Casserole dish

[peacetara]

Hi Everyone!<br /><br />I need help!&nbsp; It's Holiday season, and as I'm traveling thru the bay area, my friend invited me to a holiday gathering, seems there are LOTS of those this time of year.&nbsp; Anyways, this is a potluck (also lots of those this year!).&nbsp; My problem is, I don't have an oven, or really any thing to cook any of my normal casseroles in. So I'm asking for advice!<br /><br />This is what I have equipment wise:<br /><br />I have a coleman propane stove.&nbsp; <br />I have a big 12" non-stick skillet, that's deep, maybe 1 1/2" deep on the sides (straight sides) and it has a lid .&nbsp; I also have a 1 1/2 quart pot, with lid (tho it doesn't sit quite right).<br /><br />So I could potentially build a casserole in the skillet, except I haven't a clue what to make in it.<br /><br />I'm not overly adept at Coleman stove cooking yet, but I'm getting there.&nbsp; Mostly I make lots and lots of soups (of various kinds).<br /><br />Anyways, I welcome recipes for a "casserole dish" (that's that the invitation says to bring).&nbsp; If it wasn't specific I could do a fruit tray or a veggie tray or a hummus tray, or something, and be ok, but this specifically says "Casserole dish".&nbsp; I've never been all that fabulous at casseroles, I can make enchilada's, but I wouldn't have any idea how to adapt my recipes for that to a stove top.<br /><br />I'm sure I'm not the only one approaching Holiday season and trying to figure out how to generate yummy shareable dishes for all the various potlucks, gatherings, etc that all seem to happen during the holidays.<br /><br />I'm not afraid of cooking, and I enjoy it (I used to make home made bread every day for years when I lived in a "normal" house, for instance) but I'm still getting my van living legs under me, and haven't been very adventurous yet on the cooking/kitchen side.<br /><br />Maybe I need to think about a cold/non-cook casserole, for that I could do out of my van, probably.<br /><br />With Love,<br />Tara

 

[StarEcho]

Hi Tara,<br /><br />Would the place you are going have an oven? &nbsp;Would it be possible to assemble the casserole to throw in the oven when you arrive? &nbsp;Something like a green bean casserole would be simple enough to put together and then just put in the oven when you get to the party, I'd think. &nbsp;You can get disposable casserole dishes to put it in if you don't have one and don't want to purchase one. &nbsp;<br /><br />If no oven there or they expect it to be cooked already then I don't know. I'd have to think more on that. &nbsp;If it were me, I might just hit up the deli section of the supermarket right before the party.<br /><br />I just did a google for "skillet casserole" and came up with a ton of hits, one of the recipes I saw as this one:<br /><br />http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,168,151164-245200,00.html<br /><br />Skillet Chow Mein casserole...looks easy enough and can be done in the skillet so it might fit the bill. &nbsp;If not there's a bunch of other recipes there so I'd bet one of them could work.<br /><br />Hope that helps a bit or at least gives you a place to start looking.

 

[Lifemagician]

Have you thought of using a microwave oven at one of the truck stops.&nbsp;&nbsp; I cook lots of things in them.&nbsp;&nbsp; If you have something which will take a while, it is best to find one of the bigger truck stops, which usually have two microwaves.<br /><br />Lifey

 

[wildmountainhoney]

I think this sounds good and affordable:<br /><br />Stovetop Hamburger Casserole Recipe<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Prep/Total TIme: 25 min.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Yield: 6 Servings<br /><br /><br id="tinymce" class="mceContentBody " />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 package (7 ounces) small pasta shells<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1-1/2 pounds ground beef<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 large onion, chopped<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3 medium carrots, chopped<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 celery rib, chopped<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3 garlic cloves, minced<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 3 cups cubed cooked red potatoes<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1-1/2 teaspoons salt<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1/2 teaspoon pepper<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese<br /><br />Directions<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add carrots and celery; cook and stir for 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stir in the potatoes, corn, tomato sauce, salt and pepper; heat through. Drain pasta and add to skillet; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and cook until cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.<br /><br />Have fun at your party! <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/wave.gif" class="bbc_img" /><br /><br /><br />I bet you could substitute a small bag of mixed veggies for the carrots and corn and celery...etc..

