Lessons I learned from using my All-American Sun Oven

What a fun ride it has been to try and use my Sun Oven every day!  I started this journey as a way to force myself to get familiar with my Sun Oven.  Living in Arizona, cooking with your oven is a double edged sword. Not only does it heat up your house which requires more money to cool it down but energy costs more during dinner hours.  You’re like triple paying to use that oven! Knowing I had to use it every day definitely made me courageous to try things I probably would have just chickened out of and put in a regular oven.  I also learned a lot along the way…so here are the lessons I learned cooking with the Sun Oven, in no particular order.

1. Don’t be in a rush when you’re cooking with the Sun Oven.  Everything takes a little longer but it is well worth the wait!
2. You can definitely use pots and pans you have around your house (although, my mom did get the package with all of the different pots and pans and they are definitely handy) but I only had the one pot and I just used whatever I could find that would fit.
3. Don’t use aluminum foil!  It reflects the heat out of the oven.  If your recipe calls to be covered with aluminum foil then use a casserole dish with a lid.
4. If you want to bake potatoes (you know baked potatoes and steak in the Summer is really great) rub a little butter on the outside so the skins get crispy (if that is your kind of thing).
5. Be sure to use your wind stabilizers.  The new All-American Sun Oven comes with this little posts to attach your oven to the ground in case it is windy.  I won’t tell you how I know this, but let’s just say a little microburst hit my neighborhood and it could have been real messy.
6. Remember, it’s safe to cook thawed meat (not frozen meat) in your Sun Oven as long as your cooking temperature is above 180.
7. Quick breads in the Sun Oven are amazing…you’ll never go back!
8. Because the Sun Oven is smaller than a conventional oven, I like to make cookie bars instead of shaped cookies.  There is no wasted space and I really like having leftover cookies.  Plus, cookie bars are delicious warmed up and topped with ice cream-just saying!
9. Meat will actually brown!  If you don’t believe me, just check out my post where I cooked an entire turkey in my Sun Oven.
10. When you’re cooking a yeast bread, put the bread in the Sun Oven before it has fully risen.  Chances are, your oven won’t be as hot as your regular oven, so you bread will continue to rise before it fully sets.  This keeps the bread from deflating in the oven.
11. Don’t forget sunglasses and hot pads!  The Sun Oven is bright and hot!

There you have it!  My best tips for success with your Sun Oven.  It’s really easy to use, kids love helping with it, and the energy is FREE!