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Xmas dinner with no oven!

7 replies

starrychime · 03/12/2012 19:42

My oven's broken - element gone I think. I'm planning on replacing it at some point but won't be able to afford it till next year anyway. It'll just be DD and I at Xmas so I won't have to cook anything fancy but I really need roast potatoes Is there any way I can do these in the microwave or have you ever come across microwavable 'ready meal' type roasties? Will be having soup, cold chicken (bought ready cooked), veg, boiled tatties and a nice pudding so it's not a total disaster but I really want roast potatoes and gravy!!

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Roseformeplease · 03/12/2012 19:45

Boil the potatoes until they are done and then drain and shake them in the pan to fluff them up. Then pan fry. Easy with just two of you.

NB - we bought an element on the Internet and it was cheap and easy to fit ourselves.

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starrychime · 03/12/2012 19:50

Oh thanks - you mean in the frying pan? Yes, think that will do it. Thought about filling a pot with oil and deep frying but am thinking that's a bit lethal! I've seen an element on eBay for £30 and will probably try fixing it myself after Xmas - bit dubious about getting the back unscrewed but will give it a try!

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goralka · 03/12/2012 19:53

please do not do the pot thing!! (bro and I nearly burnt down our mum's house doing that)

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MrsBranestawm · 03/12/2012 19:55

It might not be too expensive to fix your oven. I replaced my oven element in the summer when it blew. I bought the spare online from this website for about twenty pounds, and fitted it myself. It was fiddly but not difficult. Didn't have to move the cooker, just got to the element from inside the oven itself. Be sure to switch off, obviously.

If you don't fix the oven you could do saute potatoes. Parboil them and then fry them thinnish. They'd be almost like roasted ones.

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MrsBranestawm · 03/12/2012 19:56

X post!!

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HanSolo · 03/12/2012 20:01

We too have replaced an element very simply. We found whitegood uk very helpful- the forum there gave guidance on our model.
If you have a digital camera, take photos of each step so you can put everything back ok!

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starrychime · 03/12/2012 20:01

Oh just checked that website and they have one for £25! It's an integrated oven but I think I can see screws on the inside at the back so might not need to slide it out and unscrew the back which was worrying me. And it's plugged into a socket not wired into the wall so will be safe I guess when unplugged.