I use the oven on my electric stove as a proofing box. For bread dough I
turn the oven light on when I make the dough, and on really cold days only,
preheat the oven at its lowest setting for a 10 to 30 seconds, depending on
the warmth of my kitchen, then turn the oven off, and slip the dough
inside. The heat from the light keeps all at a perfect temperature for
raising dough.
When I put my sourdough starter to work, the night before using it I add
the water and flour, mix it, cover the casserole and pop it into a cool
oven, turn the oven light on and let it sit there overnight. ( I learned
the hard way to ALWAYS tape a small note to the oven control as a reminder
that there is sourdough inside.) The next morning, the starter is always
alive and ready to be used. I have been doing this since about 1965 and am
still working from my original starter given me by a friend.
I feel sad thinking of children growing up eating frozen prepared pancakes
and waffles and store bread.