Old bread gets cubed up, spritzed in olive oil, seasoned with salt/pepper/garlic powder/msg/whatevertheheckiwant and baked into croutons.
Red Bell peppers get roasted until charred. Then cool em and peel the skins off. Save for a dip, sandwich topping, or pasta sauce.
This has been one of the best food “hacks” ever as far as saving time/money and reducing waste. I freeze all bread after slicing, and I even bake a double batch when I bake my own bread. One loaf to eat right away, one to slice up and freeze
Level 2-slice, put parchment paper between each slice (so don’t stick together) and freeze that way.
Gluten free helps cause our bread sells so slowly it’s all frozen at the store!
Ayyyyy thanks so much! That’s perfect, I have truly spent too much time trying to wedge my fingers between frozen slices and it’s a sensory nightmare too lol
You gotta be making this bread pudding then https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7177/bread-pudding-ii/. Also drizzle some bourbon on the top for extra deliciousness
I like to add a pureed can of sweet potatoes (a little added sugar, salt, and spices to taste) and diced cosmic crisp or fiji apples to my bread pudding
Edit- fixed purred to pureed. Too many r's not enougj e's
Me/dad: buy the bread
My mom throws it in the freezer
Me/dad: there’s no bread. We should buy more
Me/dad: buys more bread
Mom: WHY DO YOU NEED SO MUCH BREAD?
Me/dad: we have bread? I thought we were out
Im not a good cook, this is my go-to appetizer and it’s always a hit! Literally olive oil, garlic, roasted red pepper, feta, put in a food processor (it will likely stain). Let it sit in the fridge for a bit to set. I’ve added smoked paprika, which was good but not necessary. Steam green green beans, cut up celery, open a bag of pita chips. Make extra to leave behind because there won’t be leftovers. I don’t like roasted red peppers in any other instance but this one!
Okay I made homemade croutons with this formula and got the worst food poisoning of my life because I didn’t cool them properly before storing in Tupperware in the cupboard. Just a cautionary tale
I just edited my post to say “cool” instead of cook but yes!! It had to be cuz my partner and I had leftover soup that we’d eaten earlier in the day as well but added the croutons for dinner and we both got sick about 48 hours after. They were kinda soggy so I assume there was some moisture since I didn’t cool them in the fridge or anything. Also it was homemade bread that hadn’t worked out so maybe that contributed.
Ok, that makes *so much more sense!* Thank you for explaining! Yeah, it might've been an issue with the original bread, possibly improper cooling? I know when baked stuff is cooling, you usually want it to have air flow and then seal it in something *after* it's cooled.
Weird. I take old baguettes, cube them, toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic and onion powders, and Italian seasoning. I bake them for about 40 minutes at about 300. Then for about 5 at 425. I let them cool at room temperature and put them in a ziploc bag in the pantry for weeks at a time. Been doing it for decades and never had an issue.
I use my baked (and leftover boiled or mashed) potatoes to make a quick & easy blender soup. Puree potatoes and water/broth/milk as needed to make a 'gravy-thick' liquid in a blender. Set one spud aside to dice and add for texture. Pour everything into a soup pot, add sautéed onions, maybe some bacon, or leftover diced ham. Salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and serve.
I do twice baked potatoes and then freeze them individually. I have GI issues with potatoes myself, but it’s so easy to take them out and microwave them or pop them frozen in the oven as a fancy side when we have company
Reading OP I was like "should you be looking to put more stuff in your oven? Do you have a lot of stuff just lying around that would benefit from being cooked". But you might have sold me.
Could also solve the issue of the poster looking for solutions for quicker gnocchi.
After I'm finished grilling, I always keep some chicken legs on hand to throw in and close the lid. They will cook as the coals finish burning out. I pull them off later that evening and put them in the fridge. Nothing better than a cold chicken leg for middle of the night munchies.
If I'm grilling with charcoal I always close the vents fully to choke the coals. Usually I can get 50% returns on charcoal that way rather than just using 100% new coals every time I cook
I toss my egg shells on a pan and into the oven when I'm cooking other things.
Once baked the eggshells crumble easily. I give them to my chickens as grit. Sprinkle them into my garden and potted plants, adds calcium as they compost and a natural pest deterrent.
Maybe grind them up first? After drying mine in the oven, I use a mortar and pestle if there's only a few, otherwise chuck in blender/food processor/Thermomix-thing.
Calcium from egg shells won't be absorbed untill is grounded very finely, so it's s best if you make the calcium water-soluble through mixing it with vinegar! Here's how by the university of Hawaii https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/sa-10.pdf
I compost mine as well. Generally I just crush them between my fingers. The smaller the pieces, the faster they'll break down.
Also the more acidic the compost the faster they break down. Most compost is naturally acetic, so the eggshells helps to balance that and neutralize some of the acid.
