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sewcrazy
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 10:18am | IP Logged
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We finally bit the bullet and demo'd our kitchen. My cabinets have been busted from over a year, and we have had no proper floor for over 2 years. Close inspection last week showed black mold under the sink  and anoter slow leak in th drain pipe. That was my last straw, so out came the sledge hammers!
My teenage boys and I are doing the majority of the work ourselves, so the going is a bit slower than a professional, but we are making progress. The last of the demo will be done hopefully today.
I need ideas for dinner. I have a grill, a toaster oven a waffle iron and a crockpot available. I know there are many choices, I am just too tired to think of anything 
I wasn't in the mind set for this before I started, and am not well organized (if you can be) for this level of disarray in the my house. Disorder majorly stresses my dh and not having meals at regular times even more so. As he is already stressed by how much this is going to cost, I need to keep things as orderly as possible.
I need meals that don't require a lot of tending and don't create a lot of dishes (as I have no sink right now) We are already burger and bbq chickened out 
Thanks for any ideas!
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LeeAnn
Wife of David, mom to Ben, Dennis, Alex, Laura, Philip and our little souls in heaven we have yet to meet
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Stephanie_Q
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 10:53am | IP Logged
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So many things you can do on the grill - first thing that comes to mind is "packets" wrap up meat and veggies in foil with seasonings and while the meat cooks, the veggies steam. You could do any combination that sounds good to you! Our favorite camping packet is ground beef and onion seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder with "california mix" veggies on top.
Crockpot sounds too hot to have running all day, but I know there's lots of stuff that you can do with that....(even oatmeal for breakfast). Maybe you need to take an afternoon trip to the bookstore to look at some crockpot and grilling cookbooks.
Oh yes - I have a friend in a 'little house' with no stove and she does all her "baking" in a toaster oven - once the top starts to brown, she covers it with a foil tent to keep it from burning while the rest finishes baking. She has a hot plate for boiling water to cook noodles, rice, soup, etc. I don't know if that would be worth a small investment...depends on how long you'll be without a kitchen!
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dd 6.02, dd 8.03, ds 3.05, ds 12.06 at Catholic school.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 1:37pm | IP Logged
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meat for sandwiches is great for summer crockpots.. like bbq beef or pork
what about a rice cooker? or can you make rice in a crockpot? cook up some marinaded meat strips and veggies on the grill and serve with rice.
salads with sliced grilled meat..
Don't limit yourself on the seasonings.. chicken is wonderful with some lemon pepper, rosemary, garlic and salt as a dry rub for instance. Marinate it in soy or teriyaki sauce. Grill some plain to chop up for chicken salad sandwiches or to cube up in a salad.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 2:06pm | IP Logged
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I roast whole chickens on the grill in the summer and the leftover meat is good on salads, in chicken salad, and on sandwiches, and you can do broth for soup in the crockpot (though, that might seem to hot for you?).
Also, a sheet of aluminum foil on a grill means you can cook all kinds of things you wouldn't normally. We love bacon on the grill (or the griddle plugged in outside, but I guess you don't have one) because it doesn't smoke up the house. Breakfast sausages, etc... would also be good on the grill that way. We do Italian sausage on the grill in the summer. Baked potatoes or potato wedges--even the frozen bagged kind--can be done on the grill. Grilled corn on the cob and other grilled vegetables are yummy as well.
Fajitas are a favorite "grill" meal in our home. We roast peppers and onion on the grill instead of on the stovetop as some directions indicate.
Tuna salad or chicken salad from canned meat.
I make croutons and cookies in the toaster oven during the summer months, it just takes more batches. Homemade croutons are easy and make a plain soup or salad seem special, ime.
Cinnamon toast is a yummy toaster oven breakfast.
I'm not sure what you could do with a waffle iron except for the obvious waffles. We do frequently use leftover waffles as snacks and desserts (with ice cream, including chocolate waffles!). A waffle could probably also be good with peanutbutter for a heartier snack.
