What else can I cook at 350F for one hour?

Ops, the bananas got too ripe, so I will be cooking banana bread today.  It seems a shame to turn such a big oven on for just one loaf.   The oven seems to take approximately the same electricity to cook one thing as to cook a full oven worth (the difference between the two is so small, it's worth stuffing as much in the oven as I can whenever it's on).

Any suggestions of some goodies I can stuff in the oven for 350 for 1 hour?

It would be great to have lots of suggestions of all types as I'm sure to come back to this thread many times.  Most of what I cook is at 350F for half hour increments. Usually one hour.

However, my preference today is
- 350F for one hour (or more)
- easy to prep
- can be eaten later and taste just as good

The first thing that came to mind was some sort of Meatloaf.

This recipe claims 1 hour at 350F, but the trouble is that not all ovens are the same temperature, and not all pans cook the same, so they also hedge their bets and suggest you use a meat thermometer:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/16354/easy-meatloaf/

That said, by changing either the quantity of meat or the type of pan you bake it in, (some loaf pans are skinnier and longer, glass pyrex takes a bit longer than metal, a cast iron loaf pan is on my wish list, but it might benefit from putting it in the oven empty during the preheat phase, etc) I suspect you could dial it in to the right time and temperature with some practice.  It could be used same day, or cold as a lunch or reheated with different sides as dinner.

Dressing..

Baked chicken..

A leek and potato gratin? I use the mandolin to slice several potatoes, slice a leek into thin julienned matchsticks and lightly steam the leeks.

Drizzle olive oil over the base of a rectangular oven dish and spread 1/3 of the slice potatoes across the bottom, then half the leeks, sprinkle freshly ground pepper and salt and ground dehydrated garlic, another layer of potatoes and leeks and top with final layer of potatoes.

More salt and pepper, another drizzle of olive oil and perhaps some grated Parmesan cheese.

We serve it as a side dish and microwave it to reheat but could be steamed if you don't want to microwave or turn the oven on again to reheat.

The author of “An Everlasting Meal” recommends washing and roasting all vegetables as soon as they come in.  I have not found, as she does, that they last longer, but it is kind of neat to have everything ready to go.

(She cuts everything into inch-sized chunks, tosses with oil, salt and pepper, spreads on a sheet, roasts. She has a complicated series of what goes when, but roughly, all root vegetables go together except beets, which get wrapped in foil. I’ve forgotten the rest, can scan later.)

Also, if nothing else, toss a head of garlic in, in foil or not. Yum!

Roasted whole garlic is wonderful, but I wouldn’t do it at the same time as banana bread

This is something my grandma was excellent at. Usually she would do all bread/pastry at the same time.  Pan up the bread loaves to rise and put them on the warming rack.  Make the banana bread and put it in. Make some brownies or coffee cake to fill up the oven. While those are baking she made any small yeast rolls.

Awesome suggestions.

Some of our backups are

- stabbed potato.  a whole potato stabbed with a spike so it cooks more evenly.  (roast potato)

- veg in olive oil.  But this takes a bit of extra prep.

- whole roasted garlic.  This will last about two or three days at room temp if I don't eat it all right away.

I make two of these at a time and freeze one for later. I also put in walnuts, sunflower seeds, cranberries and lot's of cinnamon and leave out the sugar for stevia and also use applesauce instead of eggs.

EASY YOGURT CAKE
Mix a few cheap ingredients in one bowl and bake the easiest yogurt cake ever, so delicious, moist, with hints of lemon and fruity jam. Plus, it's low sugar and packed with yogurt.
*The recipe has been updated for more deliciousness!
Prep Time
5minutes mins
Cook Time
40minutes mins
Total Time
45minutes mins
Course: Breakfast, DessertKeyword: yogurt cake Servings: 8 Calories: 287kcal Author: Katia
Ingredients
1 cup (250gr) plain yogurt
2 leveled cups (250gr) all-purpose flour or light spelt flour (I mixed both)
1/2 cup (100gr) white or unrefined cane sugar
1/2 scant cup (approx 80gr) vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp Vanilla essence
1-2 Lemon, zest*
1 pinch salt
JAM GLAZE
3 Tbsp apricot or orange jam
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F°/180C° and place the rack in the middle position.
Grease a 9x5x2.5 inch loaf pan with butter, cooking spray, or simply line the pan with parchment paper (in this case there's no need to grease the pan).
Mix eggs and sugar, then add oil, lemon zest, vanilla essence and mix again. Add yogurt (not very cold) and mix it into a smooth consistency. All in one bowl.
Whisk flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt together and add to the wet batter until just combined.
Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
You can serve it plain or brushed with some quick and easy jam glaze which adds a lovely shine and flavor.
I glazed this cake brushing some warm orange jam on top (see notes)*.
Video
Notes
Flour:  you can use white whole wheat, spelt, rice flour or all-purpose flour. Personally, I prefer mixing light spelt flour and all-purpose flour.
Gluten-free flour: I tested the recipe using rice flour and it turned out well. I stirred the four into the batter and mixed well until smooth, then I baked it 5 minutes longer. It had a good rise and lovely flavor. However, it might be a bit less moist than its regular version, but perfectly enjoyable and not dry.
Lemon flavor: add the zest of 2 large lemons if you prefer to boost the lemon flavor.
Fruit glaze: put 3 tablespoons of apricot or orange jam into a small saucepan. Heat gently over low heat until the jam has melted and If it looks too thick adjust the consistency with a tiny bit of warm water. When the glaze is the consistency of runny honey, brush the yogurt cake straight away.
Baking the cake in a round pan rather than a loaf pan reduces the baking time (approx 30-35 minutes).
Keeps well for 4 days at room temperature, in an airtight container.
Do not refrigerate (refrigeration dries this cake out!)
Freezable.

