Wonder Oven Magic

I took a class at church a few months ago and was amazed.

It was a cooking class. The bread was moist and delicious.

The instructions spotty.

My desire to learn--high.

I came home with a pattern and a few website addresses.

I eventually gathered my tools:
left over fabric
a bean bag chair
locking top large plastic storage bin
large stock pot that would fit...
...3 metal juice cans

The pattern, though strange looking, sewed up surprisingly easy.

I laid out a sheet and filled up the two odd shaped pillows with the beans from the chair.

When they were just full enough I put them in the storage bin.

And then I started cooking.

Mix up the bread as usual, place dough in the cans and let rise a bit in the stock pot filled half way with warm water, cover and secure each can and turn up the heat. Put the lid on the stock pot and tie in place while letting it boil for 10 minutes. Transfer to Wonder Oven and let set for 2 or more hours.

Delicious hot, moist bread that will melt in your mouth, never overdone.

The same directions for soup or stew. Fill the pot with soup ingredients, boil for 10 minutes with lid on pot. Place in wonder oven and leave for 2 or more hours--hot dinner when you are ready.

Today I am painting, but I am not worried, dinner is in the Magic Wonder Oven doing it's thing waiting for dinnertime. I may be a dirty mess, but a hot delicious home cooked dinner will be ready when we are.

15 minutes on the stove and a roast, 3 loaves of bread or a large pot of stew is hot and ready to go when needed--from 2 to 6 hours later--no more fuel needed.

Perfect for camping.

Perfect for a busy day.

Perfect for a hot summer afternoon.

I am still learning, but I have experimented enough to know that magic comes from this wonderful box sitting in my kitchen.

I may live in the modern age but there is still quite a lot I can learn from my pioneer forebears. They got up in the morning and prepared for the day's travel by putting a hot pot in the hay box so dinner would be ready to eat when they stopped for the night.

I have a magic box and wonderful things appear when you open the lid.

Class of 2010

Yesterday was the beginning of Celebration Week in September.

Last night we had a party to recognize the accomplishments of my daughter in law, Brooke.

Brooke graduated from Brigham Young University, and she did it the hard way.

While at home visiting, just as her first semester of college was ending, Kevan and Brooke were introduced. They had a whirlwind few days and then Brooke was off again to pursue her dream of college life at BYU. Kevan was quite smitten and over the course of the next few months made a trip out west to visit-- his brother?? His cell bill and texting limits had to be adjusted. April could not arrive too soon that year. With the warmth of summer breezes they spent plenty of time together and decided that they would like to spend all of their time together. Brooke returned to school that fall with a diamond on her finger and visions of a Christmas wedding in her head.

Now I must explain that BYU is in the west and Kevan was living and working in the east. Brooke was determined to graduate from BYU and Kevan could not relocate--DILEMMA. What to do??

Brooke researched and found out that she could continue her studies online and take a few classes from local schools on the east coast, and so she did. Sounds easy?? Not so. Brooke jumped through hoops, drove miles and miles, talked a blue streak via the telephone and the answer always seemed to be--"Just come to campus and talk to your adviser". Campus was 3000 miles away, not a quick visit. But, Brooke persevered. Whatever hurdle was put in her way, she figured a way over. Whatever hoop was placed in front of her, she learned how to jump through. She was amazing. Occasionally it was overwhelming, occasionally it was frustrating. Being a self starter with online classes is a trick that Brooke figured out. It was a tough goal but she accomplished it.

I am so proud of Brooke and the hard work she did to graduate from college. She finished in the time she had allotted herself--4 years. She graduated from the school of her choice--Brigham Young University.

Benjamin Franklin had this to say:

If a man empties his purse into his head,
no man can take it away from him.
An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.

Last night we celebrated.

Today Brooke is job hunting.

Go Cougars--Class of 2010