Tag: healthy recipes

Reader question: We tried our first one pot meal and it didn’t turn out so well.  I bought a 6.5 qt cast iron pot because we often cook for 6.  We made our first meal for four (chicken Cacciatore) and used the recipe adjustment chart to determine cook time (53 minutes).  The orzo was stuck together like glue and the chicken was overcooked as well as the vegies.  What did we do wrong? ~Gail W., Sedona, AZ

Gail, it sounds like your oven temp is off. Please read this post for more about using an oven thermometer to verify the temperature in your oven is at 450 degrees F before putting your Glorious One-Pot Meal inside.

Also, 53 minutes works perfectly for a 3.5-quart Dutch oven when the recipe is doubled; when you use a 6.5-quart Dutch oven that is not completely full of food  you really need to rely on your nose to tell you when your Glorious One-Pot Meal is ready. Wait for the aroma of a fully-cooked meal to waft from your oven three minutes before you should pull your pot out.

Happy cooking!

Reader question: I’m curious about thickness of carrots when you say to “slice in coins.” also, i have large dutch oven and want to experiment b4 i buy small one. will recipe fail if there is room above food? i’m really excited to start trying recipes!!!!!!! will buy book if i love the method. ~ Sarah M., Almaden, CA

Hi Sarah – Thanks for writing! One of the fantastic things about the Glorious One-Pot Meals infusion cooking method is that it really doesn’t matter if you cut your carrots into thicker or thinner slices; they will all cook up perfectly in the same amount of time. In fact, you don’t really have to follow any of the cutting suggestions I include in my recipes; you could cut your carrots into sticks, if you wanted to. They would still cook up perfectly.

In general, the smaller the pieces of vegetables, the softer they will become in your meal. Personally, I like to have variety in my meals and purposefully cut my vegetables into different sizes to avoid monotony. In your own home, you can make your own Glorious One-Pot Meals the way that you like them using your preferred ingredients cut the way you want to cut them.

As for making recipes meant for two people in larger Dutch ovens, it will absolutely work. Here are some tips for success when using different sized Dutch ovens for Glorious One-Pot Meals.

Happy cooking!

Elizabeth