# Cooking at 300°



## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

I'm an OTR truck driver. I do mist of my cooking in a 12 volt portable drive. It looks like an old style lunch box.







It supposedly cooks at 300°. I haven't verified the actual temperature. I use 3 cooking methods with this cooker.

1) I put water around the pan to keep the cooking temp low and to keep the food from burning.

2) I put rolls of foil under the cooking try to keep the bottom from getting a hot spot but still be able to cook at the max temperature.

 3) I let the pan sit on the bottom when I need the hot spot to brown the food like when I cook biscuits.

The dishes I can fix are:

Chicken and Rice with Onion
Plain Rice
Meatloaf
Canned biscuits
Steamed Asparagus
Steamed Broccoli
Boiled Eggs

I can cook pasta too. I have made shells and cheese before. It came out great.

I can probably adapt most slow cooker recipes for this cooker. I have to pick recipes with limited prep and only a few ingredients. I would like suggestions on what seasonings I can use with my chicken and rice dish to add a little variety to my menu. I got tired of salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Now I use Knorr brand granular chicken flavored bouillon. That's starting to get old.

Any suggestions?


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## merstar (Jun 1, 2013)

Chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder add great flavor and a kick to various foods. Also, curry powder, cumin powder, powdered ginger, Cajun seasoning, etc. Hot sauces are also great additions, as are dried herbs, such as oregano, basil, etc.

Mrs. Dash spice blends are excellent (I like the garlic and herb blend), and many of the Penzey's blends, such as Southwest Seasoning, Lemon Pepper, etc., etc.

Dijon mustard is another great ingredient. For chicken broth, I like Swanson's Lower Sodium.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jun 1, 2013)

Do you like spicy hot foods? If so you can add a can of diced chilis, some chili powder and maybe some cumin and corriander. 

You could add a can of tomatoes, maybe even the pre-seasoned ones (chili ready, with italian spices, with peppers and onions). One recipe we do in the slowcooker sometimes is chicken cooked with tomatoes and green beans over rice. The spices vary.

You could add a can of beans and a creole seaoning blend.

You could add saffron and/or tumeric and a little green salasa.

Add a can of tomato paste and some water to thin it, then an italian seasoning blend or a tex-mex blend.

Add a can of corn or creamed corn, a little garlic and onion. Maybe some dried parsely or chives to green it up a bit.

Buy a ready made pesto and cook the chicken and rice unseasoned or sparingly seasoned, then mix in the pesto.

Add a jar (or partial jar) of salsa.

Add pre-made alfredo sauce and some brocoli or asparagus (if fresh veggies aren't practical you can go with a canned veggie like green beans).

Add grated cheese to it.

Add sour cream, chili powder, and a can of chilis to it. 

Add hot sauce to it.

Add a can of cream of mushroom soup, some black pepper, a little bit of sage and/or thyme.

Add a can of french onion soup.

Add soy sauce, a can of pinapple and some fresh from the jar sweet and sour sauce (or teryaki sauce, or pad thai sauce, or other from a jar/bottle asian sauce). Ginger would be good in it too.

Get a jar of curry paste (green, red, peanut, etc) and add some of that to it.

Add curry powder and lime or lemon to it.

That's all I can think of at the moment. If I think of more I'll let you know.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

One thing I should mention, the cheap Walmart chicken I use has a lot of added water. That's why I add the rice. Some of the suggested methods will require multi stage cooking or just draining off the liquid. That's not a problem. I just wanted to add that.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will be trying some of them out later today. I'll be sure to give a "shout out" in my next YouTube video.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

Oh, I forgot to mention, I have tried the seasoned diced tomatoes. I tried fire roasted garlic and one with oregano and another herb. I don't recall exactly which one. I used it when I made rice without the chicken. I just dumped in the tomatoes, liquid and all, then added a bit more water and let it heat for 30 minutes using the water bath method. Then I added the rice and let it cook for 30 min. It was good. It needed a bolder flavor but at least it was a change. If I recall, a dash of salt was all it really needed.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

Reading back over the suggestions, I'm now a bit confused and have a few questions. First I should tell you how I fix my chicken and rice. I assume you haven't watched my YouTube video.

