Toaster Oven

Brett bought me a toaster oven for my birthday. I have talked about getting one for a few years. With the extra counter space from our kitchen remodel, we finally decided it was a good time to buy one.

We have used it quite a bit already. I love broiled cheese toast for an easy summer lunch with the boys. What has surprised me is how much more I can use the toaster oven for. I don't have to turn on the big oven and heat up the kitchen (a blessing in the Florida summer heat). We've used it for a small batch of pigs in a blanket, a loaf of banana bread, a quiche, my lemon meringue pie failure (not a failure as a result of the toaster oven, I should add), French bread pizzas, warming up hot dog buns, a frozen microwaveable dinner, and lots of broiled cheese and garlic toast.

It's just like a traditional oven, only smaller! I laugh at myself while I say this. It shouldn't have surprised me that this would be the case, but it did. I had never thought of using a toaster oven to bake a loaf of bread or a pie. I do find that I have to rotate the foods to bake more evenly. But if I can use the toaster oven to save energy and keep my kitchen cooler, I'm all for it.