WONDER BOX COOKER, A MUST HAVE!!

What is a Wonder Box? A Wonder Box is a heat retention cooker. The major benefit of the Wonder Box is
to reduce the amount fuel you need to cook meals. A source of information I read, stated that you can
save up to 80% of your needed fuel by using a Wonder Box, because the heat used for simmering is
eliminated. What kind of meals can you cook in the Wonder Box? Any meals that you can cook in a Crock

Pot. You have to allow a little more time.

A Wonder Box is two cushions placed in a 20 gallon container with a lid. There is a top and a bottom
cushion, filled with bean bag filler. You can use also shredded foam, shipping popcorn or wood chips.
With wood chips you will have to empty the cushion before washing. (I ordered bean bag filler on-line
from Wal Mart), (and I also bought a container at Target for $8.00 on sale) The top cushion takes 7
gallons of beads and the bottom takes 12 gallons, according to directions. (I filled mine with a less and
it works well.)
I used a piece of flannel to make mine. It had frogs on it and I love frogs. (Good eating too). They
recommend a soft cotton or broadcloth material. Cotton works best as it will not melt when touching the
hot surface of the pot. (You can use a piece of foil on the bottom also, between material and hot pot.)
What is great about the Wonder Box, it can also be used to keep things warm, I’ve tried it when taking a
cooked meal to my mother in laws and I needed pot holders to take the dishes out.
Are you interested in a Wonder Box, stayed tuned for more information? Patterns will be posted in the
near future as wells as recipes.

WONDER BOX OVEN/COOKER

Materials needed
You will need 2 ½ yards of material from a 52 inch bolt, 3 ½ yards if the bolt is narrower.
Soft cotton or broadcloth material is best.
Use a 20 gallon plastic container with lid.
And filler, about 3 cubic feet of Polystyrene Beads (I got mine on line at Wal Mart $19.)
Lay out your material and pin your pattern on. You will cut out four pieces for each cushion.
To make the bottom, sew two of the four pieces together along the longest side. This is from point A to B
on the diagram. Now sew the other two pieces together the same way.
 You
now have two large pieces. Open the two pieces and put together on top of each other. Sew all the way
around leaving a six inch opening to turn material inside out and to fill the cushion.
You can then fill with beads, or wood shavings. (If you fill with wood shavings, you will have to empty
them out before washing). Sew opening together. This will leave you with a funny shaped cushion. Now
push the narrow part of the bottom into the larger part to make a nest for a pot to fit in.
To make the top, it is similar to the bottom. Take two of the pieces and sew them together from point C
to D on one side. Now sew the other two pieces together the same way. Now place the two pieces
together, pin and then sew all around the edge. Remember to leave a

six-inch opening so that you can turn the material and fill
the cushion. Sew the opening together.
Place the bottom in a twenty-quart container. It can be plastic. Find a pot with a tight fitting lid that will
nest in the bottom and you are in business.
Cooking with a Wonder Box
This morning I decided to cook a beef stew, I figured this would be a good time to cook with my Wonder
Box. I made a simple beef stew in a eight quart stainless steel pan. It was then brought it to a hard boil
for fifteen minutes. The lid should be on during the boiling to warm it.
The hot pan was then placed in the bottom of the Wonder Box. The bottom cushion came up to almost
the top of the pan. I then placed the top cushion over the top of the pan making sure there were no gaps

to let the heat out.

About five hours later I removed a beautifully cooked stew from the Wonder Box. It was cooked with a
minimum amount of fuel and it did not heat my kitchen up.
The Stew recipe
 Two lbs of stewing meat
 One large onion
 Four parsnips
 Four rutabagas
 Four potatoes
 Three celery sticks
 Eight carrots
 Four turnips
 Pepper to taste
 Salt to taste
 Two teaspoons garlic powder
 Onion & herbs by Dash
 Ten cups of water seasoned with beef broth
I browned the meat and then added the vegetables, water and seasonings prior to bringing the stew to a
boil. Our company really enjoyed it. We then finished the meal with a chocolate cake in which I used
black beans instead of oil. It was moist, light and delicious.

WONDER BOX/OVEN RECIPE

Here is a recipe I am trying. Some of you have probably ready gone on line and checked some out other
recipes. Have you tried any yet? The stew that I made was very good.
This is the one I am trying next: TERYAKI CHICKEN
½ cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
¼ tsp ginger
(Combine top three ingredients and fill with water to the top of a
2 cup measuring cup)
¼ minced onion
Raw chicken (cut up)or you use
Chicken breast , cut into bite size pieces and marinate.
Use approximately 1 piece of chicken per person (cut up) and marinate in sauce for a minimum of 3-4
hours. Sauce should cover most of the chicken (you may need to double recipe if using lots of chicken).
Put everything in a pan, bring to a boil, and boil for 5-6 minutes. Place in wonder box for 4 or more
hours. Depending on the amount of chicken you put in pot. Serve chicken over rice.
Do a search and you will find a lot more information on Wonder Boxes or check categories under cooking.

Wonder Box Recipes:

With summer coming, it’s going to be great cooking in a Wonder Box. No heat from a stove to worry
about. Here are a couple more recipes for you to try. I haven’t tried this one, but my friend has and she
gave me the recipes.
Pear Dessert (or apple)
Filling Topping
15 pears, peeled 2 tbsp. Flour
Cored & quartered 2 tbsp. of brown sugar
Zest from one lemon 1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ flour ¼ tsp. ginger
¼ sugar mix together, cut in a
¼ water tablespoon of butter
Toss pears with lemon juice, zest, flour and sugar. Put water in bottom of a large pan, (like a double
boiler) place pear mixture in pan that will fit inside the larger pan of water and top with topping. Bring
to boil, lower to medium low, boil for 5 minutes more. Place in Wonder Box and let cook for 3 hours.
I have tried the rice pudding, and found out that you really have to watch this one. It says 2-4 hours, but
I would not leave it more that that. It will get very dry. (That’s what I did)
Rice Pudding
4 cups apple juice
2 cups rice
2 tbsp sugar (optional)
½ – 1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins
Put all the ingredients in a pot; bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Place in Wonder Box for approximately 2-4
hours.