I cut up a medium onion in the tray. I put a keg quarter or a couple if thighs on top of that. I then put water around the tray to control the cooking temperature. I let it cook for 2 hours. After 2 hours, the chicken is falling off the bone and there's quite a bit of liquid in the tray. I then pick out the chicken skin and bones and add 3/4 cup par boiled rice and let it cook for 30 min more. With 3/4 cup, the rice will be on the wet side. If I want it dryer, I add 1 cup instead of 3/4 cup.

PAG, with your suggestions, what do I need to change in my procedures? I can't just add those ingredients. First, there isn't room in the pan. Second, there would be too much liquid with some of those.

When it comes to the herbs and spices, please suggest quantities. I have NO CLUE how much to use. That's the artist side of cooking. I'm an engineer. I can do it if a robot can do it. Beyond that, you couldn't eat what I try to throw together.


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## Hoot (Jun 1, 2013)

Howdy!
Unfortunately, there is no cut and dried formula for seasoning. It is dependent on your tastes. I recommend you start with about a half a teaspoon  (or less) of a seasoning you aren't familiar with. It will be trial and error for a time, but it will still vary the flavors (which is your goal). I have never seen one  of those devices. It looks very interesting.


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## sparrowgrass (Jun 1, 2013)

A 'hobo' dinner might work.  I use burger, but you could use chicken.  Slice a potato and an onion onto a big piece of foil, season well with salt and pepper, put your protein on top, and seal the packet.  Cook til the potatoes are tender and the meat is done.  Green peppers can go into this, too, or cheese.


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## Steve Kroll (Jun 1, 2013)

While I have never been OTR driver, I worked on the road an average of 48 weeks a year when I was younger. Rather than eat in restaurants, I would bring along some basic kitchen utensils, a microwave, and a portable fridge, and cook whenever I could. I wish I had access to a device like yours back then.

Anyway, rather than carry a ton of individual spices along, what I found helpful was to buy pre-made spice blends. For example, Cajun or Italian seasoning. Canned soups were staples, too. I didn't make a lot of gourmet foods in those days, but what I did make was usually tasty.

A good place to purchase spice blends is at Penzeys spices. McCormicks also makes some pretty good ones.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

Hoot, I'm not familiar with anything other than salt, pepper, and cinnamon. I have no clue how much of and seasoning to use. Since I'm typically cooking with 1 onion, 1 leg quarter, and 3/4 cup rice, I figured that would give you a baseline for how much to suggest. I'm relatively certain I wouldn't be using 2 tablespoons of curry powder. If I'm just using a single herb or spice, I'm sure I'll manage. I'll start with a dab and add as much as it needs. However, when it comes to spice combinations, I don't know which spice is which. I couldn't even begging to tell you what curry powder will do to the dish. I won't know until I try it.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

sparrowgrass said:


> A 'hobo' dinner might work.  I use burger, but you could use chicken.  Slice a potato and an onion onto a big piece of foil, season well with salt and pepper, put your protein on top, and seal the packet.  Cook til the potatoes are tender and the meat is done.  Green peppers can go into this, too, or cheese.



That reminds me, I can fix baked potato and mashed potatoes too.

S hobo dinner is how I came up with my chicken and rice fish. I use chicken because it's the cheapest meat I can get. Leg quarters are 59¢/lb if I buy a 5 KB bag. Chicken gets old if you eat it twice a day. That's why I need variety. I can eat the same food day after day. I just need to be able to mix up the flavors. I used to eat bologna sandwiches 3 times a day for weeks at a time. My variety came from "mayonnaise or mustard" and " with cheese or without."


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## Zagut (Jun 1, 2013)

Nifty looking device. Kinda like a 12 volt Crock Pot.
I would think most slow cooker recipes would work well with it.
Spices are what you like so experiment with them. As you use them they are a learning step for the next time.


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## Dawgluver (Jun 1, 2013)

Packets of dry gravy, sauces, and soup mixes might work with your cool little cooker.  Just stir them into whatever you've got in there.  Penzey's website can also give you an idea of how much spice to use.


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## GrillingFool (Jun 1, 2013)

That's a nifty little cooking device!

Here's the results for a google search on Trucker Slow Cooker Recipes,
they might give you some ideas and tips. 

https://www.google.com/search?as_q=...34,d.dmg&fp=67882433734ad27d&biw=1280&bih=695

This one might have some more recipe ideas..

https://www.google.com/search?as_q=...34,d.dmg&fp=2f5adb748f2adc7c&biw=1280&bih=695


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

Zagut said:


> Nifty looking device. Kinda like a 12 volt Crock Pot.



