Anonymous wrote:Why do you all do these things in a toaster oven instead of a regular oven?


faster to heat?
cheaper?

what makes it worth having another kitchen appliance????

It's OK. You don't have to buy one if you don't want to. The neighbors will NOT talk when they see that you don't have on. If you're rolling along fine without it, keep rollin'.

On the list of necessary kitchen appliances, toaster ovens rank below garbage disposals but above trash compactors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you all do these things in a toaster oven instead of a regular oven?


faster to heat?
cheaper?

what makes it worth having another kitchen appliance????

Yes, the toaster oven heats up faster (smaller space so doesn't take as long) and it uses significantly less energy than the oven (less $). It also doesn't heat up the entire kitchen like the oven does, so it doesn't throw our thermostat off. I use the oven for big things, but little things do just fine in the toaster and often cook a lot faster.

Ditto. It's a royal pain to turn on the big oven just to reheat leftovers for lunch.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you all do these things in a toaster oven instead of a regular oven?


faster to heat?
cheaper?

what makes it worth having another kitchen appliance????

Yes, the toaster oven heats up faster (smaller space so doesn't take as long) and it uses significantly less energy than the oven (less $). It also doesn't heat up the entire kitchen like the oven does, so it doesn't throw our thermostat off. I use the oven for big things, but little things do just fine in the toaster and often cook a lot faster.

Why do you all do these things in a toaster oven instead of a regular oven?


faster to heat?
cheaper?

what makes it worth having another kitchen appliance????

I do baked veggie for fajitas and stir frys. It's a lot easier to stick them in the toaster oven, set a timer and forget it when you've got a crazed toddler at your feet.

We re-heat pizza, french fries, chicken, steak, etc. We toast bread, make bagel pizzas, chicken nuggets. We love ours.

The Pampered Chef used to sell a stoneware pan called the Small Bar Pan that fits perfectly in the toaster over. I'm not sure if they still make it, but it's the pan that I've used in my toaster oven for the past 8-10 years. I love it.

I have a small pizza stone that is great in the toaster oven

There are many leftovers that do better in a toaster oven than the microwave, like leftover fries, onion rings, anything with bread like a calzone. I've made pancakes, waffles and french toast and had some leftover and reheated them in the toaster oven. I've baked items that are smaller where it doesn't use as much energy or produce as much heat to cook in the toaster oven rather than the big oven. I've made casseroles. And pot pies or smaller dishes like lasagne come out better. We get individual frozen pizzas and French bread pizzas for the occasion fast last-minute meal or snack and these are much better from the toaster oven than the microwave even with those silly grey trays that are supposed to microbake the pizzas. Just a few things off the top of my head.

Anonymous wrote:What do you make in your toaster oven that makes it worthwhile. Do they make special plates/cookware that can be used in the toaster oven?

http://www.qvc.com/ChicagoMetallic-4-Piece-Toaster-Oven-Bakeware-Set.product.K35687.html?sc=K35687-Zone&cm_scid=zone&cm_sp=MERCHZONE-_-Featured:+Top+Rated-_-1

So any glass or metal pan can go in the toaster oven?

I just ate a lovely potato with my dinner. I cooked it for a few minutes in the microwave, then browned it for about a minute in the toaster over. Nice for melting cheese on a sandwich or anything that needs a little browning instead of simple heating in a microwave.

We have a couple cheap metal pans that we use. I don't put plates in there although some stuff (like my potato) can just sit on the rack.

The toaster oven is handy when you don't need/want to use the regular oven.

I love my Breville toaster oven. It cooks really well. I have gotten some small pans at Bed Bath & Beyond but a small (8x8) pyrex dish fits in there too.

I love it. I generally use it instead of a microwave to hear food up.

What do you make in your toaster oven that makes it worthwhile. Do they make special plates/cookware that can be used in the toaster oven?