Pioneer Woman's Hamburger Soup

This is another great recipe to make in the wonder oven.  You'll see that most of the things you already make in your slow cooker can be adapted.  Just make sure it's something you can boil, on the stove, with the lid ON, for 15 minutes before putting it into the wonder oven.

Pioneer Woman's Hamburger Soup

2 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 whole large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can whole tomatoes 14.5 oz
3 cups beef stock or beef broth, or more as needed
1 whole yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 whole red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 whole green bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 whole carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
5 whole red potatoes, cut into chunks
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more to taste)

Preparation:

In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the meat with the onion, celery and garlic.  Remove the pot from the heat and drain off the fat.  Discard the fat once it cools.

Return the pot to the heat and add the rest of the ingredients.  Stir to combine, then bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, then cover the pot and simmer the soup for 15-20 more minutes until potatoes are tender but not overly mushy.

NOTE:  This soup only takes about 20 minutes to cook, BUT if you're wanting to take it to a pot luck, or want to make it early and eat later, just let it boil on the stove with the lid ON for 15 minutes and then put it in the wonder oven.

Soup should be somewhat thick, but if you'd like it to be more soupy, add 1 to 2 cups more broth OR hot water and heat through.  Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if needed.

Serve with crusty bread.

Mike's Chili (Whoever Mike Is!)

This recipe won the chili cookoff in the Silver Pines Ward years ago.   I believe Mike McLemore made it, but the recipe was provided by Cindy (Richardson?)

Chili is so easy to make for the wonder oven.  Just make it up, let it boil with the lid on for 15 minutes to get it to a safe temperature, and then put it in the wonder oven until you're ready to eat.  It will continue to keep it hot, which means it continues to cook and simmer in all the yummy spices.  I've made this recipe before and then put the whole wonder oven, inside a plastic tub with a lid, of course, and headed to Dallas to meet family.    It's a 4 hour drive, and we ate about 2 hours after we arrived.  The lid was still too hot to touch.

Here's the recipe:

2 lbs ground beef
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped (I use dehydrated)
1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder (I used 1 Tbsp cayenne - and it's got a kick to it)
1 large can tomatoes
1 small can tomatoes with chilies (Rotel)
1/4 cup water
2 tsp each:  salt, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cocoa, ground cumin, oregano)
2 cans kidney beans (I used 1 can kidney and 1 can of black beans)

I've been told that I rarely use the exact ingredients, and that's okay.  At least I'm sharing the variations with you.

Brown the ground beef in oil.  Add onion and cook until it turns clear.  Add remaining ingredients, and then put the lid on your pot.  Let it boil for 15 minutes and then put it in the wonder oven.

It's delicious!

Sometimes I'll stir in a bit of sour cream or even shredded cheese.  If the chili is too spicy for you, this will tone it down just a bit.  Dairy does that.


Note:  After making it, I see that cayenne and chili powder are not the same thing.  Chili powder is a combination of cayenne with cumin and other spices.  Oops!  No wonder it's got a kick.

Cooking With A Wonder Oven

Pillows are used inside an 18 or 20 gallon bin.  The larger pillow is used on the bottom, the smaller one on top.  If you look closely, you'll see that the way it's sewn, there is a "well" for your pot.  If you can't find it, no problem.  It will work any way you use it.

Here are some ideas:

1.  Cook using thin metaled pots with tight-fitting lids.
2.  Cook using the closest sized pot for the amount of food being cooked.  Any extra air space decreases the efficiency of the insulation, so as much as possible use the most appropriately sized pot for the job.  Smaller pots for smaller amounts.
3.  Always pre-heat the lid of the pot to be just as hot as the pot itself before beginning to cook.  This isn't a problem because you're going to heat the pot WITH THE LID ON IT before putting it into the wonder oven.
4.  Remember that while your wonder oven will keep boiling water at temperature for 11-18 hours, likewise it will keep frozen foods frozen for the same amount of time, as well as cold foods cold.  This can be very useful in the event of fridge or freezer outages, long grocery shopping trips, errands on the way home from the grocery store, picnics, etc.  The key is always to keep the pillows nestled around the food (without many air pockets between food items) and NO PEEKING.
5.  For recipes and step by step instructions and pictures outside this blog, you can visit http://myfoodstoragecookbook.com/category/wonder-oven-cooking/

• Bake bread
• bake muffins
• make yogurt
• cook rice/grains
• make stew
• cook small cuts of meat
• make "crock pot-style" lasagna
• make homemade tamales
• simmer sauces
• make rice pudding
• cook steel cut oats

Besides the recipes on the blog, the underlying idea is that once any food is heated entirely through, when transferred to the wonder oven, it will continue cooking/remain hot for hours.  Use for baked potatoes, baking for 30 minutes before wrapping in a foil emergency blanket (to retain heat while keeping the pillows clean) and continue cooking in the wonder oven for 45 minutes, or until you're ready to eat.  Your food will never burn in the wonder oven.

