Toaster Oven and Slow Cooker Recipes to Try While Traveling

If you have a job or business that forces you to travel a lot, one of the things that you may be missing a lot is a nice home cooked meal. Restaurant foods can be good when eaten once in a while. But when you have to eat them every other day, they can turn out to be very boring. The good news is that you can still prepare home cooked meals while you are traveling. You do not need to force yourself into eating restaurant foods that you do not even like. There are foods that you can make in a toaster oven or slow cooker on the go. Since these appliances are very small, you can easily carry them when you are traveling. Not only will you stay healthy by doing so, but you will also save some money.

Foods That You Can Make Using a Toaster Oven or Slow Cooker While Traveling

There are so many simple recipes that you can easily make with these two appliances. The following are some of them.

Lasagna Toast

You can make this toast for breakfast or dinner. It takes only about 15 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to bake.

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of Italian bread
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 medium zucchini
• 4 ripe plum tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 c. of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 4 oz. of fresh mozzarella cheese

How to Prepare:

1. First, you will need to preheat your toaster oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and then toast the bread for about ten minutes or until it turns golden.
2. Combine the oil, garlic and zucchini in a microwave-safe bowl and then microwave them on the High setting for about 4 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and then cover with vented plastic wrap. Microwave them for about three minutes on the High setting.
4. Slice the basil leaves thinly and then reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish. Using a small bowl, combine the basil, Romano, ricotta, 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of salt.
5. Take 1/4 of the ricotta mixture and then spread each bread slice on every side. Divide the tomato mixture using a slotted spoon among the bread slices and then top with mozzarella.
6. Allow the toasts to bake for about 8 to 10 minutes in a single layer on a toaster oven tray that has foil lining. The toasts should be heated through while the mozzarella should have melted and lightly browned after ten minutes have elapsed.
7. Garnish with reserved basil before serving.

In addition, you should also research the best lasagna pan for cooking your lasagna toast since there are so many differences in shapes and quality. As always, do your research and make your purchase according to your own needs and abilities. Hopefully you find the fight cooking addition for your kitchen!

Toaster Oven Potato Chips

Instead of buying store bought chips, you can easily make your own using a toaster oven. They are great for both kids and adults.

Ingredients:

• One large Idaho or starchy potato
• Coarse Sea Salt
• Spray Canola Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Using a potato peeler, peel the potato and then slice into thin chips using a cheese grater or mandolin slicer. If you use a mandolin slicer, peel the potato carefully especially the last bit. Protect your fingers using a special instrument.
2. Put the potato slices in a tray that is sprayed with canola and then spray the chips with canola as well.
3. Salt the chips lightly or sprinkle Rosemary onto them if you like.
4. Preheat your toaster oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and then bake the chips for about 30 to 40 minutes or until they become crispy. You may need to rotate the tray after about 15 to 20 minutes as the back gets hotter than the front.
5. After 30 to 40 minutes, remove them from the toaster oven and allow them to sit for a few minutes before serving.

Honey Apricot Glazed Chicken

You are going to love the sweet and savory flavor that this slow cooker cooked chicken has. The following is how it is prepared.

Ingredients:

• 8 (about 3 pounds) skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon of table salt
• 2 tablespoons of canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, (vertically sliced)
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1/4 cup of apricot brandy
• 1/2 cup of chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of cold butter
• 1 package of dried apricots (halved)
• Garnish: fresh oregano

How to Prepare:

1. First, you will need to sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and then heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on the medium-high heat setting until it starts shimmering.
2. Take half of the chicken and add it to the oil and then allow it to cook for three minutes on each side or until it turns brown. Do the same with the remaining chicken and oil and then transfer the chicken to a 5-quart slow cooker.
3. Add the sliced onion to the skillet and then cook it while stirring occasionally. Allow it to cook for 10 minutes or until it becomes tender and golden brown.
4. Take the brandy and add it to the skillet and then allow it to cook for 2 minutes or until the liquid is almost evaporated. Be sure to stir in order to loosen particles from bottom of the skillet.
5. Take the onion mixture and add it to the slow cooker. Whisk together honey, mustard, and chicken broth and then pour over onions.
6. Cover the mixture and allow it to and cook on the low setting for about four hours or until the chicken becomes tender. Halfway through the cooking, add the dried apricots.
7. Transfer the chicken, apricots and onions to a serving platter and then cover with foil to keep warm.
8. Pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a small saucepan through a fine wire-mesh strainer to discard solids.
9. Bring the slow cooker to a boil over medium-high heat and then whisk in the butter. Serve with the chicken.

Conclusion

The three above-mentioned recipes are just but a few among the many that you can make with your toaster oven or slow cooker. It does not matter if circumstances force you to stay in a hotel for weeks or even months. You can still be able to eat healthy homemade foods if you cannot stand eating restaurant foods for long. You may also save a lot of money if you cook food for yourself while traveling as opposed to ordering ready-made food.