This is a link to a small tutorial I wrote regarding installation of a Linux OS on Intel NUC without using a SSD disk, with target system on USB stick ("openelec style").
Hope it is useful for anyone, as I spent hours in these Intel Communities and found no help about it. Please note this is NOT a LIVE USB installation, but a "full" one.
http://topo-sordo.blogspot.com.es/2013/06/elementary-os-xbmc-en-intel-nuc-celeron.html