Menu for One

The Toaster Oven: is it toast?

Long famous for its scientific methodology and thorough, but dry reporting style, Cook's Illustrated listed the results of its latest study in its November 2009 issue:the best small kitchen appliances.  Surprisingly, the waffle iron made the list, but the toaster-oven did not.  Cook's Illustrated explained, "Our one recommended [toaster oven] cooked food more evenly (including roasted chicken) than the other models we tested, offering reliable cooking, user-friendly controls, solid construction—and even decent toast. But since it is expensive, we only recommend it if you want to invest in a higher-end toaster oven for small cooking projects. You can do equally well (and save a lot of money) with an ordinary toaster and your full-size oven."

Sure, there are savings when choosing to pass on the toaster oven for the ordinary toaster, what about the energy savings involved in pre-heating a toaster oven instead of an oven?  Do you ever feel guilty turning on the oven when cooking for one?  Full disclosure: my toaster oven did not make the cut in my last move, and to be honest, I'm loving the extra real estate on my counter top.  But when I have the urge to make a baked potato or a tuna melt, I feel a twinge of guilt when I turn on the oven.

What do you think?  Does the toaster oven play a more important role in the solo cook's/solo eater's kitchen?  What are your toaster oven success stories?  Do you agree with Cook's Illustrated that only the more expensive toaster ovens deserve a spot in your kitchen?

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

There were times during college where money was tight, usually at the end of the semester.  And even though I had a meal plan at the school dining hall, by the end of the year, I couldn't bear the thought of eating another cafeteria meal.  

What to do?  I had a microwave, and sometimes had access to a hot plate and a two-quart pot.  I didn't have a car, and there wasn't a grocery store within walking distance, but there was a CVS nearby.  I created all sorts of odd meals with convenience items, notably a breakfast burrito made with scrambled eggs, packaged deli ham, cheese, and jarred salsa wrapped in a tortilla.  But the uniting characteristic of most of these drug store purchases (other than the fact they were cheap) was that they were ORANGE.  And although I still have a fondness for orange food, such as orange juice and goldfish, orange food always reminds me of those low-budget, make-shift dinners. 

That's why when I read Mark Bittman's recipe in the New York Times for a roasted sweet potato salad a few weeks ago, I decided to revisit orange food again to see if it could really be good eats.  The sweet, orange sweet potatoes are combined with black beans, crunchy red onion, bright red bell pepper, and flecked with green cilantro.  A light lime-jalepeno vinaigrette ties all the elements together.  As an added bonus, it's a warm salad, perfect on an autumn day like today.

Here's the recipe and a short Mark Bittman video showing how to make this absolutely delicious meal that doesn't require a lot of hands-on cooking time.  It can easily be cut in half for a menu for one, but honestly, I don't think you would mind making and eating the whole recipe over a couple of days.  It would make a great side dish next to spicy, roasted pork tenderloin or steak, but I can testify it's great on its own.  It's got a little zip to it from the lime and jalapeno, but if you'd like it a little spicier, I'd double the jalapeno or pick a smaller, spicier pepper.  [note: if you taste the vinaigrette before you add it to the sweet potatoes it will be very tart and spicy.  Don't be alarmed, it'll all mellow out].  Enjoy!