Christmas... without an oven.

[bakedpotato]

It packed up a fortnight ago. We have hob, but no m/wave. So bored of pasta.
The people supplying spare part are hinting that I should brace for bad tidings.
I have humungous Xmas supermarket delivery arriving Wed, which I should probably cancel, shouldn't I?
We're elsewhere for the day itself, but how am I going to get through the holidays, numerous large lunch parties etc, without shepherds pies/cakes/baked potatoes ffs?

Poor you, have you still got a separate grill?
You need to look at it as an opportunity to try new things and use your imagination/get back to basics. Cancel the bits that definitely can't be cooked.
Off the top of my head you could still do a ham (just not with a crispy crust), chilli and rice, curry and naan breads, salads, couscous, noodles and stirfries, fried toasties, frittata, fruit salads, stovetop soda bread and a vat of minestrone soup (keep it there will week, heating and cooling), potato salad (try adding mango chutney to the mayo), pancakes galore with all kinds of stuffing, French toast, offer to take people's cold roast turkey away for them...

I haven't got an oven either. I am going to make tiffin/crispie cakes/flapjacks with the kids so that they feel they've made cakes, even though we can't do any actual baking. Last year I managed to feed 10 for Christmas dinner without an oven - I do have a grill and the hob, so it involved major surgery on the 20lb turkey and lots of ingenuinity.

You can still do things like spag bol / chicken in sauce in a pan on the top of the oven.

Are any of the people coming to lunch from nearby so able to cook something in the oven & bring it with them?

Can you pot roast a turkey, or buy/borrow a slow cooker, microwave or pressure cooker ? Stews can be done on the hob, a multi steamer can do fish/veg in layers

No grill, either. Tis doing my head in.
GS, do you live w/out an oven?
The thing is, hob-cooking requires so much more effort, stirring and attention and so forth, and at this time of year I've run out of effort/attention. And I'm always a bit low on ingenuity.
I think a big ham is a good idea, and potato salad. Couscous I have summery prejudices about it, but yes, it's a cinch to make in bulk, good suggestion.
I think for these big groups I'll have to do sausages (or ham)... too many kids to risk curry.
Gah -- I can't even crisp up a french stick!
None of us can face any more pasta.
I've been offered a slowcooker, better take it up, I've seen some threads on how to use 'em. I've got a chicken on order, can you do that whole in the s/cooker?

I think you can get a Chicken Brick thingywossname, can't you?

Also risotto, should you be able to face hanging about stirring it Nigella-ishly.

I don't live without an oven usually, if I can help it, but haven't had one since moving here last December - we did get someone out to fix it and they ordered the part they said it needed, but when the bloke fitted it it blew up - apparently the oven can't now be fixed so we will have to buy a completely new one and pay someone to fit it. Which we can't afford. So for the time being I live without an oven!

any chance you can buy a cheapo microwave to see you through? they cost 40-50. or if you are feeling flash one with an oven as well will be nearer 100.

couldn't claim for those on household insurance, could you?

where are you? I have an electric oven you can have

where are you? I have an electric oven you can have

I don't have an oven either.
I bought a panasonic combination microwave which I have relied on for the last few weeks. I have even made cakes in it.
Why not do a big sausage casserole on the hob for one of the meals? We do a venison sausage and red wine one which is a Delia recipe and always goes down well. A big pan of braised red cabbage goes well with it.

We've been oven-less for 6 months, and now have all our fingers and toes crossed that the new one gets connected next week - 9 coming for Christmas dinner!
I'm with you in getting sick of pasta (once a month is my limit); we have stews, potatoes, risotto, stir-frys, rice with splodge of different sorts. Puddings are the hardest, as I realise I normally rely on just cooking one or two things on top of the stove, and shoving the rest in the oven where it cooks itself.
Seriously though, stews are easy - you can make big ones and then just cook mash or rice to go with them.
Good luck!

I agree, can you get a microwave with convection oven? My microwave is an oven too and acts just like a normal oven on that setting, I could easily do a roast chicken and potaoes in it (and have done). And veg you can do on the hob couldn't you? Or could you just buy an electric oven for now to tide you over? The cheapest are £80 here

Aw Beetroot, that's very sweet of you. I am in London... hadn't thought of claiming on insurance, shall investigate this, though we're short on counter-space.
On the upside: at least no one will think to look in the oven if I hide the presents in there

I am too far away in the west country- damn. Was hoping I could get rid of it

I am too far away in the west country- damn. Was hoping I could get rid of it

Sorry I can't help out -- nice thought tho'

Have you asked on Freecycle? There must be hundreds of useable ovens going spare in London. Then all you'd need was an electrician / gasman (still won't be ready for Xmas though).

Oh lordy, a part has been found and an engineer (I am told) is on his way...
Keep all things crossed, please

hot mince pies
baked potatoes

Buy a mini oven from argos or somehwere we survived when renovating once with one of those and it was quite good.Sell it in the local paper when you have finished with it Someone always needs one!Or look in the local ads for a second hand one!

the engineer was meant to be here by 12
oh no

Hurrah