Now we're cooking!

Through trial and error we have decided that a solar oven in winter (see previous post "For all your apocalyptic cooking needs") is not the most efficient way for the Sustainable Family to cook "off the grid"... especially when our cast iron wood stove is cranking pretty much non-stop.

My wife is nothing if not determined, so she decided to put the wood stove to some dual use and try cooking on top of it using some of our cast iron pans.  First she put a big deep frying pan on top with one of our cast iron pizza pans over it to see if she could get the temperature high enough to cook. 

In no time, it was up to 350 F!

Now for something easy to be the sacrificial first attempt.  Since we decided to have chili for dinner, the logical choice was cornbread.  So, the batter went into a baking pan and then into the "oven".  (Lesson one: put the baking pan on a metal trivet or else the bottom will burn.) 

Twenty or so minutes later, we were treated to the most moist cornbread we ever had!

Absolutely amazing!  Needless to say, my determined wife was now even more determined to cook other things on the woodstove.  So, this morning's breakfast was off the grid as well...

Mmmm... perfect eggs, toast, and pancakes!  If you have a woodstove, I highly recommend trying this... and let us know how it works for you.