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In the food news, an op-ed in the New York Times urges us to go cold turkey on sugar for a month. Would you do it?
What’s for dinner this week? We’re thinking white beans. In soups, spreads, salads, etc.
Have you guys been watching the Great American Baking Show? We have (and we love it.)
Joy is a bit stressed about the coming weeks because she will need to cook without a kitchen in her new house for a while. (Any tips for her, gang?)
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I just got through a 6 month renovation that included losing our kitchen for 5 months. I have 3 kids, so eating out all the time was not an option. We had a toaster oven, a microwave and a fridge in the dining room, plus a grill outside. My husband has access to running water and a dishwasher at work so we got plastic “disposable” dishes at Whole Foods that can go in the dishwasher. We had a couple of large rubber tubs from IKEA that rotated as our dirty dish depository. Rotisserie chicken goes a long way – chicken breast with a side salad and baguette, make your own tacos (Costco has very good guac), and two salads at Costco, the kale and brussels sprout and the asian slaw, are both good meals with chicken added and a little crusty bread on the side. Costco has naan that is very good made in to pizzas in a toaster oven. We did a lot of beans in the crockpot. And the sous vide coupled with a grill was excellent! Also, Trader Joe’s has frozen prepared rice, although once I figured this out I just went to a friend’s house and made large batches and froze it myself.
TMI?
Hello! I’ve been listening for months and love the show, but am just now coming out of the woodwork for some limited-kitchen suggestions. I lived in a very small studio in San Francisco for two years, where I had a mini fridge, a electric stove top, one cabinet for a pantry, a single countertop–and no stove. I had an immersion blender but no additional appliances, as there wasn’t any room. All of that said, after you get a handle on the limitations, it’s actually not so bad and can be fun to experiment.
Soups and curries are a good option, as are tacos and things you can lightly pan fry (like chickpea-zucchini or salmon cakes). Just about every Asian dish can be made with only a burner, and sandwiches are always more exciting when toasted in the pan. When I ate out, I prioritized things I literally couldn’t make at home: Pizza, baked goods, etc.
I would personally caution against saving dishes until the end, since I actually think they become *more* of a hassle when saved than they would in a normal kitchen. Instead, you might try washing as you go: it’ll make you more conscious of the dishes you use, leading to less dishwashing overall. And when you’re done cooking, almost all of the dishes will be too.
Regarding cooking during a kitchen rehab, I’d suggest investing in an air fryer. I was given one for Christmas last year and was positive it would end in the unused appliance closet. How wrong I was! An air fryer is nothing more than a mini convection oven. So anything you can do in an oven can be done quicker & better in the fryer! And since no pots or pans are required (your food mostly cooks on the specially designed metal basket or on a metal mesh tray) clean up is easier. Its size makes it perfect for cooking for one or two people. In the month that I’ve had this toy, I’ve used it for cooking salmon filets, oven fried chicken, honey baked pork chops, burgers and much more. In most cases, I’ve placed the protein in the bottom of the ‘fryer’ basket, added the optional footed tray, and roasted my vegetables at the same time. I’ve even used it to bake a veggie filled Stromboli, a mini loaf of French bread and a small (very small) pan of brownies.
What an interesting idea! I’d not thought of an air fryer like that before.
Thanks for all your encouraging, interesting, and helpful ideas guys! I will be putting them to use starting next Wednesday …
Sorry for the late comment, but for South Philly takeout one of the often ignored gems we have in the neighborhood is Ramayana (Indonesian) on 11th and Moore. Instead of getting their usual combo plate (3 mains) with rice. Just get a container or two (comes in small and large) of a main dish then make your own rice or noodles at home. My favorites are the crispy and spicy mackerel, the jackfruit, and when it’s available, goat stew.