One-Pot Wonder

We arrived home after a week away on the night before Easter. There were eggs to hide, laundry to do, and a big box begging to be opened””a Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker. Out came the glossy white baker, and into our heads popped the idea to make a one-pot Easter dinner of Cornish game hens surrounded by red bliss potatoes, leeks, onions and carrots.
After cutting three hens in half and browning them in a separate skillet on the stovetop, we added the main ingredients, plus a bit of chicken stock, salt, pepper, and herbs to the pot. A little more than an hour later, we had a simple, but elegant dinner. The Deep Covered Baker, which is stoneware, cooks evenly and beautifully in the oven. I love the size of the baker””easily big enough to feed my family of four””and its ability to go from oven to table to freezer with ease and good looks.
If you’re not used to stoneware or other equipment such as cast-iron, you’ll have to remember the first few times you use it you are seasoning the surface, it shouldn’t be scrubbed with soap and never, ever can go in the dishwasher. Unlike Dutch Ovens, it also cannot be placed directly on a heat surface or under a broiler. Pampered Chef has designed the baker to help create great microwave meals, but the dish didn’t fit in my (admittedly small but not problematic) microwave oven unless I took the top off and covered it with plastic wrap.
I’m a fan of this baker, which I think is a great buy at $69, especially because of its capacity of 12 ½ cups and the nice presentation it makes. The Deep Covered Baker is a great choice to cook one-pot meals, some of my simplest and favorite dinners.
The details:
Deep Covered Baker by Pampered Chef
Size: 12 ½ x 9 1/2x 51/2, 12 ½ cups
Price: $69 through www.pamperedchef.com or a Pampered Chef consultant
Colors: White, Cranberry