Cooking multiple items in the oven
--------------------------------------------------
Last night I cooked meatloaf in the oven and I was wondering - if I
want to cook another dish at the same temperature as the meatloaf, you
know kill 2 birds with one stone, and put both these items in the oven
at the same time (for example, meatloaf and maybe a casserole) do you
have to increase the temperature for the items, or do you just add
additional cooking time to each dish? And if you add additional
cooking time, how do you figure out how much time to add, is there a
certain cooking calculation that goes by weight and such?

Mixing Ingredients
----------------------------
Last night as I prepared the waffle mix, the BHG recipe said to first
stir together the sugar, flour, salt, yeast mix and vanilla. Well,
once I add the vanilla, it clumps with whatever dry ingredients it
touches. And so I'm mixing the sugar, flour, etc and clumps of vanilla
around.

So I'm thinking - shouldn't I add the vanilla after I add the eggs,
milk and oil when the batter becomes more liquidy and the vanilla
won't be able to bind to anything dry and can get mixed better? If so,
I am surprised the recipe didn't state this.

meatnub wrote:
> Cooking multiple items in the oven
> --------------------------------------------------
> Last night I cooked meatloaf in the oven and I was wondering - if I
> want to cook another dish at the same temperature as the meatloaf, you
> know kill 2 birds with one stone, and put both these items in the oven
> at the same time (for example, meatloaf and maybe a casserole) do you
> have to increase the temperature for the items, or do you just add
> additional cooking time to each dish? And if you add additional
> cooking time, how do you figure out how much time to add, is there a
> certain cooking calculation that goes by weight and such?
>
You don't have to do anything differently. If both dishes require the
same temp, they bake for the same time as if they're alone in the oven.
It is a smart, energy saving way of cooking. When you have to compensate
is when the dishes require different temps. Then you can usually still
bake two (or more) things together but you'll learn to alter the time in
the oven to compensate.

> Mixing Ingredients
> ----------------------------
> Last night as I prepared the waffle mix, the BHG recipe said to first
> stir together the sugar, flour, salt, yeast mix and vanilla. Well,
> once I add the vanilla, it clumps with whatever dry ingredients it
> touches. And so I'm mixing the sugar, flour, etc and clumps of vanilla
> around.
>
> So I'm thinking - shouldn't I add the vanilla after I add the eggs,
> milk and oil when the batter becomes more liquidy and the vanilla
> won't be able to bind to anything dry and can get mixed better? If so,
> I am surprised the recipe didn't state this.

Add the vanilla to the liquid ingredients.

Goomba wrote:
> meatnub wrote:
>> Cooking multiple items in the oven
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> Last night I cooked meatloaf in the oven and I was wondering - if I
>> want to cook another dish at the same temperature as the meatloaf, you
>> know kill 2 birds with one stone, and put both these items in the oven
>> at the same time (for example, meatloaf and maybe a casserole) do you
>> have to increase the temperature for the items, or do you just add
>> additional cooking time to each dish? And if you add additional
>> cooking time, how do you figure out how much time to add, is there a
>> certain cooking calculation that goes by weight and such?
>>
> You don't have to do anything differently. If both dishes require the
> same temp, they bake for the same time as if they're alone in the oven.
> It is a smart, energy saving way of cooking. When you have to compensate
> is when the dishes require different temps. Then you can usually still
> bake two (or more) things together but you'll learn to alter the time in
> the oven to compensate.
>
>> Mixing Ingredients
>> ----------------------------
>> Last night as I prepared the waffle mix, the BHG recipe said to first
>> stir together the sugar, flour, salt, yeast mix and vanilla. Well,
>> once I add the vanilla, it clumps with whatever dry ingredients it
>> touches. And so I'm mixing the sugar, flour, etc and clumps of vanilla
>> around.
>>
>> So I'm thinking - shouldn't I add the vanilla after I add the eggs,
>> milk and oil when the batter becomes more liquidy and the vanilla
>> won't be able to bind to anything dry and can get mixed better? If so,
>> I am surprised the recipe didn't state this.
>
> Add the vanilla to the liquid ingredients.

Agree to both. I have to wonder whether that vanilla started out as
vanilla sugar or something else.

--
Jean B.

"meatnub" > wrote in message
...