Also, just fruit and yogurt is a good breakfast and snack.
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Kyra
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 2:40pm | IP Logged
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I just head that you can grill veggies in a waffle iron. I should have thought of that.
I'd crockpot-cook protein (like boneless chicken breasts or pulled pork) that can be used in a lot of minimal-cooking ways (tacos, tossed in salad, sandwiches, on top of toaster-oven nachos or grilled quesadillas).
Couscous salad? Couscous only takes boiling water and five minutes to cook, and then can be mixed wwith a variety of things like chopped peppers, feta, cucumber, olives, maybe tuna, in a vinaigrette.
Do you know the Crockpot Lady blog? http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
It's fabulous.
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sewcrazy
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 4:55pm | IP Logged
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Thank you for all your ideas!
I knew I could do other things, I am just too tired to be creative. 
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LeeAnn
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Milehimama
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 6:36pm | IP Logged
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I lived in a motel more than once with only a crockpot and a microwave. Think of your crockpot as a mini-oven. ANYTHING you can make in the oven, you can make in a crockpot.
Enchiladas, lasagna, roasts, pork chops, chicken breasts, tuna casserole, I've even made granola in the crockpot.
Salads are great, too, you can buy them prewashed and prebagged. Grill some chicken breasts or shrimp to put on top.
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guitarnan
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 6:50pm | IP Logged
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Crockpot food is excellent. Do you have time to hit the library for a cookbook?
You can make tex-mex pulled pork with a (2.5 lb, but I usually do a 3-lb.) pork loin roast, sliced onion, 3/4 cup purchased bbq sauce, a can of tomato sauce (a cup or so), diced green chiles (I use 2 cans of Ortega mild), 1/4 c. chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp oregano. Mix sauce and pour over pork in slow cooker. Cook on high 3.5 hours or low 8-10 hours; shred meat. Sauce is good on rice.
Could you make savory waffles? (Maybe whole wheat or buckwheat, not too sweet batter...) You could melt Swiss cheese on the waffles and add ham or bacon chunks.
Another good one - salsa chicken. Chicken pieces, a can each of black beans (drained/rinsed) and corn (drained), plus a cup or so of salsa. I cook this for 3-4 hours on high for 4 pieces of boneless chicken. I'm sure it would be fine 8-10 hours on low.
Lentil soup is easy in the crockpot, too.
If you could borrow a rice cooker or a hot plate, that would add rice and maybe pasta to your repertoire.
We grill all kinds of stuff. Every veggie you can think of (foil pouched if thin). You can do corn right on the grill (unshucked) if you soak it for a few minutes first...don't need foil! Slice veggies the long way and marinate for 1/2 hour in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano, then grill. Yum. You can pouch fish and shrimp in foil or thread meat chunks on kebabs with onion, green pepper, pineapple, tomato...kids like to help with this one! We have made grilled pizza too, but this doesn't work well for everyone. You have to really watch them to make sure they don't burn.
One thing I'd definitely do is cook 2x meat as often as possible and use it as leftovers.
Don't forget about garnishes...shredded cheese jazzes up just about anything! Same with chopped olives, raisins (cereal, oatmeal, salad).
You can use the crockpot to reheat things like soup or sauce.
Put the crockpot in the basement or garage if it makes your house hot.
Never underestimate the happiness value of watermelon and microwave popcorn.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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sewcrazy
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 7:30pm | IP Logged
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guitarnan wrote:
Never underestimate the happiness value of watermelon and microwave popcorn. |
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No microwave  And the new kitchen won't contain one, much to my teens' dismay.
Wow ladies thank you so much. Just what I needed to kick start my creativity again. I couldn't stand the thought of burgers again
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LeeAnn
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: July 22 2009 at 7:44pm | IP Logged
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jiffy pop popcorn in the foil pans that you can do over a campfire (or bbq as the case may be) 
or the boring air popper
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Need no kitchen meal ideas
