Things I Have Leared From My Oven

There are a couple of "homemaker/wifey" tasks that I really don't like to do. One is handling raw meat. It doesn't agree with me. I don't like cleaning mini blinds. It takes too much time and precision. I don't like to plunge the toilet. If Ben isn't home to do it I have real issues. I don't like cleaning out the refrigerator. That's probably why I don't like leftovers - it they don't get eaten, I have to clean them out. Yuck! But I really don't like to clean the oven. Somehow I missed that lesson when I was living at home.

I sprayed my oven down with oven cleaner and closed the door last night, knowing that by doing so I would force myself into the unpleasant task before I could tackle my list of baking today. I learned a few things in the process...

• 1. I don't know what they put in that can of oven cleaner, but it is my friend. It makes it a whole lot easier to get the crummy stuff out of my non-self-cleaning oven.
• 2. I think there is an oven gremlin that occasionally visits my house at night. He (it must be a "he" because as far as I know only the "shes" have to actually clean the oven) sprinkles food in my oven so that when I turn it on to preheat everything crusts to the sides and bottoms, causing eye-burning fumes when I open the door.
• 3. It isn't worth it to try and be frugal by using a rag instead of paper towels. Sure, the rag can be washed and reused. But for the rare occasion that the oven gets cleaned, it's better to use up the roll of paper towel and save myself grossness and frustration. Paper towel soaks up that foamy stuff (which is my friend) a whole lot better and quicker, and without the yucky rinsing in the gross bucket of vile water (from the last rinse).
• 4. I don't understand how my oven racks get so dirty! It's not like I overflow every casserole that goes into the oven. It is a rare occurrence! So why are they so hard to get clean?
• 5. Aluminum foil is a wonderful thing. My husband has been telling me that for a while, but I finally experienced it second hand. By putting foil in the bottom of my oven I saved myself some cleaning.
• 6. If Eve hadn't eaten that apple, I wouldn't have to clean my oven. We would still be eating unforbidden fruit in the Garden, and there wouldn't be any meat to cook, so no need for my oven.
• 7. In heaven I'm going to have a self-cleaning oven!