Recipe suggestions for an electric skillet?

[Linda0818]

So I have a super nice, 16" electric skillet, just like the one pictured. Bought it several years ago. I think I've used it maybe twice to make meals.

I'd really like to drag the thing out more often and toss together some nice dinners, but I'm kind of clueless as to what to make. So thought I'd reach out to you lovely folks to see what you use yours for.

 

[taxlady]

I use mine mostly for grilled cheese, quesadillas, and reheating pizza. To me, it's the best way to reheat pizza. I used to bring one with me when I travelled a lot for work. You can use it for frying, boiling, and even for baking. But, that said, I don't use mine that often either and I wouldn't mind some more ideas of what to use it for.

 

[caseydog]

I had one in my college dorm room, and used it mostly to make eggs, burgers and other simple stuff. They are good for one pot meals, sort of like scratch versions of Hamburger Helper. I used to make tuna noodle casserole in mine.

CD

 

[Linda0818]

I use mine mostly for grilled cheese, quesadillas, and reheating pizza. To me, it's the best way to reheat pizza. I used to bring one with me when I travelled a lot for work. You can use it for frying, boiling, and even for baking. But, that said, I don't use mine that often either and I wouldn't mind some more ideas of what to use it for.

In a skillet is the only way I'll reheat pizza. Gets the crust nice and crispy.

 

[Linda0818]

I had one in my college dorm room, and used it mostly to make eggs, burgers and other simple stuff. They are good for one pot meals, sort of like scratch versions of Hamburger Helper. I used to make tuna noodle casserole in mine.

CD

Yes, one pot meals would be perfect.

 

[dragnlaw]

1. Hamburgers on one side, frying mushrooms and onions on the other side.
2. Bacon on one side... eggs on the other side.
3. Making a hamburger mush with a gravy add frozen vegies, scoop over noodles or rice or mashed potatoes.
4. Pineapple UpsideDown Cake (one of the first things I ever made in my electric skillet. made it several times first couple of years but never since.)
5. Grilled cheese especially handy when making more than one - four fit perfectly in the square shape.
6. Pancakes!

that's all I can think of off the top of my head.
#'s 3 & 5 were my most common uses back in the day.

 

[Linda0818]

1. Hamburgers on one side, frying mushrooms and onions on the other side.
2. Bacon on one side... eggs on the other side.
3. Making a hamburger mush with a gravy add frozen vegies, scoop over noodles or rice or mashed potatoes.
4. Pineapple UpsideDown Cake (one of the first things I ever made in my electric skillet. made it several times first couple of years but never since.)
5. Grilled cheese especially handy when making more than one - four fit perfectly in the square shape.
6. Pancakes!

that's all I can think of off the top of my head.
#'s 3 & 5 were my most common uses back in the day.

Oooooo, those sound yummy. Especially #3. I'll have to try that.

 

[dragnlaw]

Yeah, #3. I have to say when raising kids - you work, kids needed to get to Guides, judo, ... something! by 7pm. Supper on the table super fast, gobble, run!
Easy to change up with canned soups as well. Cream of ... something, mushroom, chicken, celery. Vegies easy to change. Switch from rice (back then it had to be instant) to noodles and mashers. Combinations were the saviors!

Crock pots were just coming around and my attempts with them were terrible. That particular gift sure hit the basement fast! Now, of course, I love my SlowCooker.

 

[Linda0818]

Yeah, #3. I have to say when raising kids - you work, kids needed to get to Guides, judo, ... something! by 7pm. Supper on the table super fast, gobble, run!
Easy to change up with canned soups as well. Cream of ... something, mushroom, chicken, celery. Vegies easy to change. Switch from rice (back then it had to be instant) to noodles and mashers. Combinations were the saviors!

Crock pots were just coming around and my attempts with them were terrible. That particular gift sure hit the basement fast! Now, of course, I love my SlowCooker.

Ahh yes, the cream soups. I still keep them around for recipes. Cream of chicken and mushroom are definite staples. But I also have cream of celery, cream of onion, etc, and sometimes I'll even eat them as soups. I love cream soups. My two faves are cream of mushroom and cream of celery.

 

[taxlady]

Ahh yes, the cream soups. I still keep them around for recipes. Cream of chicken and mushroom are definite staples. But I also have cream of celery, cream of onion, etc, and sometimes I'll even eat them as soups. I love cream soups. My two faves are cream of mushroom and cream of celery.

Until I quit eating canned soups, my two favourite Campbell soups were cream of celery and cream of mushroom.

 

[caseydog]

Yes, one pot meals would be perfect.

When I was living in the college dorm, I had a meal card for the dorm cafeteria, but it only served Monday through Friday. I could walk across campus to get one meal a day on weekends, but I usually decided to go my own way.

I found all kinds of ways to make a meal out of cheap stuff. They were, by necessity, one pot meals. That electric skillet and a mini-fridge was all I had. I didn't even have a microwave.

If I had eggs, cheese, and any kind of protein, I could make a meal. It may not win any cooking contests, but it was filling, and tasty. I could also incorporate rice or pasta, but that took more time, and at that time, some ingenuity.

The best part is, cleaning is easy. I did it in a dorm room sink.

