Another post from the kitchen of our little condo-on-wheels. We are still not at all happy with our Dometic convection-microwave oven-AND THIS IS THE THIRD ONE! It takes over two hours to pre-heat to 350. (And it won't preheat above that temperature at all.) This will just not do. I'm too old to wait that long. It's still under warranty for another year, but we've done quite a bit of Internet research and think that we'll replace it with a Sharp -- the brand most of our RVing friends have. Everybody seems happy with it. (Do not even consider buying a Dometic microwave-convection oven. We have seen the same complaint from quite a few other owners.)
Now, in the meantime, we can't live without an oven, so George Foreman, our counter-top toaster/oven has become a big part of our life. Because he does sit on the counter, George has to be put into a plastic bin and stored in the closet when we're on the road. Sometimes, especially on overnight stops, we don't think about an oven for a while. Then, after a few days, I feel a little bit guilty when we finally let him out of his box.
The reason we realize George is missing from the kitchen is likely to be because we want a baked potato. Even in the summer, that's a comfort food we can't live too long without. Massage those Idaho spuds with good olive oil, prick all over with a fork and put into a preheated 425 degree oven. (George will preheat to this temp, no problem.) Bake them for 45 minutes to an hour. They will be crispy outside and perfect in. Good as a simple side dish or stuff them with whatever, broccoli, cheese, chili... Yum. Bake a few extras and keep in the frig for a few days -- reheat in the microwave or make a salad or slice and saute for breakfast.
Here are a couple new favorites -- one of them is really good for you, full of anti-oxidants and all that. (And the cauliflower recipe isn't bad either!) Both of them need temperatures higher than the Dometic will reach.
This recipe comes from a memoir by Linda Ellerbee, the TV Journalist. It's not really a cookbook at all, but she included some favorite recipes from her life. The book, Take Big Bites, is a very enjoyable read.
Chocolate dessert, I forgot to write down what she called it, but it's easier than opening a cake mix:
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, 1 stick butter, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 tsp. salt.
Preheat oven to 400. Put chocolate and butter into a 9-inch Pyrex pie pan. Melt them in the microwave.
Stir eggs, vanilla and salt together in a measuring cup. Add them, along with the sugar and flour, to the pie pan and stir all of it together.
Bake 25 minutes. Let cool as long as you can wait!
Golden Cauliflower
Heat oven to 450. Cut or break one head of cauliflower into bite-size florets and stem pieces. Put all of the pieces into a big bowl and rub about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil into them. Spread the pieces out on a rimmed cookie sheet and salt to taste. Roast in the middle of the oven for about half an hour. Move the pieces around with a spatula a couple of times. The pieces will be tender and golden-brown and are good enough to eat either alone as a finger-food snack or with dinner. (We like very lightly steamed cauliflower too, but I bet even people who won't touch that would enjoy it roasted this way. It's like a completely different vegetable.)
Convection microwaves are the best way of cooking food without burning the food nutrients.
Posted by: Convection Microwave | January 08, 2011 at 12:24 AM