If you want to bake something sweet, this slice is super adaptable and really easy -

I cup flour
1/2 - 1 cup of sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp baking powder
1-2 eggs
4oz/125g butter
1 cup chopped fresh fruit

Melt butter, cool slightly and beat in egg(s).

Add fruit.

Mix in sifted flour and baking powder, sugar and coconut.

Press into greased/lined 8"/20cm tin and bake for 30 mins or until golden brown.

My favourite combinations are chopped rhubarb and diced crystallised ginger; sliced banana & blueberries; banana & chocolate chips; apple and cranberries.

Use less sugar for the sweeter fruits.

The slice is crunchy the first day of baking and goes moist and soft after a day or two.

I slice and freeze the portions so we don't eat it all at once.

Something to consider that would combat the OP issue. It goes on sale several times a year and is easy to find second hand. We can make 2 loafs of bread at a time, or roast a whole chicken.

Ninja Foodie XL or similar. I think they have a new model so this older one is going to be a good deal.

https://www.amazon.com/Ninja-DT200-Foodi-8-1-XL-Countertop-Convection-Renewed/dp/B099X7ZWDG

Pardon the pun but, food for thought

Tater Tot Casserole
Important to brown them 1st can use air fryer or skillet or let them brown while your banana nut bread is baking
Rectangle aluminum cake pan
1)Brown ground beef or venison with 1 medium to small chopped onion
2)Add 1 can of drained rotel tomatoes or any other type
3)add I can of cream of mushroom soup or what ever you have on hand mixing it with 3/4 c of milk using the can to get everything out.
4)add shredded cheese and French fried onions about 1cup of each
5)insert your browned tator tots side by side till pan is full sprinkle more cheese and French fried onions
6)Bake till bubbly approx 45mins
7)cut in wedges and serve

I headed towards my cookbook-guidebook-in-progress to see if I have anything to answer this question with. (I will be starting the third round of edits later this week, I hope)

First of all I want to say thank you for giving me some inspiration - I'm now considering indexing recipes by length of time required!

Secondly, I know meatloaf has already been mentioned in the thread, but it's the only recipe I've got that meets the question's specifications. (Thirdly, my cookbook/guidebook is built around an Alan Ladd-led radio drama, so that's why it's got adapted long dead celebrity recipes in it.) Fourthly: I'm planning to self-publish, so I'm not worried about people reading/seeing these recipes beforehand, actually, if anyone tries this, I'd love to get feedback!

No Longer William Bendix’s Meatloaf
Serves: 4 to 6
Cost: under $4 a serving
Time: an hour and a bit
Note: you need a loaf pan to bake this meatloaf

Another Note: this recipe that was attributed to actor William Bendix originally called for ground smoked ham mixed with ground pork, but that was not to my taste – I don’t really like smoked ham,  and don’t like using too much pork anyway… so I added beef.

This recipe is quite tasty!

Ingredients for loaf:

½ lb ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1/2 to 1 cup breadcrumbs
½ cup milk or dairy substitute
2 eggs (beaten)
1 brown onion chopped fine
Some salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for loaf sauce:

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
¼ cup white vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix all the loaf ingredients up in a big bowl, then place into a greased loaf pan

In a second bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients, then pour the sauce over top of the loaf. (It will look like a lot of sauce! Don’t worry about it.)

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. This recipe really does need a longer cooking time, as pork is especially important to cook thoroughly and the loaf is quite dense. I recommend you start testing for doneness with a meat thermometer after 45 minutes at five minute intervals

I have served this meat loaf alongside mashed potato, and alongside rice, with mustard and pickles on the table.

Vera Stewart wrote:I headed towards my cookbook-guidebook-in-progress to see if I have anything to answer this question with. (I will be starting the third round of edits later this week, I hope)

First of all I want to say thank you for giving me some inspiration - I'm now considering indexing recipes by length of time required!

