Neither ovens work

[labmom]

Hey ladies-since Dave and I have been on the road, we have had lots of problems with the "new" rig. One of them being that neither of my ovens work (won't come up of hold temperature). Despite making numerous attempts to have Keystone make this right, 6 months later I still have no working ovens. I have lots of cookbooks, but many of them have mostly dishes that need to be baked in the oven. I am looking for simple, stove-top menus. I would appreciate any input that any of you have to add.
Thanks,
Betsy

[Icehouse]

Betsy, what's going on? I thought Dave had found someone to fix all the problems, or has that date not arrived yet? Oh geesh. Let me give you a steak recipe that is our favorite and it's all stove top.

Steak au Poivre (a/k/a Steak with Cognac Cream Sauce)

4 tenderloin steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each and no more than 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon
1 cup heavy cream
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking. Sprinkle all sides with salt.
Coarsely crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, the bottom of a cast iron skillet, or using a mallet and pie pan. Spread the peppercorns evenly onto a plate. Press the fillets, on both sides, into the pepper until it coats the surface. Set aside.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. As soon as the butter and oil begin to turn golden and smoke, gently place the steaks in the pan. For medium-rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Once done, remove the steaks to a plate, tent with foil and set aside. Pour off the excess fat but do not wipe or scrape the pan clean.
Off of the heat, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan and carefully ignite the alcohol with a long match or firestick. Gently shake pan until the flames die. Return the pan to medium heat and add the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Add the teaspoon of Cognac and season, to taste, with salt. Add the steaks back to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and serve.

You could boil some new taters and have a salad on the side. No oven involved, but it sure is yummy!

Let's see, you're in GA. How about Hobo delight. You can do that outside over the grill or firepit. Need the recipe?

Good luck Betsy! I'll see if I can scrounge up anymore stovetop recipes!

Tammy

[krtam]

Betsy,
I have found that some casserole recipes can be cooked on top of the stove. You have to have a stove top pan that is a bit deeper, like a chicken fryer and has a tight fitting lid. Use the burner that goes to LOW, also you need a diffuser(I think that is the name) It sits on the burner and diffuses the heat. Also, have you tried a crock pot?
I think I have an oven that is not very accurate and the oven thermometer I have is off too. Our dealer worked on our pilot light because it was sputtering, said there was debris in the line, but it still sputters. I need to go get another oven thermometer before we take it back to the dealer again.
Sharon

[Icehouse]

Sharon, our oven temp is off too. I put my thermometer in the oven and found it is 25 degrees lower than the setting. I haven't tried the diffusers for the burners. You like them, huh? Where did you get them? I do use a pizza stone in my oven all the time. Makes a huge difference in even baking and the bottom doesn't burn.

How about posting some of those stove top casserole recipes? Betsy's broken oven may lead to a whole new recipe collection for me!!!!

Tammy

[richfaa]

We have had 5 campers with ovens in them and none of them held the proper temperature. We use ours as a storage bin and use the Apollo for a oven.

[labmom]

Thanks for the input everyone. I have a crock-pot, which I have used but that takes more planning sometimes than I am willing to put in. Can we say LAZY? Anyway, we don't want use the bottom oven for more than storage as we discovered in our other rig that the ovens don't work. Right now, that one is full of pots and pans anyway.
We have a microwave/convection oven that I would like to be able to use as I use one at home. That is the one that doesn't work and that we have been arguing with Keystone to make right. However, at this point, I would welcome any kind of oven and would make do and since I have neither is why I am looking for stove top recipes.
Thanks.
Betsy

[Parrothead]

Do you have an electric skillet? The receipe book that came with mine, some 30+ years ago, even has receipes for cakes done in the electric skillet.
Happy trails........................

[eeoski]

This is one of Doug's favorites:

(I am sorry, I cook by "eye" most of the time so measurements/amounts are SWAG'd.)

