Quick Hint: Beat the Heat

Ahhhh.  The long, lazy days of summer.  This is what we've waited for all winter, right?  Relaxing on the front porch swing.  Running barefoot through the grass.  Stopping, for just a minute, to smell the roses, or daylilies, or hydrangeas, or whatever happens to be growing in your yard, the yard down the street, or perhaps the nearby park.

But...summer also brings the heat.  Great - if you are at the pool, lake or beach.  Not so great if you are wanting to whip up a batch of brownies, strawberry shortcake, or homemade bread.

Here's my solution - you really can have your heat and bake a cake, too!

A couple years ago my in-laws gave my husband and me a roaster oven for Christmas.  This thing is fantastic.  And the perfect solution for freshly baked summer-time treats that won't heat up the whole house or make your AC work double-time.

Not only does the thing roast meats (duh), but it also doubles as an oven.  Fantastic for putting out in the mudroom and baking...whatever.  I haven't tried cookies, but cakes, bars and bread - all turned out great.  Last fall I took my roaster to work and cooked up a fresh-from-the-oven apple crisp for our Friday "Lunch Club".

This evening we set it up in our mudroom and closed the door to keep the heat out of the house:

Don't have a mudroom?  A basement would work.  Or a garage.  Or even a back porch.  All you need is an outlet.  And, of course, a roaster oven.

*Credit where it is due: I learned this hint from my Grandparent-in-laws.  A couple summers ago I brought an apple crisp over to their house for dessert...and we baked it in an antique roaster oven in their basement.  This was the event that made my husband and I want the roaster oven in the first place.