Do you have a toaster oven? I use mine for baking in a pinch quite a bit!

No, no toaster oven.

Stove top
microwave
crock pot
grill

Alexa

Here's some for the stovetop, you can also do Woodie's chicken piccata, Chicken marsala, chili, sloppy joes.

CHICKEN SCARPARIELLO (from McCalls Magazine 1990)
sliced hot cherry peppers from a jar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 1/2 lb chicken, cut in small serving pieces
1 lb Italian sausage links (sweet or hot or both), cut in 1-inch pieces
1 onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1- 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
2 potatoes (small dice)
3/4 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced

In a skillet, heat oil. Add chicken and sausage in batches; brown on all sides, removing pieces to a plate as they brown. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pan. To hot drippings in pan add mushrooms, peppers, onion, potatoes and remaining garlic; saute until tender. Return chicken and sausage to skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, the rosemary, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, the broth and wine. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, about 25 minutes.

Remove chicken and sausage from skillet; arrange on warm serving platter. Skim fat from mixture in skillet. In a small glass measure, mix flour with 1/4 cup water until blended. Stir into liquid in skillet. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly; boil for 1 minute, stirring, until mixture thickens. Spoon sauce over chicken and sausage.

FILET MIGNON WITH MUSHROOMS AND MADIERA (Bon Appetit)
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 ounces button mushrooms -- thinly sliced
1/2 cup minced shallots -- (about 3)
4 garlic cloves -- minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

4 5-ounce filet mignon steaks -- (about 3/4 in thick)
1/2 cup Madeira
1 1/2 cups canned beef broth
1/2 cup whipping cream

Melt 2 tablespoons butter with 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sautuntil tender, about 10 minutes. Add 1/4 cup shallots and half of garlic and sauté until shallots are soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in thyme; season with salt and pepper. Transfer mushroom mixture to medium bowl.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to plate. Add remaining 1/4 cup shallots and garlic to same skillet. Sauté 2 minutes. Add Madeira and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add broth and boil until mixture is reduced to 2/3 cup, about 6 minutes. Add cream and boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Return steaks to skillet and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Transfer to plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

POT ROASTED BRISKET

brisket - flat cut
1/2 cup water
1 bottle Heinz ketchup
1 bag baby carrots or 8 carrots -- sliced 1/4" thick
4 stalks celery -- sliced 1/4" thick
potatoes -- cut in chunks
1 large onion -- diced
salt and pepper -- to taste

First put the water (about 1/2 cup or so) in the pot, add the onions, salt and pepper. Then add some (about a 1/4 to 1/2 bottle) ketchup, and bring to a boil. Put in the brisket when it begins to boil. Return to the boil, then lower the heat to a low boil, simmering. Cook the brisket for a while, add a little more ketchup. Let it cook for an hour and a half or more, covered, at a low boil, then slice it against the grain. Put the meat back in the pot and then add the potatoes, celery, and carrots. Cook on medium, covered, at just below boiling, for another hour or so. Keep tasting to see if it needs more ketchup, salt or pepper. Add ketchup as needed. Everything is approximate, you'll probably use a whole bottle of ketchup.

STUFFED CABBAGE
1 large head of cabbage
1 3/4 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup uncooked rice
1 onion -- grated
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 egg -- beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt -- optional
mix in a little bit if seltzer to keep the meat mixture moist
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste -- (optional, to taste)
5 to 10 gingersnap cookies, finely crumbled -- (optional)
2 boxes raisins -- (optional)
water

Core the cabbage, then place it in a large pot of boiling water. Boil until outside leaves loosen. Lift out leaves with two wooden spoons and drain. In a bowl, combine meat, rice, onion, parsley, egg, and salt. Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf, tuck in the sides over the meat and roll up securely. Place close together in a large, deep pot. Add remaining ingredients and enough water to cover the rolls. Cover tightly and cook over just to a boil on medium-high heat, then reduce to medium for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes add the gingersnap cookie crumbs to thicken the sauce (optional). Bring just to a boil then simmer on lower heat for an hour. Serve or freeze for later use.

To reheat, simmer on stove medium heat until heated through and hot, or bake in 350 degree F oven for 20-30 minutes, until brown on top.

TUSCAN CHICKEN (Rachael Ray, posted Woodie)
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots, chopped
6 sprigs fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups beef broth (yes, beef broth)

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, half the chicken pieces, and a couple of crushed cloves of garlic. Brown chicken 2 minutes on each side and remove from pan. Add remaining oil, another single turn of the pan, remaining chicken pieces and garlic.

Brown chicken 2 minutes on each side and remove. Add vinegar to the pan. Let it cook off. Add butter, shallots, and rosemary to the pan and cook 2 minutes, add flour and cook 1 minute more. Whisk in wine, reduce 1 minute.

Whisk in broth and bring liquids up to a bubble. Return chicken to the pan and simmer over moderate heat 7 to 8 minutes to finish cooking chicken through.
I added mushrooms to it

SAN'S CROCKPOT LEMON CHICKEN
3 pounds chicken pieces, dredged in seasoned flour (we like chicken thighs and I add a pinch of 5-spice powder to the flour, along with a little salt & pepper)
brown the chicken in a skillet (I usually skip that)

mix together in a crock pot:
6 oz can of lemonade
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons catsup

Add the chicken and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Notes: San's Crockpot Lemon Chicken which I just tried for the first time! It was delicious, I was afraid it was going to be way too sweet, but I trusted my instincts with our San and I wasn't at all disappointed, the gravy comes out nice and thick brown and this goes great over some kind of noodles or rice or mashed potatoes. FYI - I used chicken thighs and removed the skin and I did not brown the chicken first, just coated with seasoned flour - notes posted Woodie

I think for as inexpensive as they are I would probably buy a toaster oven to add to that toolbox if you're going to be without an oven for that long. You can do a lot in them.

seagrass

Alexa, if your grill is gas, you can bake a casserole in there. Just watch the bottom as that will brown while the top may not.