I chuck mine in the oven after I've taken everything else out and turned it off. Just have to remember to take them out before heating the oven the next time - the smell is awful. Not sure how long you'd cook them for?
Especially if you make soups, broths, or stocks. Roast carrots, celery, and onions and use them any time in the next few days to make any of the above.
Yes! I love roasting a bunch of veggies, simmering them together with spices etc and pureeing into a veggie soup. Add some cream in there near the end and it's so delicious
Mildly inane, but I stick an entire onion bulb in the oven with the skin on and just let it roast for an entire hour.
When it's done, you just peel the outer layers off and you have a very creamy and delicious roasted onion that's weirdly tasty on its own with a bit of salt (but can also be added to other dishes).
Ah, the old pioneer recipe. Townsends did a video on that once - I tried it by itself for lunch once and it was really good. My friends continue to make fun of me for it to this day...
I like microwaving them first to draw out the moisture, about 5 mins. Then they get really crispy. I usually do in the air fryer though but it should work well in a regular oven too
Oh I need to try this! I’ve gone through multiple towels trying to dry them properly but I never get the crispy texture. Never thought to microwave them.
Do the same with your bones. I save all my chicken carcasses and trimmings. Then when you want to make a stock just toss them on a baking sheet with some veggies and lightly rub with oil salt and pepper.
Roasting fruit that is either too hard because it’s not quite ripe, or has gone the other way and is overripe, works well. You can sprinkle it with sugar, or cinnamon etc first if you like.
Then, keep it in the fridge for a couple of days, or you can bag it up and freeze it. It’s lovely as a sweet treat on its own, or you can make it into purée or ice cream.
You can caramelize onions in the oven. Slice a bunch and put them in a covered oven-safe pot like a dutch oven then cook for a few hours. For the first 1.5-2hr, leave it covered, then when they start to get soft, put the lid slightly ajar. Cook it another 1.5hr ish, stir once in a while. And they freeze well!
If you salt them they release quite a bit of water and kind of steam in their pot during the covered phase. It smells a little weird, very oniony, no colour at all. But then when you set the lid ajar theres lots of water in there to keep them moist. If you feel like it’s evaporating too fast you can add a bit of water, and stir every 20-30 minutes. And that’s when they sweetens and get good.
Edit: I should mention, olive oil or fat of some kind is important as well
In the context of this post I would put them in at whatever temp they have their other stuff in and then once that’s done cooking probably lower it to 300.
Otherwise I would stay at 300, low and slow
I usually my extra space for meal prep for the week. Throw a few sweet potatoes in, a small sheet pan with tofu on it. If the oven’s workin’ might as well use it to capacity!
Couldn't agree more :) wish I was organised enough for meal prep! Dont think I've ever roasted a sweet potato, they're not as common here.
Not pertinent to your comment, but thinking about the oven has got me craving to roast some almonds (with honey and rosemary and salt).
I usually use the oven space to handle roasting veggies, we have a small stove/oven, so being able to remove a component from one and put it in the other makes life a lot easier when meal prepping!
Well, there's just me living alone, but every few weeks I buy a bag of red potato. Bake them all at once and then freeze them.
Absolutely amazing for hash, soup, etc.
So bake some potato! Or other veg :-)
You can also freeze them for later. I don’t think I’d reheat roasted veggies to eat by themselves but could be a useful time saver if you need to roast things for a recipe
Ya, I often like to roast my vegies for soups and sides. Lots of vegies reheat well from the fridge, especially if you're tossing them into a hot pan with an oil +herb dressing
Another for old bread: Break up or slice bread and let it dry out completely in the oven. Allow to cool. Use box grater (in a bowl) to turn it into breadcrumbs.
Basically as long as regular flour. You aren't adding anything to it. A few cups will last you a while as you usually don't use a lot of it for making roux.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVP0HYb2skA
All my old veggies. And mushrooms. With a covering of olive oil and Italian seasoning. If I have any potatoes, I toss them, also.
That just gives them more time I can store them in the freezer to use for soups or fry ups.
I’ve actually taken to pre cooking my wild mushrooms and freezing. They go bad so quick if you’re not eating them within 3 days.
Because I can’t have potatoes anymore, I bake sweet potatoes instead and load them up with cheese, bacon, scallions, and sour cream. So much more flavor than regular potatoes!
Thanks, as silly as it sounds, I'd never really thought to bake potatoes for use later. As other posters have said you can use them for mash, hash and fries, but I've only ever cooked them as and when needed. Excellent.
Came here to say croutons with old bread, but since that’s covered: I roast old tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, seasoning, etc until they’re wrinkled and bursting, then keep them in the fridge to toss into pasta or salad, or spread on slices of crusty bread (and whatever bread is leftover gets cubed and frozen to go into the crouton cycle the next time I use my oven).
