Creative cookin'

Anyone who knows me understands that I like to save money, find deals and reduce waste. So when it came time for finding a few items for our home that we didn't currently have, I immediately set my sights on the treasure trove called Craig's List.

We needed a microwave. To be perfectly frank, when John first suggested we needed to buy one I said no way. I never used it and we simply didn't need one. But John had a strategy in mind to help me see the light. He taped paper and pen to our old microwave so that every time I used it, I was reminded to record it. Uhm...yeah...it turned out I needed to find one.

I started scanning the ads on Craig's List and voila--a woman in Orinda had posted that she had a nice convection/microwave that was looking for a new home (it belonged to her mother). It needed a little cleanup, but was in good working shape and still had 2 years on the warranty!

We've been using that oven for the past week as we wait for the countertops to be delivered and I must admit, I'm more than delighted that we've got it. The convection feature is like a new plaything for me. I made ricotta-stuffed chicken breasts with marinara sauce for dinner one night. Another night it was sweet corn and meatloaf. Turns out that "camp-cooking" at Loft 152 is easier than I ever imagined!