2010 August | kitchen electric appliances blog

Toaster Oven Recipes

Scrambled Egg and Mozzarella Breakfast Pizza

Serves: 2
Cooking time: 14 minutes
Cooking Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 whole wheat English muffin
• 2 mushrooms, sliced
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons diced green or red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• oregano or Italian seasoning, dash
• 4 teaspoons pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded low-moisture, part-skim Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Split English muffin in half and toast; set aside.
3. Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, green onions and bell pepper. Cook, stirring continuously for 2 minutes, or until vegetables are softened.
4. Stir egg substitute, pepper and oregano into vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring continuously until egg substitute is set, about 2 minutes.
5. Spread 2 teaspoons of pizza sauce onto each English muffin half. Spoon a quarter of the egg mixture over pizza sauce and top with a quarter of the cheese.
6. Spoon the remaining egg mixture and cheese evenly on top of the muffins. Place the muffins on a baking sheet and bake* for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

*Or, bake in a toaster oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.

Baked Popcorn Chicken

Serves: 2
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Level: Easy

Ingredients

• 1/2 to 3/4 lb of chicken, boneless tenders work best
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup italian style bread crumbs

Directions

1. Cut up chicken into small popcorn size pieces.
2. Whisk egg and then add mustard, salt, and garlic powder.
3. In another bowl pour bread crumbs in.
4. Preheat oven to 400F. I like using the toaster oven for this recipe.
5. Dunk chicken into egg mixture first and then coat with breadcrumbs. Pat it firmly so that the crumbs cover the whole piece of chicken.
6. Place popcorn chicken on a baking pan covered in foil.
7. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip each piece over and bake again for 10 minutes.

These are great served with a side of spicy brown mustard or ranch.

Tex-Mex Chicken Quesadillas

Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Cooking level: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 green onions
• 2 cup(s) shredded skinless rotisserie chicken meat
• 1 1/2 cup(s) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 pickled jalapeño chile, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup(s) (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 4 (10-inch) burrito-size flour tortillas
• 3/4 cup(s) salsa verde
• 1/2 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream, optional

Directions

1. Preheat toaster oven to 425°F. Thinly slice green onions; reserve 2 tablespoons dark green tops for garnish.
2. Evenly divide chicken, cheese, jalapeño, cilantro, and remaining green onion on one side of each tortilla; fold other half over.
3. In single layer on foil-lined toaster oven tray (working in batches if necessary) toast quesadillas 8 to 10 minutes, or until tortillas are golden brown and cheese is melted.
4. Cut each quesadilla in half. Serve with salsa verde, plus sour cream if you like; sprinkle with reserved green onions.

Cleaning your Toaster or Toaster Oven

Cleaning toaster ovens.

# It is always easier to wipe up spills as they occur and that way they can never become a built up food problem and will keep your appliance looking like “new”.
# Safety first – unplug your appliance and let it cool before cleaning. Wash the racks in warm soapy water and dry thoroughly before putting away. Use a damp soft cloth to clean out the interior and wipe down the outer surface.
# Don’t forget that it is an electrical appliance so NEVER immerse your toaster oven in water.

Cleaning toasters.

# Safety first unplug your appliance and let it cool before cleaning. Don’t forget that it is an electrical appliance so NEVER immerse your toaster in water.
# If you have a crumb tray – remove the crumbs on a daily basis by taking out the crumb tray at the base of the toaster and shaking out the crumbs. Wash the tray (before replacing) in warm soapy water, dry thoroughly and re insert the tray.
# If your toaster does not have a crumb tray turn the toaster over and shake the crumbs out.
# Do not be tempted to ever use metal utensils in your toaster.

Toasters

Toasters work on the principle that they change electrical energy to heat energy, therefore browning (toasting) your bread. They come in 2 or 4 slice designs and are perfect for toasting bread. Toast is just right for a perfect start to the day at breakfast and a quick snack during the day topped with your favorite spread or topping.

Some have only basic features and only toast bread while others like the Sunbeam 4 Slice Toaster is designed to accommodate anything from sliced bread to hamburger buns with extra wide slots to allow for a wide range of bread types and sizes. If you only require a small amount of toast the TFal 2 Slice Black Toaster is designed to accommodate toasting Bagels as well as toasting bread.

