One of the biggest things I learned living in Africa was how to "make do."
Yes there are all kinds of "outside the box" ways of doing things.
(I won't share all I could do with the same bucket of water.)
It was actually fun, using my creativity, as well as learning from
my African friends who lived so graciously, and often with so little.
When our toaster oven "bit the dust" last week I wondered if we should replace it.
Hadn't I toasted with a frying pan before?
I started researching a new toaster or toaster oven but nothing affordable looked satisfactory.
Since we actually don't make toast that often, would it be worth it?
So the other morning we shared a bagel, perfectly toasted in the frying pan.
I even added just a tad of coconut oil to sweeten the deal make it a smidge healthier.
We concluded that for now we'll "make do" and skip a new appliance,
simplifying our lives in one small way.
"Life is not always a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well."
Jack London
I think making do is the ultimate in creativity. We really "need" very little. Your bagels look like they tasted better toasted in the frying pan than in the toaster. ♥
ReplyDeleteHmm, doing more with less? You could always make toast under your broiler if need be. I really like our toaster oven because with just the two of us I can bake 2 portions of meat in it, even my meatloaf and utilize it often this way.
ReplyDeleteSounds good to me! When I was a kid, my mom would fix us "fried bread"....yum :) I never ever had a toaster oven until about a year ago and if it broke I'd be kinda lost...I use it for so many things!
ReplyDeleteI love that you "make do".
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in Jamaica, the families I worked with did not have ovens so we made ovens to fit over top of their one burner. The ovens were made out of old oil tins. Remarkably they worked.
We are probably one of the few families that does not own a microwave. It took up too much space on our small counters and we never used it. It has been 5 years and we have never missed it.
That's a good way to make do. You don't use a toaster often? We have a toaster oven that we use daily...multiple times daily. Fun the differences between families.
ReplyDeleteMy oven packed it in a while back, as I no longer make cakes or biscuits and baked dinners are few and far between now as there is only two of us I haven't replaced it.
ReplyDeleteMerle..........
Resourcefulness with an excellent result. One of my favorite things in the whole wide world. And, I love the simplifying! blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteAh. Making do is a good thing. I don't know that I've ever toasted bread or a bagel in a fry pan. I bet it was tasty. I haven't had a toaster oven for a long time. It took up too much counter space and was rarely used. We do have a pop up toaster when I keep in a pantry.
ReplyDeleteWe use our toaster oven in a lot of ways. For just the two of us, it's perfect for roasting vegetables. The best baked potatoes come from that oven. Melted cheese under the broiler, etc. However, it is one appliance that I always go for the cheapest. No bells and whistles. That said, I loved my mother's "fried" toast!!
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
I think we're too prone to replace a gizmo without waiting to see if can easily do without. Sometimes, we see that we can do without; sometimes we realize that we do use something more than we thought we did.
ReplyDeleteThat said, when our coffee maker bit the dust a few weeks ago, we replaced it too quick to talk about!!
I agree that making do can be fun!
ReplyDeleteHi Dotsie, I love the Jack London quote (so very true)! I've made toast under the broiler in the regular oven many, many times, but I never thought about toasting bread in the skillet. What a great idea!! Yes, I think your time in Africa probably taught you many amazing things. With things becoming more and more expensive and the job market still sluggish, I think we're all getting some lessons in how to make do. I like what Martha Ellen said that making do is the ultimate in creativity. Ditto that. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, Dotsie, and I hope you're staying warm this week!
Hugs,
Denise
My Dad always preferred his bagel toasted in a cast iron skillet. Looks really good! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteWe did without a microwave for over a year until my mom wanted to buy us a red one. Who could resist? And one son just got us a toaster because we've not had one of those for about 6 months, and he figured that was long enough. Funny what you can do without. I totally get this post. :)
ReplyDeleteThat quote is something I would love to have hanging on a wall here! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI think you did good with the pan. I think our toaster is useless. I keep it in a cabinet and hate dragging it in and out and all the crumbs. Useless. ;)
Jane xxx
My toaster oven was my husbands parents. They have been gone for 23 years. Works great for me! I'm a believer in making do!!!
ReplyDeleteXO Kris
I've never owned a toaster oven, but I've always been able to work without it.
ReplyDeleteNice making do. There really are so many things we really don't need, if we were simply willing to improvise. We do learn a lot, living in a third world country. Enjoy your old 'toaster.'
ReplyDeleteNice making do. There really are so many things we really don't need, if we were simply willing to improvise. We do learn a lot, living in a third world country. Enjoy your old 'toaster.'
ReplyDeleteSo true! I think our Mother's era also learned to "make do" by necessity, and it made them more resourceful and thrifty. I never had a toaster oven, but I do like to make toast so I have a small toaster.
ReplyDeletePodso,
ReplyDeleteOften during my childhood, I heard my MoMa use the phrase, "making do".
As a newlywed, I often had to "make~do" from one paycheck to the other.
It is amazing what one can make~do with as the need arises!
Great post!!!
Fondly,
Pat
P.S. I can almost s m e l l those bagels!!! (wink!)