Shepherd's Pie Baked In The Sun Oven....

I had a small window of opportunity, according to the weather report, to use the Sun Oven this morning. I prepared all of my ingredients yesterday, so I would be ready first thing this morning to take advantage of the free power that we get from the sun. I try and use every opportunity I have to take the sting out of the high cost of well, everything, including propane. I also used the Sun Oven yesterday to bake a half dozen potatoes to use in meals this week while I was meal prepping for today.  

Ingredients:

1 lb. Ground Beef

4 Carrots, Diced

1/2 Medium Onion, Chopped 

1 Celery Stalk, Chopped

1 Can Corn, Drained

1 Cup Beef Stock

3 C Prepared Instant Mashed Potatoes

1 Tsp Minced Garlic

3 Tbs Flour

Butter

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a skillet, brown ground beef and raw vegetables. Add corn. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir until combined. Continue cooking for 3 or 4 more minutes. Pour beef broth over the top and mix well. Cook until a nice gravy forms. Salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly oil a baking dish. Pour mixture into the oiled dish. Top with prepared mashed potatoes. Add a few thin pats of butter to the top of the potatoes. Place in 350 degree oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes to allow potatoes to set up before serving. 

Notes:

Fresh or leftover mashed potatoes can be used instead of instant. I'm using my fresh potatoes sparingly until this year's crops come in. Potatoes are over a dollar a pound right now if you can find them at all.

Make potatoes stiffer than usual.

Beef broth or instant beef broth can be used. 

Frozen peas are a great addition to this dish and are normally added to this dish, but Number One is not a fan of peas. Plus, I wanted to save my peas for fried rice. It's a win win situation...

Things To Be Happy About...

Licking the cake bowl and the spoon

Playing hide and seek in the store with Number One

Cast Iron

Having the winning bid for an auction

Receiving a delivery

Sending a gift

Herbs

Sugar wafers

Soap

50% off of anything

Pine cones

Camping gear

Solar

Lakes, springs, creeks and ponds

Coyotes howling at night

The top and the bottom of a hill

Enjoy,

Mrs. Smith

Solar Ovens - Sun Oven By Sun Oven International - Product Review

Cooking accounts for 20% of energy use in the United States. We use a lot more energy since we cook nearly every single meal we eat at home. It's probably even more than 20% for normal households since the pandemic forced most people back into their kitchens. Some for the first time. I have always wanted a solar oven to offset the cost of our propane bills. We live off grid, so a solar oven seemed to be a great next step to energy independence. 

We were blessed to find not one, but two Sun Ovens at a local thrift store. Both were purchased on two different occasions. One was brand new in the box and the other was brand new without the box. I was very excited to try out the Sun Oven. We get a lot of sunshine here, so using a solar oven works very well for us. We get an average of 247 days of sunshine in a year. However, storms move through very fast and then the sun comes back out once the storm passes. 

I have added some additional items like baking racks, stackable pots with lids and water pasteurizers over time. There are a few more things that I would like to purchase at some point. 
 

It stores easily in the folded down position. 

I like using the stackable pans in the Sun Oven. It enables me to cook multiple items at one time. I also use my own pans and bakeware. It just depends on what I am cooking.

MULTI-LEVEL DEHYDRATING & BAKING RACK SET

Multi-Fuel Water Pasteurization Indicator (WAPI) 3-pack

Just add sunshine...

It works in all kinds of climates. It even works during the Winter months.

You can cook all kinds of different foods. I am boiling eggs without water, baking potatoes and roasting some meat all at one time.

This morning I baked some potatoes and heated up some frozen grilled hamburgers. I served them with a salad for lunch. 

It heated up to 350* . We had some thin high clouds in the sky. 

Preparing to make some Oriental Honey Garlic Chicken

Marinade

Carrots, two types of Winter squash and green peppers.

Ingredients ready to go...

Double stacked pans...

It was a very windy day. We have strong winds frequently. Number One made a stabilizer for the Sun Oven. The new models come with a stabilizer. You can also buy a kit for the older models. We just made our own. 

I added the extra weight.

It is easily rotated to follow the sun. It comes with an adjustable foot to adjust for different times of the year.

I made some Jasmine rice in the pressure cooker. Rice can be cooked in the Sun Oven, but I like to use my electric pressure cooker. Plus, solar electricity is free for us.

I served the Honey Garlic Chicken over the Jasmine rice. It was delicious.

I have baked brownies, bread, cornbread, biscuits, roasted chicken, stews, soups, beans, casseroles and more. I can dehydrate, pasteurize water, bake, re-heat and make yogurt in my Sun Oven. I am very satisfied with the Sun Oven by Sun Oven International. All parts are made and assembled in the USA, except for the thermometer. Thermometers are no longer made in the USA as far as I know. 

There are still some things like baking and browning homemade bread that I'm still working on. I will continue the adventure of learning how to cook in my solar oven. It saves money, energy and keeps the house cool in the Summer. Keep checking in for new recipes and adventures. 

The proof is in the pudding...

Blessings,

Mrs. Smith