My Summer Kitchen

The heat has kicked in down here in Southern Tennessee and we are not using air conditioners...(Well.... their is one on the back porch I have not convinced my DH to give up yet...but he'll get there!)So we have kicked into full "summer kitchen mode". What do I mean by that? Well, we do not turn the stove on indoors. Instead we do all our cooking outdoors or on the porch.

Although, I use the grill year round, we use it a whole lot more in the summer. Everyone knows there is nothing better than grilled meat and veggies (don't you??). But I have learned to use it for things like grilled cheese, garlic toast, toast (of all kinds to top with bruchetta or whatever sounds good), tuna melts and even homemade whole wheat pizza in the summer time!

I have to wipe things down before I get started, but it's a shady spot behind the house, so I don't mind. We have two of these 8 ft picnic tables and two of these stainless steel tables that I use as work surfaces as needed or serving buffets.


This is my camp chef Taho. I LOVE this stove. It runs a bit hot - but man does that makes it nice for quickin' and canning! I have a huge two burner cast iron griddle (set off the side there) that gets LOTS of use year round - but it was made for this stove. You can also see here a few of my dutch ovens. I can cook or bake with these using coals. I spent a whole summer two years ago, training myself in how to do that. I am pretty handy with it by now. I hope to share some posts on that one day. Anything can be done in a dutch oven! Many of you know how I am about a crockpot...well cast iron dutch ovens are even better! (They just take alittle more doin')

This my Zo (Zojerushi bread machine). She doesn't get much action any more - but it is a great back-up appliance for no-brainer hands-off bread. Sometimes, if I want bread for breakfast and I don't have any made, we will toss the ingrediants in here before bed and wake up to a delicious 2lb whole grain loaf of goodness! This machine was so helpful when I was pregnant and operating at 1/4 normal.


This is a portable roaster oven, I have 2 of them and LOVE them. It is the latest addition to my gadgets less than 2 years old. I use it all the time! It is so wonderful to provide extra oven space for large projects, like making food ahead or preperations for Shabbat or making extra for food to send ahead for other families in need. It is also a wonderful tool for large gatherings, as you can set it up on the counter and serve from it like a crockpot. (But it is twice the size! of the largest crockpot!) It has a removable pan insert for easy cleaning. You can find them at Walmart for less than $40. It is very handy for quick summer cooking. They heat up very fast and don't give off as much heat as the main oven does. Not to mention, I use it on my porch or run an extention cord and do it on my table outdoors.

I can also use my crock pot on the porch or outside...but find I don't use it as often as I do in cooler months. However, I do still find it handy to make my beans..which makes lovely fast taco's, nachos or bean salads fo summer. It also makes lovely carmel sauce for homemade icecream. Hailey just recently requested some Chai to put on ice...OK I guess it still has it's place in my summer kitchen too! :-)


Lastly, We have the good ol' fire pit papa made us several years back. You can get some coals going in there for the dutch ovens or use wood. It's good for more than beef wienies and kosher marshmallows! This tri-pod over top makes it very flexible to cook over. You can put food right on the grill to cook it (like meat or large veggies) or use it like a stove top with a pot. Either way, if its too hot, just raise it higher away from the fire - if it is too cold, lower it down. Simple cookin! I absolutely LOVE campfire cookin'!

I find we eat a lot more fresh and raw foods. A lot more fresh salads and more "snacky lunches" (like raw veggies and dip, cheese and crackers. Ants on a log, things like that) We eat fresh fruit like crazy! I think that is the way it is suppose to be. It seems to me that our bodies rhythm and needs change with the weather and longer hot days. It is good to eat seasonally for a whole host of reasons...but that is another post. :-)

It is part of the farm vision to build a VERY large pavilion in the back yard. At one end of it will be storage for tables, chairs and some kitchen supplies, as well as a wood cook stove. This will not only serve as a place to exercise hospitality year round (and dance!)- but it will also double as our permanent summer kitchen.

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of my make-shift summer kitchen. Stay cool (unless you are my friends in Australia - you stay warm - would ya). ;-)

I shared this post on the Homestead Barnhop