Help, temporary no use of cooker

[murasaki]

So, last week the engineer came to do the gas safety check, and remarked that the cooker (functional bar a not entirely fitting door to the oven) was very old, and he'd speak to the landlady. So she had a reconditioned one delivered and fitted on Saturday.

Sunday, the outside pane of the new oven door fell off. So we emailed her, she said she'd get a fitter out to replace.

However, it seems that the letting agents have reported her to the HSE as clearly this new cooker hadn't been checked, not that we can use the oven anyway, so now we aren't allowed to use the grill or hobs either, while we wait for a new door, and a new gas check. Which could take some time.

So, I'm asking for advice on what we can do to eat - we have a microwave, toaster, sandwich toaster and a slow cooker. Takeaways could be an option, but due to covid we are now a one income household so I really can't justify it.

I have a freezer full of food I can't cook!

Any advice and recipes gratefully received.

So the microwave is basically useless? To be fair, we hardly use it. Only to heat up ready made mash .

I was hoping there was a cornucopia of delicious ideas out there!

Fair points re browning and the slow cooker though. Won't work for the fish as that is Aldi's cook from frozen -- DP doesn't eat fish so it's easy for me while he has pie or spam or something.

The microwave is very useful!

You can steam veg in it. Teaspoon or two of water in a covered dish with the veg; check often or it goes brown in little patches.

"Cook from frozen" fish is exactly what I've been poaching in my casserole dish in the oven.

Cooking multiple meals for different poeple while you have limited facilities is going to be a lot more challenging. It's annoying when this is all your landlord's fault, but something has to give and you can certainly continue to eat varied meals with what you've got.

You can also make microwave white/cheese sauce: MN taught me how!

I'll just look for a recipe...

yes, those little gas stoves are cheap and they are fabulous! We went through just over one canister in the 2 weeks the kitchen was out.

ask around, someone may lend one to you.

This thread, with variations, points to the recipe linked below:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1693541-To-think-that-whoever-posted-the-microwave-cheese-sauce-method-deserves-some-sort-of-medal

www.food.com/recipe/microwave-cheese-sauce-90073#activity-feed

I second the advice about whisking every 30 seconds and watching like a hawk, but this changed my life.

See also, microwave porridge.

Steaming veg is a good idea, thanks. If the cook from frozen fish works in a casserole dish it might work inthe slow cooker, but then what about Mr Fussy?

Landlady is mortified, and trying to fix it all asap, but it will take a few days at least I think.

I'm seriosuly pondering a ready meal trip to waitrose as if I'm going to have to eat microwaved meals they might at least be nicer than the ones in the local co op look. I don't really want to though. Im trying to save cash here as god knows how long he will be out of work. It' just all comes at once, doesn't it.

Thanks for the cheese sauce recipe.

Porridge can do one though

Mr Fussy gets cheese toasties and microwaved baked beans.

But honestly, a few days? You'll all live!

I will not hear a word said against porridge! Lush with currants cooked in, or banana added afterwards. Or stir in nutella for a proper treat!

If the weather is good (or at least not pouring down) I'd bbq the meat, then cook the veg in the microwave in a pyrex thing with a lid or any microwave proof bowl with cling film. Carrots chopped into sticks need a couple of table spoons of water and 7 minutes. New potatoes cook well in microwave as well.
Look on Pinterest for crock pot meal and crock pot dump meals ( the USA terms for slow cooker cooking) and there are many recipes.
Fish can be cooked in the microwave, poached in milk or steamed.
Would the sandwich toaster cook the fish fingers between some grease proof paper?
You can buy a single electric ring quite cheaply £25 ish. The independent electrical stores usually sell them, you could then fry and boil. It might be worth asking friends and family if they have any small cooking appliances lurking in cupboards unused. Also try free cycle.

Baked potatoes in microwave: reckon on 7 mins per large potato, but move them around a bit as they don't seem to cook evenly.

Yy to microwaving fish, from fresh or frozen, poached or covered and steamed in its own juices.

Oh I know we'll live! It's just that working from home, all I can think about is food. And I want nice food! And hopefully food at the same time as DP!

BBQ is a good idea, but it seems crazy to spend hours on 6 sausages!

I'm just having a moan really. Hopefully it will be sorted out reasonably quickly.

I have one of these on my worktop, it just plugs into the wall. Use as a conventional oven and so easy to wash.

Halogen Oven

Are there any local websites where you could ask if anyone has a combi oven and a small electric/portable hob? I cooked for three years (for family of four) only using a combo oven but I didn't have use of my gas hob.

My sister has an aga so has a two ring electric hob that can be used of the aga ever has to switched off or breaks down.

Is the landlord responsible for providing means for you to cook?

You can cook pasta in the microwave
Jacket potato
If you have a slow cooker you could do pulled pork/chicken in there?
Dahl should work in a slow cooker

Yes she is - as I say, we get on vey well and she is mortified, but things move at a glacial pace in covid time.. But I'm not going to be buying any kit for what should hopefully be a short amount of time, when I will have nowhere to store it.

Put out an ask on FB to borrow a camping stove/ electric hob. I have an embarrassing number of camping stoves, and haven't got round to putting them on the freebie group but would happily give one away - and have a electric hob thing that I'd willingly lend a friend/acquaintance. If you were in Worcestershire I'd be glad to help out.

That's very kind, thanks, but miles away!

You don't absolutely have to brown the pork chops before chucking them in the slow cooker. It won't be perfect but won't be a disaster. Depending what kind of fish it is, could you make a fish curry of some kind?

YY to asking on fb- does anyone have camping stove/bbq/George Foreman grill/induction thingy.

Camping stove would be great - 2 rings, plus grill - I've lived off that for 3 weeks in my younger camping days!

Would your landlady stump up for a takeaway or two? Might she be able to provide some alternative/give you discount on your rent so you can buy a temp stove/grill?

There's no reason this couldn't be resolved in two days by a competent gas engineer, even if they hand to order parts.

Definitely. But she has her guy that she uses, and I don't know when he's free. Waiting on a call....

There's lots of slow cooker groups on Facebook, I've been without an oven or grill (I have the hobs) for over a year and manage really well. Hope you get sorted soon!

The bbc Good Food site has a whole section on meals you can make in the microwave