CasaSugar

Simple Tip: Cook Bacon in the Oven

partysugar — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:15:14 -0800

A couple of years ago I watched the Barefoot Contessa roast bacon in the oven. She was making a BLT and didn't need the bacon fat. I had never thought to bake bacon, and the idea has changed my life! Now, I roast bacon all the time. It's an easy, convenient, and splatter-free way to cook it. Here's what you do:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Place the raw bacon in a row on the parchment paper.
Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until bacon is crisp and cooked.
Remove bacon to paper towel lined plates, pat dry, and use however you want.

Do you ever cook bacon in the oven?

Do You Have an Oven Thermometer?

YumSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:00:16 -0700

While I might be a late-night baker, I have never trusted the temperature of ovens. Instead I rely on a trusty oven thermometer. My somewhat new oven is about 25 degrees cooler than what the knob says, so with my thermometer, I can adjust the temperature and cook time correctly. With Fall in full swing and baking on the brain, I'm wondering, do you use one?

Have You Ever Left the Oven On?

partysugar — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:50:55 -0700

Casa Quickie: Steer Your Plants Clear of Heat

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:39 -0700

It's one thing to place your houseplants in direct sunlight, but you won't do them a favor by putting them near a direct heat source (radiator, duct, oven). Doing so will dehydrate your beloved plant quickly; even if you water it diligently, the leaves will dry out. The same goes for air conditioners and vents. Plants can't handle extreme temperatures, so consider where you place them. If you happen to live in a professional kitchen, or some sort of sweatbox factory, at the very least make sure to insulate the plant by placing a thick board between the pot and the direct heat source.
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Does Your Kitchen Have Two Ovens?

partysugar — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:11:31 -0700

Recipe For Clean: Oven Cleaner

CasaSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 06:45:08 -0700

Is your oven crusty and gross? Does it send up a smoke signal every time you try to bake cookies? Then take your home cleaning kit and whip up a batch of natural oven cleaner. This easy Recipe For Clean will get your oven looking and smelling so fresh and so clean.

Supplies

1 cup or more baking soda
A few squirts of liquid detergent
Water

To find out the steps for this DIY, just read more

Sprinkle or spray a generous amount of water on the bottom of your oven.
Cover all of the gross baked-on bits on the bottom of your oven with baking soda until it's covered.
Sprinkle or spray more water on the top.
Let sit overnight, so it will loosen.
Use a sponge, with a squirt of liquid detergent on it, to clean up the mess.
Use a heavy-duty sponge with an abrasive surface for best results.

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Want an Oven You Can Fold?

YumSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:03:11 -0700

If you've ever been on a vacation, or a business trip, and said to yourself, "Gee, I'd really like a roast chicken, if only I had an oven," then I have great news for you. Scientists in Taiwan have created an oven out of cloth. The lightweight, foldable oven is easily transported and weighs "just a few hundred grams." Although, it does take a lot of power to make it work.

Personally I think it's pretty cool. While I wouldn't necessarily take it on a trip with me, it would be really great to store in my desk drawer. Just think, I could do all 52 weeks of baking here in the office!

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Off To Market: New Oven

partysugar — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 01:18:31 -0700

My father and I are thinking about purchasing a new oven. The one that currently sits in our kitchen is about 25 years old. It functions fine, but the temperature setting is incorrect and part of the ceiling is caving in. Burned bits along the bottom ignite in flames - even right after it's been cleaned - causing a smoky mess.

I know nothing about buying ovens and was wondering if you could help me research them. Search for a modern oven with convection heating and self cleaning modes. Bookmark the ovens you find in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag, New Oven. Thanks for your help, my dad and I really appreciate it!

Read geeksugar's description on bookmarking to learn more.

For a list of my favorite online stores, read more

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

The World's First Mobile Oven

partysugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 01:31:31 -0700

Alexis Soyer, a significant chef, humanitarian, and inventor, was born in France on February 4th, 1810. He learned to cook in France, but left for London during the 1830 revolution. While in London, he began work in the renowned kitchen of the Duke of Cambridge.

Soyer was a man with a social conscious and eventually petitioned to work for the Irish government. Leaving his prestigious position behind, he set up kitchens across the nation during the potato famine. Later he was sent to the front lines of the Crimean War where he fed the starving British troops. However his most important, long lasting contribution to the culinary world happened on today's date in 1855. At that time he created and introduced the first portable oven, shown at left, which allowed him to serve the soldiers warm meals on the field. Amazingly, the basic design was still in use by the British Army over a century later during the first Gulf War.

Source: The Old Foodie
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Kim Cattrall and Pals Heat Things Up In The Kitchen

YumSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:49:32 -0700

About a month ago, there was a hot new oven popping up all over the blogs. The oven, which is called the TurboChef Speed Oven, is a "high performance" oven that is a ridiculously fast oven that prepares meals 15 times faster than normal ovens. It's already in use in quick service restaurants (like Subway) but now you can take the oven into your own home. Price you'll have to pay to cook a properly roasted lamb in six minutes? Try around $8000.

To celebrate the launch of the TurboChef oven, Chicago's famed chef Charlie Trotter and his new pals - Kim Cattrall (hrmm... I have a hard time seeing Samantha cooking let alone endorsing an oven...), Cynthia Rowley, Ted Allen (who, in other news, has signed on to do more episodes of Top Chef), and chef Alan Wyse - were on hand to whip up a meal and have fun in the kitchen.

To check out more pictures of folks having fun with the super-fast TurboChef, read more

View 18 Photos ›

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