Stews..pan fried steak, chicken smothered with stuff, lamb steaks smothered with stuff, brats and sourkraut, stuffed cabbage, corned beef and cabbage, spaghetti and meatballs, grilled porkchops, chicken, steak, beef tenderloin, pork tenderloin, slice of ham anbd more.
For the meat items, accompany with baked potatoes, grill baked potatoes, fried potatoes, creamed potatoes ( umm! Forgot about that!) grilled veggies, steamed veggies, rice pasta with pesto.
As far as I can see the only things you will be missing will be home made breads, cakes, pies and cookies....and pizza! Witrh a cook top and a grill and micro, I could go a long time ( and have!) without an oven. I would invest in a big cast iron skillet that could go on the grill as well as on the stove top.
If you need recipes for anything, just shout.
Linda C

Alexa I have so many T & T recipes for stovetop but I had to stop after these as I know this is probably far too many, but here ya go:

I was watching the Spanish Cooking TV channel one night and saw one of their regular programs on cooking with microwave. That's something I never do, as like most of us I use my microwave for defrosting, reheating and melting butter.
But they prepared two tasty looking dishes in such a short time...here's one of them which I tried and liked:

Microwave Pork in Sweet & Sour Sauce (can also be beef or chicken)
==========================
Ingredients for 4 persons:

3 TBS soya sauce
3 TBS cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 1/2 lbs lean pork (or other lean meat) cut into cubes
1 TBS olive oil
3 carrots cut into coins
1 onion minced
1 green pepper minced
1 cup chicken broth
3 TBS sugar
1 tin (1 lb size) of pineapple chunks with its juice
3 TBS cornstarch (for thickening)

1) Mix the soya sauce with the vinegar in a large bowl, adding the pieces of meat, mixing and let marinate for 2 or 3 hours.

2) In a microwave safe bowl, mix the oil, onion and carrots. Put in microwave at full power for 4 minutes.

3) Add the chopped green pepper, chicken broth, sugar, 1 cup of pineapple juice from the tin and the meat with its marinade. Add salt & pepper.

4) Cover the bowl and cook in microwave at full power for 5 minutes.

5) Reduce the power to half and continue cooking for a further 17 to 20 minutes.

6) When the meat is tender add the pineapple chunks and heat at full power for 5 minutes more.

7) Check seasoning and serve.

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I was never sure if this really originated in Cuba. But it's a very simple dish which I used to see in Mallorca in small family restaurants and still see today on restaurant menus. I also made it when my girls were small.

For three people:

3 ripe bananas
3 eggs
rice - three servings
tomato sauce or puré - about 1 cup
S & P
oil or butter

1) Boil the rice until tender in salted water. Drain.

2) Split the bananas lengthwise and sauté gently in butter or oil.

3) Heat the tomato sauce.

4) Fry the eggs in butter or oil keeping yolks runny.

5) Arrange the rice in the centre of each plate, with a banana half on each side, cover the rice with an egg and pour sauce over top. Add salt & pepper.

Poached eggs instead of fried are also good.

SharonCb
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Serves 4 - 6

1 TBS olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 large apple, cored and chopped
1 small red cabbage, quartered, cored and thinly shredded - (6 cups shredded)
1 full cup (9 fl oz) apple juice (250 ml)
3 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 TBS sugar substitute
1 teasp sea salt
1/2 teasp freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil over a medium-high heat in a deep frying pan. Cook the onion and apple for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the cabbage and toss well.
Add the apple juice, vinegar, sugar substitute and seasoning and stir.

2. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until the liquid reduces completely and the cabbage is tender. Check seasoning and serve.

Leftovers can be chilled for one day and reheated over a moderate heat.

Source: Adapted from Rick Gallop's GI Diet
Green-Light Cookbook

My Comments:

This is a really good, tangy side dish for those who love red cabbage! I halved the recipe for just the two of us but it was so good we nearly finished it all, so no problem with making too much. When finely shredded with a mandolin - the cabbage measured exactly 3 cups (200 grams) for my halved version. I used one small apple and half an onion but didnt reduce the olive oil.

SharonCb
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- recipe from the back of the curry powder tin

1. Peel and chop 1 onion, 1 apple, and fry in 2 TBS oil
Add 1 TBS curry powder, 1 level TBS flour and fry gently for 1 minute.

2. Blend in 3/4 pint stock (1 1/2 cups or 12 fl oz), bring to boil, add 1 TBS chutney, 60 grams (1/3 cup) sultana raisins, simmer 30 minutes.

3. Dice 225 grams (8 oz) cooked chicken or beef, add to sauce, season with salt.
Simmer very gently for 10 - 15 minutes. Serve over rice with chutney.
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Here is a popular dish which was served in the busy restaurant of a friend of mine in Palma de Mallorca.
It was one of her star dishes on the menu and folks never tired of it.

CHICKEN SUPREME

Ingredients for 4 people

4 breasts of chicken
chicken stock
1/2 head of celery
1 medium onion
bayleaf
1/2 lemon
coriander
1/2 glass champagne or brandy
seasoning

Supreme Sauce:

1 1/2 teasp flour
100 grams butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 litre cream (2 cups)
pepper & salt
rind of 1/4 lemon
1/2 lb mushrooms

1. Carefully wash and clean chicken breast. Poach until tender in stock to which has been added the champagne or brandy, sticks of celery, juice and rind of half a lemon, coriander, bayleaf, onion and seasoning . This should take about 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile sauté the mushroomsrapidly in part of the butter.

3.. Strain the chicken and keep warm. Now make the sauce:

4. Make white roux with flour and butter and when well cooked but not brown, add the cream stirring all the time. Season with pepper, salt, lemon rind and finally add the mushrooms.

5. Serve chicken on a bed of fluffy mashed potato and cover with the sauce. Sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top.

Source:"The Bar we Found"...her restaurant cookbook by Annie Oates, Palma de Mallorca 1968.