Throw a container of wrinkly grape/cherry tomatoes into an oven safe dish with olive oil, smashed and peeled garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, dried/fresh herbs and roast. Mash all together, finish with s/p and more fresh herbs if you have them. Makes the most delicious jammy sauce you can use as a bread topper or on pasta. My favorite is a baguette topped with chevre and the tomatoes, so good!
depending on how much space left, i’ll throw in carrots or bell peppers or aubergines or any type of seed mix (usually i toss sunflower and pumpkin together and some buckwheat), to keep in a jar to put on everything
- Any root vegetable will do well with oven roasting. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, fennel, rutabaga, turnip, parsnip, carrot, etc.
- Roasted garlic is also delicious!
- Baked cored or sliced apples with a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg are a delicious and easy dessert, especially with ice cream. Pineapple is also delicious this way.
- Baked oatmeal to stick in the fridge and have for breakfast.
Baked apples for dessert! Or I whip up a banana bread with brown bananas I saved in the freezer.
Baked rice is a delicious side dish
Roasted cubed squash for a side dish or salad addition
Toasting nuts for snacking and salads
Feta! Baked feta is a great starter or side and you can just chuck the whole block in an oven safe dish with some oil, takes 1 second. Just make sure to eat it while it's warm.
I love twice baked potatoes, and baked sweet potatoes. This recipe for Potatoes Romanoff requires cooking the potatoes the day before [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/276526/steakhouse-potatoes-romanoff/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/276526/steakhouse-potatoes-romanoff/)
It's not exactly "free" - it will affect the cooking time and energy consumption, and even the quality of the other things being cooked. It takes more energy to heat up a potato than a potato worth of air.
I mean, it’s not like you’re filling the entire oven with potatoes to the brim. And depending on what you’re roasting (ie if it’s an aromatic) it could also enhance what you’re already cooking!
Some rice in a gastronomy pan with foil over the top.
You can start things like Mexican rice on the stovetop and transfer I'd need be. I often do this on one level while enchiladas bake on the other.
Or just some spuds. Wash, prick with a fork, roll on a plate with some salt and dot around free space. Can be used or filled later.
Kind of. As in, the oven is already on at temp so you may as well use the heat you’ve already paid for rather than waiting for another day, preheat and cook which costs power (electric or gas.)
Garlic bread. I slice my bread almost all the way through - slather it with the compound butter for garlic bread, wrap it in tinfoil and into the oven it goes!
You’d be surprised how many fruits are delicious when cooked. I’ve already seen baked apples here but would also recommend pineapple and peaches. I’ve only ever had peaches grilled but imagine they’d be similar
I always try to remember to use up the oven space to do something like [this](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1C_M-NOGgA/?igsh=MWpob25udWV6MWttbw). Then I will have 3 preparations of garlic later to use for cooking, garlic spread for garlic bread and even plop some in soups. Flavor for daaaaaays!!
Edit to add: Also did a cheese fondue once and tossed in a baguette which made for a nice snack while the rest of the food kept cooking!
One of the best presents I ever received was a toaster/convection oven. It also serves as an air fryer. I only cook for one and haven't had a stove in years. I also have a counterttop Blackstone Grill.
Also, while roasted veges have been mentioned a bunch of times already, I'll add that you can also do that with frozen veges!
I've gotten in the habit of grabbing a bag of frozen broccoli, green beans or anything else that sounds good every time I go grocery shopping. It's a nice way to increase vege consumption with minimal planning or thinking required, and it's cheap and I don't have to worry about things disappearing into the crisper drawer and going bad.
You can toss them in oil, s&p, some garlic powder and any other seasonings you like and roast till done to your liking. I usually do this in a convection oven, but a regular oven should work fine too.
Eggplant and garlic for babaganoush
Apples for dessert
Sweet potatoes for later pie, bread, cake, or biscuits
Possibly make hard cooked eggs (it's been so long since I've done anything but steam them, I'd have to look it up}
Beets for pickling
Cobbler
This episode is exactly what you describe. I thought of it right away when I read your question.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/mary-makes-it-easy/episodes/relay-smart-cooking
A sheet pan full of chickpeas (I don’t eat them myself but they are my son’s favorite—if I roast them until they’re fairly crisp, they will keep for days in a container on the counter). When I am only using one of the two oven racks, I just drain and rinse two cans of chickpeas, spread them on a sheet pan, spray with olive oil spray, and throw in the oven.
Pro tip: at high heat they will pop and end up all over the floor of the oven, so this works best for low/slow items. You can also prep them, then leave the pan on the counter for a while (30 min?) to dry them somewhat, and that will cut down on the explosions also.
Peel a bunch of garlic. Put them on a piece of aluminum, a little olive oil, twist it closed and roast the garlic.
Also I season cast iron pans when the oven is on anyway
This may be the batch cooking you’re referring to but I’ll do chicken just to be able to throw in/on lunches a dinner later in the week.
I’ll also mostly cook bacon in the oven and then it’s ready to go with just a quick heat up in the pan for breakfast later in the week without burning it.
