Yeah. So.
My oven died.
Well, let’s be honest. My second oven died.
For those of you who remember one of my first posts for this site, I had a brand new toy. A brand new double oven gas range that I was extremely happy to have in my life. So many opportunities.
A lot of food has been made in these oven. My first pies. My first Thanksgiving dinner. Lots of cookies. Sourdough.
I’d been having some issues with the top oven on lower temperatures, so I couldn’t use it as often as I had in the past. And most recently, the lower oven, my rock, decided that it was done.
sigh
It did so well, once we got used to each other. And now it’s time to say good-bye.
With a major loss to the kitchen, I’m not able to do many of the things I would normally do over the weekend for meal prep. Therefore, I have to lean on recipes that don’t utilize my friend. Two of them have come up over the past couple of weeks:
Vegetable (and Chicken) Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 c chopped carrots (about 2 large carrots)
- 1/2 c chopped onion (about 1/2 medium yellow onion)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 medium russet potatoes, cubed
- 32 oz chicken broth (or enough to submerge veggies)
- 3 c cooked, shredded chicken
- 8 oz baby bella mushrooms quartered
- 2 c shredded cheddar cheese
- 14.75 oz cream-style corn
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 12 oz frozen peas
- bacon bits for garnish
Instructions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add carrots and onions and cook three to five minutes, or until just tender.
- Add cubed potatoes and broth, and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for 15-20 minutes, or until fork tender. Using a potato masher, quickly mash about half of the large chunks of potatoes.
- Add all remaining ingredients, except the bacon bits, and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, and cook for a further 3-5 minutes to heat through. Spoon into bowls and garnish with bacon bits (and extra cheese) as desired.
This is tried and true for me (a countertop food grill came in on a pinch to cook the chicken), but I’m starting to play with the recipe lately. The last time I made it, I added minced garlic to the onions and carrots for about 30 seconds before adding the potatoes, and then added some rosemary along with the chicken broth. Once I find a combo of extra flavor that I like, I’ll update the recipe!
Slow-cooker Pulled Pork
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 3 lbs pork sirloin roast
- Kosher salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- ½ c water
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 c barbecue sauce plus more to serve
- 10 Kaiser buns optional
Instructions
- Season pork with salt and pepper, then place in the slow cooker. In a separate bowl, combine water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder. Pour over pork.
- Cook on low 8-10 hours, or on high 4-5 hours.
- Remove the cooked pork to a cutting board, and discard the cooking liquid. Using two forks, shred the pork, and place back into the bowl of the slow cooker.
- Add barbecue sauce to the pork and stir to distribute. Place slow cooker on high, and cook for 30 minutes. Serve on Kaiser buns, or as desired.
A go-to for the hubs, who likes to mix it with some sharp cheddar!
So, if you’re looking for recipes that don’t need an oven, I’ve got your back!