Oven is broken - please share your best stove top recipes with me

[Blatherskite]

My oven went bang last week The inner glass panel exploded while it was self cleaning so now I am pretty much oven-less for anything up to a fortnight while the part to fix it arrives. We do have a combi-oven/microwave but it's not big enough to do much in.

I have never realised quite how much we use the oven before and am now struggling to think of things to cook that only need the hob.

The children are 3 and 6 and DS won't eat anything even vaguely spicy so curries and chilli are out. I have a few batches of Bolognese sauce in the freezer but DH isn't a massive fan of pasta so will get sick of these pretty quickly. I'm on a diet and all of the risotto-type recipes I've looked at are full of cream and butter which rules them out. DD is just mega fussy. Neither of the kids will eat stir fry

Any suggestions on things I can cook that the whole family might eat? My wallet and waist can't afford a fortnight's worth of take out and pasta!

TIA

[fallenempires]

Risotto doesn't have to have cream in it I make mine with chicken stock although the rice is initially cooked in butter!
What about stirfries,pan haggerty,fishcakes etc?Would chow mein be a possibility as children generally enjoy noodles.

[zoyt]

Chilli that's not so spicy? I make 2 at the same time, a spicy and not so version. All same ingredients except the chilli so its not really any more expensive than making one version. Same with curries.

Chicken or vegetable fried rice?

[Blatherskite]

Thanks for replying.

Fishcakes would work for all but DD. I'd forgotten you could pan cook them as I always tend to stick them in the oven.

The kids won't eat stir fries and don't tend to be keen on noodles unfortunately. I do a Chinese New Year meal every year and they always turn their noses up Pan Haggerty I had to google but it looks fairly calorific!

Need to google some low-fat risottos I think.

[Blatherskite]

It would have to be totally not spicy for DS. He won't eat things that are too peppery never mind anything actually spicy! It'd be pretty much bolognese with kidney beans and I doubt he'd eat the kidney beans either.

Feeding my family is a nightmare sometimes!

[fallenempires]

Fajitas?Home made burgers?Meatballs?These could be lightly pan fried then poached in the sauce.Frittata or omelette?
Failing that could you buy or borrow a slow cooker?That would give you a few more options until your oven is fixed.

[fallenempires]

x-posted!
What would DS eat if the meal planning was down to him?
Dare I say it but could you explain your situ and then brave him having a hand in making the family dinner?!

[Blatherskite]

Fajitas have already gone on the shopping list :)

Meatballs is a good idea, everyone loves those.

I might be able to get them to eat omelettes

I have a slow cooker. That's a brilliant suggestion! I've never managed to cook anything good in it though. Might have to have another go...

[MilkRunningOutAgain]

I do a chicken and tomato rice dish on the hob. Chop 1 onion finely and sweat for a few minutes in a slug of oil, add 2 chicken breasts chopped into bite sized pieces and continue cooking. Add a mug full of rice, a tin of chopped tomatoes, a mug of chicken stock, 2 chopped garlic cloves, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes. I often chop up a red pepper and add with the chicken. You can add herbs if you like. And you usually need to add more boiling water towards the end, keep checking so the rice is cooked but the dish isn't too wet.

And how about a stew? Could serve with potatoes or crusty bread? Either chicken or beef, beef shin is lovely if cooked for a few hours.

When my oven was broken I made shepards pie by cooking the mince for ages on the hob, I couldn't brown the mash on top but it still tasted nice and I think the kids preferred it that way.

Spanish omelette? Add sliced cooked potatoes, peas, sweetcorn, ham and or cheese to the eggs ?

And I am happy to fry fish fillets in a little oil. Or you could poach them and serve with veggies.

Or cook chopped chicken with leek and mushroom, add some creme fraiche and season and use to fill wraps.

I was without an oven for some time as you can probably tell. Good luck, you can do lots on the hob.

[ChozRa]

My family love my Irish Stew done on the hob in a big pan. It's onions and garlic sotened with bay leaf rosemary and thyme, chuck in some lamb and stock with some tiny cubes of potatoes that dissolve to thicken, cook for about 15 mins then add celery and carrots, then chunks of potatoes after 10 mins, cook til done then throw in some savoy cabbage. Yummy with crusty bread!

[Blatherskite]

Ooh, some brilliant ideas there, thank you Milk and ChozRa.