Note:  OR wrap potatoes in foil before baking in the oven, and then transfer to your wonder oven for 45 additional minutes or more.

Care and washing instructions:

Pillows (or bean bags!) can be washed on delicate cycle and dried normally in a dryer for about 15 minutes.  If you have a high efficiency washer, even better.  They can also be hung out to dry.  Never put them away in the tub and shut the lid if still damp or the pillows will mold.  Very often in cooking, however, steam will escape and lightly dampen the pillows.  Unless severely damp, I've never had a problem with mold on the pillows after cooking, but just watch out for that.  If cooking something that will likely make a mess (like if you have the tub in the car while cooking en route!) you can guard against this by using a foil emergency blanket between the pot and the pillows, and then wrap it around your pot before adding the top pillow.

Making Wonder Ovens

Yesterday I had the opportunity to show about ten ladies how to make their own wonder ovens.  We had a great time working together and learning more about how to use them.  Together we were able to assemble and complete 24 wonder ovens in about three hours.   Each of them brought their own fabric and I brought the beads.

Christy

Some of the ladies wanted to make more than one, and those who finished early jumped in and helped others. 

It sure was a lot more fun working with friends than making these at home by myself.  There was lots of laughing and chatting going on. 

One of the ladies didn't bring fabric, but wanted to learn how to make them, so she stayed the entire three hours and filled ALL of the wonder ovens with the beads. 

Another one brought her son and while he played on his iPad for awhile, he got interested in what we were doing and wanted to help.  We kept him busy carrying finished fabric to the stuffing table and then back to me for stitching up the opening.

Deanne is our Relief Society President.  We are so sad she's moving to Utah next month!



Stella is a rock star!

Me with Stella

 

 

Lindsy and Austin


 

It makes such a mess with the beads but we had lots of help cleaning it up. 

We had a great turnout and I think everyone had a good time.  I know I did!

Wonder Oven Enclosure

Enclosed is your new Wonder Oven.   In order to keep costs down, I shop for 100% cotton fabric on sale, but I also buy colors and patterns that I would want in my home.  It would be difficult to post every wonder oven I have in stock, but I do hope that you are happy with the design and color I have chosen.  If you requested a specific color, I’ve done my best to provide what I think you’ll be happy with.

If this is your first wonder oven, you may be wondering what to do with it.  Once you start using it, you will wonder why you never had one before.   Just like any other form of cooking, there is some preparation involved, but once you have the ingredients in a pot, the hard part is over.  Imagine being able to transport your food, while it’s cooking, in the car with you.  Think about tailgating, camping, or hunting without having to light a fire.  Of course you can use it at home, too, and then just forget about it.  Think outside the box and you’ll be surprised at what you can do.   You can even keep frozen foods frozen, or cold foods cold on your way home from the grocery store.  

Here are a few suggestions for using your oven.

1.Place a dish towel in the center to protect your Wonder Oven from any spills.  Wrap it around your pot for any “leaks” from around the lid.  If you have a solar blanket, they work great, too, to help with condensation and to “catch” any spills.  Of course the only way you’re going to have spills is if you are transporting it and the lid on your pot isn’t secure.

2.To keep your Wonder Oven stable (out of the reach of little hands, or to carry it in your car) place the empty oven in an 18 gallon tub.  Once your hot pot is nestled in the bottom of the wonder oven, with the wonder oven “lid” on top, secure the lid to the tub and then carefully place it where you want it.   Be SURE it is in a secure place where it can’t be knocked off of a counter.  I usually just leave mine on the floor. Just remember that you have food inside that was hot enough to boil, so take every precaution to avoid accidents.

3.Don’t be concerned that your wonder oven isn’t stuffed full of beads.  By making them “fluffy” and not “stuffy” it has lots of advantages.  For one, it doesn’t take up as much room, and when you put it inside a plastic tub, it fills it up just fine.  It also makes it nice to carry in the car to accommodate groceries of different sizes (i.e., pizza, etc.)

4.If your wonder oven does become soiled, you can wash it in a high efficiency washer with no problems.  I wouldn’t put it in one with an agitator.  I usually let mine air dry, or if you put it in the dryer, use low heat.

5.Use a pot that’s just big enough for the food you’re cooking.  You don’t want much air space between the top of your food and the lid because air does not conduct heat (or cold) and will not help retain the temperature.  With the pot in place, gently pull the sides of the wonder oven up around it so it is covering all surfaces of your pot.

6.Your food will continue to cook in the pot, so be careful when you remove the wonder oven lid, and also the pot lid.  Use a towel or hot pad holder so you don’t get burned.

7.Remember that you can’t BURN food in your wonder oven. Do NOT peek or you’ll release the heat.  Just place the pot inside the wonder oven and go about your day.

What about recipes?