Secondly, I know meatloaf has already been mentioned in the thread, but it's the only recipe I've got that meets the question's specifications. (Thirdly, my cookbook/guidebook is built around an Alan Ladd-led radio drama, so that's why it's got adapted long dead celebrity recipes in it.) Fourthly: I'm planning to self-publish, so I'm not worried about people reading/seeing these recipes beforehand, actually, if anyone tries this, I'd love to get feedback!

No Longer William Bendix’s Meatloaf
Serves: 4 to 6
Cost: under $4 a serving
Time: an hour and a bit
Note: you need a loaf pan to bake this meatloaf

Another Note: this recipe that was attributed to actor William Bendix originally called for ground smoked ham mixed with ground pork, but that was not to my taste – I don’t really like smoked ham,  and don’t like using too much pork anyway… so I added beef.

This recipe is quite tasty!

Ingredients for loaf:

½ lb ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1/2 to 1 cup breadcrumbs
½ cup milk or dairy substitute
2 eggs (beaten)
1 brown onion chopped fine
Some salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for loaf sauce:

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
¼ cup white vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Mix all the loaf ingredients up in a big bowl, then place into a greased loaf pan

In a second bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients, then pour the sauce over top of the loaf. (It will look like a lot of sauce! Don’t worry about it.)

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. This recipe really does need a longer cooking time, as pork is especially important to cook thoroughly and the loaf is quite dense. I recommend you start testing for doneness with a meat thermometer after 45 minutes at five minute intervals

I have served this meat loaf alongside mashed potato, and alongside rice, with mustard and pickles on the table.

Your cookbook sounds like it will be a lot of fun!

Here in Germany it’s common to see a mix of ground pork and ground beef for sale (not common at all in the US, dunno about other places).  I have no idea what the ratio is, but 600g would come very close to 1.5 pounds!

Thank you so much!

Well.... as we can see, there are many, many recipes for what you are asking. However, are you talking about "sweet foods" ? (pies) or... more like "dinner/supper foods"?
I do know (from personal experience) baking blueberry pie simultaneously with chicken pie doesn't work out (blueberry imparting somewhat in a  taste in chicken pie, and weirdly... vice versa)

Most of what I eat is savory, but sweet is nice too.

Preference is for easy prep, just toss in oven, but I would love all kinds of recipes as I can see coming back to this thread for inspiration many times.

And maybe it will help inspire others too.

Thank you everyone for delicious recipes

one of my latest faves goes for about hour at 350 ish.
actually i am still messing with the recipe, figuring it out, and every way i have tried it - it comes out incredibly good!
its seems like it cant go wrong, as i have never been not happy with it.
sometimes i bake for 40 minutes at 380, sometimes i bake it over an hour at lower temp, and also been messing with different ratio for the ingredients.

its not an easy prep, though, not too bad either, just does take quite a bit of time before baking. i usually make a couple or three at a time, put the extra in freezer- then its obviously an easy prep for a later date.
one other disadvantage is it takes somewhat exotic ingredients, so i have to stock up on special stuff -- mostly tons of mushrooms -- like 3-4 packages, or at least 2 pounds.

ok all that said the basic recipe i have been changing it up and working out my own version -- is Tuscan Mushrooms, and an old school recipe.
it uses any mushrooms, i've tried all kinds, cut up in large chunks and a few whole even, if they are small. saute in a few tablespoons of butter.
add -- one - to two cups of white wine (depending on how many mushroom basically and i just put in the amount by feel) and one large onion or two small ones.
add the onion, cook on low for about 10 minutes or until the mushroom look right, nice and soft and have soaked up the wine and butter.
then add about a cup of parmesan cheese shredded, a splash of milk or cream, and a few extra tablespoons of butter.
then add in a jar or otherwise (6-10 ounces) of sundried tomatoes, cut up fairly small, and also a jar of sun dried tomato pesto. sometimes i add a few fresh tomatoes, could maybe just use the fresh tomatoes, but the sundried is the best.
cook for a few more minutes, then put it in baking dish or two if theres extra...top with more grated or shredded parmesan cheese, bake for about an hour at 350.
i usually serve it with pasta or a meat side, like italian sausage, or chicken

YAM is YUM

I cook almost everything at 350F.

Go ahead and stick anything that cooks for less than an hour into that oven.

Take those out at the appropriate time.

Anne Miller wrote:I cook almost everything at 350F.

Go ahead and stick anything that cooks for less than an hour into that oven.

Take those out at the appropriate time.

This is what I came here to say (for future readers, as I imagine that banana bread has come and gone....)!
If anything needs to be baked, throw it in, unless it's supposed to be at 400 it will probably do just fine. I have an XL oven and I just can't bear to turn the darn thing on for just one thing. If nothing else, I make a double batch of whatever I'm making and give one away.