That's essentially what it is.




> I would think most slow cooker recipes would work well with it.



They do as long as searing isn't required. I need to be able to toss everything in and let it go. Adapting quantities due to my limited capacity isn't too much of a problem. However, buying ingredients in the proper portions is. I have limited storage space on the truck. I'm slowly adding shelves and storage containers so that my left over ingredients don't just bounce around the cabinet.




> Spices are what you like so experiment with them. As you use them they are a learning step for the next time.



Not quite. I NEED spices. I can do without them if my food is already tasty. I don't care what's in it. I'll eat a rock if it taste good. Typically they need a little sauce. What's for dinner? Gravel au jus.

I agree that once I start working with them, I'll become familiar with how they taste and what quantity it takes. In the mean time, I don't want my food to be terrible. I'd rather not eat what the student (me) cooks.

I'm going to try some of the combos PAG suggested. Using soup or gravy mixes sounds good as well as easy. There will definitely be a new YouTube video once I get a couple more versions worked out.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

GrillingFool said:


> That's a nifty little cooking device!
> 
> Here's the results for a google search on Trucker Slow Cooker Recipes,
> they might give you some ideas and tips.



I browsed through the search results. There were a few that I can use or adapt. Most of the recipes I saw required using 110v appliances plugged in to an inverter. One sit even showed them cooking on a stove top and that was a truck specific cooking site. When a recipe calls for frying, sautéing, or says "in a skillet," that's not for me. I can adapt just about any recipe for my "lunchbox cooker" as long as the prep is simple, precooking of meat isn't involved, and it doesn't have a long ingredient list.

 I picked up a booklet of recipe cards from Walmart because it had several recipes I'm sure I can use. One of them us stuffed bell peppers. I'll have to cut the recipe in half but I'll give it a try.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 1, 2013)

It's difficult to explain "how much" of something if we have no idea what types of foods you like and dislike.  The recipes you have and have access to online tell you what spices to use for a certain flavor and an amount, you just need to adjust for the quantity you plan on the end.  If a recipe serves 4 and asks for 1 teaspoon of "any"spice only use 1/4th teaspoon.  This is not art, the artistry comes after when you decide that a half teaspoon of the spice would make the dish taste better to you or leaving it out altogether because you didn't care for the flavor.  With this method, you food is edible and not overwhelming.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

Adapting from an existing recipe isn't too much problem. I just see too much of a difference between my chicken and rice and other recipes. I suspect it's a case of not seeing the forest for the trees. I'm basically asking what would YOU put in it and how much? In my chicken and rice recipe, I guess I end up with 3 to 4 cups of food that needs to be seasoned. I know that won't take much. If I'm using a seasoning mix, it's a no brainer. Add a little and taste. Add more if it's needed. It's the mixing of spices on my own that is the issue. Not being familiar with them, I'm afraid the balance on my first try will be too off to be appetizing. If I put in two spices, and need to increase one, which one is it? I just don't know what effect each spice has. Herbs I can deal with. It's the spices that get me. About the only thing I don't like is fennel. I can't stand it. I've had too many pizza's that had too much fennel in the sauce so not any at all is unappealing.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 1, 2013)

I take it you have not tasted your spices...pick two you would like to try.  Hydrate 1/4 teaspoon in a little water and taste it...do you like that flavor?  Mix them together, is it still appealing?  This works for blends, too...taste them before adding to your food.  Your wife most likely has a few spices hanging around so you don't have to run out and buy a bunch.  Learnig the individual flavor of each spice is the best way to determine which is in a recipe that needs to be adjusted.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 1, 2013)

I've tasted every single one of my spices. They are......

Salt
Pepper
Poultry Seasoning
Knorr Chicken Bouillon
Tony Cha here's Creole Seasoning

That's all I have. Even when I'm home, that's all I ever use. Tell me which spices I need to use and I'll get them. I'm making a stop at Walmart this afternoon.


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## Dawgluver (Jun 1, 2013)

Thyme and chicken are made for each other.  Hot pepper flakes, a bit at a time.  Cinnamon and nutmeg.  Bay leaves for soups and stews.  So many good things!

