The NSU Three Amigos

Team Information

Our Box Oven with Reflectors

Team Name: The NSU Three Amigos

School Name: NSU University School

Team Members Names with grade level:
Jack T, 5th grade/ Max S, 5th grade/ Joseph, 5th grade

Historical Information about our Solar Cooker Team:

o This is our first time competing in the solar oven competition.
o Our school has had one team compete in a solar cooking events one time before.
o We worked extremely hard on this project, and we hope our ovens and our meal will impress the judges.
o Random Fact: Our school mascot is a shark!

Here we are. The Three Amigos with our main solar cooker without the reflectors.

Design Documentation

Photo of completed solar cooker. We still plan to make a way to tilt the oven but we didn’t get it done by the time the webpage had to be done.

Our First Attempt at Cooking Food in our Oven. We Cooked an Egg. The temperature went up to 240.4 degrees F!!!

Photo of Cooker cooking corn bread.

Our cooker reached 192.2ºF while cooking the corn bread.

Two of our cookers in use

Our cooker got to 170.4 degrees Fahrenheit and later got to 192.2ºF .

Help We Received from Others

We would like to thank our teacher for guiding us as we made the oven and taking time with us to test it. We had help from our teachers who cut the glass and plexiglass for us at the dimensions we provided. Our teacher also helped us with the proper way of using spray paint. We wanted to make the inside black to help keep the heat in the oven. Our parents helped us a lot by encouraging us, transporting us to extra practices, and buying the food we cooked.

Design Drawings

Design Drawing: Top View with Dimensions, Front/ Back View with Dimensions, Side Views with Dimensions, and Cross Sections with Dimensions

Where We Got Our Idea

We first researched many websites where we learned the different types of solar cookers that have been made. We saw all the box cookers and noticed that we had a lot of boxes in the lab therefore we thought we could make a box cooker with them. We researched how it worked and liked the idea of the heat getting trapped inside the box.

One of us had plexiglass in our garage and there were pieces of glass from take apart, so we added those to our design as well as insulation, and high heat spray paint, and reflectors.

We took all this into consideration when we chose to make box ovens and we wanted to see how it would perform.

Materials Used

New Materials:

Plexiglass

Glass

Reflective Film

insulation stripping

Consumables:

Duct Tape

Reflective Tape

High Heat Spray

Spray Glue

Recycled materials:

Cardboard Boxes

Cardboard

Styrofoam

Insulation

Test Results

Solar Oven Test 1 – Date: 2/14/2024

Weather Conditions: Sunny then Partly Cloudy

Time of Day: Afternoon

Length of Test: 30 Minutes

Observations of results: It went well it got to 150 degrees.

Highest Temperature Reached: 150º F

Any recommendations for improvements: Put some reflectors so it will get to a higher temperature.

Solar Oven Test 2 – Date: 3/16/2024

Weather Conditions: Really Sunny then a little bit Cloudy

Time of Day: Afternoon

Length of Test: 2 Hours

Observations of results: It went very well it got fully cooked and an egg. It tasted very good.

Highest Temperature Reached: 240.4º F

Any recommendations for improvements: We would add reflectors so it will reach higher temperatures.

Solar Oven Test 3 – Date: 3/31/2024

Weather Conditions: Partly Cloudy – Sunny

Time of Day: Afternoon 11:00-2:00

Length of Test: 4 Hours

Observations of results: We cooked corn bread. It got fully cooked and was delicious!.

Highest Temperature Reached: 192.2 º F

Any recommendations for improvements: Adding a thing so it can tilt to the sun’s rays but also a reflector.

Team Design Video

Recipes

Solar Oven Sirloin Tips with Mushroom and Onion

10 servings

Ingredients

1½ lbs. Sirloin Tips (or Sirloin Steak cut up into 1” chunks)
1 lb. Fresh Mushrooms (or 2 small cans of mushrooms)
1 Medium size Onion
1 Garlic Clove minced (or ¼ to ½ tsp. garlic powder)

Instructions

Cut onion in half (side to side). Cut ½” wedges from both halves of the onion.
Slice fresh mushrooms.
Cover the bottom of the solar oven pot with sirloin tips (no oil added).
Sprinkle diced garlic or garlic powder over the sirloin tips.
Add sliced onion and mushroom on top of sirloin tips.
Put pot in solar oven to cook.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

3 Servings

Ingredients

3 squares Godiva dark chocolate, chopped
3 squares Godiva vanilla bean chocolate, chopped
20 chocolate melts
3 large ripe strawberries

Instructions

Wash and dry strawberries do not remove hulls. Place dark chocolate and melts in a black covered pan and the white chocolate in a smaller pan; heat in solar oven for 20 minutes. Dip strawberries in dark chocolate and drizzle with white chocolate.

BBQ Pork Ribs

10 servings

Ingredients:

4 pounds boneless Pork Baby Back Ribs, cut into 3-inch long pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme
2/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

Arrange the meat in the baking dish and season with salt and pepper, to taste. In a small bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients and stir to incorporate. Pour the sauce over ribs and toss well, coating all the pieces. Cover with aluminum foil and roast until cooked through and tender, about 3-4 hours. Remove the foil during the last 30 minutes of cooking to brown the top. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

BBQ

10 servings

Ingredients:

4 pounds boneless Beef Short Ribs, cut into 3-inch long pieces or Thin Cut Beef strips
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme
2/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions:

Cornbread

8-10 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup neutral oil or melted butter
1 large egg
1 cup milk

Instructions:

Grease muffin pan. Preheat the solar oven. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine well. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your oil or butter, milk, and egg. Stir just until the mixture comes together and there are only a few lumps remaining. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 2-3 hours minutes until the top is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve hot.