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CHICKEN WITH PRUNES - Pollo Con Ciruelas Pasas - Venezuela

I chicken skinned and cut into portions
10 prunes
1 large onion - sliced into semicircles
2 TBS flour
2 TBS paprika
1 cup white wine
oil and salt as needed

1. Clean and cut chicken into pieces. Mix salt, flour and paprika and dredge chicken pieces well.

2. Add oil to pan or cazuela and brown chicken pieces all over. Then add onion rings and brown.

3. Add wine and simmer all until wine is reduced to half. Add a little water and the prunes. Stir.

4. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve together with rice or potato puré.

Source: Translated from : "Recetas de Tia Tiqui", Caracas, Venezuela

My Notes: I used Spanish Smoked Paprika de la Vera and kept a lid over the cazuela for most of the simmering.
I used a tray of chicken thighs rather than a whole cutup chicken.

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1 lb dried chickpeas
1/4 lb diced smoked pork or 1/2 lb meaty pork ribs
1 onion - chopped
1/2 head garlic - peeled and chopped
tomato sauce or puré - about 4 oz or 1/4 cup
1 teasp paprika
2 TBS olive oil
1 bay leaf
salt

1) Soak chickpeas overnight. Next day drain and cook in salted water together with pork.

2) Add onion, garlic, tomato puré, paprika, bay leaf and oil to pot. Simmer until tender.

3) Remove any bones and season with salt.

BEEF OR PORK STEW - Ropa Vieja

1 lb dried chickpeas
2 lb potatoes - diced and fried (see step 4)
1 lb cooked beef or pork - (preferably roasted) and diced
olive oil - 4 TBS
1 small glass (4 oz) dry white wine
2 tomatoes - chopped
1 onion - finely chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
3 cloves garlic - diced
thyme
pinch of cumin
1 bay leaf
2 or 3 threads saffron
flatleaf parsley
black peppercorns
paprika - 1 teasp
salt

1) Soak the chickpeas ovenight in cold water. Add the drained chickpeas with the meat to a saucepan of cold, salted water and bring to the boil. Put lid on pot and simmer for about 1 hour. Once all is tender, remove the meat and chickpeas from the pot and keep the liquid.

2) Put garlic, peppercorns, saffron, salt, cumin and paprika together in a mortar and crush.

3) Fry the chopped onion, tomatoes and pepper together in a frying pan with a little oil, and add to it the mixture from the mortar.

4) Dice and brown the potatoes in another pan in some oil.

5) When onion-pepper mixture is almost cooked, add the wine, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, chickpeas and meat and 1 1/2 - 2 cups of the liquid from step one. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. There should be some sauce below.

6) Add the fried potatoes to the pot 5 - 10 minutes before stew pot is ready. Garnish servings with chopped parsley.

Sources : adapted from "The Best of Canary Island Cookery" and "Cooking in the Canary Islands"

CHICKPEA & SPINACH POTAGE - Potaje de Garbanzos y Espinacas

1 lb dried chickpeas
spinach - 3/4 lb (300 grams) - cleaned and chopped
3 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced
1 TBS sweet paprika
one small hot chili pepper
2 slices bread, fried until crisp and brown
1 vegetable stock cube
small 4 oz glass white wine
10 TBS olive oil
1 1/2 quarts water (about 1 1/2 liters)
salt

1) Soak chickpeas overnight.

2) In a large pot heat up the oil and add sliced garlic. Crush the fried bread to a paste in a mortar, add the paprika and the chili.

3) Add to the pot the spinach and the contents of the mortar and stir until partially cooked. Add the wine and let it evaporate. Cover with water and add the chickpeas, the stock cube and salt.

4) Cook for about 45 minutes.

Source: Translated from Comidacasera.com

CREAM OF CHICKPEAS - Crema de Garbanzos

3/4 lb chickpeas (300 grams)
5 cloves garlic - peeled
1 medium onion - peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
fresh ground black pepper
tarragon - to taste
salt

1) Put chickpeas in a pot, cover with cold water and let soak about 12 hours.

2) Once that time has elapsed, drain chickpeas and cover with fresh cold water again, adding the onion, garlic cloves, bay leaf and salt.

3) Cook for about 2 hours or until the chickpeas are tender.

4) Drain chickpeas, keeping some of the cooking liquid and put into blender together with tarragon and a little pepper.

5) Blend, adding some of the cooking liquid until you have the desired consistency.

6) Pass through a sieve, gently reheat and put into a soup tureen, garnishing with chopped parsley. Serve hot.

Source: Translated from CocinaHoy S.L.

STEWED CHICKPEAS AND SAFFRON - Garbanzos Estofados al Azafrán

1 lb chickpeas - soaked overnight or tinned
1 tomato - chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
2 small courgettes - diced
2 small eggplants - diced
1 onion - chopped
1 leek - chopped
1 thread of saffron - ground
1 sprig of thyme - ground
1 bay leaf
salt - as needed
water to cover

1) Chop vegetables and put into a large cooking pot together with chickpeas. Cover with water, adding saffron, thyme, bay leaf and salt.

2) Bring to boil and simmer 40 - 50 minutes. Drain and serve.

Source: Translated from Comidacasera.com

SharonCb
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Coronation Chicken

This recipe was invented by Constance Spry and served at the coronation luncheon of Queen Elizabeth II
in 1953. I first tasted this dish at a catered dinner party in a private home one Christmas and as it was so good knew I had
to find the recipe and try it myself. Here's the link to the BBC website with the British version of the recipe using metric measure and amounts for 8 servings. Below I've adjusted the quantities for four servings:

Coronation Chicken - Serves 4

2 1/2 lbs chicken (use skinless breast) diced (1.150 kg)
1 TBS vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 TBS curry paste
1/2 TBS tomato purée
1/4 cup (50 ml or 2 oz) red wine
1/2 bay leaf
2 TBS lemon juice
2 finely chopped apricot halves
1/2 cup mayonnaise (1/4 pint or 150 ml)
1/4 cup whipping cream (2 oz or 50 ml)
salt & pepper
watercress to garnish

1. Place the skinless, diced chicken on a grillpan or oven broiler tray and grill until cooked.

2. Heat the oil in a small saucepan, add the onion and cook until softened, about three minutes.

3. Add the curry paste, tomato purée, wine, bay leaf and lemon juice.

4. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes until well reduced.