> Last night as I prepared the waffle mix, the BHG recipe said to first
> stir together the sugar, flour, salt, yeast mix and vanilla. Well,
> once I add the vanilla, it clumps with whatever dry ingredients it
> touches. And so I'm mixing the sugar, flour, etc and clumps of vanilla
> around.
>
> So I'm thinking - shouldn't I add the vanilla after I add the eggs,
> milk and oil when the batter becomes more liquidy and the vanilla
> won't be able to bind to anything dry and can get mixed better? If so,
> I am surprised the recipe didn't state this.

Read again.

see # 2.

Dimitri

Waffles


12 to 16 (4-inch) waffles or 6 (7-inch) waffles
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: Per waffle baker directions


Ingredients
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1-3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup cooking oil or butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.
2. In another medium bowl beat eggs lightly; stir in milk, oil, and vanilla.
Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened
(batter should be slightly lumpy).
3. Add batter to a preheated, lightly greased waffle baker according to
manufacturer's directions. Close lid quickly; do not open until done. Bake
according to manufacturer's directions. When done, remove waffle from baker.
Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm. Makes twelve to sixteen 4-inch
waffles or six 7-inch waffles.
4. Variations: Next time try folding one of the following into the batter:
1/2 cup raisins or finely snipped dried fruit; 1/2 cup fresh or frozen
blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries; 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
(toasted, if desired); 1/2 cup chopped banana; 1/2 cup crumbled cooked
bacon; 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1/4 cup shredded coconut; 1/4 cup
miniature semisweet baking pieces.
5. Buttermilk Waffles: Prepare as above, except reduce baking powder to 1
teaspoon and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Substitute 2 cups buttermilk or
sour milk for the milk.

6. Cornmeal Waffles: Prepare as above, except decrease flour to 1 cup and
add 1 cup cornmeal to the flour mixture.
7. Chocolate Waffles: Prepare as above, except decrease flour to 1-1/2 cups,
increase sugar to 1/4 cup, and add 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to the
flour mixture. Fold 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces into the
batter. (You may need to lightly coat waffle baker with nonstick cooking
spray between each waffle to prevent sticking.)
8. Gingerbread Waffles: Prepare as above, except increase flour to 2 cups;
omit the sugar; and add 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground
cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves to the flour. Add 2 tablespoons
molasses to the egg mixture.

On May 27, 12:31*pm, "Dimitri" > wrote:
> "meatnub" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > Last night as I prepared the waffle mix, the BHG recipe said to first
> > stir together the sugar, flour, salt, yeast mix and vanilla. Well,
> > once I add the vanilla, it clumps with whatever dry ingredients it
> > touches. And so I'm mixing the sugar, flour, etc and clumps of vanilla
> > around.
>
> > So I'm thinking - *shouldn't I add the vanilla after I add the eggs,
> > milk and oil when the batter becomes more liquidy and the vanilla
> > won't be able to bind to anything dry and can get mixed better? If so,
> > I am surprised the recipe didn't state this.
>
> Read again.
>
> see # 2.
>
> Dimitri
>
> Waffles
>
> 12 to 16 (4-inch) waffles or 6 (7-inch) waffles
> Prep: 15 minutes
> Bake: Per waffle baker directions
>
> Ingredients
> 1-3/4 *cups all-purpose flour
> 2 *tablespoons sugar
> 1 *tablespoon baking powder
> 1/4 *teaspoon salt
> 2 *eggs
> 1-3/4 *cups milk
> 1/2 *cup cooking oil or butter, melted
> 1 *teaspoon vanilla
> Directions
> 1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
> Make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.
> 2. In another medium bowl beat eggs lightly; stir in milk, oil, and vanilla.
> Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened
> (batter should be slightly lumpy).
> 3. Add batter to a preheated, lightly greased waffle baker according to
> manufacturer's directions. Close lid quickly; do not open until done. Bake
> according to manufacturer's directions. When done, remove waffle from baker.

"meatnub" > wrote in message
...
On May 27, 12:31 pm, "Dimitri" > wrote:
> "meatnub" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > Last night as I prepared the waffle mix, the BHG recipe said to first
> > stir together the sugar, flour, salt, yeast mix and vanilla. Well,
> > once I add the vanilla, it clumps with whatever dry ingredients it
> > touches. And so I'm mixing the sugar, flour, etc and clumps of vanilla
> > around.
>
> > So I'm thinking - shouldn't I add the vanilla after I add the eggs,
> > milk and oil when the batter becomes more liquidy and the vanilla
> > won't be able to bind to anything dry and can get mixed better? If so,
> > I am surprised the recipe didn't state this.

