Two Burners Can't Stop Me

I have been challenged by my kitchen.  It has mocked me with its lack of an oven.  It has stared blankly at me when I'm holding a hot pot and have nowhere to put it down.  I can hear it chuckling at me when I attempt a dish that needs more than two burners on the stove.

But, since we are also challenged by our budget, I've had to accept my kitchen's gauntlet throw down.

Of course, it's not entirely fair for me to blame it all on the kitchen's size.  Some of the fault lies with Spanish grocery stores.  They don't have everything I would like...or more importantly, things I know how to use.  They sell lots of fish, which I'm no good at cooking.  They don't sell hot or spicy things, like Sriracha.  And how do I make rice without a measuring cup??  These are the next roadblocks I must overcome.  In the meantime, here is what I have been able to achieve:

Pasta Carbonara

Eddie's favorite.
This dish is super easy because: it only requires 2 burners, diced jamón from Spain is way better than bacon, and the weird powder that passes for Parmesan here makes for a very smooth sauce.

 Sauteéd Chicken with Beans & Jamón over Rice

The beans and jamón are sauteéd together in a good amount of olive oil with garlic.  Typically, this is a tapa served with bread slices, but I love the combination and think it makes for a good side dish.  I have yet to figure out what kind of beans these are, but they come frozen and still in their shells.  They required a bit of work, but they tasted so fresh it was as if I got them straight from a garden.

 Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes, Balsamic Mushrooms and Homemade Applesauce

 This dish was far too ambitious for my 2 burners.
Applesauce and potatoes were cooked first, and by the time I got the mushrooms and pork finished the potatoes were cold.  However, it was extremely delicious, especially the applesauce!!

 Chicken Roll-ups with Asparagus and Spaghetti

Another far too ambitious dish, requiring 4 burners.  But yummy nonetheless!
The best part of this one is that the grocery store sells chicken breasts sliced, so I don't have to pound meat with my non-existent mallet.

 Chicken Stir-fry with Ramen Noodles

 So I had this pack of Ramen noodles, which I knew I was never going to eat (the seasoning packet sucks).  And I knew I was going to make a stir-fry.  Together with the peanuts and lime, I had something close to Pad Thai.  Not bad!

 Fried Chicken Tenders with Mashed Potatoes & Sauteéd Spinach

I really needed a 3rd burner for this, but the bigger problem was that I only had one pan in which to cook the spinach and the chicken.  And the flour I bought to fry the chicken with had the weirdest texture--I couldn't even touch the chicken once it was coated because it felt like cotton...you know, when it rubs the wrong way.  It makes me shudder all over just thinking about it!

So clearly I have some shopping to do when the next paycheck comes...aluminum foil, measuring cups and spoons, and trivets.

But, I am really going to challenge myself soon.  The next big attempt will be something I'm desperately missing from the States: BBQ!  Pulled Pork Sliders with Cole Slaw to be exact.  I just need to find some chile powder...