Sunday, June 26, 2016

Revisiting the banana bread

So I revisited the "banana bread surprise" and made another batch, and this time, I was able to bake it in the GoSun. I lined the tray with parchment paper and poured the batter in directly, instead of using the silicone mini loaf pans. The quantity adapted to a 6' by 9' baking dish fit perfectly into the tray. It took about 40 minutes in the early afternoon sun. Everyone who tried some agreed that it was delicious. It was way better than the last batch, for which I had to use the toaster oven.



By my calculations you lose almost a third of the volume of the tray if you use the silicone baking cups. The same amount of batter fit into 11 mini loaf pans, of which only eight fit into the GoSun.

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Dinner for one

This one is pretty easy. Just take some meat, potatoes & veg, and pop'em in the GoSun.

In this case I used two pork tenderloin mini-skewers brushed with BBQ sauce, half a large sweet potato chopped into half-inch cubes tossed in olive oil and salt, and about seven asparagus spears drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt. After I took the picture I put some fresh rosemary on the sweet potatoes.



Then I went away and gardened. I came back after about 45 minutes and it was all done. As it was a very sunny day, 30 or 35 minutes might have sufficed. I ate it all up before I thought of taking another picture and it was delicious! BTW I cooked the same meal today in a convection oven, and it wasn't all that different, except maybe the meat was a bit more tender in the GoSun. Also, in the GoSun the potatoes cook in the juices released by the meat, and that adds a nice flavour. And the GoSun was less fuss to clean.

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Chicken with rice and veggies

Today's dinner adventure was chicken with rice and veggies in the GoSun.

Here are the ingredients:



About 8 to 10 oz. chicken, cubes or strips

1 cup assorted chopped veggies such as tomatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, peas, and asparagus.

Olive oil to marinate chicken.

Salt, pepper, garlic, spices.

1/2 cup of rice.

Method:

Marinate chicken cubes or strips in olive oil with salt, pepper, spices, and sliced clove of garlic.

Chop veggies.

Oil GoSun tray. Sprinkle bottom with rice. Lay chicken on top, intersperse with veggies. Add salt and pepper as desired. Insert tray in GoSun and cook. It will take about an hour, give or take 10 or 15 minutes.



I didn't start cooking until 5:30 and was worried that I would run out of sun. Forty-five minutes later the rice wasn't cooked yet. At about one hour some light cloud rolled in. Things started smelling delicious about that time. I let it go about an hour and 20 minutes, and I think that was a bit too long.



Observations:

It was a bit dry and the rice was crunchy and caramelized in places. The next time I would try deboned chicken thighs because they are moister. I also used veggies like carrots and asparagus that don't release much liquid. I should have probably used more tomatoes and peppers. I might also add a bit of broth to the rice, maybe a quarter cup or so, before inserting the tray in the tube. BTW this quantity easily served two.