What is a toaster oven? Well, it’s just an oversized toaster, isn’t it? Wrong! That oversized toaster that is sitting in the corner of your kitchen gathering dust is so much more versatile than you think. Here are 7 ideas for your toaster oven to get you started.
More than Just a Toasted Sandwich
We shall start with the most obvious one, toasted sandwiches. Two pieces of bread, slap some cheese between them, stick it in the oven. That’s all fine if you like that kind of thing, but a simple google search can bring you a whole variety of easy recipes to recreate the humble toasted sandwich. Go on, have a look. I am sure you will be salivating and dragging out the toaster oven before you can say toasted sandwich!
Sunday Roast Anyone?
Did you know, your little toaster oven is more than capable of cooking a roast? Roast chicken, roast beef, roast pork. Not only will it cook it, but it will cook it in less time than a conventional oven, and use far less energy, too.
Our Favourite: Black and Decker 8-Slice Extra Wide Convection Countertop Toaster Oven
Cookies and Treats and lots of Sweets
There is nothing quite like the taste of a freshly baked cookie straight from the oven. Now you can say, there is nothing quite like the taste of a freshly baked cookie straight from the toaster oven. But why stop there? That kitchen ornament can bake cookies, cakes, muffins, pies, fruit crisps, s’mores, tarts, scones, cobblers…
Chex Mix
I have been seeing a lot of recipes for the snack Chex mix. Most of them will say, preheat your oven to 250°F… Bake for 1 hour. This can also be done in a toaster oven with just a few small changes. Firstly, you don’t need to preheat your toaster oven, and secondly, bake your mix for 40-45 minutes. You may have to do a little experimenting with the times for the type of toaster oven you have, but you will have your yummy snack ready a whole lot quicker than if you bake it in the oven.
Grilltastic!
There is something about grilled food that just makes the whole thing taste so much better. Yep, you guessed it. Your toaster oven will grill your food till your heart’s content.
Pizza, Pizza, and Even More pizza!
Who doesn’t love pizza? Whether it’s frozen pizza or homemade pizza, it’s so good to eat. The best part of cooking your pizza in a toaster oven is you can keep an eye on all that gooey cheesy goodness through the door, and not let any heat out, giving you perfect results every time.
No More Soggy Reheated Food
Now I know that slapping a plate of food in the microwave and zapping it for 30 seconds is the quickest way to reheat food, but it always comes out soggy and quite frankly, completely unappetizing. Not with the toaster oven! It will make your food seem like it was cooked fresh that day and had not been spending some quality time in the fridge covered in plastic wrap.
Now, get a dust rag, clean that toaster oven, and cooking! I suppose the only probably you are facing now is which recipe idea to try first.
