The Roaster That Saved Thanksgiving

 

The saga of the Great Appliance Shortage of 2020 continues!

As you may recall, my oven died in July and we promptly ordered a new appliance package the first week of August. Kitchenaid oven, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator, all in white with stainless/chrome handles. We were told it would come around Labor Day. And then we were told end of September. And then we were told end of November.

And then we reached out to our salesman for an update.

{Cue the sound of crickets}

My husband had enough. Last week, he contacted the manager and found out the latest.

The microwave had arrived, and the oven is expected before Christmas. But the dishwasher and refrigerator were not even in production yet, and we would probably have to re-order those in different models to get them by the end of January.

Wah!

I understand that COVID and the factory shutdowns disrupted the supply chain. I am not the only one who is waiting for an order. But the question remained:

What will I do about Thanksgiving?

This week, the state of Michigan closed indoor dining for the next three weeks, so that was not an option.

In the past, we have ordered the Bob Evans meal, but even that has to be baked in an oven.

I spoke about my predicament with my friends at Stamp Camp, and they suggested an electric roaster. You can roast in them, you can bake in them. It's kind of like having a countertop oven.

Last week, when I was at Walmart doing some grocery shopping, I found this Oster electric roaster for $29. Sold! I thought it would be a good idea to give it a test run before the holiday. Last night, I baked a pan of cornbread to go with our chili dinner. I am happy to report it worked perfectly!

I decided to order a Nordic Ware Bundt pan and  9 x 13 cake pan to use in the roaster, too.

I was worried initially about adding another gadget to my already small kitchen. But I made some room on a bottom shelf in the pantry, and this fits just fine. I have the feeling I will be using this a lot in the future!

My plan for Thanksgiving looks like this:

*Slow cooker mashed potatoes

*Stuffing on the stove top

*Bake cranberry casserole in roaster in the morning

*Bake crescent rolls after the cranberry casserole

*Put small turkey in roaster (directions say it will take about two hours)

*Make fresh green bean side dish on stove top

*Buy a pumpkin pie from our local grocery store and call it a day!

Thanksgiving, simplified. I like it!

And speaking of simple, here's one of my favorite breakfast treats that I came up with recently. I am calling this one Banana Bread Oatmeal!

It's pretty simple, but so satisfying on a cold November morning! 

I like Steel Cuts Oats, but you could use regular oatmeal, too. I pair it with chopped walnuts, sliced banana, a drizzle of pure maple syrup, a splash of almond milk, and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Mmm! So good!

The good news? We were assigned a new "product specialist" who did some research and found us an upgraded matching dishwasher. Yay! The oven, microwave, and dishwasher are all in the same area of the kitchen, and I wanted them to match.

As for the fridge, he found us a very similar model from Whirlpool (who also makes Kitchenaid), white with stainless handles, and it was actually cheaper. Yay again!

I have put plans for the kitchen on hold: updating the tile backsplash, replacing the kitchen cabinet handles with chrome. It will all get done when it gets done.

I think 2020 has been one LONG lesson on patience.

Stay healthy, café friends!