Start with something you can boil in a pot on the stove, like your favorite chili recipe.  Once you’ve added all the ingredients, put the lid on, and let it boil for 10-15 minutes.  Then carefully place your pot in the wonder oven. Smush it around so the beads in the oven surround the pot.  Next, add the oven top and walk away.  Leave it alone.  Do not peek.  Your chili will continue to cook and stay hot until you open the oven. In fact, it’s a good idea to use a towel or hot pad holder when removing the lid or the pot.

Experiment with it.  Sometimes I use it just to keep part of the meal warm while I finish preparing the rest of it.  I’ve found it to be extra helpful at Thanksgiving when many dishes are involved.

Megan Smith has been using a wonder oven for years.  I’d recommend visiting www.myfoodstoragecookbook.com to get an idea of what you can do.   She even has directions for baking bread!
Check out my Facebook page, Prepared In Every Way.  I post ideas and suggestions there, as well as on my blog at www.mywonderoven.blogspot.com

Also, if you check my YouTube channel, “Joyce Pierce”, there’s a slide show I use at trade shows to explain what a wonder oven is, what it’s made of, and a few ideas on how to use it.  I hope you’ll check it out.   It’s less than 3 minutes.     https://youtu.be/QBGB3_rErzE

The only way to discover the possibilities of your new wonder oven is to use it.   I’d love to hear how YOU are using your oven, so please share with me.  My contact information is below.

Joyce Pierce

preparedjoyce@gmail.com

www.mywonderoven.blogspot.com

Facebook:  Prepared In Every Way

Etsy:  www.etsy.com/shop/preparedineveryway

Making Your Own Wonder Oven

I make and sell wonder ovens in my shop on Etsy.  The problem with making your own is finding the beads for just one.  I purchase my beads, 5 mm virgin beads, from Houston Foam Plastics, and am required to purchase two huge bags at the cost of $100.  Unless you're making them with friends, or selling them, it's just not worth it.

With that said, if you want to make your own, here's what you'll need:

1.  3 yards of 100% cotton fabric.  Quilting fabric works great.  Watch for it on sale.  You don't want anything heavy like denim.

2.  The pattern.  If you can copy one from someone who already has it, that's the best idea.  Otherwise, www.iwillprepare.com offers these patterns and directions:

3.  Scissors or a rotary cutter with a mat.  My patterns are cardboard, so I like the rotary cutter since I can't pin the pattern to the fabric.  
4.  Marker.  If using scissors, you can also use a marker to trace around the pattern, and then cut.
5.  5 mm virgin beads.  These beads are about the size of a pin head.  You need this size because you don't want extra air.  The beads insulate and you want them as close together as possible.  For instance, packing peanuts would be the worst.

6.  Pins.  You may not need pins to sew the pieces together, but you will want them to hold it together after you've stuffed it with beads and are starting to close the opening. 
7.  A large funnel
8.  A bucket or some way to measure the beads
9.  Sewing machine and thread.  The ones I sell are double stitched, and to save time, I use a double needle.  The wonder oven I use at home just has one seam because it's the first one I ever made, and it has held up just fine.  If you prefer yours double stitched, you can stitch again next to the original seam.
10.  Seam ripper.  Just in case.


Now for the directions:

Step 1:  Your 3 yards of fabric is already folded in half from the bolt.  Since you need FOUR of each piece, fold the fabric once, end to end, so you will have four layers of fabric.  Now you'll only have to make one cut.

Step 2:  Place the pattern on the fabric and either trace around the pieces with a marker,  or cut with a rotary cutter.

Step 3:  Take two of your bottom pieces and with RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, sew from POINT TO POINT on the LONGEST SIDE.  Just sew one side.  Then do the same with the other piece. 

Step 4:  Take the two pieces you sewed together in  Step 3 and match them up at the seams.  You'll see that one end is wider than the other, so make sure you have it matched up correctly or you'll be using that seam ripper.  You may want to pin.

Step 5:  Start sewing from the seam on the widest part and go ALMOST all the way around.  Leave about a 4" opening.  This is where you're going to insert the beads.

Step 6:  Turn your fabric right side out.

Step 7:  Take a look at your TOPS.   Sew two of the pieces together on the longest side.  You'll see in the diagram that the point from side to side is the longest area to sew.  This is really important.   Now do the same thing on the other two pieces.

Step 8:  Matching up seams, sew these two top pieces with RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, leaving a 4" opening for stuffing.

Step 9:  Turn your fabric right side out.

Step 19:  Using the funnel, pour THREE buckets of beads in the bottom piece.  Seal with pins. 

Step 11:  Using the funnel, pour ONE AND A HALF buckets of beads in the top piece.  Seal with pins.

Step 12:  Go back to the sewing machine, and stitch the openings for both the top and bottom.  Make sure you lock the stitch at both ends so it won't come loose.

Step 13:  Now go clean up the mess from the beads and fabric scraps!

Your finished wonder oven will look somewhat floppy.  That's a good thing.  You don't want it stuffed so full that you are limited on the sizes of pots you can use.