surviving on just a hotplate and microwave

[bucktown_boffo]

the house i'm staying at is going through a kitchen remodel and a temporary kitchen wasn't workable, so for now there's no running water on the 1st floor and nothing but a hot plate, microwave and a toaster to get by on for meals (old fridge is still here). luckily there's family in the neighborhood, so many nights of the week will be eating dinner at their house. any ideas for the rest?

there's gotta be a huge thread on this that i just haven't found, right?

[KarenS]

I live in a one bedroom apt with two burners, fridge, and microwave. I purchased the DeLongi convection/ rotisserie (I love it- have not used the microwave in a year!). I have not felt limited- still roast chicken, make stocks, etc... I bought a Le Creuset grill pan that I use a lot too. i think that most Americans are used to having "too much" kitchen- you really don't need much...

[petite tête de chou]

As far as the toaster is concerned this thread might help.

[Squeat Mungry]

I haven't had a working stove for almost a year now, for various boring reasons, but mainly due to my own lameness, which we need not delve into on this thread.

Anyway, I get by just fine, and I don't even have a microwave! I, too, have a deLonghi convection/toaster oven, and I have a two-burner hotplate that I can boil water for pasta on while I make a sauce on the other burner.

One thing I bought that I highly recommend is a Presto Multi-Cooker. I use this for absolutely everything! It roasts, steams, boils, stews, deep fries and comes with a crockery liner that turns it into a slow cooker! Affordable, too. I got mine on sale at my local hardware store for $25.99.

Good luck!

Cheers,

Squeat

Edit to add I also have a regular toaster, an electric skillet and an electric kettle, as well. And to say that there is a possibility my toaster oven is a CuisinArt.

Edited September 20, 2004 by Squeat Mungry (log)

[klc14]

Ah, you need that fabulous toaster accessory: Toast-n-Serve or (a slightly different version) Toastabags. Basically you put together ingredients for toasted cheese sandwich, put them in this wrap or bag, pop into toaster, toast, pop out of toaster, eat. Bread toasts, cheese melts but not too much, according to Those Who Dared.

There was a whole thread of Toast-n-Serve experimentation. Jason and Rachel Perlow put together numerous sandwiches with cheese plus other ingredients to test these. As noted the cheese melts and is nicely gooey, from what I remember of the pictures (yes, they posted pictures! some are on the Toast N Serve site) and quite a few eGullet members bought and tested these. Anything to further the culinary arts!

I don't have the creative food brain: my mind drifts to one-pot meals; soups, stews, stir-frys, etc. Salads from what's in the fridge. Unless you want to cook something, warm up in microwave while something else heats....which is all about timing. But someone will have some good ideas.

[elswinger]

This got me through college:

Spicy Tuna Casserole

Buy the following at your local store:

1 gallon fresh water if your facet doesn’t work.

1 package large elbow macaroni

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 foil package of white tuna

1 bottle of Tabasco

Black Pepper

Garlic salt

Hopefully you have:

one pot

one casserole dish

one colander

Cook macaroni and drain.

While in colander, saturate with Tabasco

Transfer noodles to casserole dish, mix in soup, tuna, and add spices to taste.

Put in Microwave for 15-25 minutes (the longer it’s in, the crispier it gets.

[petite tête de chou]

Found these two threads on microwaving...

one

two

[chappie]

Try this toaster link I posted in August. "Toaster Pig" sounds like a joke, but I imagine you could cook all sorts of things vertically. I already cook Boca burgers in my toaster; why not regular frozen burger patties? Just make sure you run them several cycles.

It beats dirtying a pan if you're working without running water, and in my experience the toaster crisps whatever you slip in it nicely.

[Mayhaw Man]

Well, thanks to this questionable project I am currently cooking with the following items. I have been doing so for a little over a month and will be doing so for AT LEAST another 6 weeks (don't tell my wife). We are actually getting along quite well. You just have to change your mindset a bit.

Here is what I have:

Electric Hot Plate (2)

Rival Electric Griddle

Rice Cooker

A cheesy microwave-still don't cook in it but it melts butter great.

Hamilton Beach Roaster Oven

Really nice no name gas grill with 2 gas stove type burners on the side

My swell brick BBQ pit

The two things that I cannot reccoment highly enough are the crockpot and the griddle. I like the griddle so much that I am having one built into the island. That thing is the bomb for quick meal and is actually pretty versatile when you get used to it.

The roaster oven is pretty handy. It is, in fact, an oven. You can bake anything that will fit in it and I have actually baked a couple of pies in it (more just to say I could than anything else. I baked a turkey, a ham, made a giant batch of gumbo before the hurricane, etc.

The one advantage that I have that I would be screwed without is a rather large sink in an existing (and staying in the kitchen) island and it is a serious lifesaver.

Anyway, like I said, just change your mindset. I am one of those people who is rarely satisfied with a "simple meal" and I have gotten pretty used to easy and not hard to clean up, but really good food since this project started.

Tonight we had stirfried greenbeans (thanks Melissa, they were great), curried brccolli and cheese omelettes with sour dough toast. This involved the hotplate and the griddle. I was done cleaning up by the time the boys were through with dinner and it was great. Simple, easy, and easy to clean. A perfect construction meal.

You can make it just fine with your stuff, but I reccomend dripping $30 on that griddle. You will be using it long after you get done with your kitchen. That no sink thing is kind of harsh though. I'm not sure how you get around it.

Good luck,.

[fifi]

I could exist quite happily with my DeLongi convection oven (I am in love with that thing), a hot plate, a crock pot, a rice cooker and, Please God, bring me a griddle. (New house will have one on the range. I have considered buying one to get me through my temporary apartment exile but the second bedroom and bath are already full of toys.) A microwave is WAAAY down on the list. I have a Weber smoker for the big ole hunks of meat. In a long term situation I would probably look at a gas grill with a side burner.

[marie-louise]

I have a burner (brand name "Mr. Stove") that uses butane cannisters. It was cheap. I made all sorts of meals on it during frequent power outages at my beach house. Water boils fast on one of these things, and a cannister lasts for hours.

[bucktown_boffo]

awesome replies! lots of great ideas which i appreciate.