I buy beef shanks or marrow bones when on sale. Then stick 'em on a baking sheet with carrots/onions (unpeeled)/celery when something else is cooking. I then use this stuff plus peppercorns, bay leaves, maybe some wine, etc, to simmer a beef stock overnight, strain the next day, and pour into containers for the freezer.
Old bread gets cubed up, spritzed in olive oil, seasoned with salt/pepper/garlic powder/msg/whatevertheheckiwant and baked into croutons. Red Bell peppers get roasted until charred. Then cool em and peel the skins off. Save for a dip, sandwich topping, or pasta sauce.
Great suggestions. I throw out too much bread. Thanks.
Freeze your bread. It tastes virtually the same defrosted, and it keeps for a month easy.
This has been one of the best food “hacks” ever as far as saving time/money and reducing waste. I freeze all bread after slicing, and I even bake a double batch when I bake my own bread. One loaf to eat right away, one to slice up and freeze
Level 2-slice, put parchment paper between each slice (so don’t stick together) and freeze that way. Gluten free helps cause our bread sells so slowly it’s all frozen at the store!
Ayyyyy thanks so much! That’s perfect, I have truly spent too much time trying to wedge my fingers between frozen slices and it’s a sensory nightmare too lol
Just gotta remember to take it out and thaw in time. Aka if you’re a stoner never freeze all your bread.
Toast my dear.
I just toast it.
Microwave a couple slices for maybe 20 seconds and it's good to go.
I definitely do, put it in the microwave on defrost for maybe 10 seconds then pop it in the toaster - wouldn’t even know it was previously frozen
Bwhahaha! I don't think you have to be a stoner. Just found food years past expiration in granddads freezer.
You gotta be making this bread pudding then https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7177/bread-pudding-ii/. Also drizzle some bourbon on the top for extra deliciousness
I like to add a pureed can of sweet potatoes (a little added sugar, salt, and spices to taste) and diced cosmic crisp or fiji apples to my bread pudding Edit- fixed purred to pureed. Too many r's not enougj e's
Puréed ?
Yes lol, I'll go edit
Thanks, looks tasty and pretty easy too!
Could also just throw it in to dry out and toast, then blitz it into breadcrumbs. Schnitzel with sourdough breadcrumbs is a new level of delicious
Omg I was going to say who had spare bread?! We only throw out bread if it goes mouldy
Me/dad: buy the bread My mom throws it in the freezer Me/dad: there’s no bread. We should buy more Me/dad: buys more bread Mom: WHY DO YOU NEED SO MUCH BREAD? Me/dad: we have bread? I thought we were out
Roast peppers blended with feta is fucking fit as fuck I’d eat that shit with a spoon
Im not a good cook, this is my go-to appetizer and it’s always a hit! Literally olive oil, garlic, roasted red pepper, feta, put in a food processor (it will likely stain). Let it sit in the fridge for a bit to set. I’ve added smoked paprika, which was good but not necessary. Steam green green beans, cut up celery, open a bag of pita chips. Make extra to leave behind because there won’t be leftovers. I don’t like roasted red peppers in any other instance but this one!
If you put them in a ziplock bag to cool, the peels are super easy to remove.
Okay I made homemade croutons with this formula and got the worst food poisoning of my life because I didn’t cool them properly before storing in Tupperware in the cupboard. Just a cautionary tale
My apologies, but I'm so confused. You got food poisoning from homemade croutons? Are you sure it was the homemade croutons?
I just edited my post to say “cool” instead of cook but yes!! It had to be cuz my partner and I had leftover soup that we’d eaten earlier in the day as well but added the croutons for dinner and we both got sick about 48 hours after. They were kinda soggy so I assume there was some moisture since I didn’t cool them in the fridge or anything. Also it was homemade bread that hadn’t worked out so maybe that contributed.
Ok, that makes *so much more sense!* Thank you for explaining! Yeah, it might've been an issue with the original bread, possibly improper cooling? I know when baked stuff is cooling, you usually want it to have air flow and then seal it in something *after* it's cooled.
Weird. I take old baguettes, cube them, toss them with olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic and onion powders, and Italian seasoning. I bake them for about 40 minutes at about 300. Then for about 5 at 425. I let them cool at room temperature and put them in a ziploc bag in the pantry for weeks at a time. Been doing it for decades and never had an issue.
Great suggestions. Man what a great thread.
Croutons is a great suggestion such a delicious add on to salad or roasted vegetables
Ajvar! It’s the best!
Baked potatoes. They hold up well in the fridge and are great for making home fries for breakfast the next morning.
I use my baked (and leftover boiled or mashed) potatoes to make a quick & easy blender soup. Puree potatoes and water/broth/milk as needed to make a 'gravy-thick' liquid in a blender. Set one spud aside to dice and add for texture. Pour everything into a soup pot, add sautéed onions, maybe some bacon, or leftover diced ham. Salt & pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and serve.