<snip>


Oops, sorry, I should have stated (i thought I did) I was making
Overnight Waffles:

"In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, yeast, vanilla (if
desired), and salt; add milk, eggs, and oil. Beat with an electric
mixer until thoroughly combined. Cover batter loosely and chill
overnight or up to 24 hours. "

It probably should say add milk, eggs, oil and vanilla (if desired).

You are right on - Baking is for the most part a chemical formula and
normally certain rules apply. You have just discovered one. Keep the wet
and dry separated until you are ready to start the chemical reaction.

You have discovered a TYPO.

Good job.


--
Old Scoundrel

(AKA Dimitri)

In article
>,
meatnub > wrote:

> Cooking multiple items in the oven
> --------------------------------------------------
> Last night I cooked meatloaf in the oven and I was wondering - if I
> want to cook another dish at the same temperature as the meatloaf, you
> know kill 2 birds with one stone, and put both these items in the oven
> at the same time (for example, meatloaf and maybe a casserole) do you
> have to increase the temperature for the items, or do you just add
> additional cooking time to each dish? And if you add additional
> cooking time, how do you figure out how much time to add, is there a
> certain cooking calculation that goes by weight and such?

In general, you don't have to worry about this. If you do, then there
are too many variables to have an easy calculation. It doesn't matter
if you bake one potato, two or three. It's the same time. If you have
200 potatoes, there is no way that the oven can maintain the
temperature. Increasing the temperature is usually not a good idea.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

On Tue, 27 May 2008 10:50:49 -0700 (PDT), meatnub >
wrote:

>Goomba - thanks for the advice about cooking multiple items together,
>I will have to try.

It works, meatnub... but more likely what you will do is consecutive
cooking like I did yesterday when I made up a pan of mac & cheese and
put together some chicken tetrazzini while that was in the oven. I
intended to have both dishes baking at the same time, but life gets in
the way. The oven was hot, the mac & cheese was ready - so I put it
in first.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smile first

Dan Abel wrote:
> In article
> >,
> meatnub > wrote:
>
>> Cooking multiple items in the oven
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> Last night I cooked meatloaf in the oven and I was wondering - if I
>> want to cook another dish at the same temperature as the meatloaf,
>> you know kill 2 birds with one stone, and put both these items in
>> the oven at the same time (for example, meatloaf and maybe a
>> casserole) do you have to increase the temperature for the items?
>
> Increasing the temperature is usually not a good idea.

So true! "Turn it up" doesn't apply. In fact, it's also true about
grilling, which is why so many recipes say to grill over indirect heat. You
don't want a flaming hot stove or oven. Increasing the temp doesn't make
the food cook faster, but it will burn it!

Jill

On May 28, 10:37*am, "jmcquown" > wrote:
> Dan Abel wrote:
> > In article
> > >,
> > *meatnub > wrote:
>
> >> Cooking multiple items in the oven
> >> --------------------------------------------------
> >> Last night I cooked meatloaf in the oven and I was wondering - if I
> >> want to cook another dish at the same temperature as the meatloaf,
> >> you know kill 2 birds with one stone, and put both these items in
> >> the oven at the same time (for example, meatloaf and maybe a
> >> casserole) do you have to increase the temperature for the items?
>
> > Increasing the temperature is usually not a good idea.
>
> So true! *"Turn it up" doesn't apply. *In fact, it's also true about
> grilling, which is why so many recipes say to grill over indirect heat. *You
> don't want a flaming hot stove or oven. *Increasing the temp doesn't make
> the food cook faster, but it will burn it!
>
> Jill

If you want to find out about altering cooking times at various
temperatures, check the back of a box of scalloped potatoes. SCRATCH
COOK NOTICE: I didn't say "buy" or "make" - just read the box at the
store. It will tell you how long it will take to cook the potatoes
when you have something else in the oven ie: 60 minutes at 325 or 40
minutes at 400 etc.

Lynn in Fargo
Motto: If God had intended us to ALWAYS cook from scratch, She
wouldn't have invented Betty Crocker.