We made some
cardboard apple box ovens that cook just like a regular oven and you use charcoal briquettes. Each briquette is about 25 degrees of heat, so if you need it to be about 350 degrees, just use about 14 briquettes. Basically you take either the top or the bottom of an apple box and cover any holes that it might have with more cardboard and tape in place. You'll cut out a section for a window on one of the large sides, then you cover the whole box with heavy duty aluminum foil. Each of the seams (areas where two pieces of foil overlap) then needs to be covered with a metallic type tape you find in hardware stores. You will also need to cut the window part out again. Cut it in an "X" pattern (see video)and fold back and tape. You'll use a turkey roasting bag cut just larger than the window and tape it in place on the inside. And you're done.
Lay a strip on foil down on the ground to put the lighted briquettes on. You'll also use four cans (soda or something like a can of corn) that are the same size, filled with water or sand. Put the cans in the corners and make sure the box can go over them. Put a cookie rack or similar grate on top of the cans, this is where your food will sit. Cover and let the "oven" preheat. Then put your food on the rack and cover leaving a small space at the bottom for air to keep circulating for the coals. You can use a small rock to prop it up.
We tried it out that night and made 2 sheets of cookies and a casserole and muffins and they turned out great. The cookies took 3-4 minutes longer than in her oven at home but that was all.