Here's a spice chart:  http://www.spiceadvice.com/newsa/usage/chart.html

Better Than Boullion makes a great sauce/soup/flavor base, and it comes in little jars in chicken, beef, ham, vegetable, and clam flavors.  Chipotle Tabasco sauce is great stuff, adds a bit of smokiness without too much heat.  You can add it to just about anything.


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## Hoot (Jun 1, 2013)

here's a brief list you might find interesting (in no particular order):
cumin, oregano, basil, thyme, cinnamon (yes you can use it in savory dishes as well as sweet), chile powder.
Some blends I find interesting:garam masala, chinese 5 spice powder, old bay (generally used for seafood but I have used it in soups and stews).
Be warned when using these blends; a little goes a long way and too much can overwhelm the other flavors in a dish in a hurry.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jun 1, 2013)

Stinky_Sullivan said:


> Reading back over the suggestions, I'm  now a bit confused and have a few questions. First I should tell you how  I fix my chicken and rice. I assume you haven't watched my YouTube  video.
> 
> I cut up a medium onion in the tray. I put a keg quarter or a couple if  thighs on top of that. I then put water around the tray to control the  cooking temperature. I let it cook for 2 hours. After 2 hours, the  chicken is falling off the bone and there's quite a bit of liquid in the  tray. I then pick out the chicken skin and bones and add 3/4 cup par  boiled rice and let it cook for 30 min more. With 3/4 cup, the rice will  be on the wet side. If I want it dryer, I add 1 cup instead of 3/4 cup.
> 
> ...



After reading your  updates to the post I went to You Tube and found your video. The biggest  hurtle I see with some of the things I suggested is the size of your  cooking tool. I didn't get exactly how small it was. I think that can be  gotten around though. 

I'm assuming you have some sort of  refrigeration with you since you mentioned you buy the chicken in larger  bags. If that's not the case and you just buy the chicken you need when  you need it, please let me know and I will further adjust.

So  here is a rundown of changes to your method and amounts of spices I  recommend starting with for my various suggestions. I'm going on the  blander side for the spices since you are not used to using many and  because you can always add more but you're kind of out of luck if you  use too much.

You could add a can of tomatoes, maybe even the pre-seasoned ones (chili  ready, with italian spices, with peppers and onions). One recipe we do  in the slowcooker sometimes is chicken cooked with tomatoes and green  beans over rice. The spices vary.

For this  one you might just have to go with a two step process. I would say cook  the chicken, remove the bones and skin and discard, then remove the  chicken and set aside in a seeled container. If you wrap a dish towel or  some such around the container it will help it stay warm. 

Add  half the can of tomatoes, drain the beans and add half of them. Save the  other half can for use later in the day or the next day. Add the rice  and cook with the tomatoes and green beans. Add the chicken back in once  it's done. If you find it is too liquidy, try using a starchier rice  and stir it as it cooks. It might help thicken the liquid and make it  more sauce like. Add the chicken once everything is done.

Alternatively,  you could leave the chicken in and only use 1/2 cup or 1/4 cup of rice  and make it more of a soup with rice and chicken.

Spices for this, I would start with one of the following:

1/4 tsp chili powder or tex-mex seasons blend
1 tsp Italian seasoning mix
1/4 tsp corriander

You can also add your standard salt and pepper.

This  one I think would be the least likely to work well just because of the  size limitation of your pan and possibly limitation of refrigeration  space. 

You could add a can of beans and a creole seaoning blend.

If  you are adding the beans, you shouldn't need to use as much chicken. I  would say cook the chicken quarter, then reserve half of it for later  use. Just make sure to refrigerate it. Drain the can of beans and add  half of them to the chicken (kidney beans, red beans, great northern  beans or black beans should all work well). Add the rice and 1/4 tsp  creole or cajun seasoning.

When you use the second half of the  chicken you will need to add water to the pan for the rice since the  liquid would have been used up in the first round. But on the bright  side, you don't have to wait for the chicken to cook the second time  around and if you find it a little bland you can add a tiny bit of  chicken base (teany little pinch, less then 1/8 tsp to start).
 
You could add saffron and/or tumeric and a little green salasa.

