QUESTION: I want to buy or build a solar cooker to keep my kitchen cooler. I might be silly, but I also want one in case of a terrorist attack or emergency. Can I make one that really works or should I buy one?

ANSWER: Doing some of your baking and cooking outdoors in a solar cooker oven during the summer makes a lot of sense. Baking and cooking uses a lot of energy. During the winter, this helps to heat your home, but during the summer, this extra heat and humidity make your air conditioner run longer.

Solar cookers really do work. Many families in the world use solar cookers exclusively. Once you get used to cooking and baking in one, it is almost as easy to use as the oven in a kitchen range. In addition to cutting your utility bills, using one will protect the environment for your children.

You are not silly to consider the possibilities of terrorism or emergencies. Solar cookers allow you to prepare food when there is a power outage. Also, they can get hot enough to sterilize foods and drinking water in case of a terrorist attack or just from flooding which pollutes drinking water.

You can purchase a good quality, easy-to-use solar cooker in about the $150 to $300 range. Many of them are designed to collapse for easy storage. This makes them ideal for camping or other outdoor activities when electricity is not readily available.

For the most convenience, consider getting a hybrid type of solar cooker. These cookers can bake bread, boil water and roast meats solely with the heat from the sun. They also include backup electric heating elements if electricity is available or for very cloudy days or at night.

Most solar cookers include some type of collapsible or folding reflectors to direct more of the sun's rays on the cooking pot or baking oven. One powerful model uses a parabolic reflector (similar to a spotlight) to concentrate the sun's heat. Another uses flat folding shiny panels. Still another uses a shiny inflatable reflector, which is great for backpacking.

If you are energetic and want to involve your children in a learning project, build a solar cooker/oven yourself. The simplest ones consist of a large cardboard box with a smaller box inside of it. Crumpled up newspapers can be used for insulation between the two. Place a clear plastic cover over the top. Cover pieces of cardboard with aluminum foil for reflectors.

Another, more substantial design, is made with plywood and real insulation. Slant the clear front depending upon your latitude. It should face the sun more vertically the further south you live. Make vent holes with adjustable covers in the sides to control the cooking temperature.

The following companies offer solar cookers, kits, and plans: Clear Dome Solar, 888-223-6033, Ext. 8122, www.cleardomesolar.com; Solar Cookers International, 916-455-4499, www.solarcookers.org; Soltac, 800-811-3082, www.soltac.com; Sun BD Corp., 315-549-8730, www.sunbdcorp.com; and Solar Ovens International, 800-408-7919, www.sunoven.com.

Send inquiries to James Dulley, Butler Eagle, 6906 Royalgreen Drive., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.

QUESTION: We are remodeling our kitchen, but I don't want to spend a lot on the backsplash by the sink. Is it possible to just paint the old Formica one and then protect it with varnish or will it yellow over time?

ANSWER: If the old backsplash is still in reasonably good condition, you should be able to paint it. Make sure it is totally clean with no grease residue. Fine grease particles can float around far from the range.

Varnish is not your best choice for a protective coating. Gloss urethane, similar to the finish on floors, would be better. It is extremely durable, easy to clean and it should not yellow over time as vanishes may.