Sloppy Joe

4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound ground meat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried ground thyme
2/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Burger Buns
Pickles

Instructions:

Arrange the meat in the baking dish and season with salt and pepper, to taste. In a small bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients and stir to incorporate. Pour the sauce over meat and mix. Cover with aluminum foil and cook, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to a bun and serve with pickles.

Pecan Pie Bars

10-12 servings

Ingredients:

FOR CRUST:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

FOR TOPPING:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 cups chopped pecans

Instructions:

Put the solar oven out to get hot and line a 9×13-inch pan with foil, leaving enough for a 2-inch overhang on all sides. First make the crust by creaming together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add in the flour and salt and mix until crumbly. Press the crust into the foil-lined pan and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. While the crust bakes, prepare the filling by combining the butter, brown sugar, honey and heavy cream in a saucepan and stirring it over medium heat. Simmer the mixture for 1 minute, then stir in the chopped pecans. Remove the crust from the oven and immediately pour the pecan filling over the hot crust spreading it to cover the entire surface. Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 20 minutes. Remove the pan and allow the bars to fully cool in the pan. Use the foil overhang to lift out the bars and transfer them to a cutting board. Peel off the foil, slice into bars and serve

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

2-4 servings

Ingredients:

1 sweet potato, peeled
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks ¼ to ½ inch wide and 3 inches long, and toss them with the oil. Mix the spices, salt and pepper in a small bowl, and toss them with the sweet potatoes. Spread them out on the baking sheets. Bake until brown and crisp on the bottom, about 1-2 hours. Serve hot.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

8 servings

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, well softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, minced (1 tsp)
2/3 cup (76g) finely shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (56g) finely shredded mozzarella cheese
Pepper, to taste
1 (14 oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, can liquid drained, squeeze artichokes to drain excess liquid, chopped
6 oz. frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain excess liquid

Instructions:

Spray a small (1 quart) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl stir together cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, parmesan, mozzarella and pepper. Stir in artichokes and spinach. Spread mixture evenly into prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until heated through and melty, about 1-2 hours. Serve warm with tortilla chips, crackers or toasted baguette slices

Coleslaw

8 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon finely grated onion
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 16 ounce bag of coleslaw mix plain cabbage or tri-color deli style

Instructions

In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, onion powder, and celery seeds. Add the shredded cabbage and toss until well coated. Refrigerate for an hour before serving and up to 2 days. Toss again right before serving. Enjoy!

Apple Cobbler

8 servings

Ingredients:

FOR THE APPLE FILLING

5 large baking apples (about {2½ lbs), peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick (see note)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing the pan

FOR THE BISCUIT TOPPING

1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
7 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
1 cup buttermilk (see note)

Instruction

Set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease an 8-inch square, muffin pan, or 2-quart baking dish with butter. Make the Apple Filling: In a large bowl, combine the apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Toss until the apples are evenly coated. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and pat into an even layer. Dot with the 2 tablespoons butter. Make the Biscuit Topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 6 tablespoons of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the cold butter and smoosh with your fingers (or cut in with a pastry cutter) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized clumps of butter within. Add the buttermilk and stir until just combined and evenly moistened. It will look lumpy; that’s good. Do not over-mix. Using a large spoon, dollop 8 to 10 spoonful’s of the biscuit batter over the apples, allowing the filling to show through in spots (most of the filling will be covered). Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the batter. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden, about 1-2 hours (keep an eye on it during the last 10 minutes; if it looks like it’s getting too brown, cover it loosely with aluminum foil). Let the cobbler cool for 15 to 20 minutes, then serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Brownies

12 Servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup (98g) all-purpose flour (measured properly)
1/2 cup (57g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup (180ml) vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs

Instructions

Grease a 9×9 square baking pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving some over hanging on the sides for easy removal from the pan later. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt to a medium sized bowl and set aside. Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until well combined, but don’t over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 1-2 hours, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Allow brownies to cool completely, then use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the brownie from the pan. Cut into bars. Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature. Best if eaten within 5-7 days.

Lasagna

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

1 jar (32 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 package (8 ounces) lasagna noodles
Olive oil
1 pound ricotta cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Spread 1 1/2 cups of sauce over bottom of a dark roasting pan. Coat uncooked noodles with olive
oil. Layer half the noodles and half the ricotta cheese over the sauce. Add half of the mozzarella
cheese. Repeat layers of sauce, noodles and cheese. Top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle
Parmesan cheese over top. Cover and bake in the solar oven for 3 to 4 hours. Makes 6 servings.

S’mores

Ingredients:

1 graham cracker squares
1 Marshmallow
2 Chocolate bar pieces

Instructions:

Place half of the cracker on a piece of foil. Place chocolate pieces on top. Place marshmallow on top of the chocolate Place the other half on top of the marshmallow and cover it all with the foil. Place inside the solar oven. Heat for 30 minutes.