Making a Wonder Oven.....Pattern

Hi everyone!  I hope you are having a great Sunday.  

Have you ever loaned something to a friend and can't remember to whom you loaned the desired item?  Recently, someone asked to borrow my pattern to make a Wonder Oven. When I went to get it....it was gone!  Alas, I had to make one again, which is no small feat!  However, I accidentally stumbled upon a way to create this pattern with a little less pain.  

You can find the directions to make a Wonder Oven on a variety of different sites.  However, the pattern requires you to enlarge it and draw the pattern with a variety of specific angles.

So, I decided to use Wrapping Paper as it was wide enough for the task. Much to my surprise, I found an easier way to make this pattern!

The wrapping paper I chose had a wonderful grid on the back!  I can't tell you how very quickly the process was done in a short period of time.

The instructions require you to draw lines with very specific angles.  Remember that protractor that you child had to have for a specific class....and now it just bumps around your house?  Yes, get that Protractor and measure the angles.  

As you only drew one side, fold the paper in half.  Measure twice, but cut once!

See how quickly it was to make?  Now, when someone wants to borrow any pattern, I think I will have a little form for them to sign so that I know where my items are. It also avoids the chance that I may have to recreate the wheel......

Try it !

Powerless Cooking: Baking a Casserole in a Grill...

This was the scene last Monday morning, on the Fourth of July.  We were enjoying the weekend in a Cabin with some family-friends.  It was early morning and the group was anticipating Breakfast.  This Cabin comes equipped with a Propane stove complete with an Oven in the kitchen.  Our dear guests had prepared a Breakfast Casserole anticipating that it would cook in the Oven.  

But, as many of us know, the best laid plans do not always work out.  The Oven decided not to work.  Our friends attempted to cook it on top of the stove on the burner.

As I have experimented with cooking and baking inside of a grill, I suggested that we attempt to cook the casserole in the grill.  Initially, there appeared to be some hesitation, but we went outside and fired up the grill.

You may have to remove the upper shelf if you grill has one. We did remove it to make room for the skillet. We were fortunate enough to locate two bricks to put under the Cast Iron Frying Pan. This helps to elevate the food and allow the flow of heat around the dish.

During our first attempt to close the lid to the grill, the handle of the cast iron pan was in the way.  However, by turning the pan and placing the handle in the back corner, we could close the lid. This was one really big Cast Iron Skillet!

Use the temperature gauge on the outside of your grill. Most have a gauge on the outside of the lid.  Build the heat to 350 degrees. Once you reach your desired temperature, turn the heat down to low.  This hopefully will keep the temperature at a constant. The casserole baked until it was ready. As noted above, foil was used on top of the casserole.  Our guests peeked every few minutes (even though I informed them that they will loose heat each time the lid was lifted) and they were pleased to see that the top of the casserole was baking nicely with the eggs were setting up nicely.

Look at how beautifully it set up. It was firm all the way through and was delicious!  It was a welcome site on a cold morning in the mountains!

Take Home Points:

• A Grill is for more than just grilling steaks!
• A Grill is a great piece of equipment that can be used for emergency cooking and baking!
• A Grill does not require Electricity, but it does require either Propane or Natural Gas depending on your hook-up.
• In a pinch, we had everything we needed to cook our planned meal and enjoy the beautiful day!

Stuffed and Delicious!!!

Yum!  It's finally Grilling Season, which is one of my most favorite 'seasons' of the year!  I have a new Gadget that I wanted to try and it turned out very well. 

I recently purchased a Kitchen Collection Stuffed Burger Maker on a recent shopping excursion with my daughter.  (I love the Kitchen Collection store...so many fun things in there!).  I had seen another brand of this device being advertised on the television by a well-known chef.  When I saw this device, my thinking was that I can always afford $6.00 just in case it didn't work.  

Here is a pictorial view (with my suggestions) on how to use this device to make delicious stuffed burgers.

Take a small ball of fresh Hamburger and press it flat with the 'lid'.

Then add your desired toppings. We used Cheddar Cheese and real bacon bits. I found that you really don't need to put a lot in the middle.  Some instructions suggest making a small well in the middle to hold your stuffing ingredients. I used both methods, but the burgers appeared to turn out the same in the end. 

Then I placed another small ball of hamburger in the device and pushed it flat with the lid.

Follow the directions and unscrew the lid according to the arrows on the lid.

There is a black bottom plate (see it on the bottom of the burger?) that you push to help dislodge the burger. Then you carefully dislodge the bottom plate.

This is how the burgers look from a side view. In some burgers, you could see a 'dividing line' between the layers, but most you could not.

This is where I would give you a 'word of warning'.  Spray your grill with a cooking spray before placing your burgers on the hot grill.  As you can see, some of them stuck and 2 of them came apart as Rooster Senior attempted to flip them.

This is how it turned out!  The Burger was delicious and I loved it!  There were not complaints.....or leftovers.  

What is the take-home message?

• Grilling is actually practicing an emergency skill.  
• If we had to eat from the grill, this would be a fun edition to your meal planning.
• All of the ingredients for these burgers came from my food storage.  The Hamburger was from the freezer (in 1 lb bags), the cheese was also from the freezer as was the bacon.
• The condiments, (including the Relish that I canned last fall) came from my food storage as well.
• You can have quick meals that are delicious and inviting from your Food Storage Staples.