If you have special dietary needs (such as celiac disease) you can now toast your food safely without fear of cross contamination by using a toast-it bag. You can now safely use any toaster without the worry of cross-contamination, this makes it perfect for travel and dining out.

Toaster Oven and Toaster Week

Toaster ovens come in different sizes and colors, and they tend to be big and bulky, so make sure that you have enough space on your counter for your Toaster oven.

Types of toaster ovens:

There are two types of toaster ovens: regular toaster ovens, which you can use for toast, bread or warming up food or there is also a convection toaster oven that uses energy the same way as convection ovens, but more efficiently. In these ovens you can bake smaller pieces of chicken, small pizzas, and even a small cake. If you have energy efficiency in mind or have a busy lifestyle (but still require a healthy eating plan) then a convection toaster oven is for you.

Some great examples available in the market at the moment are:
B&D Convection Toaster Oven
Avante Elite Convection Oven
Oster 6-Slice Extra Capacity Toaster Oven

Toaster Ovens or Toasters?

Toaster Oven or Toaster?

Toaster ovens are a cross between a toaster and an oven. Toasters and toaster ovens will brown a piece of bread. If you need more than something that just makes toast then go with a Toaster Oven. Toaster Ovens usually do not toast bread as well as Toasters and they certainly take up a lot more bench space!!!

Toaster ovens can melt a cheese sandwich, broil a hamburger or roast a 4 lb chicken. Toaster Ovens can be used in place of a large oven to reduce energy consumption. However because they are so small you are limited to the amount of food that you can actually have in the Toaster Oven.

They are especially handy for people with a busy lifestyle, college students who live in dorms, people who live in apartments with a limited amount of space in the kitchen, and families who are on the go with working long hours and kids coming and going all day. If you need a quick meal or a snack then the Toaster Oven provides a safe and convenient way to cook or reheat a wide variety of foods.

A Bit of fun with Deep Fryer Recipes

We really do enjoy researching all the small details, information and recipes for our collection. If it is one thing that has a lot of people making a comment on the blog it has to have been the Deep Fryer Week.

Lots of people have cooked and eaten family favorites including Deep Fried Chicken Wings, Deep Fried onion rings, Deep Fried catfish and Deep Fried Turkey.

Hey anything can be Deep Fried including -

Deep Fried Avocado Bites, Spaghetti and Meatball on a stick, Deep Fried Mashed Potato, Deep Fried Chocolate Candies, Deep Fried Oreo cookies, Deep Fried pickles or Deep Fried Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches?

Our recipes today are for Deep Fried Catfish and Deep Fried Onion Rings (not very adventuresome are we?)

Deep Fried Onion Rings

Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 4 large white onions
• cold milk
• 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, sift before measuring
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons melted shortening
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 2/3 cups milk
• flour

Directions:

1. Peel onions and slice into rounds 1/4-inch thick.
2. Separate rings; soak in milk for 15 minutes.
3. Mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, melted shortening, egg, and 1 2/3 cups milk to make the batter.
4. Drain the onion rings well and pat dry.
5. Dip in batter then in flour.
6. Fry onion rings in batches in deep fat at 360° to 370° for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown.

Beer Batter Fried Catfish

Makes: 24 pieces
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Level: Easy

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Everglade seasoning, optional
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
• 3/4 cup room-temperature beer
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Vegetable oil
• 1 pound U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish fillets, cut into 3 to 4 inch wide strips

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, Everglades seasoning (if using), baking powder, paprika, white and red peppers and oregano.
2. If not using Everglade seasoning, add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Whisk in beer and egg until smooth.
4. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
5. When ready to cook: In a deep skillet or large pan, pour vegetable oil to the depth of 3 inches; heat to 375°F.
6. Stir batter and fold in catfish. When oil is hot, lift fish strips with tongs, draining excess batter; place catfish in oil several pieces at a time (do not over crowd).
7. Fry until well browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain. Keep warm, repeat with remaining catfish.

