Kelly's Korner - Home on the Range

Hey, All!

Chicken and Biscuit Casserole

Now that the weather is (FINALLY!) starting to cool down, dinner thoughts are turning to those warm and savory meals.  I know we have actually started using the oven again (the Traeger is still tops for cooking meat!) and now is the time to start looking at your stove again.

Take a look at your surface burners and drip pans (if you have them) - are they in good working condition?  Do your drip pans need to be replaced?  Most are inexpensive, but we will need you model number to look up the correct ones.  Beware of the ones offered in variety stores.  These will fit some, but not all, stoves.  If something is not working right, contact your favorite appliance repair technician to come and fix them.  The closer to the holidays, the busier they get, so get a jump on this.

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Check out your oven - does it need cleaning?  If you have a self-clean oven, run it now.  Self-clean ovens have an unfortunate habit of blowing computer boards and you do not want this happening right before cooking the holiday meals and treats.  The boards could be a factory order, or no longer available and it is way better to find that out now, rather than the week before Thanksgiving and having to go buy a new stove, right?

German Chocolate Cookies

Also, Facebook and the internet are crawling with some great recipes - now is a good time to check these out and use your family as guinea pigs to see if it is a recipe you want to serve during the holidays.  My #1 son made a wonderful wild rice stuffing that we paired with some pork loin and it was FABULOUS!  I will post the recipe as soon as he sends me a link to it.  Definately a keeper!  I also just found a recipe for German Chocolate Cookies that I can't wait to try - yum!

Have a great week!

Kelly's Korner - Oven Cleaning

Hey, All,

With the holidays fast approaching, there will be a lot of oven cleaning.  Here are some tips and helpful ideas to help you with those yucky chores.

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Whether you clean your oven before or after (or both) the holiday cooking frenzy, there are several ways to go about this onerous task:

If you have a self-cleaning oven - yahoo!  Basically, all you have to do is flip a switch and the oven heats REALLY hot - try 900+ degrees!!! - and burns all those drips and spatters and spills to a fine ash.  All then is left to do is wipe it out with a damp cloth.  But some warnings from using this feature - because of the extra high heat fuses, elements and electronic controls may burn out.  Most technicians will tell you NOT to run the self-clean on your oven the two weeks before a major cooking holiday.  Chances are high that something might go wrong, then you will have to add a call to your favorite tech to come fix these and it could be a costly cleaning.  You can use the ammonia/hot water method to clean but DO NOT USE regular chemicals-in-a-can cleaner!  They do make one for self-cleaning ovens.  The ammonia cleaning method is as follows:

Heat oven to 150 degrees and turn off - place a small bowl of ammonia (about 1/2 cup) in small bowl on top rack and a large pan of boiling water on the bottom.  Close the door and let sit overnight.  The next day remove ammonia and water and let oven air out.  Then wipe down using the ammonia and a few drops of dishwashing liquid in about a quart of warm water.  If you are cleaning a gas oven please make sure the pilot light is out and the main gas line turned off.

No self clean?  If you prefer to use the chemicals-in-a-can, make sure you follow the directions, use lots of ventilation and wear protective gear - these chemicals are really harsh and can do damage to your skin and lungs.  If you want a "green" method, you can use the above ammonia method or the baking soda method:

Grab a paintbrush and a bowl.  Mix 1 tablespoon of dish soap, 1-1/2 cups baking soda, and 1/4 cup vinegar and enough water to make a thick paste.  Paint the inside of your oven and let sit overnight.  Then, with warm water and a scrubber/sponge, wipe it all down.

Helpful hint:  My son was amazed by this one, but did you know that in many cases you can take your oven door off?  Open door slightly and grab both side a little more than halfway down and then lift straight up at the same angle the door is open.  The door should slide right up the hinges and off.  Please be careful!  Door is heavy and awkward and you don't want to drop it.  It sure makes reaching into that oven a whole lot more comfortable than leaning over the door and maybe damaging that or bending the hinges.

Next week I will be talking about the top of your range - some do's and don't's there, too!

Have a great week!