Consider getting one of these devices.

They are inexpensive and fun!

My Volcano Stove, Small Packaging...Big Results!

Have you ever purchased something having intention of using it right away?  Well, that is certainly the case for me.  I bought a Volcano Stove and was very excited to use it.  I walked by it several times and saw it in the closet many times.  I kept thinking to myself, "I need to just get it out and try it"...but alas life happened and my poor Volcano stove stayed packed up...waiting to be tested.

I then was asked to teach a class on Powerless Cooking in the Midwest.  Yea!  I finally had the opportunity to make use of it.  And...I love this device.  I purchased the Volcano II which can use 3 different types of fuel.  And, I love that flexibility.

I like to use a Chimney to start charcoal.  I like the fact that it can prepare all the coals in an equal burn.

The Volcano II easily sets up.  With a quick pull on the handle, the collapsible legs set up.

This device has a 2 plates. One for fuel.

And one to hold my Dutch Oven.

This device is designed to control the heat better than traditional charcoal with Dutch Oven Cooking.  

This sliding vent allows you to control the airflow.  Instead of a quick rise in heat with a quick cooling curve, the vent allows for super heat to surround the Dutch oven and have a more controlled burn or utilization of the heat.  

See how nicely the Dutch Oven fits into the Volcano?

Finally, I spaced briquettes around the top.  Then a short time later, we have a delicious Apple Cobbler to enjoy.

Take Away Points:

• This is a huge addition to your Emergency Cooking plan.
• It makes efficient use of your fuel, which is a major consideration.
• It can use wood, charcoal or propane, which gives you many options for cooking.
• It collapses into a small unit and fits easily into a carrying case that came with my unit.
• It runs about $200.00.

I will use this over and over again.  I am just sorry I didn't take advantage of this wonderful device earlier.

Food Processing....powerless!

I am still on my "Powerless kick" and I purchased this  recently.  I love my traditional (electric) Food Processor, but got to thinking about powerless cooking.  Just because there is no power doesn't mean that you won't be chopping of cutting items for meals.  I thought back on my youth and the hand-pump type of chopper that we used to chop onions and nuts. I recall having a bruised palm and didn't really want to use that device.  So......I went looking (aka shopping!!).

This is a Chef'n Veggie Chop.  I love it for several reasons:

It comes with a bowl, a lid (with a pull-string) an insert with very, very sharp blades, and a lid to put on the bowl if you wish.

I decided to give it a 'test-run'.  I cut a medium-sized onion into quarters.  I place one quarter in the device.

The device works with a pull-string (think the pulling rope on a lawn-mower).  Here is that quarter onion after only 3 pulls.

I decided to put in the entire onion.  This is what it looked like after 10 pulls.  Not bad huh?

This ring slips over the top of the 'white knob'.  But, when you are ready to chop, secure the lid to the base and grasp the ring.

You would keep one hand on the base and the second hand would be used to pull the string and spin the blades inside the device.  (I needed Rooster Senior to help me because I couldn't hold, pull, and shoot pictures at the same time!)

Since the Onion was such as success, I decided to try a Green Pepper.

This was the result of just over 10 string-pulls.

The base has a rubber ring to grasp to the surface you are using.

It also comes with a snap-on lid to keep the contents in a bowl if you wish.

I would strongly recommend this device.  I am not going to wait until I have no power. This is so easy to take out and use instead of lugging out my big electric one, plugging it in, and then repacking it to put away.  I think I will uses this for most chopping needs that I may have.  It's easy to clean as well. Just toss everything but the lid in the dishwasher.  The lid must be cleaned by hand and not submerged (think of the string, it would hold water and expand).

Take Home Points:

• Light weight:  You could take it camping with you
• Easy to clean
• Very sharp blades....be very careful when cleaning them.
• Does not take big 'muscles' to operate
• Small enough to fit in a drawer.

So, consider it!

"Beat It" Cooking without power!

A couple of years ago, I attended a Preparedness Fair and saw my former neighbor.  She is very well versed in Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage.  In talking with her, she stressed the importance of having hand-powered tools to use in case of a power outage.  I agreed with her thinking, but didn't really think about it until recently.  So, this is one of my first purchases.  This is the OXO Good Grips Egg Beater.  I looked at several different models, but ended up getting this one for several reasons.  

I really like the grip being upright instead of horizontal.  I feel like I have better control when I am using it.

I also like the fact that the beaters are removable, which makes for easy clean-up.  

In addition, the entire bottom section can be removed and thrown in the dishwasher, again for easy clean-up.

I decided that I wanted a snack....and decided to make a 'fat free' version.  The pudding is fat-free and powdered milk is fat-free.  (I decided not to think of the carbs!).

I substituted powdered milk and really cold water for the 'milk' requirement.  If I were to do this again, I would cut down on the water just to help it thick-up quickly.

Using this hand beater was easy and quick.  It cleans easily and fits right into the drawer.  So, in a pinch, or just when I want to do something quick, I will use this hand-crank beater.

Going Powerless!