As an experienced cook, you could make all kinds of easy, one pot meals in an electric skillet that would be excellent. Use your years of cooking knowledge, and your imagination.

CD

 

[Linda0818]

When I was living in the college dorm, I had a meal card for the dorm cafeteria, but it only served Monday through Friday. I could walk across campus to get one meal a day on weekends, but I usually decided to go my own way.

I found all kinds of ways to make a meal out of cheap stuff. They were, by necessity, one pot meals. That electric skillet and a mini-fridge was all I had. I didn't even have a microwave.

If I had eggs, cheese, and any kind of protein, I could make a meal. It may not win any cooking contests, but it was filling, and tasty. I could also incorporate rice or pasta, but that took more time, and at that time, some ingenuity.

The best part is, cleaning is easy. I did it in a dorm room sink.

As an experienced cook, you could make all kinds of easy, one pot meals in an electric skillet that would be excellent. Use your years of cooking knowledge, and your imagination.

CD

Just goes to show ya that people can survive with only an electric skillet to cook in

I'm going to hunt for some one-pot recipes and 'Hamburger Helper' equivalents. Sure would help with not heating up the kitchen in this hot weather we've been having, if everything goes into one appliance.

 

[dragnlaw]

I've not done this but...
You could cook your rice, just as normal but in the frypan. Water, boil, rice, be sure to turn it down to simmer. I would keep an eye on it as you don't have any idea how long it would take the rice to be absorbed before boiling off.
Once cooked, take it out and set aside.
Next cook some onion, garlic. Add ground meat. Once that is cooked - add your sauce of choice (eg. mushroom soup?) Simmer in a cup of frozen vegies. and/or a green leafy something. eg. spinach would be my choice.
Serve over the rice.

 

[Linda0818]

I've not done this but...
You could cook your rice, just as normal but in the frypan. Water, boil, rice, be sure to turn it down to simmer. I would keep an eye on it as you don't have any idea how long it would take the rice to be absorbed before boiling off.
Once cooked, take it out and set aside.
Next cook some onion, garlic. Add ground meat. Once that is cooked - add your sauce of choice (eg. mushroom soup?) Simmer in a cup of frozen vegies. and/or a green leafy something. eg. spinach would be my choice.
Serve over the rice.

That's a great idea as well. More than likely, though, I would cook the rice in my rice steamer. I just toss everything in, hit a couple of buttons, and that's it until it's done. Rice is one of those foods that I hate babysitting. And I rarely get it right anyway. So my steamer does all the work for me.

I don't trust myself to cook rice in a pan

 

[dragnlaw]

Wasn't sure if you had one. I got one to facilitate my apartment cooking. Like you, now I don't think I can cook it in a pot anymore! LOL!

 

[Linda0818]

Wasn't sure if you had one. I got one to facilitate my apartment cooking. Like you, now I don't think I can cook it in a pot anymore! LOL!

Isn't it crazy?

Some things I'll still cook the old fashioned way. But things like rice and even certain entrees (I'll buy the frozen casserole meals) I just can't be bothered anymore.

I used to spend hours in the kitchen, cooking this and making that, etc. But between the neuropathy in my feet and my hips and the sciatic nerve pain, I just can't do it. So I've taken the easy way out for a lot of things. Which is why I was wanting suggestions for the electric skillet, because it would be an easy way for me to make meals.

Honestly, if my son didn't still live with me, I wouldn't even bother.

 

[caseydog]

Isn't it crazy?

Some things I'll still cook the old fashioned way. But things like rice and even certain entrees (I'll buy the frozen casserole meals) I just can't be bothered anymore.

I used to spend hours in the kitchen, cooking this and making that, etc. But between the neuropathy in my feet and my hips and the sciatic nerve pain, I just can't do it. So I've taken the easy way out for a lot of things. Which is why I was wanting suggestions for the electric skillet, because it would be an easy way for me to make meals.

Honestly, if my son didn't still live with me, I wouldn't even bother.

Living in Texas, where a significant segment of the population is of Mexican heritage, rice cookers are in every Mexican-American kitchen. They are nearly foolproof. They are also cheap, and don't take up much storage space. That is the only way I cook rice.

CD

 

[Linda0818]

Living in Texas, where a significant segment of the population is of Mexican heritage, rice cookers are in every Mexican-American kitchen. They are nearly foolproof. They are also cheap, and don't take up much storage space. That is the only way I cook rice.

CD

Me too, CD. I'd be lost without my rice cooker.

 

[taxlady]

There are recipes where you cook the rice or pasta in the dish you are making. Some of those should be good candidates for the electric skillet. I have a decent, not great, recipe for "One Pot Chicken Lo Mein". I would have shared it, but it makes 6 servings. I'm afraid that is too much and half amount probably wouldn't work well in all that space in an electric skillet.

 

[Linda0818]

There are recipes where you cook the rice or pasta in the dish you are making. Some of those should be good candidates for the electric skillet. I have a decent, not great, recipe for "One Pot Chicken Lo Mein". I would have shared it, but it makes 6 servings. I'm afraid that is too much and half amount probably wouldn't work well in all that space in an electric skillet.

No problem on the Lo Mein recipe. I'm sure if I could find one in smaller quantities.

But true, as long as you have enough moisture/sauce, you can cook the rice or pasta right in with the meal.