Cubed Steak with Tomatoes and Onions

Cubed Steak or Cubed Chicken Breast (2 or 4)
Flour seasoned with garlic powder and fresh (or coarse) ground pepper for dredging the meat. I've found if I put the flour and seasonsings in a bag (e.g. plastic...I frequently snag a couple of extra produce/meat bags from the grocery store for this use) that I can use much less flour to cover the meat...purpose is to seal the juices in when cooking.
Onion(s) thinly sliced
Stewed Tomatoes (number of cans are dependent on amount of meat/size of pan...goal is to cover the bottom of the pan used.
Worchestershire Sauce
Olive/Vegetable Oil

Dredge meat in flour mixture. In hot electric skillet or frying pan drizzle oil and "swish" (this is a very technical cooking term) the oil to cover the bottom of the pan. (I just pick it up and tip it around until the service is lightly coated.) Place the meat in the hot pan. Turn when the the juices start to seep on the top side. Once both sides are sealed/browned, remove from pan. Saute the sliced onion in the pan using the moisture from the onions to loosen the browned "crumbs" from the bottom of the pan. Once the onions are soft, add the stewed tomatoes (I usually wind up using one large or two regular size cans of stewed tomatoes at a minimum.) to the pan. Add a half to one teaspoon of Worchestershire sauce to pan and stir well to incorporate with onions and stewed tomatoes. Place browned meat on top of mixture cover and simmer on low for approx 20 - 30 minutes. Serve with mashed potatoes and green vegetable (we usually have green beans) or salad.

From start to table is 45 minutes maximum.

[eeoski]

Spaghetti Frittata

Left over pasta (enough to cover the bottom of a frying pan)
Olive/Vegetable Oil to coat bottom of pan (if you are using a straight sided pan vice "omlet" style pan (with sloped sides) spray the sides of the pan with Pam or make sure the oil coats the pan sides as well.
Eggs lightly beaten (or Egg Beaters) - enough to cover the pasta in the pan
Splash of milk in eggs
Salt/Pepper to taste (I personally do not salt food as I cook)

Coat pan bottom/sides with oil/Pam
Warm the left over pasta in pan until soft and spread over bottom of pan (medium heat)
Pour eggs (seasoned to taste) over pasta (I pour in a swirling pattern over the pasta to get even coverage). Your goal is to cover most of the pasta...a few "strays" sticking up a bit is okay as the eggs expand a bit as they cook.
Cover pan and reduce to LOW heat (diffuser will likely be a good idea). Check in 20 minutes until center is set. Once center is set, place a large dinner plate face down over the pan, flip the pan so frittata is on plate (this is why you make sure the pan is well lubricated) then slide back into pan so top becomes the bottom. Turn off heat to pan. Two to three minutes later it is ready to serve. Cut into wedges (like a pie) serve with salad. You can garnish with nice grated cheese (don't mix it with egg mixture as it usually just makes a big stick mess and everything kinda sticks to the pan). This can also be served at room temperature. It is a traditional picnic meal in Naples. They used to wrap it in newspapers and cart it off to the country for Sunday/holiday picnics al fresco (out in the fresh air). If you have left over spaghetti sauce you can warm it and pour at bit over each wedge if you like as well, but we like it "neked".

Has become an extended family favorite (mine and his).

[eeoski]

Lemon Chicken

Boneless Chicken Breasts (one whole/double for two people) cut into "medallions"...cross cut into thin slices.
Juice from a couple of Lemons (You can use minute maid froze lemon juice as well.)
Lemon Zest (If you use fresh lemons...if you don't have a lemon zester, use a vegetable peeler then slice the peels into thin stripes (be sure to just get the yellow part of zest as the white part is bitter).
Flour for dredging seasoned with garlic powder and ground pepper
Olive/Vegetable oil for browning meat

Dredge the chicken in flour. Lightly brown on both sides on medium high heat (this just takes a moment or two on each side).

Once all chicken is brown (you should do this in small batches to keep pan heat up/consistent, moving cooked meat to a "holding" dish) Pour lemon juice into pan, stiring and scraping the bottom of the pan "crumbs" continue stirring until the lemon juice thickens. (Proper thickness is determined by running your finger down the length of the spoon and if the "line" you make "holds" then the sauce is ready.) Turn off heat, place the chicken in the pan to coat with lemon sauce. Serve over pasta (yes, pasta with lemon sauce is good, I promise), rice, or a bed of fresh spinach (wilted in a pan with a little olive oil/garlic (warm oil, add minced garlic, then add and sautee the spinach until wilted).

Start to finish 20 - 30 minutes.

[eeoski]

Can you see a "theme" here with my recipes? (Hey, I'm part Italian and I have lived in Italy for a total of nine years!) I posted my summer Neopolitan pasta in the What's Cooking in the MOC GALS section as well.