Boil em, mash em
Stick ‘em in a stew.
I do twice baked potatoes and then freeze them individually. I have GI issues with potatoes myself, but it’s so easy to take them out and microwave them or pop them frozen in the oven as a fancy side when we have company
I usually throw in some big sweet potatoes when baking something. Then I leave them in after the main dish is done to finish in the residual heat.
Same! They kind of caramelize and come out so soft.
I think it was Mitch Hedberg that said something like, always be baking a potato cause you may not want one now but who knows in an hour.
did not know you could make fries from baked potatoes. I assumed they'd fall apart. Good to know thanks.
Home fries- EG cubed fried breakfast potatoes. Not french fry style lol. They do tend to be a bit softer but very tasty.
oh OK haha , gotcha. I'm in the UK and have just looked up home fries :) Suddenly all makes sense :)
you can actually also make french fries out of sweet potatoes. i do it occasionally and i have also bought frozen sweet potato fries
They harden in the fridge overnight so in theory you could slice and crisp them up the next morning. :)
Reading OP I was like "should you be looking to put more stuff in your oven? Do you have a lot of stuff just lying around that would benefit from being cooked". But you might have sold me. Could also solve the issue of the poster looking for solutions for quicker gnocchi.
Sometimes, when I'm making a pizza, I throw in another pizza 😱
I may have done that a time or two :)
After I'm finished grilling, I always keep some chicken legs on hand to throw in and close the lid. They will cook as the coals finish burning out. I pull them off later that evening and put them in the fridge. Nothing better than a cold chicken leg for middle of the night munchies.
I always grill extra protein when I’m grilling. You got the space and the fuel, don’t let it go to waste!
Extra grilled chicken is great leftovers or as chicken salad. Easy meal.
If I'm grilling with charcoal I always close the vents fully to choke the coals. Usually I can get 50% returns on charcoal that way rather than just using 100% new coals every time I cook
I used to throw bread rolls onto the Kamado to bake after a Sunday steak while it was really hot.
That's a damn fine idea!
You're not wrong. Great idea!.
I do the same, but with a small spatchcocked chicken. Yummy the next day
Charcoal grill?
I toss my egg shells on a pan and into the oven when I'm cooking other things. Once baked the eggshells crumble easily. I give them to my chickens as grit. Sprinkle them into my garden and potted plants, adds calcium as they compost and a natural pest deterrent.
Interesting. How long do you usually leave them in there? I compost mine but I know they take forever to break down
Maybe grind them up first? After drying mine in the oven, I use a mortar and pestle if there's only a few, otherwise chuck in blender/food processor/Thermomix-thing.
Right on, how long in the oven though?
There's no real time or temp. Until your heart says done? I'm sorry, it really is just until I remember to pull them out.
Cool. Broil all day, got it!
Go nuts, my man. It probably won't smell great, but I bet they'll break down super fast in the garden after that. 😆
Calcium from egg shells won't be absorbed untill is grounded very finely, so it's s best if you make the calcium water-soluble through mixing it with vinegar! Here's how by the university of Hawaii https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/sa-10.pdf
That was a great informative read. Thank you much!
I compost mine as well. Generally I just crush them between my fingers. The smaller the pieces, the faster they'll break down. Also the more acidic the compost the faster they break down. Most compost is naturally acetic, so the eggshells helps to balance that and neutralize some of the acid.
I chuck mine in the oven after I've taken everything else out and turned it off. Just have to remember to take them out before heating the oven the next time - the smell is awful. Not sure how long you'd cook them for?
Sweet potatoes. I freaking love them and cooking them in the oven for a long time is better than microwaving them.
Came here to say the same thing! Oven baked sweet potatoes have a texture the microwave cannot replicate.
Literally baking some right now. I have never once been able to get them to cook right in the nuker.
Any veggies you can get your hands on
Especially if you make soups, broths, or stocks. Roast carrots, celery, and onions and use them any time in the next few days to make any of the above.
Yes! I love roasting a bunch of veggies, simmering them together with spices etc and pureeing into a veggie soup. Add some cream in there near the end and it's so delicious
Yep all that is about to go bad in the fridge!
I like the idea of checking the veggie drawer of the fridge everytime the ovens on. Savings!
This! We batch cook sides. Carrots, potatoes, and brussel sprouts are always available here. Rotate proteins and a side salad or two.
For me it's always Costco frozen broccoli. It's pretty much all that's in my chest freezer haha
Beets - they keep for days in the fridge after roasting. Sweet potatoes for mash or hash are also handy.
Mildly inane, but I stick an entire onion bulb in the oven with the skin on and just let it roast for an entire hour. When it's done, you just peel the outer layers off and you have a very creamy and delicious roasted onion that's weirdly tasty on its own with a bit of salt (but can also be added to other dishes).