5. Strain and leave to cool.

6. Purée the chopped apricot halves in a blender or food processor or with a sieve.

7. Beat the cooled sauce into the mayonnaise with the apricot purée.

8. Whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold into the mixture.

9. Season, adding a little more lemon juice if necessary.

10. Fold in the chicken pieces, garnish with watercress and serve.
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fl. oz) (120 ml) Scotch whisky
1/2 cup (4 fl. oz) (120 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
4 TBSP soy sauce
5 - 6 TBSP olive oil
1 TBSP freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 1/4 lbs (1 kg) salmon fillet, skin on

1. Whisk together the orange juice, whisky, soy sauce, olive oil, pepper and garlic and put into a baking dish measuring 9 x 13 inches,
(23 x 32 cm).

skin side up.

Cover with plastic film and put in fridge for 6 - 8 hours.

2. Preheat a grill or barbecue. Remove the salmon from the marinade and place skin side down on the rack. Cook over a medium high heat for 10 - 13 minutes (if using a barbecue, cover with the lid) or until salmon just flakes with a fork. Be careful not to overcook.

Source: Adapted from: Rick Gallops GI Diet Green-Light Cookbook

My comments: this was such an easy recipe . I baked it on a tray in my little countertop oven. The salmon marinated for 24 hours in the fridge due to a change of plans and the marinade was so tasty that after the salmon was removed I put the rest of it in a small saucepan, quickly boiled it up for a minute and we spooned it over the fish at the table.

Source: Rick Gallop's GI Diet Green-Light Cookbook
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This was a simple but prize winning recipe in a cross country cooking contest sponsored by a Canadian womens' magazine in the 1960s.

I had it first at a dinner party where the hostess had made mimeographed copies of the recipe beforehand as she said everyone asked for it when she served this dish. This was before the days of photocopiers ! LOL.

Tastes better if made one day ahead.

1 kilo of veal shoulder steak, cut into small bite-size pieces
2 medium onions, sliced
1 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup or tomato sauce
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teasp salt
1/2 teasp pepper
1 1/2 cups cashews (rinse if they are salted)
2 TBS butter
Worcestershire sauce

1). Grind garlic, salt and pepper together in mortar and pestle.

2). Roll veal pieces in this mixture in the mortar and then on a clean plate, being sure pieces are well coated.

3). Brown veal in butter in a saucepan. When brown, add onions, water, tomato sauce and cashews.

4). Simmer slowly until meat and nuts are both tender. About 40 minutes. It may need a bit of water added.

5). Thicken with a bit of flour and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce.

6). Best served the next day. Goes well with rice and a crisp green salad.

SharonCb
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(Poached meatballs in lemon & caper sauce.)
Here is a German dish which originated in Königsberg, former capital of eastern Prussia, now part of Russia and called Kaliningrad. Having a pleasant, mild flavour, these meatballs are also a low calorie dish as they are cooked in water. They're well known in most German households and are often a family favourite.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb finely ground veal (225 grams)
1/2 lb finely ground lean pork (225 grams)
1 large onion - peeled and finely chopped
8 finely chopped + 2 finely chopped later for sauce (total 50 grams)
2 TBS capers finely chopped + 1 TBS whole capers later for the sauce
1 lg egg, beaten
3 slices firm crusts removed, soaked in water
juice of 1/2 lemon - or juice of whole lemon if it is very small
2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves (aromatic spice cloves)
1/2 TBS oil for frying onion
2 TBS flour mixed with water
salt & freshly ground pepper

1. Sauté onion gently until golden and put aside.
2. Mix the two ground meats with 8 of the chopped anchovies, 2 TBS chopped capers, beaten egg and the soaked bread which has been squeezed dry. Then mix in the cooled fried onion and some salt and pepper.
3. In a wide saucepan put 3 3/4 cups of water and add some salt, the lemon juice, bay leaves and cloves. Bring to the boil.
4. Meanwhile form large meatballs with hands and place on a plate - about 14 meatballs. If water boils, turn off until all meatballs are formed.
5.

and bring it slowly back to the boil then lower heat and let simmer gently for 30 minutes. Turn meatballs once or twice during this time.
6. When cooked, remove meatballs with slotted spoon to a casserole and keep warm. Mix flour and cold water to a paste and add to the cooking water, stirring to thicken. Add the last two anchovies, chopped fine and 1 TBS whole capers. Bring to the boil and simmer 2 - 3 minutes.
7. Pour and serve with boiled potatoes and green beans. I actually had more sauce than what appears here in the photo. I kept the rest in the pot on the stove for keeping hot.

Note: They turned out very well. My lemon was VERY juice and I used all the juice which was a bit too much. Go easy on the lemon juice if it is a large lemon.

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Lentil and Garlic Sausage Stew
(Recipe from "Soups, Stews and One-Pot Meals" by Tom Valenti and Andrew Friedman)

1 tablespoon olive oil
2½ pounds garlic sausage, cut on the bias into ½-inch pieces, casing removed (see note)
1 medium Spanish onion, peeled and cut into small dice
2 stalks celery, cut into small dice
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
17½-ounce package French green lentils
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
Coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper

About 1½ quarts store-bought reduced-sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and brown on both sides in batches, 7 to 8 minutes per batch, transferring them to a plate as they are browned.

Leave the fat in the pan. Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic, and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and lentils, stir well, and then add the thyme, bay leaf, 2 tablespoons salt, and 1½ teaspoons pepper. Add just enough broth to cover, about 1 quart. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Add 2 more cups broth and return the sausage to the pot. Simmer for about 1 hour, or until the lentils are al dente and the sausage is cooked through. If not servings immediately, let cool, cover, and refrigerate for a few days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat before proceeding.