Saffron  is admittedly one of the more expensive spices so you might want to  hold off on trying it until you can find a restaraunt with a dish that  uses it. You wouldn't want to pay for it only to find out you don't like  it. But if that isn't a conern, then by all means go for it.

Saffron  comes in thin threads, they are part of a flower, so measuring them can  be a bit tricky. I recommend kind of crumbling them with your fingers  until the various pieces are about 1/8 in to 1/4 in long. Start with 1/4  tsp of them (yes, there will be a lot of air in that 1/4 tsp) and go up  or down from there. For the tumeric, start with 1/8 tsp and adjust from  there. 

For the green salsa, start with a 1/4 cup of it. It shouldn't add too much extra liquid that you have to adjust anything in your method beyond maybe leaving the onions out (most salsas already have onion in them).
 
Add a can of tomato paste and some water to thin it, then an italian seasoning blend or a tex-mex blend.

You  probably don't have to change anything in your method with this. Tomato  paste is pretty thick stuff. You might want to start out only adding  half the can of it though. For seaoning amounts, start with 1tsp italian  blend or 1/4 tsp tex-mex/mexican seasoning (taco seasoning, burrito  seasoning, chili seasoning, and such) blend.

Add a can of corn or creamed corn, a little garlic and onion. Maybe some dried parsely or chives to green it up a bit.

For  this one only add half the can of corn or creamed corn. Probably a two  step process on this. Cook the chicken, remove and set aside, cook the  rice and corn. If you use regular corn you'll want to drain it. If you  use cream corn this will come out similar to a chowder. Add the meat  back in once the rice is done. 

For spice amounts I would say 1tsp of either or both spices would be a good start. They are pretty mild spices.
 
Buy a ready made pesto and cook the chicken and rice unseasoned or sparingly seasoned, then mix in the pesto.

For  this, you are adding the pesto after everything is cooked so your  normal method should be fine. Mix the pesto in a spoonful at a time  (like, eating spoon) until it coats everything. You can test it after each spoonful to see where it's at.

Add a jar (or partial jar) of salsa.

Several  options on this. First, you can try different salsas, taco sauces,  picante sauces, burrito sauces, etc. You'll find some are chunky and  some aren't, some are thicker and some are more liquidy. 

For  something chunkier start with 1/4 to 1/2 cup and add it to the chicken  when you start cooking it. You can leave the onions out as a chunkier  salsa will already have onions in it. If the salsa is really liquidy you  can try draining it before you add it. If it's pretty thick you  shouldn't need to do anything different from your norm, you'll just have  more of a sauce around everything.

For something not chunky like  Pace picante sauce, try starting with a tablespoon of it. You shouldn't  need to change anything in your cooking process.
 
Add pre-made alfredo sauce and some brocoli or asparagus (if fresh  veggies aren't practical you can go with a canned veggie like green  beans).

For this one you are going to add the  alfredo sauce after everything is cooked, then let it cook for 10 to 15  minutes more to heat it and let the flavors blend. Start with 1/3 cup  and go from there. You shouldn't need to change anything else. 

If  you add vegetables I would cook them seperately. If you are interested  in doing more meals that involve two parts to cooking them it might be  worth seeing if you can find a second pan like the one you already have  for the cooker. It looks like it's a pretty basic foil pan. They should  stack inside each other easily enough when clean so it wouldn't take up  much space for storage and if you are using it primarily for things like  vegetables it would be easy to clean so shouldn't add too much to cleanup time. Just an idea for the future.
 
Add grated cheese to it.

For this one, you  can get the packages of pre grated cheese in re-sealable bags. Maybe try  a cheddar/jack or colby/jack blend to start out. I would just sprinkle a  little in after it's all done and stir it around. See how it is and  then sprinkle in a little more. I mean, this one is going to be really  flexible and really difficult to make inedible unless you don't like  cheese and then you can just skip it entirely.

Add sour cream, chili powder, and a can of chilis to it. 

You  can find small cans of diced green chiles (4oz). They don't take up  much extra room in the pan. For this, drain the chilis and add them to  the chicken as it cooks. Also add 1/4 tsp chili powder. Add the sour  cream a spoonful at a time after everything is cooked, including the  rice, until it reaches the desired taste.

Add hot sauce to it.