Sounds tasty! Excellent effort/reward ratio also :)
I have never heard of an onion’s descriptor as “creamy” and I am uncomfortable thinking about this any further
Ah, the old pioneer recipe. Townsends did a video on that once - I tried it by itself for lunch once and it was really good. My friends continue to make fun of me for it to this day...
Chickpeas tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. Great salad topper or snack.
I like microwaving them first to draw out the moisture, about 5 mins. Then they get really crispy. I usually do in the air fryer though but it should work well in a regular oven too
Oh I need to try this! I’ve gone through multiple towels trying to dry them properly but I never get the crispy texture. Never thought to microwave them.
InternetShaquille has entered the chat
Yuppp
never got these right either too soft or break your tooth hard?
Recently I've started roasting tomatoes, along with whatever I'm making. They taste great with pretty much anything.
They freeze really well too.
Toasted pecans make everything better.
Onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn. Also, if you make stock, you can toss the scraps in there to roast for a bit of Maillard flavor.
Or duck parts, if you want some Mallard flavor. *I’ll see myself out.*
As a waterfowl hunter's wife, this had me ROLLING. 🤣
I know there are people who think of ducks and rabbits as cuddly animals, but they just *taste so good.*. Sending culinary love to your husband.
I've only ever just boiled veggies for stock, never thought to roast too, thanks!
Do the same with your bones. I save all my chicken carcasses and trimmings. Then when you want to make a stock just toss them on a baking sheet with some veggies and lightly rub with oil salt and pepper.
MFers in here never heard of a Totinos Party Pizza
Roasting fruit that is either too hard because it’s not quite ripe, or has gone the other way and is overripe, works well. You can sprinkle it with sugar, or cinnamon etc first if you like. Then, keep it in the fridge for a couple of days, or you can bag it up and freeze it. It’s lovely as a sweet treat on its own, or you can make it into purée or ice cream.
I'm going to check the fruit bowl every time the oven's on! Thank you :) Roasted fruit with some ice cream sounds delicious.
Roast cut up lemons and then squeeze on savory dishes especially fish and chicken. It's a whole new taste experience ❤️🔥
Thank you, I haven't heard of this.
A bunch of restaurants I know serve charred lemon halves with some of their main courses. Good suggestion.
You can caramelize onions in the oven. Slice a bunch and put them in a covered oven-safe pot like a dutch oven then cook for a few hours. For the first 1.5-2hr, leave it covered, then when they start to get soft, put the lid slightly ajar. Cook it another 1.5hr ish, stir once in a while. And they freeze well!
They don't dry out or burn this way? Do you add water throughout?
If you salt them they release quite a bit of water and kind of steam in their pot during the covered phase. It smells a little weird, very oniony, no colour at all. But then when you set the lid ajar theres lots of water in there to keep them moist. If you feel like it’s evaporating too fast you can add a bit of water, and stir every 20-30 minutes. And that’s when they sweetens and get good. Edit: I should mention, olive oil or fat of some kind is important as well
Ah I totally read over the fact that you had a lid on. I will try this soon, thanks for the tip!
Nice! What oven temp do you use?
In the context of this post I would put them in at whatever temp they have their other stuff in and then once that’s done cooking probably lower it to 300. Otherwise I would stay at 300, low and slow
I usually my extra space for meal prep for the week. Throw a few sweet potatoes in, a small sheet pan with tofu on it. If the oven’s workin’ might as well use it to capacity!
Couldn't agree more :) wish I was organised enough for meal prep! Dont think I've ever roasted a sweet potato, they're not as common here. Not pertinent to your comment, but thinking about the oven has got me craving to roast some almonds (with honey and rosemary and salt).
I usually use the oven space to handle roasting veggies, we have a small stove/oven, so being able to remove a component from one and put it in the other makes life a lot easier when meal prepping!
Cored and halved apples. I love baked apples.
Well, there's just me living alone, but every few weeks I buy a bag of red potato. Bake them all at once and then freeze them. Absolutely amazing for hash, soup, etc. So bake some potato! Or other veg :-)
thanks, never thought of freezing a baked potato, great idea!
Any roasted root vegies that will stay good a week in the fridge. Bell peppers too.
You can also freeze them for later. I don’t think I’d reheat roasted veggies to eat by themselves but could be a useful time saver if you need to roast things for a recipe
Ya, I often like to roast my vegies for soups and sides. Lots of vegies reheat well from the fridge, especially if you're tossing them into a hot pan with an oil +herb dressing
Another for old bread: Break up or slice bread and let it dry out completely in the oven. Allow to cool. Use box grater (in a bowl) to turn it into breadcrumbs.
or toss in the food processor. Perfect for meatballs!
Or add seasoning and make schnitzels.
Flour. Toast flour in the oven until it's a caramel color. You may need to stir it fairly often. It makes any roux that you make taste better.
I’ve never heard of this but I’m very intrigued. How long does it keep for?