To serve, ladle some stew into each of 8 warm bowls and drizzle each serving with extra-virgin olive oil.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: Seek out a "saucisson a lail" or garlic sausage, which looks uncooked though its not. If this is difficult to find, substitute your favorite sausage or kielbasa, as long as you select a relatively soft one that resembles bologna more than salami.
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SharonCb

How about stir-frys? You can do the traditional oriental variety (meat, vegetables, soy sauce, etc over rice) or you can use the same method for other kinds of 'stir-frys'. I often saute up some fresh veg, add Italian seasonings, diced fresh tomatoes at the last minute, and serve over pasta as a sort of "Italian stirfry".

If you want a casserole, make the filling in a pan on top of the range, then just saute up some seasoned bread crumbs with a bit of butter in a skillet and pop on top of the casserole--it may not have a brown bottom crust (as in long-baked mac and cheese) but will do in a pinch.

How about Salisbury steak, porcupine meatballs, sloppy joes. I was without a full size oven for about 6 months. I did buy a convection microwave. Before I had that I did make cornbread in the regular microwave to go with chili.

My kids eat a lot of pasta and very little meat so it wasn't hard for me. I did miss baking.

I buy Wegman's take and bake pizza and found I can do 1-2 pieces in a nonstick skillet. It's a quick lunch or supper for the kids.

Tracey

Oops I see the amount of whisky in the Drunken Salmon was cut off.
That should read "1/2 cup = 4 fl oz of Scotch whisky".

Sorry...

SharonCb

From Fine Cooking #81 (Oct/Nov 06).

Chicken "Stroganoff" with Mushrooms, Sherry and Sage

Serves 3-4

4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 8-oz. pkg. sliced cremini mushrooms
Kosher salt
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 T. finely chopped fresh sage
Freshly ground black pepper
1 3/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (5 or 6), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces
1 T. finely chopped garlic (about 2 large cloves)
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 whole jarred roasted red pepper, drained and cut into thin strips (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 plum tomato, cored, seeded and cut into medium dice

In 10-inch straight-sided saute pan, heat 2 tsp. of the oil over medium-high heat.

Add mushrooms, season generously with salt, and cook undisturbed until well browned on one side, 1 to 3 minutes. Add half of the shallot and 1/2 T. of sage to the pan and continue to cook, stirring, until mushrooms are well browned all over, another 3-5 minutes. Season generously with black pepper and transfer to a bowl. Leave pan off heat.

Generously season chicken with salt and pepper. Return pan to medium-high heat, add remaining 2 tsp. oil, and swirl to coat pan. Add the chicken and cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Add 1/2 T. of the garlic, 1/2 T. of the sage, and remaining shallot and continue to cook, stirring, until chicken is no longer pink on the outside, 2 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, sherry, and red pepper and cook to reduce sherry slightly, about 2 minutes.

Lower heat to medium and stir in the sour cream, tomato and remaining garlic. Partially cover pan and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. If sauce seems overly thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with remaining sage.

Serving suggestion: Serve over egg noodles tossed with butter.

Apples: for now..I'd slice and freeze in the amounts you need for your recipes for later.

I'm coming back to this thread for recipes myself. LOL

Here are a couple of T&T's for you....

GREEK-STYLE PASTA WITH SHRIMP (or chicken)
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

1/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 1/2 cups drained canned artichoke hearts, chopped
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried
12 ounces angel hair pasta or linguine
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp and sauté until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add artichokes, feta, tomatoes, lemon juice, parsley and oregano and sauté until shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer pasta to large bowl.
Add shrimp mixture to pasta and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 4.
Bon Appétit
June 1995
My notes: This is also good with chicken in place of the shrimp. Add cheese last and do not cook longer than instructions.

Meatball Stew With Egg Dumplings 1lb ground beef 6T sour cream, divided 1/4c chopped onion 1T parsley flakes 1tsp salt 1/8tsp pepper 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of mushroom soup 1c frozen green beans 1c frozen carrots 2c diced, cooked potatoes 2c Bisquick 2 eggs 2T milk Mix ground beef, 3T sour cream, onion, parsley, salt & pepper. Shape into 1inch balls, brown on all sides in large skillet over medium heat. Mix soup, 3T sour cream, beans, carrots and potatoes. Pour over meatballs in skillet. Heat to a boil, stirring frequently. Stir Bisquick, eggs and milk to a soft dough. Drop by spoonfuls onto hot stew mixture. Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes longer. 4\-6 servings

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

1-1/2 lb stew meat cut into cubes
1T cooking oil
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4c minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1 bay leaf
1-1/2c beef broth
1/3c dry red wine
1 c sour cream
1/2c flour
1/4c water
4c hot cooked noodles or rice

In large skillet brown the beef in hot oil, drain. In crockpot combine
beef, mushrooms, onions, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper thyme and bay leaf. Pour in broth and wine. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-5 hours.
Discard bay leaf, and turn crockpot to high heat. Mix together sour cream, flour and water. Stir about 1 cup of the hot liquid into the sour cream mixture, return all to crockpot and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high heat for 30 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Serve over noodles or rice. Serves 6

Linda

Our kitchen was down for about 6 weeks for the remodel and that was about what we had plus a small toaster oven.

Is your grill the kind with a lid? If it is, you can use it for an oven. A few times, I baked a cake or pie in it during the remodel. It helps to have a temperature probe - the kind that measures the air temp rather than the kind you stick in the thing cooking - it was a bit of a pain having to act as the thermostat for the grill but things came out fine.

I think apple crisp would be pretty easy this way in a grill with a good lid - probably you can get away with less good temperature control than for an apple pie. You can also saute apples with some spices on a stove top.

to deal with the issue pkramer mentions, I put one baking sheet in and than another one over it to create some air space between them. That protects against the bottom cooking too quickly compared to the top.

Worse comes to worse, turkey roasted with indirect heat in the grill comes out great too.

Most recipes for braising at low heat in the oven can be done stove-top or slow cooker.

At least you have full prep and clean-up facilities. That was much more of a limitation to what we cooked during the remodel than the lack of an oven.

