1. Toaster ovens have come a very long way in the last few years. They are versatile, handy, quick, and economical.
2. Toaster ovens heat up much more quickly than full-sized ovens and cook more efficiently. They have many different settings such as toast, defrost, broil, bake, and convection bakejust to name a few.
3. Toaster ovens take up very little space and are easy to clean (many have crumb trays that slide out). They also use less energy and dont heat up the entire kitchen.
4. Use the front window on a toaster oven for close monitoring of cooking food without opening the door and losing heat.
5. The little ovens are portable and can be moved around the kitchen to a space convenient for whatever you are cooking.
6. The toast feature allows for even browning on both sides of food, compared to conventional ovens that can only broil from the top.
7. The recipes in this book were created using a 6-slice capacity toaster oven. Most recipes use baking pans, but a few call for placing the item to be cooked directly on the wire rack in the toaster oven.
8. It is helpful to have a variety of pans to use in the toaster oven. The recipes in this book may require a 6-cup muffin pan; mini muffin pan; 8 x 11-inch baking sheet; 9-inch square baking pan; 9-inch pie pan; oval 2-1/2-quart casserole dish; or 8- to 10-ounce ramekins.
Appetizers
Pizza Bites
1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerator biscuits, flaky style |
1 cup marinara sauce |
2 tablespoons tomato paste |
18 slices pepperoni |
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese |
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese |
Turn toaster oven to toast on darkest setting.
Separate 3 biscuits into layers, making 6 thin circles from each biscuit. Save remaining biscuits for another use. Bake the dough circles in a single layer in two batches on a baking sheet until golden brown and toasty. Watch carefully so as not to burn.
In a bowl, whisk together the marinara sauce and tomato paste. Spread 1 tablespoon sauce mixture on each toasted circle. Top with pepperoni and cheeses. Return to oven and toast until cheeses are melted and sauce is bubbly. Serve warm. Makes 18 appetizers.
Baked Brie in a Bread Crust
1/2 cup raspberry jam |
1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries |
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves |
1/2 box (17 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed |
1 (14-ounce) Brie cheese, 6 to 7 inches in diameter |
1 large egg, mixed with 1 tablespoon water |
Turn toaster oven to 375 degrees.
Stir jam, berries, and thyme in small bowl to blend. Lay sheet of pastry on lightly floured surface and roll out to a 12-inch square. Cut top rind off cheese; discard rind. Place cheese, cut side up, in center of pastry and spread raspberry mixture on cheese. Fold pastry corners up over cheese. Brush pastry with egg wash and then press seams together to seal.
Bake on a baking sheet for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool 15 minutes. Place baked cheese on a serving platter. Serve with crackers and toasted baguette slices. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
1 jar (14 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts |
1 box (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach |
1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese |
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Romano cheese |
1 package (8 ounces) light cream cheese, softened |
1/2 cup light sour cream |
1 teaspoon salt |
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder |
Tabasco sauce, to taste |
Turn toaster oven to convection bake at 350 degrees (or bake at 375 degrees).
Drain artichoke hearts, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Dice artichoke hearts and remove any tough pieces. Thaw spinach; squeeze and drain all liquid from spinach.
Stir all ingredients together, including 1/4 cup reserved liquid. Spread mixture in a 9-inch pie pan prepared with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned on top. Serve on crackers or toasted baguette slices. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Tomato Mozzarella Bruschetta
1 loaf baguette-style French bread (about 3 inches in diameter) |
2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half |
4 ounces fresh mozzarella |
2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced |
1/4 cup diced fresh basil |
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil |
salt and pepper |
Turn toaster oven to toast on dark setting.
Slice bread into 6 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. Place directly on wire rack at top of toaster oven. Toast until lightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Remove from oven and rub tops of toasted slices with cut side of garlic cloves.
Slice mozzarella into 1/4-inch-thick slices to fit the toasts. Lay a slice on top of each piece of toast. Mix tomatoes, basil, and oil and spread about 2 tablespoons over cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 servings.
Parmesan Pesto Twists
1 sheet (10 x 14-inches) frozen puff pastry dough, thawed |
1/4 cup pesto |
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese |
1 large egg, mixed with 1 tablespoon water |
Turn toaster oven to convection bake at 350 degrees (or bake at 400 degrees).
Place puff pastry on a flat surface and pierce every 2 inches with a fork. Spread pesto sauce over pastry sheet. Fold sheet in half widthwise and then roll out to 10 x 14 inches.
Sprinkle on cheese and pat with fingers so that cheese sticks to pastry. Cut into 1-inch strips.
Place half of the strips about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet, twisting like a rope, so that there is a twist every inch or so. Brush strips with egg mixture. Press ends of strips to adhere to pan so strips will not move during baking. Bake in oven, near the top, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly puffed and golden brown. Repeat using remaining strips. Makes 10 twists.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pinwheels
1 jar (6 ounces) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained |
4 ounces cream cheese, softened |
1 teaspoon garlic powder |
Tabasco sauce, to taste |
1 box (17 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed |
Turn toaster oven to convection bake at 375 degrees (or bake at 400 degrees).
Dice the tomatoes and mix with cream cheese, garlic powder, and Tabasco sauce.