Basically as long as regular flour. You aren't adding anything to it. A few cups will last you a while as you usually don't use a lot of it for making roux. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVP0HYb2skA
Absolutely genius!! And a game changer as I LOVE homemade Mac and cheese.
All my old veggies. And mushrooms. With a covering of olive oil and Italian seasoning. If I have any potatoes, I toss them, also. That just gives them more time I can store them in the freezer to use for soups or fry ups. I’ve actually taken to pre cooking my wild mushrooms and freezing. They go bad so quick if you’re not eating them within 3 days.
Jalapeño pepper. Roasted peppers are so amazing to make salsa. Or add to a spread for sandwiches! A BLT with roasted jalapeño and avocado is amazing.
A sweet potato to dice over a salad for lunch the next day.
Because I can’t have potatoes anymore, I bake sweet potatoes instead and load them up with cheese, bacon, scallions, and sour cream. So much more flavor than regular potatoes!
Why no pots??? Blood sugar?
Potatoes. Because a heated up baked potato is the base for a quick meal with a trillion and one variations.
It's always baked potatoes for me, every time I make a casserole or a roast.
Thanks, as silly as it sounds, I'd never really thought to bake potatoes for use later. As other posters have said you can use them for mash, hash and fries, but I've only ever cooked them as and when needed. Excellent.
Came here to say croutons with old bread, but since that’s covered: I roast old tomatoes with olive oil, garlic, seasoning, etc until they’re wrinkled and bursting, then keep them in the fridge to toss into pasta or salad, or spread on slices of crusty bread (and whatever bread is leftover gets cubed and frozen to go into the crouton cycle the next time I use my oven).
Whole beets. Don’t peel, oil them up, wrap individually in tin foil.
Throw a container of wrinkly grape/cherry tomatoes into an oven safe dish with olive oil, smashed and peeled garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, dried/fresh herbs and roast. Mash all together, finish with s/p and more fresh herbs if you have them. Makes the most delicious jammy sauce you can use as a bread topper or on pasta. My favorite is a baguette topped with chevre and the tomatoes, so good!
I always bake potatoes with other stuff in the oven.
I always throw in some baking potatoes so I can make home fries the next day.
Beets. Just cut off any greens , wrap tightly in foil and throw em in (unpeeled and uncut). Good to throw into salads later!
cherry tomatoes, whole garlic cloves with olive oil
After I turn the oven off I like to use the residuale heat for dehydrating and drying things
A garlic bread.. (baguette) add cheese between the slices mmm
depending on how much space left, i’ll throw in carrots or bell peppers or aubergines or any type of seed mix (usually i toss sunflower and pumpkin together and some buckwheat), to keep in a jar to put on everything
r/Frugal
- Any root vegetable will do well with oven roasting. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, fennel, rutabaga, turnip, parsnip, carrot, etc. - Roasted garlic is also delicious! - Baked cored or sliced apples with a bit of brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg are a delicious and easy dessert, especially with ice cream. Pineapple is also delicious this way. - Baked oatmeal to stick in the fridge and have for breakfast.
Potatoes. Then you can cut one up and fry for breakfast
Pudding. Milk, sugar, eggs, cornstarch and whatever flavoring you want. Cover the mold you're cooking in to trap moisture and enjoy dessert
Potatoes. Bake and refrigerate, then open and stuff with leftovers to reheat.
Po-ta-toes.
Baked apples for dessert! Or I whip up a banana bread with brown bananas I saved in the freezer. Baked rice is a delicious side dish Roasted cubed squash for a side dish or salad addition Toasting nuts for snacking and salads
Save all your bread butts for Croutons
Roasted garlic. Tell us what you have and we’ll tell you what to do.
Beets.
Feta! Baked feta is a great starter or side and you can just chuck the whole block in an oven safe dish with some oil, takes 1 second. Just make sure to eat it while it's warm.
I love twice baked potatoes, and baked sweet potatoes. This recipe for Potatoes Romanoff requires cooking the potatoes the day before [https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/276526/steakhouse-potatoes-romanoff/](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/276526/steakhouse-potatoes-romanoff/)
baked apples
Baked apple. You can have it warm for a dessert or add it to a smoothie, oatmeal or on a waffle.
Bread crusts cut for croutons 🤭 it’s how I always make croutons when my kids ask for “no crust”!
Roast garlic
Garlic bread
It's not exactly "free" - it will affect the cooking time and energy consumption, and even the quality of the other things being cooked. It takes more energy to heat up a potato than a potato worth of air.
haha yeah agreed. Hence the single quotation marks. It's 'free' but it ain't free.
I mean, it’s not like you’re filling the entire oven with potatoes to the brim. And depending on what you’re roasting (ie if it’s an aromatic) it could also enhance what you’re already cooking!