Sharon, thanks for making the correction.

I'm late on this thread so I don't know that I can add much to these wonderful suggestions. This could be made into "Kitchen Remodel Cookbook" for sure. I do hope you have your new oven by Thanksgiving.

Bourbon Chicken
35 min 15 min prep
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite size pieces
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup apple or pineapple juice
2/3 cup light brown sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 cup water
2/3 cup soy sauce

1. Heat oil in a large skillet.
2. Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.
3. Remove Chicken.
4. Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium
5. Heat until well mixed and dissolved.
6. Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.
7. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
8. Serve over hot rice.

During our remodel I did not have an oven for 8-9 months and made Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. We did order a cooked Turkey from the local grocery store.

I would suggest getting an inexpensive toaster oven. You can make your Thanksgiving gravy by cooking turkey wings in the toaster oven a day or 2 before hand. The wing gravy is delicious and so much easier to make ahead of time too.

Sharon's Beef Stroganoff (Silver Palate)

3 Cup Crème Fraiche (recipe follows...takes 2 days)
1 1/2 Tbl Dijon mustard
3 Tbl tomato paste
3 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
2 Tsp paprika
1/2 Cup demiglace (or good beef broth)
3/4 Tsp salt
fresh black pepper To Taste
1 Lb firm small sized, white button mushrooms
10 Tbl butter (or a combo of butter)and EVOO
24 pearl onions
3 Lb of beef filet
Italian parsley Chopped

Combine creme fraiche, tomato paste, mustard Worcestershire, paprika, demiglace (or beef broth if you don't have demi glace), salt and pepper in a medium size sauce pan.
Simmer slowly for 20 minutes or until sauce is slightly reduced. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let sit covered. Cut a small x in the bottom of each onion. Bring a pot of water to the boil and drop the onions in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain the onions and run under cold water. Peel the onions.

Melt 3TBSP of butter in saut pan. Saute Mushrooms until tender. Remove mushrooms and add 3 TBSP more butter, saute onions just until lightly golden. Remove the onions from the pan and add to mushrooms.

Cut the meat into thin slices on the diagonal. Heat the remaining butter in the same pan. Cook on high heat just until lightly browned,do not over cook.This dish can be prepared to this point several hours before serving.

To complete, set sauce over medium low heat and bring to a bare simmer. Add mushrooms, onions and any accumulated juices. Simmer 5 minutes. Add beef and juices, heat just until meat is heated through.

Serve immediately over hot noodles , garnish with the parsley.

Creme Fraiche 1 (you need to double for Stroganoff recipe)

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream

Whis together in a bowl. Cover and let stand in a reasonably warm spot overnight. Stir well, cover and refrigerate 36 hours.

Creme Fraiche 2

2 cups heavy cream
2 tsps buttermilk

Directions same as above but it only needs 24 hours in the fridge.

Note: no matter which way I make it I make it two days ahead.

Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs with Rosemary & Porcini

From "All About Braising; The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking" by Molly Stevens

Marinade:

2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp crushed allspice berries
8-10 black peppercorns
3-4 whole cloves
2 TBL EVOO
1 large yellow onion coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk coarsely chopped
1 carrot coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 bottle robust dry red wine

Meat:

3 1/2 to 4 lbs meaty beef short ribs
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Aromatics and Braising Liquid

1/2 oz dried Porcini Mushrooms
3/4 c. water
3 TBL EVOO
Coarse Salt and Ground Pepper
1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-14 oz can of peeled, chopped tomatoes or 1 lb peeled and seeded fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 3-4" leafy fresh Rosemary sprigs

1. Preparing the Marinade - 12-24 hours before braising: Cut a small square of cheesecloth. Place bay leaves, allspice, peppercorns and cloves in the center and bring up the corners and tie with string making a little bag. NOTE: I rarely have cheesecloth handy so I just use a coffee filter and string in place of the cheesecloth.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic and saute, stirring once or twice, until beginning to soften but not brown. Pour in wine, add spice sack and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes to draw out the flavors into the wine. Set aside and cool to room temperature.

2. Trimming and Marinating the Short Ribs: The book goes into a long description of how to cut the thick fatty parts off the Short Ribs. But just cut the thick fatty areas off the Short Ribs. I only had to cut the fat off 1 rib. Place ribs on a plate and sprinkle with salt and pepper on all sides and rub it in. Then she says to put in a bowl for the marinating. But I just put the ribs in a large zip lock bag and poured the Marinade into the bag. Zip the bag and put bag in a large bowl or baking dish and place in the refrigerator, taking care that all the ribs are submerged in the marinade. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning the ribs 1-2 times. If you marinate in a bag you just need to flip the bag.

3. Before you start to braise, soak the mushrooms: Place the dried Mushrooms in a bowl and pour over the warm water (directions should be on the back of the package). Set aside to soak for 20-30 minutes. Don't throw out the liquid as you add this for the braise.

4. Browning the short ribs: Remove ribs from marinade and pat them dry with paper towels. Strain marinade into a bowl. Reserve wine and spice sachet and discard the vegetables.

Pour 2 TBL EVOO into a dutch oven or other heavy braising pot and place it on the stove on medium heat. Salt and pepper the ribs on all sides. Add only as many ribs as will fit, WITHOUT stacking them and sear them on all sides until deeply browned, 4-5 minutes per side. Set seared ribs on a plate, not stacking them, and finish browning the remaining ribs. Set the pot aside.

5. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. I know this is too high for a comfortable braise so watch the pot and if it boils turn it down to 250 degrees.

6. Draining the mushrooms: Lift the softened mushrooms, one at a time, careful to hold the mushroom over the bowl of softening liquid, and gently squeeze to wring out any moisture. Serve the soaking liquid and add it to the strained Wine. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.

7. The aromatics and braising liquid: Pour off and discard any remaining fat from the braising pot. Discard any burnt bits that might remain. The browned drippings or any browned crust on the bottom of the pan will contain flavor for the sauce. Add the remaining TBL of oil and heat over medium heat. Add sliced onion and sauté, stirring, until browned and softened, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic, tomatoes with their juice and chopped mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the remaining reserved mushroom soaking liquid and wine and bring to a boil. Let the liquid boil until it is reduced by about half.