 

[boondocker]

I use a Flame Tamer (sometimes called a Simmer Ring) between my pan and the burner when cooking casseroles on a camp stove. This disperses the heat so you don't get burned spots on the bottom. I also create a tent to cover the pan out of Foil when baking. This keeps the heat in like an oven. A Flame Tamer only costs about $5.00 and lasts a long time. Do a search on Google and you will find many varieties. Below is a picture of mine that I purchased at a thrift store for $1.00 years ago.<br /><br /><img rel="lightbox" src="http://boondockers-used-sports.com/picts/flame-tamer.jpg" class="bbc_img" />

 

[peacetara]

Thank you everyone!!!<br /><br />I love the idea of the flame tamer thingy, much cheaper than a "real oven"! <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">&nbsp; Especially when I don't think I'll be using an oven all that much anymore anyways.<br /><br />It turns out I didn't have to bring a casserole dish anyways, I ended up talking with my friend who was going, and we just went in together, and did it at her house.&nbsp; MUCH easier when you have a full kitchen!<br /><br />But I'll probably have another one of these events, in the not to distant future, seems there are millions of them during the holiday season!<br /><br />With Love,<br />Tara

 

[VanLifeCrisis]

How about a boyscout style dutch oven in the future?&nbsp; You could find a place to make a charcoal fire (public park bbq grill even), and you put the pot in and then put hot coals on top to cook like an oven.&nbsp; I think there was a thread here that had a handbook on cooking hundred different things in one, even bread.&nbsp; I think it has a couple casseroles in there.<br /><br />Well here is the book anyway<br /><br />Dutch Oven<br /><br />

 

[peacetara]

I actually own a dutch oven, sort-of, but it's at the kid's house.&nbsp; Until I get my bed built, and have a space for "dirty things" in the van (something I don't really have), and hope to have under the bed from the back door.&nbsp; I haven't gone down that road.&nbsp; It's certainly do-able in a dutch oven, but while I've had some successes, I've had more failures than success it's a fine art in temperature/fire regulation to make dutch ovens successful.&nbsp; I think I need more practice <img src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle"><br /><br />Tank: It's generally acceptable these days to NOT give women the "traditional, oppressive gifts", i.e. things like kitchen stuff, laundry stuff, etc.&nbsp; I.e. the things that women have been pushed into doing as part of the male oppression that has been happening for a long time in western societies.&nbsp; I'm not trying to get into oppression in this thread, but I did want to inform you this is probably WHY she was upset <img src="/images/boards/smilies/tongue.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[sl1966]

LOL .. Uhh Tara ... that's not why she was upset. Dutch Oven is also the name of something you do. Typically to a wife or girlfriend while in bed. It's not sex. Basically you pull the covers over both your heads and pass as much gas as you can while under them. There's no escaping the smell. Hence the name Dutch Oven.<br /><br />

 

[peacetara]

OMG!&nbsp; Men think of the craziest and grossest things... UGH.&nbsp; I'm soooo glad I have never been initiated into THAT. I am not grossed out.&nbsp; Thanks!

 

[sl1966]

It's worse when she does it back to you, but hey ... you've got a keeper if she does it!<br /><br />

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

I could have gone the rest of the day without knowing the other dutch oven definition.

 

[jdtater]

Something quick and easy you can do in a situation like this that I always find is a popular dish (not the healthiest) is to pick up a disposable foil pan, 2 cans of chili without bean, 2 cans of cheddar cheese soup, and a bag of tortilla chips.&nbsp; Mix both cans of chili and cheese soup in a pan and heat.&nbsp; Place a layer of chips on bottom of pan, pour on some hot mixture to coat the chips...more chips more mixture, etc. until mixture is gone...you can add sour cream or cilantro, or any other things you wish if you wish.&nbsp; Technically it is a casserole but it requires no oven and only a saucepan or a microwave.&nbsp; If you are only bringing a dish you can bring it as a&nbsp;chip and dip item as well.&nbsp; Hope you can use this&nbsp;in&nbsp;the future since it is a little late for&nbsp;the holiday you posted it for <img class="emoticon bbc_img" src="/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif">.&nbsp;

 

[investigator77]

<span style="font-size: medium;">I found this item somewhere during my travels, and thought The Wonderbag sounds perfect for your needs.</span><br><br><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://nb-wonderbag.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://nb-wonderbag.com/</a></span><br><br><span style="font-size: medium;">The Wonderbag is a non-electric, heat-retention cooker that allows food that has been brought to a boil on a stove fire, to continue cooking for hours after it has been removed from the fuel source.&nbsp; This means you can cook it, transport it to your friends place still hot hours later, and it's lightweight and easy to clean. Perfect!</span><br><br>