Keep Your Kitchen Cool
Posted on July 23, 2007 by
You use a lot of energy keeping your house nice and cool in the summer. When you heat up your oven to make dinner, you’re also heating up your kitchen and making your air conditioner work even harder.
Green Options suggests using smaller appliances like your microwave, crock pot, or toaster oven to make dinner. All use less energy than your stove, and won’t turn your kitchen tropical.
[...] Keep your kitchen cool. [...]
I love cooking with my crock pot year-round. (I can even make meatloaf or macaroni/cheese with it in the summer.) I’ve heard you can bake brownies and cakes in it, but I haven’t tried that. Taste of Home’s website has a lot of good slow-cooker recipes–I usually substitute fresh ingredients for canned ones (especially mushrooms).
I also try to make more salads and wraps for dinner in the summer. If I am adding meat, I will saute or stir fry it (or even simmer it in broth in a covered pan on my stovetop)–chicken and seafood cook quickly that way.
[...] freezes well. Make a big batch in your crockpot. Add fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, potatoes, even spinach. It’ll make a great hearty winter [...]