8. Return the ribs to the pot, careful to crowd the ribs but do not stack, and any drippings that may have accumulated on the plate. Tuck the reserved spice sack and the rosemary sprigs between the ribs. Cover the pot with parchment paper, pressing down on the parchment so it nearly touches the ribs and so the paper hangs over the outside edge of the pot at least an inch or so. Set the pot lid in place, then slide the pot onto the lower rack of the oven. Braise gently, turning the ribs with tongs so as not the tear up the meat every 30-40 minutes, until the meat is fork tender and falling away from the bones 2 ½ to 3 hours. After about 20 minutes remove the lid and paper and check to see that the liquid is not simmering too furiously. If it is then lower the temperature to about 250 degrees.

9. The finish: Transfer the ribs to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. Degrease the braising liquid. The sauce should be the consistency of a thick vinaigrette. Heat the sauce to a simmer and taste for salt and pepper.

10. Serving: Transfer ribs to dinner plates and spoon the sauce over and serve immediately.

For the Cortland Apples check out the current WFD thread. I posted my crock pot method for Maple Apple Butter and it is VERY good!

Michelle

Here are some variations for chicken breasts done on the stove top:

NINE 30 MINUTE CHICKEN DINNERS
Before cooking, pound each cutlet between sheets of waxed paper until l/4-inch thick. Each recipe serves two.

THE TECHNIQUE:
Dredge one whole chicken breast, skinned, boned, split in half and pounded, in 2 T. flour. * In medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook 1 T. oil and 1 T. butter or margarine until hot and foamy. Add chicken and saute until golden brown on both sides. Add the flavor makers. Cover and simmer until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken to plate and keep warm. Over medium-high heat, boil sauce in skillet rapidly until slightly thickened. Add finishing touches and heat through. Spoon sauce over chicken and add garnishes.

To make Chicken Marsala
Flavor Makers - 3/4 c. sliced mushrooms, 3/4 c. Marsala wine,
Finishing Touch - 2 T. chopped parsley
Garnish - Additional parsley

To make California Chicken
Flavor Makers - 1 c. sliced mushrooms, 3/4 c. dry white wine
Finishing Touch - 1/2 avocado, sliced
Garnish - chopped parsley

To make Chicken Milanese - * Instead of flour, dredge in seasoned breadcrumbs
Flavor Makers - 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 c. chicken broth; 1/4 c. white wine
Finishing Touch - 2 T. chopped Parsley
Garnish - additional Parsley

To make Chicken Picatta
Flavor Makers - 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/2 c. white wine; 2 T. lemon juice
Finishing Touch - 2 T. chopped Parsley
Garnish - Lemon slices

To make Yucatan Chicken
Flavor Makers - 1/2 c. lemon juice; 3 T. raisins; 2 T. canned chopped hot chilies
Finishing Touch - 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro Garnish - toasted pine nuts

To make Sante Fe Chicken
Flavor Makers - 1/2 c. red wine; 1/4 c. tomato puree; 3/4 tsp. dried oregano; 1/2 tsp. chili powder
Garnish - Lime wedges and Sour Cream

To make Provencal Chicken
Flavor Makers - 1/3 c. chopped onion; 1 tsp. Dried basil, 3/4 c. white wine
Finishing Touch - 1/2 c. chopped, canned tomatoes; 1/4 c. black olives, chopped
Garnish - Chopped parsley or fresh basil

To make Sesame Chicken - Mix 1 egg with 2 T. milk. After dredging in flour, dip chicken into egg mixture, then coat with 3 T. sesame seeds.
Flavor Makers - 3/4 c. chicken broth; 1/2 tsp. soy sauce; 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/4 tsp. sesame oil; 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes Garnish - Chopped parsley or cilantro

To make Chicken with Peppers
Flavor Makers - 1/4 c. diced, cooked ham; 1/4 c. chopped onion; 1/2 c. white wine; 1/4 red pepper, cut into slivers; 1/4 green pepper, cut into slivers; 1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
Garnish - Chopped parsley

Well you have gotten some excellent ideas and a lot of what I was going to suggest so I won't repeat. I cook on my stovetop and grill almost all summer long because it is too hot to heat up the oven.

Thanks for your post as I have gotten some really good new recipes to try!

We have been without an oven for a year! We are in a cabin and have just put up with it. We use our toaster/convection oven or stove top for everything. And, at 8240 feet above sea level, we have baked some amazing things in the toaster!! I'm a vegetarian, but most of what I make can be altered, such as adding chicken, salmon or yummy Italian sausage!
Here is one for Pasta Primavera:
Diced mushrooms
diced garlic
dash olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
chopped basil to taste
put in pan, heat with salt and pepper until onions are translucent

add these to the pan:
1 or 1/2 carrot, sliced on the bias
one head of broccoli, separated into florets
half yellow squash, chopped fairly large
handful of green beans, chopped a bit larger than 1"
1/4 to 1/2 bell pepper, any colour, julienned
1/2 cup onion, chopped
basil, chopped
heat until carrots and broccoli stems are tender enough to your liking

all the while, cook pasta. I used gamelli. Drain in a colander, place lid on top of colander/pasta to keep warm.
In the pot you cooked the pasta, place the cooked veggies, scraping out all of them but leaving a little bit of mushroom stuck to pan.
place on heat, add Almost a pint of half and half in (for you Canadians, that would be table cream)
add 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
add 1/4 to 1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese, broken or sliced
let medium heat warm it up, raise heat if needed
add nutmeg, about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon

add pasta, stir/fold until sauce covers it
add veggies, do same
serve, top with more chopped, fresh basil
Eat!!