Hope these are of help! Oh, if you like eggplant let me know and I'll post a REALLY good eggplant camponata recipe for you all as well. That will have to wait until tomorrow though as it is past time for me to catch some Z's before work tomorrow.

Robin

[krtam]

Tammy,
I think I bought my diffuser at Linens and Things, but any store that stocks speciality kitchen items may have one. When we were stuck in the Wal-Mart parking lot during the southern CA wildfires last October I used the diffuser to keep coffee warm on top of the stove in a glass carafe! Any time you want to diffuse(hence the name, I guess) the flame on a burner it really helps, like a simmer setting might. I will post my favorite stove top dish(chicken and rice) as soon as I put my hands on it.
Sharon

[krtam]

Cheesy Chicken and Rice

1T. vegetable oil
4-6 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper or other seasonings to taste
1 1/2 cups uncooked instant rice
2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
canned french fried onions to garnish

HEAT oil in slillet over med/hi heat. Add chicken and cook 10 min or until browned. Remove chicken
ADD soup, water and seasonings. Bring to boil.
STIR in rice and broccoli. Return chicken to skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until chicken and rice are done. Top with cheese and onions, a couple of min before serving.

I have used other vegetables, like green beans, whatever you have on hand.
I also have used regular rice but it takes a long time to cook and you must add more water.
Sharon

[krtam]

Oh, Robin bring on the eggplant recipe!!

Sharon

[eeoski]

CAPONATA
2 lbs Eggplant (cut in 3/4" cubes)
1 TBS Salt
1/4 C Olive Oil (more if/as needed)
2 C Celery (sliced 1/4" thick)
1 MED Onion (yellow, chopped)
1/3 C White Wine Vinegar
1 TBS Sugar
3 C Canned Plum Tomatoes (chopped)
2 TBS Tomato Paste
2 TBS Pickled Capers (drained)
6 LRG Pitted Green Olives (sliced)
1/4 C Golden Raisins
1/2 C Toasted Pine Nuts (Pan "fry" over medium heat-no oil needed, but be sure to toss/stir to prevent burning)
Salt & Pepper to taste.
Heat 4 TBS olive oil in a 4- to 6- quart pot, add the celery and onion and cook, stirring often, until tender. Remove from pot with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add enough olive oil to coat bottom of pot, add 1/3 of eggplant and cook over medium heat, stirring until it is lightly browned and tender (about 10 minutes). Remove and do remaining two batches in same manner. Return all eggplant, onion and celery to pot add remaining ingredients except for raisins, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes (to allow flavors to infuse). Stir in raisins, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Allow to cool. Serve at room temperature.

Notes:
I don't use salt or capers (they taste like dirt to me)
Splenda can be used in lieu of sugar
I use sweet onion whenever possible
You can also use fresh tomatoes

This can be refrigerated for a week to ten days. Remove from refrigerator about 20 minutes before serving.

My friends fight over who is going to get the most when I make this and I have to make at least a double batch so they can have "to go" boxes.

[Dustytuu]

This is not a recipe but a suggestion. I have carried a toaster convection oven in two different 5th wheels. Small baking pans fit and small baking dishes. I make biscuits, casseroles, cookies,cakes, roast and toast.

[Icehouse]

Good idea. I have almost always had one in my stick, but didn't think about in the RV. Might just have to buy a new toy!
Tammy

[krtam]

I bought a Black and Decker toaster oven model that actually has a convection setting. I don't know how efficient it is yet, but I plan on using it outside when the weather is really warm to bake things. They make huge models now that will actually bake a 12" pizza, although I didn't get one that big.
Sharon

[ole dude]

Well I read all the stuff about foods, now I recon I need to go find somebody to do some cooking--I'm hungry.

[Snowhawk]

Betsy,

I might be able to help you on one little part of your problem.

We had the notorious microwave that did work at first, then when we got out to Arizona, last year, the microwave portion quit. We didn't call Keystone though... we called the manufacturer!

They sent out a tech who replaced everything but the shell... only to have it quit again 2 days later. The Apollo company sent us a new microwave which has not given us any trouble since.

As for the regular oven... have you tried contacting Magic Chef yet?

Keystone does it's darnedest to fix things when you bring them a problem, but sometimes you need to go straight to the manufacturer and raise (you know what)... but be really nice about it. Nag them until they come up with a solution.

It worked for us... might work for you.