Features of a Deep Fryer

Some features when considering buying a modern Deep Fryer include:

• A basket to raise food clear of the oil when cooking is finished.
• A ready light and an illuminated power switch (Power & Ready Indicator Lights).
• Adjustable temperature and digital timer
• Breakaway cord (helps prevent the fryer from tipping over if the cord gets snagged.)
• Oill filters to extend the usable life of the oil.
• Immersion Heating Element for Crispier Food and ultra-fast heating.
• Domestic fryers often include a safety cut-out in case of overheating, for example if not enough oil is used or the fryer is switched on whilst empty
• A reset button is included on most of these fryers to reset the safety device once the unit has cooled down; if a reset button is not included the fryer may need repairing if the safety device activate
• Digital timer
• An adjustable thermostat for getting exact cooking temperatures and cool touch housing for added safety.
• Dishwasher Safe (Except Power Strip and Immersion Element)
• All Removable Parts Including Bowl and Housing
• Cool Touch Housing for Added Safety
• Cool touch handles
• Folding Handle,
• Automatic Shut Off and Signal Bell
• Locking Lid with View Window & Dual Filters

How a Deep Fryer works

How a Deep Fryer works ~ Deep frying happens when the oil is hot enough; the surface of the food will cook instantly, forming a seal that the fat can’t penetrate.
At the same time, the moisture inside the food is converted to steam, which cooks the food from the surface inwards.

Remember Oil and water DON’T mix ~ so make sure that the food you are going to fry is dried completely by letting it sit on paper towels or if it crumbed on a wire rack. Also remove any loose ice on frozen foods before frying.

Be aware that Deep fryers malfunctioning or being used inappropriately are a serious fire risk. Furthermore, putting water on oil fires will aggravate the situation. There are special fire extinguishers for food oil fires so purchase one and learn how to use it.

Safety around your Deep Fryer

• NEVER EVER LEAVE YOUR DEEP FRYER UNATTENDED!!!
• Keep deep fryer and cord well out of reach of small children.
• Put oil in first then turn on the Deep Fryer.
• Never mix different oils together as each type of oil reaches frying temperature at a different time.
• If your fryer has overflowed the cause was more than likely that the fryer was filled beyond the maximum marker. Check the oil level because there is a minimum and maximum level mark in the bowl.
• Unpleasant odors can be due to aged oil and/or a saturated filter that needs to be changed. Change oil or filter or both and you dispose of frying oil when the oil darkens in color, starts to smell rancid or has excessive foaming around the frying food.
• Do not store your oil in the refrigerator, because the process of chilling and then bringing it to room temperature will cause spattering when it’s heated.
• Oil is better stored in a cool, dark place.

Deep Fryers

Okay this week we go into the controversial world of Deep Fryers. It seems that there are 2 kinds of people in this world – the people who like deep fryers and the people who do not like deep fryers. Yes I know that battering, crumbing and frying unquestionably add fat and calories and are most definitely not good for the waistline either, but sometimes you just need a comfort food.

However, there are a few things that can be done to help keep fat absorption to a minimum.

• Make sure the oil is at the optimum temperature will help.
• The best temperature is 350 to 375 degrees F.
• If your deep fryer doesn’t have a temperature indicator, you can test by dropping a cube of crustless white bread in the oil. It should be golden brown in about 60 seconds.
• Don’t overcrowd the deep fryer ~ the oil cannot retain its heat if there is too much food in the fryer and the food will have the chance to absorb more oil than necessary.
• Rapidly adding ingredients to hot oil will cause its temperature to drop sharply; prolonging your entire cooking process. Instead, for best results, add food slowly to maintain the oil’s high temperature.
• Choose oils that have a high smoke point. Recommended oils include Peanut oil, (it’s a little more expensive but does not burn as easy and the neutral flavour does not affect the food taste.)

Toaster Oven Recipes

Cleaning your Toaster or Toaster Oven

Toasters

Toaster Oven and Toaster Week

Toaster Ovens or Toasters?

A Bit of fun with Deep Fryer Recipes

Features of a Deep Fryer

How a Deep Fryer works

Safety around your Deep Fryer

Deep Fryers

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