About
Toaster Ovens

     A line of 5 deer ran across the road as I was meeting a car coming in the left lane. I couldn’t avoid the last deer and unfortunately it was killed instantly. I loaded it into my pickup and took it to the butcher. I had it ground and mixed half and half with beef. I really enjoy a meat loaf made of this mixture. My friendly bride likes to use the toaster oven for this because it heats up quickly and is easy to clean. She uses about a pound of lean beef/venison and mixes it with an egg, a chopped onion, 1/2 diced green pepper and a cup of italian bread crumbs.  Season with salt and pepper. Shape the meat loaf in a loaf pan and pour catsup on top.  Bake in the energy saving countertop toaster oven for approximately one hour at 350 degrees. This is an outstanding comfort food and perfect for those chilly fall days.

In America today, more and more people are living on a shoestring budget. That doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice quality food for junk, however. It can be tempting to take a wayward turn down the frozen food aisle, but there’s no need. It’s infinitely healthier – and practically as easy – to make a home-cooked meal from scratch.

The countertop oven provides a smart alternative to the old-fashioned microwave. For anyone renting an unfurnished apartment, it can save both space and money. Countertop ovens make for a sound investment, especially when compared to a new microwave and a bulky single-function toaster.

   The combination of the easy use toaster oven and easy recipes involving maple syrup has apparently hit the maple flavored sweet tooth of desire in a big way.  The phenomenally cost effective use of a countertop toaster oven makes maple flavored cuisine the first choice of the family.

   One of my favorites is a maple flavored marinade used for fish.  This recipe was concocted by Lorraine Benedict of Benedict Family Maple LLC. She has kindly permitted us to publish it for the world to see.  Here is the recipe:

First defrost your favorite fish. To make the marinade use 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/4 to 1/3 cup Benedict maple syrup, 2 T olive oil, 1 Tablespoon vinegar (any kind), 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon garlic (powder or salt).  Stir mixture.  Marinate fish upto 1 day.  Place in your toaster oven pan and broil until fish is easily flaked.  Enjoy another toaster oven delight!

     We found ourselves in the midst of the worst blizzard in years.  We were stranded in our cozy farm house in mid-Michigan.  Since we live far from the county seat on a dirt road, we didn’t expect to see a snow plow for 2-3 days.  While we were waiting, we turned to our economical and dependable toaster oven for easily prepared comfort food.

     One of our favorite easy fix treats to munch on as we watched the snow reach one foot, is cheesy hot biscuits. These are so simple to make even my husband can prepare them.  You start with refrigerated ready-made biscuit dough. Dip each biscuit into melted butter and then into grated cheese.  Put them on a greased pan and bake them in your toaster oven until nicely browned.

      We sure do love our handy dandy toaster oven.  If you don’t have one yet, visit our website at KitchenEconomies.com for a good selection of top of the line toaster ovens.

       The Ides of March were upon us. Another maple syrup season is gone.  This years production was good.  Like all farm  operations the level of success is based on alot of hard work and luck.  We just used our handy dandy  countertop toaster oven to make some delicious maple flavored baked beans.  This quick and easy treat is put together as follows:

l large can Bush’s baked beans, 1/2 cup maple syrup. Mix together.  Bake in the toaster oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. 

     Tis the season to make maple syrup.  Thawing days and freezing nights are the ideal conditions for sap production.  This usually takes place in central Michigan sometime during the last two weeks in February through the first two weeks in March.  It requires approximately 45 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.  I’m looking forward to a Benedict Family maple syrup ice cream sundae, along with some maple syrup cookies baked in our toaster oven. Here is the recipe for making maple syrup cookies:  1 cup shortening, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup maple syrup, 1 tsp. vanilla, 4 cups sifted flour, 1 tsp. baking soda and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Cream shortening and sugar.  Add egg, syrup and vanilla. Then mix with remaining ingredients.  Shape into 1″ balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Bake in your countertop toaster oven about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Apartment living can be cramped, especially when you live with roommates or in a studio. But city living is worth it. Where else do you get access to museums, theaters, great restaurants, and shopping all within walking distance? When it comes to living in the city or living in the country, many people choose to live in the city, even when their living situations are less than ideal. Inner city apartments are often tiny, with barely-there kitchens and it takes creativity to decorate and furnish them.

When working with a really small space, like a bare-bones kitchen, you must first decide where to put all your appliances. You probably don’t have room for much on your countertops. Space-saving countertop ovens are a great addition to tiny kitchen that have no range. They also take up little space, so that they can easily fit in the space you’ve designated.