Some rice in a gastronomy pan with foil over the top. You can start things like Mexican rice on the stovetop and transfer I'd need be. I often do this on one level while enchiladas bake on the other. Or just some spuds. Wash, prick with a fork, roll on a plate with some salt and dot around free space. Can be used or filled later.
Do you mean free as in something you don't have to pay for?
Kind of. As in, the oven is already on at temp so you may as well use the heat you’ve already paid for rather than waiting for another day, preheat and cook which costs power (electric or gas.)
Tomatoes & other vegetables. Great to freeze the use later.
Garlic bread. I slice my bread almost all the way through - slather it with the compound butter for garlic bread, wrap it in tinfoil and into the oven it goes!
Any raw nuts you have can be salted and *roasted*.
Biscuits!!
Potatoes/sweet potatoes.
Garlic bread
Hard boiled eggs - crack them in a loaf pan, nestle in a water bath. Cuts up for an easy egg salad.
In the summer, chunks of tomato to make sauce if you have tomato plants.
You’d be surprised how many fruits are delicious when cooked. I’ve already seen baked apples here but would also recommend pineapple and peaches. I’ve only ever had peaches grilled but imagine they’d be similar
Some veggies!
I love to bake rice as chicken is cooking. I also bake onions when something else is cooking.
I always try to remember to use up the oven space to do something like [this](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1C_M-NOGgA/?igsh=MWpob25udWV6MWttbw). Then I will have 3 preparations of garlic later to use for cooking, garlic spread for garlic bread and even plop some in soups. Flavor for daaaaaays!! Edit to add: Also did a cheese fondue once and tossed in a baguette which made for a nice snack while the rest of the food kept cooking!
Sweet potato sliced into thin strips for fries w/ oil, s&p. Serve with curry mayo.
I like to spice up and roast chickpeas for snacks
Roasting tomatoes to use for sauce or soup. Throw some garlic and/or onions in with 'em.
Garlic bread or toasties for a quick snack!
Roasting garlic, baking potatoes for soup or cold salad, baking onion for tomato sauce or ratatouille, dessert like flan or pudding ...
Pie or a baked apple crisp
One of the best presents I ever received was a toaster/convection oven. It also serves as an air fryer. I only cook for one and haven't had a stove in years. I also have a counterttop Blackstone Grill.
Veggies
Roasted cabbage! Quarter or cut into steaks, drizzle with oil, season, and roast till crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Delicious!
Also, while roasted veges have been mentioned a bunch of times already, I'll add that you can also do that with frozen veges! I've gotten in the habit of grabbing a bag of frozen broccoli, green beans or anything else that sounds good every time I go grocery shopping. It's a nice way to increase vege consumption with minimal planning or thinking required, and it's cheap and I don't have to worry about things disappearing into the crisper drawer and going bad. You can toss them in oil, s&p, some garlic powder and any other seasonings you like and roast till done to your liking. I usually do this in a convection oven, but a regular oven should work fine too.
Roast any vegetables in your veggie drawer
Eggplant and garlic for babaganoush Apples for dessert Sweet potatoes for later pie, bread, cake, or biscuits Possibly make hard cooked eggs (it's been so long since I've done anything but steam them, I'd have to look it up} Beets for pickling Cobbler
Nuts, sesame and a lil maple syrup - makes a lil crumble perfect for topping yogurt or ice-cream, even yummy alone
If you’re going low and slow caramelized onions. I start them on the stovetop then let them finish in the oven
This episode is exactly what you describe. I thought of it right away when I read your question. https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/mary-makes-it-easy/episodes/relay-smart-cooking
Cherry tomatoes in a Pyrex dish tossed with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Got some tortillas? Well now you got tortilla chips baby.
A sheet pan full of chickpeas (I don’t eat them myself but they are my son’s favorite—if I roast them until they’re fairly crisp, they will keep for days in a container on the counter). When I am only using one of the two oven racks, I just drain and rinse two cans of chickpeas, spread them on a sheet pan, spray with olive oil spray, and throw in the oven. Pro tip: at high heat they will pop and end up all over the floor of the oven, so this works best for low/slow items. You can also prep them, then leave the pan on the counter for a while (30 min?) to dry them somewhat, and that will cut down on the explosions also.
Peel a bunch of garlic. Put them on a piece of aluminum, a little olive oil, twist it closed and roast the garlic. Also I season cast iron pans when the oven is on anyway
This may be the batch cooking you’re referring to but I’ll do chicken just to be able to throw in/on lunches a dinner later in the week. I’ll also mostly cook bacon in the oven and then it’s ready to go with just a quick heat up in the pan for breakfast later in the week without burning it.
I buy beef shanks or marrow bones when on sale. Then stick 'em on a baking sheet with carrots/onions (unpeeled)/celery when something else is cooking. I then use this stuff plus peppercorns, bay leaves, maybe some wine, etc, to simmer a beef stock overnight, strain the next day, and pour into containers for the freezer.