Many kitchen appliances appear to have one use. Not true! You can use your bread machine, waffle iron, ice cream maker and fondue pot for other easy and delicious recipes.
You can make your favorite meat loaf in your bread machine or use the recipe below. You can walk away and let it cook on its own, using little electricity. Use the bake setting on your bread machine.
Maple Syrup–Glazed Meat Loaf
Vegetable oil spray
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen onion
1 cup chopped fresh or frozen green bell pepper
1 ½ pounds extra-lean ground beef
4 teaspoons ground sage
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 Tablespoons maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Spray the bread machine pan with vegetable oil spray. Place frozen onion and green bell pepper in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave one minute on high to defrost. If using fresh onion and green bell pepper, microwave on high for two to three minutes. Add the beef to the bowl, and mix well. Mix in the sage and bread crumbs. In a small bowl, combine the Dijon mustard and maple syrup. To the meat, add four tablespoons of the maple-syrup mixture (reserving the rest) plus the eggs and salt and pepper. Mix well. Spoon into the prepared bread pan. Smooth out to evenly fill the pan. Close the lid, and cook on the bake setting for one hour and 15 minutes.
Ten minutes before the time is up, open the lid and spoon the remaining maple-syrup mixture over the meat loaf. Close the lid. Continue to cook the last 10 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 160°F. Remove the pan from the machine, and pour off any liquid. Let the meat loaf sit in the pan five to 10 minutes. Using a spatula, remove the meat loaf from the bread pan. Makes four servings.
Use your waffle iron for more than just breakfast! You can make any grilled sandwich, for example. Also…
Waffle Iron Chicken Quesadillas
¼ cup shredded Monterey jack or Mexican-style cheese
1 cup shredded cooked chicken or turkey
Salt and ground black pepper
2 10-inch flour tortillas
Vegetable oil spray
Place the cheese, chicken or turkey and salt and pepper to taste on one flour tortilla. Cover with a second tortilla. Heat the waffle iron on high, and spray with vegetable oil spray. Add the quesadilla, and close the lid. Cook three minutes or until the cheese melts. Remove and cut in half and then in half again to make four segments.
Waffle Iron Caramelized Apple Slices
1 apple
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
Vegetable oil spray
Cut the apple in half and then in quarters. Remove the core, and cut each quarter into three slices. Place the brown sugar in a bowl, and add the apple slices. Toss to make sure all sides are coated with the sugar. Heat the waffle iron on high, and spray with vegetable oil spray. Add the apple slices in a single layer, close the lid and cook three to four minutes. Makes one serving.
Slushies
Slushies are very quick and easy using an ice cream maker with a core that stores in the freezer. Put in 12 ounces of fruit juice or any flavor soda, and if it’s a manual machine, turn the machine’s paddle until a thick slush forms. Scoop into two glasses, and serve immediately. Makes two six-ounce slushies.
Frozen Cocktails
You can make frozen margaritas and daiquiris in your ice cream machine. Add all of the ingredients for the drink except the alcohol to the ice cream maker. Turn the paddle until the liquid is frozen. Add the alcohol, and process for a minute. Spoon into cocktail glasses.
You can serve hot dips or hors d’oeuvres in your fondue pot at your next party. It’s an attractive way to keep food warm.
Cheese Crab Dip
Canned tuna or salmon can be used instead of crab. Serve the dip with crackers, small pieces of French bread or celery and carrot sticks.
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
6 ounces lump crabmeat
½ cup fresh or frozen chopped onion
Salt and ground black pepper
Mix together all the ingredients except the salt and pepper in a fondue pot. Place the pot on a stove top, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the cheese melts. Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper to taste. Place the pot on the fondue stand with a small serving spoon on the side so that your guests can spoon the dip onto either bread or crackers. Makes four to six servings. If you are using an electric fondue pot, heat the ingredients on the stand on medium-high heat. Once the cheese melts, reduce the heat to low.