Depending on the type of  hot sauce this could be as little as a 1/4 tsp to as much as 1tblsp. If  the hot sauce is really hot or vinegary, start with 1/4 tsp. If it is  really mild and doesn't have much vinegar, start with a tablespoon. If  it's somewhere in between start with 1tsp. Add it to the chicken at the  start of cooking. Add more at the end of cooking if desired. You  shouldn't need to change anything else in your method.

Add a can of cream of mushroom soup, some black pepper, a little bit of sage and/or thyme.

Start  with your normal cook method. Add the thyme and/or sage to the chicken  at the start. If using one spice, start with 1/8tsp. If using both do  half that of each. Poultry season mixes often have both sage and thyme so that might be a good substitute. Add the cream of mushroom soup a spoonful at a time until it's where you want it.

Add a can of french onion soup.

So, if you  already end up with a lot of liquid you might be better off using french  onion soup packets. I'd start out with that. One packed added at the  same time the rice is and mixed in well.

Add soy sauce, a can of pinapple and some fresh from the jar sweet and  sour sauce (or teryaki sauce, or pad thai sauce, or other from a  jar/bottle asian sauce). Ginger would be good in it too.

Get  the crushed pineapple for this. You can drain off some of the juice by  pressing the lid down and squeezing out the excess. Add 1/2 cup of it to  the chicken at start of cook time. Add 1tsp soy sauce and 1/4 tsp dried  ground ginger. Cook your normal way. Add the jarred sauce of choice a  spoonful at a time after everything is done.

Get a jar of curry paste (green, red, peanut, etc) and add some of that to it.

Start with 1tsp of desired curry paste. Adjust from there. Add it when you add the rice.

Add curry powder and lime or lemon to it.

1/4tsp curry powder, 1/2tsp lemon or lime juice, your normal cooking method should work fine.

Other thoughts:

PF's idea about rehydrating a spice and seeing what it's like is a good one. So is the suggestion of using spice mixes instead of individual spices if you are short on storage space.

Also  remember you don't have to try everything right away. Pick one and,  especially for any that use only parts of a jar or can or such, then  when the ingredients for that run out pick up the ingredients for a different varient.

If you still have questions about anything I posted please let me know and I'll try to answer them. Hope my clarifications help.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jun 1, 2013)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I take it you have not tasted your spices...pick two you would like to try.  Hydrate 1/4 teaspoon in a little water and taste it...do you like that flavor?  Mix them together, is it still appealing?  This works for blends, too...taste them before adding to your food.  Your wife most likely has a few spices hanging around so you don't have to run out and buy a bunch.  Learnig the individual flavor of each spice is the best way to determine which is in a recipe that needs to be adjusted.



Spices are largely aeromatic so another trick to use to see if spices will work together is to smell them. Breath them in through your mouth, then close your mouth and breath them slowly out through your nose. If one seems too strong try moving it further away when you smell them than the others. Play with them this way and whichever ones are closer, add more of them, which ever ones are farther, add less of them. Usually if the spice mixe smells good it will taste good too. Not fool proof, but it can help you figure out balances and combinations. You can also smell a spice (through your nose) with a moutful of  whatever you are thinking about adding it to and get an idea of how it  will work out.

Also remember to start out with less than you think you need. The flavors will often intensify as they cook and blend, and you can always add a little more spice if it's not enough. It's going backward that is difficult.

Don't be afraid to add a small amount of a spice to a sample amount of an ingredient. It won't be quite the same as once it's cooked in but it will be close enough to let you know if it's going to be edible and you can work toward good and even great from there.

Honestly, creating a recipe can be just as methodical as engineering. You just have to learn how to apply your problem solving skills to the new data (taste and smell).


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jun 1, 2013)

Woops, forgot one.

Do you like spicy hot foods? If so you can add a can of diced chilis, some chili powder and maybe some cumin and corriander. 

You should be able to add a 4oz can of diced chiles, just drain them and add at the start of cooking your chicken. 1/2tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp corriander, 1/4 tsp cumin. Adjust from there.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jun 1, 2013)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Honestly, creating a recipe can be just as methodical as engineering. You just have to learn how to apply your problem solving skills to the new data (taste and smell).



Yes, what she said...


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## FrankZ (Jun 1, 2013)

How long does it take to cook things in this?  Like say a meatloaf.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 2, 2013)

PAG, it's going to take me months to try all that. I'm up for the challenge.

