Most household appliances have multiple applications; you just have to figure out how to fit them into your own daily activities more often. For example, you’re probably just using your oven to bake cakes or make casseroles, but you can turn it into a food dehydrator, a candle maker, and more.
Use Your Oven Light to Help Dough Rise
Do you make a lot of your own bread or pastries? If so, chances are that there are a few recipes here and there that will require you to let your dough rise before moving forward. You can actually use your oven for that. Just cover your dough and leave the oven light on, and this will provide sufficient warmth and the right conditions for it to rise. Just make sure that you don’t turn the oven on itself.
Keep Food Warm During Your Large Soirees
If you’re someone who loves to entertain, you know the struggle of preparing multiple dishes at once. If an entree is done before the side dishes are done, you have to keep it warm so that you can serve it all at once to your guests. You can use a traditional chafing dish to preserve heat, but you can also use your oven. Depending on the size of your oven, you can easily keep a couple of dishes warm by turning your oven onto the lowest setting and then placing your food on oven-safe warming plates.
Sterilize Jars That You Plan on Using for Food Preservation
Preserving fruits and vegetables can be a great way to save money, but it’s very time-consuming. Having to boil every single jar you plan on using can be messy and potentially dangerous. One genius workaround that people have come up with is baking jars instead of putting them in boiling water. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees Fahrenheit, and then set your empty jars in a baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes to remove contaminants.
Dehydrate Fruit, Meat, and Herbs
Food dehydrators take up counter space and can be expensive, but thankfully, you have an oven. Whether you want to make potpourri or fruit leather, you can dehydrate foods by cracking open the oven door and leaving it on the lowest setting, waiting until everything is sufficiently dried.
Turn Your Oven Into a Candle-making Machine
Do you like making candles? Traditional candle-making kits leave a lot to be desired when it comes to volume. An oven can yield more candles because you can heat more wax in a heat-safe container. If you use this method, avoid oil-scented wax as it poses a fire hazard.
Your oven is so much more than an appliance for baking or cooking. It can help you manage everything from entertaining guests to trying out new hobbies. Turn your oven into a productivity tool by using the tips here in your day-to-day. If you live in Olathe, KS or a surrounding area and need oven services, make your first call to Hotshot Appliance.