Summer Kitchen

Sorry for the gap in posting!!  It has been a busy week.

It was over 103 today so the heat is here.  One way I avoid adding more heat to the house is by creating a summer kitchen.  It is not that hard or expensive.  I have a covered patio that it just off the main kitchen. I keep a selection of appliances out there wrapped in plastic to keep the dust and bugs out.  This allows me the opportunity to cook food outside that normally would be cooked inside.  I also have a small refrigerator to keep drinks cold on those hot Las Vegas afternoons.  Here is a list of appliance that are easy to maintain outside.

I have a portable Deep Fryer ( electric) that I use most of the year for anything that I want to deep fry.  The best part is that the fumes and heat are also outside. This gets a lot of use for chicken wings or fingers; french frys or onion rings and even fish and chips.  These units clean easily and can be covered once they are cooled down and unplugged.  I use peanut oil and strain it after every use.

I also added a convection toaster oven. This is great when company comes over and I need to heat up appetizers or cook something quickly that requires an oven rather than a microwave. The convection feature is a must as it helps to keep food crisp and cooks much quicker.  Very handy!

A rotisserie oven - small compact and very effective.  I use this a lot too. Does a great job on chicken.

Of course I have my gas grill that houses a smoker and a rotisserie as well as a large grill area.  I do smoke a lot of meats.  ( I love a smoked turkey for Thanksgiving.)

With just a small space you can create a wonderful outdoor cooking area that you use most of the year.  In the summer it helps to keep the electric bill down because the heat is outside not in the kitchen.  Give it try!