Frank, it took about 2 hrs to do a meatloaf. It might take less. I put it in and checked it after 2 hrs and it was perfect.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 2, 2013)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> Woops, forgot one.
> 
> Do you like spicy hot foods? If so you can add a can of diced chilis, some chili powder and maybe some cumin and corriander.
> 
> You should be able to add a 4oz can of diced chiles, just drain them and add at the start of cooking your chicken. 1/2tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp corriander, 1/4 tsp cumin. Adjust from there.



I don't like HOT food buy I do like a little bite to it. Or, as a friend once said, a little pic to it. I like peppers and hot sauce but in moderation.

I do have a cooler on the truck. I don't use one of the electric coolers. I have a 40 qt cooler that I just put ice in. I have a set of the good Rubbermaid containers for food storage.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 2, 2013)

I fixed a batch last night. I added a tablespoon or so of "chicken taco" seasoning that I picked up from Walmart. It was I nice change from the chicken bouillon. Salt was needed too. I didn't add the seasoning until after everything was cooked. After that was eaten up, I made a batch of just rice and added the seasoning at the beginning. I'll use that method from now on. It takes less seasoning. I'm sure you all will tell me it's always that way. When I tried adding the chicken bouillon with the rice at the beginning, it barely had any flavor but I was able to use less by adding it afterwards.

Today I'm going to try Sazon Goya. My student recommended it. I've never seen it before so we'll see how good it is. I'll be trying some of the combo's PAG suggested after I pick up my new truck on Monday. I will also be picking up another stove. Two stoves will let me cook 2 dishes at once and have them ready at once. No waiting for biscuits 30 min after my entre is done. I'll also be able to cook up a bunch of chicken during my breaks and have it deboned and ready for when I need it.

As I try each new dish, I will document the process for the benefit of other drivers. I hope to make a Truckers E-Cookbook focused on using 12v appliances so drivers will know they can have hot food and healthy food without having to spend a lot of money at the truck stop.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jun 2, 2013)

The e-cookbook for truckers sounds like a great idea. Looking forward to seeing how your experiments progress.


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## Chef Munky (Jun 2, 2013)

Stinky_Sullivan said:


> I'm an OTR truck driver. I do mist of my cooking in a 12 volt portable drive. It looks like an old style lunch box.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Welcome to DC S.S. 

I really like that stove. You've actually solved a cooking on the fly problem that we've been having around here. I'm going to buy one for my son to put in his truck. Where he works, the hours he puts in he's really tired of sammiches. Thermos soups and such. The management came in and removed any and all plug in devices from the shop. No micro's, crocks or coffee makers are allowed anymore. He's tired of fast food. Wants home cooking. Thank you for the idea! Management can't touch his truck.

I've checked Amazon and got the details of your stove. Wish I could try it out in my kitchen. It wouldn't take me long before a cook book for it has been hammered out.

I do have a few questions about the portion size of lets say chicken.
Are you using quartered pieces? Is it a whole chicken?

As for spices I'd suggest buying a jar if minced garlic. 1/2 a tsp should do you just fine.

Dehydrated minced onions. Saves you time from chopping and storing a fresh onion. A few dashes to your dish and it's ready to go.

Bottle of Worcestershire sauce. A little goes a long way.

Whole black pepper corns, buy a grinder.

Mc Cormic and Tones have small spice containers, about 8 to 9 oz sizes. That can easily be stored in yet another tackle box for easy storage.

You could also buy crock pot lining bags. Cook the meats in that and have a baked spud on the side. The do make in various sized cardboard baking pans- lining trays that would be the perfect size for your stove. Just cover it with some foil. Lasagna anyone?

I could go on. Now look what you've started! Now I'm awake.

This thread needs to be moved to "Cookware and and Accessories"
It's a keeper... Just sayin'. 

Have a nice day!

Munky.


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## FrankZ (Jun 2, 2013)

Stinky_Sullivan said:


> PAG, it's going to take me months to try all that. I'm up for the challenge.
> 
> Frank, it took about 2 hrs to do a meatloaf. It might take less. I put it in and checked it after 2 hrs and it was perfect.




Thanks.