We had 6 months without an oven while we waited for them to deliver this one but DS was tiny at the time so I just had to please DH and I which was easier. It's DD that's the ultra picky one as she would happily survive on nothing but pasta and pizza. I got her eating Pilaf last week and was elated - until DS refused to touch it!

[starsandunicorns]

Beef stew with pasta

Add 1/2 pint of boiling water to 3 good blobs of tomato puree and beef oxo cube
Add ltalian dried herbs

Braise off stewing beef in a large pan once done add whole bottle of red wine bring to boil add the sause from above

Simmer for 1 3/4 hours

Make pasta (we use tube ones) and steam brollico or green beans over pasta while its cooking

Serve

[sashh]

Your SC is your savior.

Buy a joint of brisket, put in the centre of slow cooker, pack with veg of choice, pour over boiling water and some herbs/sock cube/seasonings - pot roast.

Stick a whole chicken in another day, and do potatoes/veg on the stove.

Pork ribs, a chunk of choriso chopped and passata.

Suet pastry is also good slow cooker. Line a pyrex or plastic bowl with suet pastry, add steak and kidney (or mushrooms / carrots / leeks / whatever) put a pastry lid on.

Cover the top with foil, put about 2 ins boiling water in the sc, put the bowl in and leave for a few hours.

[SavoyCabbage]

sausages and lentils.

[Mondrian]

Curry & Stews could be done on the hub and I do love braising as an alternative to oven but need a good heavy pan to get the best out of braising. As you have Slow cooker you could also do whole chicken & spuds too. Rice, pasta, boiled potatoes/sautéed potatoes are all done on hub too so a great opportunity to add some variety while the oven is on holiday.

Let me know if you need an actual recipe for any of the above.

[Blatherskite]

Ooh, sausage casserole might work for DD. She loves sausages.

Will have to try chicken in the SC and pork ribs sounds yummy.

DH would love it if I cooked a curry but DS can't stand even mild spice and I'm not keen on them either which really puts me off trying to cook one. I could try a pie though...

Thank you for all the suggestions. They're really helping

[wheredidiputit]

I made sausage and tomato pasta the other day and seemed to go down well.

Chicken and Bacon rice (sort of paella).

[Blatherskite]

Everyone loves this sausage pasta recipe. I'll be making it this week. DH is going to be so sick of pasta though.

The Chicken and Bacon rice sounds nice. Do you have a recipe?

[Cantbelieveitsnotbutter]

Morrisons have a halogen oven for £25. Not exactly the answer to your thread I know!

[Blatherskite]

I've got the combi oven that I can use as a last resort. It's only the size of a large microwave though so can only do one dish at a time and has very bizarre 25 degree increments on the heat too so only does 175, 200 and 225 in the middle range

[McPrice]

look up chicken and chorizo jambelya on the good food website its so easy and a firm favourite in my house. use brown rice instead of white for extra ruffage but add more water and cook for longer.

[EffieTheDuck]

Bit of effort and small garden needed but dig a pit, line with smooth large stones, wait until fire has died down a bit, rake cinders, place a pot with good lid and the filling of your choice. Stew and vegetables are good also fish.
Cover with earth and leave to slow cook for a few hours.

[Blatherskite]

I think that might be a bit overkill for a fortnight without an oven Effie

[wheredidiputit]

Not really but the base is roughly

1 Chopped onion
2 or 3 rasher of bacon cut up per person or 1 gammon slice (smoked or not depending whats in the fridge)
2 or 3 chopped chicken breasts or left over chicken.
100g Rice
Chicken stock
Frozen Veg or pepper, courgette if dying in the fridge.

Fry onion, add bacon once browned add chicken. Once browned add rice, veg and stock. Cook for 20mins until rice is cooked.

You could add prawns and fish instead of chicken and bacon. You could also add wine if you have it in the house.

It pretty much a bung it all together and see what happens.

[Allalonenow]

Thick vegetable soup with beans lentils or rice with crusty bread would be a good supper, add bacon or sausage too.
Fish cooks well in the microwave.
Would the children eat cous cous as a change from pasta? It goes well with all stews.

[AMumInScotland]

What about stovies? Filling and not spicy, not fatty. www.stovies.com/

Traditionally they were a way of using up leftovers, but you can use whatever meat and vegetables you like.

And pretty much any kind of casserole recipe can be done on the hob instead of the oven, though I'm not sure if dumplings would turn out quite the same.