When re-heating the next day, use the last bit of half and half, a tablespoon of parmesan cheese, a little more gorgonzola and a teaspoon of olive oil, warm that first, then add the leftovers

This one is for veggie stew:
three minced or finely chopped garlic cloves
half a medium sized onion (I use brown or yellow), chopped
one or half of one Anaheim pepper (or green bell for a more mild spice)
salt/pepper to taste preference
1-2 tablespoons olive oil

add top ingredients to sauce pot, heat until onions are translucent.

half or 3/4 green cabbage, chopped into large-ish portions
two new potatoes, medium sized, choped
two zucchinis or one green and one yellow, chopped
a couple handfuls green beans, fresh or frozen but not canned
cut kernels of of one ear of corn or half bag frozen corn, not canned
six stalks chard (or kale) de-stemmed and cut but not too tiny
and
16oz Imagine No-Chicken Broth (or the broth you like) or more depending on how big it gets!

I also sometimes add: two Tofurkey Italian sausages, chopped or sliced
and sometimes add beans from a can, either white or "soup beans" If they come from a can, rinse thoroughly and add a minute before turning heat off.

for me, chard and olive oil make my soups taste buttery and if I miss the meat-stock, well, the combo of the two flavours makes up for it...

I make most meals on the stove top, although I made broiled flounder in the toaster oven yesterday. Last week I made curried lentils, which included dry lentils, onion, garlic, one jalapeño, very mild curry powder, cumin, ginger paste, small Yukon gold potatoes, oregano, thyme, minced carrot, chopped celery (with leaves), a 14 oz. can tomatoes, and vegetable soup base plus enough water to cook the lentils. I don't measure anything, and so I can't tell you what the proportions are - it's pretty much to taste.

Here's my recipe for gumbo, which I like to make in the winter.

Here's my recipe for Chicken Mole, which has a very authentic Yucatecan flavor, mainly from the Achiote paste, a common spice in Yucatan.

I also make Chicken (or shrimp) Pad Thai on a regular basis, except in the summer or when the weather is too warm.

Lars

Oh My GOSH!

Thanks everyone so much for the fantastic suggestions. I have a few that I make quite often, but I was looking for some good additions to my repetoire and you all have come through with flying colors!

Thanks again so very much!

Alexa

I'd spring for a cheap toaster oven. The one I have will hold a pie plate or a 8x8 baking dish. Plus, you can bake cookies....six at a time! LOL! I did that more than once after my old stove died for the most part.

Don't forget about breakfast for dinner. We loved it when we were kids and I still do it for myself now.

My DGM always froze here apple pies uncooked, I do the same and they turn out fine. I'm not sure it would work with a crisp as I've never tried it before.

This is a great main dish recipe and the first time I've not cooked steak on the grill. Might be a nice dinner for you and DH if the kids are spending the night at a friends house. Add a salad, starch, some good wine and well....you know.. : )

David

STEAK DIANE FOR TWO (Mique)
Mark Bittman, New York Times
2 6-ounce beef fillets, cut from the tenderloin (filet mignon), preferably not too lean
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced shallot or onion
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste (I added 1/2 t. extra because dh likes it)
1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
Lemon juice to taste, optional
Chopped fresh chives or parsley leaves for garnish.
1. Flatten fillets a bit with the palm of your hand, the back of a skillet or a small mallet; they should be about 1 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and a lot of pepper. In small skillet, preferably one just large enough to hold fillets, combine oil and tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat. When butter foam melts, sear steaks on both sides, just until browned, no more than 2 minutes a side. Remove to platter.
2. Wipe pan clean with towel; add remaining butter over medium heat, with shallot or onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in mustard, Worcestershire and cream. Add some salt and a fair amount of pepper. Stir once or twice, then taste and adjust seasoning.
3. Keeping mixture at a steady simmer, return meat and accumulated juices to pan. Cook, turning two or three times, until meat is done to your liking, just 1 or 2 minutes a side for medium-rare. Remove to a plate, and add lemon juice, if using, salt and pepper to the sauce as needed. Spoon sauce over meat, garnish with chives or parsley, and serve.
Closely related to steak au poivre, and best made with truffles (isn't everything?), it is about as straightforward, simple and impressive a high-class dish as you can make. If you and your date are meat eaters, you cannot go wrong with this.
The process is easy, nearly foolproof, and gives you a few options. Though you can follow this procedure with almost any tender cut of beef (and with chicken breasts, if that direction appeals to you), it's a perfect treatment for tenderloin medallions (filet mignon) for two reasons. Tenderloin doesn't have much flavor of its own, so there's nothing to overwhelm with this rich, flavorful sauce. And it is supertender, which makes it a nice cut for a juicy, saucy dish in which you're going to use a knife.
A couple of options: You can cook some mushrooms preferably wild, but shiitakes will do nicely along with the shallots, and add a touch of garlic as well, if you like. And you can add a tablespoon or two of Cognac to the cream sauce and ignite it for a bit of a show. But I doubt you'll taste much difference or note a change of behavior; for that, you're better off drinking it.

Lars, your recipes sound good, especially the Chicken Mole. I can't get all of those peppers here and I bet a lot of others have the same problem. You are very fortunate to be able to get all of the ingredients you want.

Beverly

I just cleaned up after a 30 minute stove top meal.

Cheesesteaks.

deli roast beef sliced in strips
1 sweet onion sliced
1 green pepper sliced
EVOO
italian seasoning
EVOO in pan, cook veggies (sprinkle with italian seasoning) til crisp tender and "crisping"
toss in sliced roast beef, heat through

on another burner make a cheese sauce..

butter, flour, milk and cheese (s&p)

Stadium rolls or hoagie rolls, layer of meat and veggies, pour some cheese sauce on top...

DELISH...

I just looked at this thread for the first time this morning. What great ideas I found! I can't wait to try the drunken salmon and a lot of others too.

Dishesdone, were you in my mother's kitchen as a child? That's her stuffed cabbage!

Do you have a fryer, like a Fry Daddy? It boils water really good...as I found out yesterday when I put water and detergent in it to clean it and forgot it.

ROFL on the Fry Daddy!

Actually I do have one.... HHHHmmmmmmmmm.....

Alexa