24 amps roughly to do a meatloaf.  I will have to think long and hard about that.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 2, 2013)

Munky,

I use minced onion when I just need onion flavor. I use fresh onion when I want the texture of large pieces of onion in the dish. I will use minced garlic when the recipe calls for garlic. I haven't had the need yet.

I buy leg quarters. They're 59¢/lb at Walmart. If I could find something cheaper, I'd buy that.

If there's a Pilot, Flying J, or Love's truck stop near you, they have the RoadPro oven on the shelf. The pans are $1.19 for 3 at Walmart.


Frank,

I've got all the free electricity I can use on the truck so power consumption isn't a factor for me. Some drivers use propane or butane burners. That cost $. I'm too cheap to spend money when I don't have to.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 2, 2013)

Chef Munky said:


> This thread needs to be moved to "Cookware and and Accessories"
> It's a keeper... Just sayin'.



Parts if the thread my be appropriate there but the focus of this thread is recipes I can cook with the size and limitations it has.

I might actually try a lasagna. The pan is the right size. I'll certainly let you know if/when I do.


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## FrankZ (Jun 3, 2013)

Stinky_Sullivan said:


> Frank,
> 
> I've got all the free electricity I can use on the truck so power consumption isn't a factor for me. Some drivers use propane or butane burners. That cost $. I'm too cheap to spend money when I don't have to.



I am not thinking about for a truck.  I am considering for a boat.  Power is precious.

I still have to think if I want to use that much power for a meatloaf.


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jun 3, 2013)

Stinky_Sullivan said:


> Parts if the thread my be appropriate there but the focus of this thread is recipes I can cook with the size and limitations it has.
> 
> I might actually try a lasagna. The pan is the right size. I'll certainly let you know if/when I do.



Lasagna sounds like a great idea. Now I wonder what other baked pasta dishes you could make in this thing.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 3, 2013)

Probably as long as you could do it in a crock pot.


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## Mad Cook (Jun 11, 2013)

Stinky_Sullivan said:


> I'm an OTR truck driver. I do mist of my cooking in a 12 volt portable drive. It looks like an old style lunch box.
> 
> It supposedly cooks at 300°. I haven't verified the actual temperature. I use 3 cooking methods with this cooker.
> 
> ...


Gosh, how enterprising! It makes a change to hear about a long distance lorry (truck) driver who doesn't live on greasy burgers when on the road.

What about dried herbs (eg, sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, oregano or a mixture), chilli flakes, celery seed or celery salt, Old Bay Seasoning? I expect there are packet sauces on sale in the US as there are over here in the UK - Knorr do them and Schwartz. Mostly they are mixed with water and the chicken, etc., cooked in them.


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## Stinky_Sullivan (Jun 11, 2013)

Dried herbs are available just like you'd buy for home. I'm not good at selecting which ones without following a recipe. I'll be trying what the others have suggested.

I've tried a few packaged seasoning mixes. I bought the envelopes intended for a single dish. Here is what I've tried.

McCormick Italian herb baked chicken and pasta.
McCormick chicken taco
Great Value (Walmart brand) mild chili seasoning mix
Goya Sazon

The Sazon was a complete waste of money based on the 2 times I tried it. I can barely tell a difference in taste with or without it. It mostly changed the color of the rice.

All of the other seasonings worked great. I use 1/2 the envelop each time and just needed a dash of salt.


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## Mad Cook (Jun 11, 2013)

Stinky_Sullivan said:


> Dried herbs are available just like you'd buy for home. I'm not good at selecting which ones without following a recipe. I'll be trying what the others have suggested.
> 
> I've tried a few packaged seasoning mixes. I bought the envelopes intended for a single dish. Here is what I've tried.
> 
> ...


We used to get McCormick stuff over here but they disappeared some years ago. I particularly miss their bell pepper sauce for chicken.


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## Chef Munky (Jun 12, 2013)

S.S,

Your post has had me thinking of a few ideas that might work out for you.
Only a few spices are required. I to can be spiced challenged as to who much to add and when. I've learned to pour just a small amount into the palm of my hand. Add a few pinches at a time until it's where I want the recipe to be at.

So, for a few meal ideas. Real simple, easy spices.

Salmon fillets
Cabbage rolls- You can shred the cabbage if you want
Baked squash
Porcupine balls
Potatoes with a mixture of several bell peppers

HTH.

Munky.


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