The 85 Year Journey of a Roaster

            Mary Rakunas is the life of the party and the glue that holds her family together. She’s always in charge of hosting her family’s holidays, a responsibility she took over from her mother, “Grandma Bee”.  Also taken over from Grandma Bee is the family Nesco Roaster Oven. The origins of the Roaster are a mystery—all Mary knows is that it was probably purchased sometime shortly after Grandma Bee’s wedding in 1934. For nearly 85 years, that Roaster Oven has been brought out every time there was a holiday, barbecue, baby shower, graduation or any and all special gatherings. It became a symbol of bringing the Rakunases together. Eventually as Grandma Bee got older, Mary took over her duties of cooking and hosting the family gatherings, and the Nesco Roaster. She continues to roast potatoes, briskets, turkeys, and other family favorites that will bring the family together for that show-stopping meal. The future is set for the Roaster. It will continue being passed down the line, generation to generation.

            Nesco’s line of cookware may have grown since that Roaster was made in 1934, but our commitment to bringing people together around a quality meal hasn’t changed. There is nothing that makes us happier than knowing that we help make your Thanksgiving turkey tasty or your Easter ham heavenly. Schedules today are busier than ever, making it harder and more rare to get everyone together. Let us help you by making it easier than ever to enjoy quality time and focus on your family. With our expansive selection of products, including Pressure Cookers, Slow Cookers, Dehydrators and so much more, bring us to your next gathering and see everyone come together like Mary’s family has been for 85 years. 

Grandma Bee and her new husband, before
she was "Grandma Bee"

Grandma Bee celebrating Valentine's Day in 2010

Bruschetta with Dehydrated Tomatoes:

Bruschetta served as an appetizer to
Parmesan-crusted chicken

Ingredients:

1 baguette loaf, thinly sliced

2 cups parmesan cheese

Dehydrated tomatoes (see below)

1 Tbsp olive oil plus extra for brushing

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Fresh Basil, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Brush baguettes with olive oil and place on baking pan and broil for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown. In a bowl, mix tomatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper and balsamic. Place 2 Tbsp cheese and a spoonful of tomato mixture on each slice of baguette. Top with fresh basil. Garnish with a sprig of basil and serve as an appetizer to an Italian meal (like Parmesan-crusted chicken), or as a healthy afternoon snack.

Dehydrated Tomato Prep:

Cut 12 Roma tomatoes into thin slices and brush one side with olive oil. Sprinkle with Italian Seasoning. Dehydrate in your favorite Nesco Dehydrator at 135° for 6-12 hours (time depends on tomato thickness, amounts and size). Any extra dehydrated tomatoes can be saved for salads, pasta garnishes or to be eaten by themselves. 

45 Minute Ribs and Coleslaw

Classic Fall-off-the-Bone Ribs

Ribs are a classic American dinner that everyone loves. The only problem with making ribs for the whole family is the time it can take to cook them to the perfect tenderness. Let Nesco cut down your cook time with our Pressure Cooker, available in multiple sizes. For the perfect dinner, serve these ribs with a side of homemade coleslaw (although we cheated and used pre-made dressing).

11 Qt. Multi Function Pressure Cooker

10 lbs. bone-in ribs, defrosted and cut up

2 bottles Smoky Barbecue sauce

2 cups ginger ale

1 Bay leaf

Place rack in Pressure Cooker. Layer ribs and barbecue sauce in pressure cooker, using about ¼ cup of sauce in between each layer. Add ginger ale and bay leaf. Set Pressure Cooker to HIGH and timer to 30 minutes for tender ribs, or 45 minutes for fall off the bone.

When timer is done, release pressure and carefully remove ribs from Pressure Cooker. Brush ribs with remaining barbecue sauce and serve.

Coleslaw:

Nesco® 8 Cup Food Processor

1 Large head white cabbage

½ Head red cabbage

2 Cups baby carrots

1 bottle coleslaw dressing

Using the shredding attachment on your Food Processor, slowly feed cabbages and carrots until all are shredded. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add coleslaw dressing. Mix well. 

Mother's Day Frittata

Mother's Day Frittata Recipe

Nesco® 12 inch Electric Skillet

1/2 Cup of fresh or fully cooked maple sausage links, sliced and browned

1 Cup of diced potatoes, browned until tender

6-8 large eggs

1/3 Cup milk

1/3 Cup dehydrated mushrooms

1/3 Cup dehydrated tomatoes

1 Tbsp of Italian Seasoning

1/2 Cup of cheddar cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

On medium heat brown the sausage and potatoes and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk together. Add all ingredients to the skillet and stir just until everything is mixed well. Set temperature to medium heat and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until center is firm. Remove from Skillet, cut and serve fresh. 

Chicken Mole and Mexican Rice

Chicken Mole

Ingredients:

Chicken:

Nesco® 11 qt.Pressure Cooker

6-8 Boneless chicken breasts, defrosted

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

2 cups water

Mole Sauce:

Nesco® 8” ElectricSkillet

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups finely chopped onions

¼ cup chili powder

3 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Pinch of ground cloves

1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes

3 Tablespoons cocoa powder

3 Tablespoons peanut butter

2 cups water

Add water to 11 qt. Nesco® Pressure Cooker. Place chicken breasts on wire rack in cooker and set regulator knob to PRESSURE. Set Cooker to HIGH temp for 5 minutes and press START. Timer will not begin counting down until ideal pressure is reached. Ensure that internal temperature of chicken reaches 180 for doneness. When finished, release the pressure but leave chicken in Cooker to keep warm.

In Nesco® 8” Electric Skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until onions slightly are browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in chili powder, brown sugar, cloves and cook for 2 minutes, continuing to stir. Mix in tomatoes, cocoa powder, peanut butter and water. Let simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, or until desired thickness is achieved.

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Mexican Rice

12” Electric Skillet

2 cups white rice

1 Tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon cumin

1 ½ teaspoon salt

16 oz. tomato paste

4 cups water

2 cups frozen peas and carrots

Preheat Skillet to medium-high and add oil. Reduce heat to medium, add rice, stirring constantly until lightly brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, salt, tomato paste and water. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until rice is tender. Add peas and carrots, and cook for another 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.