lazy lasagna" concept of not cooking the noodles. Beware, the edges by the heating element will crisp up some though. Virginia Olson (of Nesco) used to suggest putting a sacrificial noodle around the edge but she cooked the noodles so they would be pliable where the lazy way they're not. However you could soak it and form it.

I used the 4 qt which is rectangular so a little more conducive to the traditional lasagna shape. I liked the no cooking aspect on the noodles and I do like my own "recipe" for lasagna, which isn't a recipe per se, rather a guideline. I like 4 or 5 different cheeses, lots of pork sausage and hamburger in there and I add in some pepperoni too. I usually use a jar sauce, well canned. I happen to like Hunts and it's cheap.

There's another option that I haven't tried but might be a better way of doing it no-boil, that is to break up the noodles and layer them in there. They'd form to the oval shape better and stick together so you should still have the layers.

Not sure if that answers your question but hope it helps.

Lots of good suggstions and recipes, some of which I will save to try later. I think I have pretty well settled on pulled pork, I was thinking about what I would take and it occured to me that Sunday is Cinco de Mayo but don't think I will take enchiladas, Might be my best idea though.-)
Question for Annie: What is there about baking the potatoes in the Nesco versus the oven? I usually use my toaster oven unless I have other things to be baked in the big oven. I keep getting the feeling that recipes need to be adjusted for the Nesco and I think that may be the reason I have been a little apprehensive about using it.

Thanks a bunch, you all. I think I have gained some good new recipes, like chicken goulash for instance!

jude

Jude, I don't know what it is about the Nesco, maybe the smaller space or maybe it's moister, but the skins come out just right for me. Not too hard and crunchy, not moist and steamed, just nicely crisp, the way I like them.

I can put 3 or 4 russets on the rack and bake them, giving me enough for supper and some left over for breakfast tomorrow or for leftovers with chili or beef and gravy over them.

Annie

When I bake potatoes in the Nesco, I generally place them without the rack and against the side, then flip them around every 15 min or so. I like a crisp potato skin. If I have the fan attached I use the "Roast Air" feature, otherwise I go without. But because of the crisper skin from convection I sometimes use the convection oven if that's out and the Nesco is in the cupboard. Another thing you could do if you like them crisper is to put them in a pan. A bread pan fits nicely in a 6 qt unit. Turn them a time or two

Although you do have to do some adjusting with a roaster oven I really don't find it any more confusing than the adjustments you need in other cooking, like a gas vs electric stove or oven, or a larger vs smaller frypan or large vs small potatoes, or humid or dry conditions for baking or whatever.

Don't be afraid of the Nesco. It can truly be a great friend and helper! It's really one of the most forgiving appliances I've ever used and I heartily endorse and recommend a roaster oven. I happen to own Nesco brand and like the quality and have seen a difference in other brands although mine are probably 25 years old now so quality may have changed, I haven't looked closely.

The electric roaster is really not the mystery many think. It's a portable oven with different options. The cookwell lets you cook in it without a pan, but you can use a pan and it'll be more like a regular oven. Because of the design you can use it in place of a slow cooker but have the ability to get the temperature you want and not be constantly boiling your chili or soup. You can also crank the heat up and really roast something with a higher heat. And when things are ready you can turn it down to 140ð and keep it warm if people or the rest of dinner isn't quite ready. Why someone would buy a slow cooker is beyond me. I threw mine out.

Try it. I'm sure you'll like it.

Well,. I purchased my Pork Butt and without question it is one of the "fattiest" pieces of meat I've ever bought! The only one my "wannabe" grocery had so I bought it anyway. I think I can trim some of the fat off the outside but it seems to run through the whole piece. Should I trim off as much on the exterior as I can?

Thought I'd report back on my pulled pork, which turned out great. I used a recipe my daughter sent me that was from a Williams-Sonoma source. I was dubious about whether the 6 lb. roast would fit the Nesco...it was tight but it worked. My cooker must be one of the less desirable ones. The insert is very light weight and the lid doesn't fit tight at all. Lid is lightweight also and glass not metal and of course made in where else but China.

Annie and cynic, I appreciate all the tips. Annie, do you put oil or anything on your potatoes when you bake them...on the rack or not? Lord help me if I should ever have to cook with gas. LOL

Thanks everyone.

jude

Glad it worked out for you. Actually the lid isn't meant to be real tight fitting. When I want to keep all moisture in, I just put some foil over the top, then put the lid on it.

Yes, I stuff that baby full. I usually buy as big a turkey breast as I can get - more meat for the money. Although Ialso learned to cut off the rib bones. They're mostly waste anyway so use them for stock.

FWIW, I usually put potatoes in without anything on it but you can put oil, butter or (my preferred) bacon grease. Some will salt crust them but I've never done that. I grew up with plain potatoes which I like.

Experiment with it. Now that you have your first success under your belt, I'm sure you'll find you like it more and more.

I agree, the lid isn't meant to fit really tightly and like cynic, I put a piece of foil over the pan and then add the lid if I want a really tight fit (which I seldom do).

I do usually rub the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt, then put them on the rack. This gives a slightly crispy skin, but not really hard and crunchy. I like them a lot with butter or bacon grease instead of olive oil, but Elery does not. Because of my cholesterol levels I make do with olive oil and I still like them!

I also stuff mine full, sometimes so full I have to rearrange things so the lid fits and doesn't teeter about on top, LOL.

I'm glad the pork came out well. Of course, I knew it would. (grin)

Annie

Actually I put foil under the lid.....afraid all the moisture would evaporate-). I usually use bacon grease and salt when I bake potatoes. Really, really don't like them baked in foil.

Again, many, many thanks.