Baking Bread (Again)

We have lived in our house for 3 1/2 years and nearly every single day, I tell someone how much I love our house. I love the location. I love my little neighborhood. I love the friends I've made here. I love running into people I know everywhere I go. I (really) love not being in the 'burbs anymore. I love our home, and I cannot imagine moving anytime in the foreseeable future. 

That said, one of the only things we don't absolutely *love* about our house is the fact that it only has one oven. We cook and bake a lot, so one oven is not ideal. We do have a toaster oven that doubles as a second small oven, as well as a warming drawer to keep cooked foods warm, but still, having only one oven has, on more than one occasion, put a crimp in our cooking style. 

We've discussed rearranging the kitchen and moving the microwave to make room for a second oven, or upgrading the microwave to one of those fancy convection microwaves that doubles a second oven, or even possibly getting rid of my beloved warming drawer. Gene even (jokingly?) suggested building a wood-fired brick oven in the backyard. But for the past 3 1/2 years, nothing has really seemed like a good solution and we've muddled along with just the one oven.  

Until now. Now we have the Kamado Joe.

We had a working grill (albeit a three-legged one), but we knew it was time to upgrade to something that wouldn't fall apart in three years. Gene researched grills extensively, and decided that the Kamado Joe was The One. You can control the temperature, it can double as a smoker, and all the online reviews claimed it could work as an oven too. We didn't quite believe that, even after cooking delicious pizzas and beer can chickens.  

Until this weekend. Gene baked the most amazing rolls on THE GRILL.

Baking. On the grill. Who knew?

These rolls were incredible! And it seems that everything worked out just fine. Gene got his new grill/smoker, we both got a second oven, and we didn't even have to tear up the kitchen! Sure, the new oven lives outside and I have no idea how to work it. But not having to live with a (small) kitchen remodel and still lovin' this house? Priceless.