Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos - Page 6

**Marleybone** · 09-05-2008, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myrosiedog

I dont' use soap on my Pampered Chef stones either. Those things are the greates for baking and casseroles and stuff.

I used to sell Pampered Chef and they say the stones absorb the soap and will affect how your food tastes next time you use it. I love my stones, too.

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myrosiedog · 09-05-2008, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marleybone

I used to sell Pampered Chef and they say the stones absorb the soap and will affect how your food tastes next time you use it. I love my stones, too.

And they do too as my MIL once washed one of mine with soap and I didn't know it until we got soapy tasting food the next time I used it.

Those stones are great. I have a LOT of PC gizmo's and gadgets. I think my PC mini-spatula (the metal kind for removing cookies, etc. from a baking sheet or stone) is one of my favorite kitchen tools. And the ripple cutter thing is my least favorite as I got the WORST kitchen cut EVER from that thing. You do not want to have a ripple cut finger. Takes forever to heal and hurts like #$@#$#!!!!

I received a Williams Sonoma flexible silicon spatula (the plastic stirring kind of spatula) for my birthday in May and I have to say it's one of the very best spatula's I've ever had. Better even than the PC ones.

doxie · 09-06-2008, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClosetNerd

I would love to have the ability to sharpen my own knives! I have a fantastic Chef's knife that is getting massively dull and I am wondering if it would be easier to just get a new one than find someone to sharpen it?

We have Henckel knives. I've had them for years because a friend of mine used to work at a store where they were sold and I got a great discount! We did buy a knife sharpener (also by Henckel) about 4 years ago and it is really easy to use and we haven't lost any fingers yet. I think it was around $30 and I'm pretty sure we got it at Macy's.

Oh - and we also have a Henckel can opener! It is WONDERFUL. I am left handed so can openers "challenge" me. This one is great and I've given several of them as gifts. Everyone loves them.

My other new favorite is this:

Cuisinart Webstore PowerBlend Duet™ Blender/Food Processor

We got this food processor/blender as a wedding present and we love it! It's easy to use and it doesn't take up a lot of space in our small kitchen.

I have my grandmother's cast iron skillets (well-seasoned) and I don't use them ALL the time, but they are very easy to take care of and are perfect for things like cornbread or scrambled eggs. Happy Cooking!

marybethp · 09-06-2008, 09:12 AM

Okay, I'm jumping in here.

LOVE my pampered chef stones - they get uglier with each use and I swear, better. I love the little bar pan for the toaster oven. Great when I just want a quick meal for the kids. I use my 13" round one for everything too. My chicken cutlets and pork chops cook nice on them.

I have 1 Wusthof (spelled wrong I assume LOL) knife that I got with a Williams-Sonoma gift card. As much as I like it, I feel like it could be sharper. I should take it somewhere to get it sharpened. Still dull, it's better than any knife I owned.

Someone mentioned QVC for pots. I have a set of Cook's Essentials pots from QVC which I like. They are actually made by the same company who makes the line for Pampered Chef (whose pots I hear are great). I also have a Dutch Oven that is similar to a Le Creuset - my Mom got it for me because she thought I had to have it. I rolled my eyes at first, but MAN do I use that thing a lot. Pot roast is phenomenal in it. Here's the one I have in blue Basix by Staub Enameled Cast Iron 6 qt. French Oven - QVC.com (if the link doesn't work, go to QVC.com and type in K13773 in the search box).

I also have (had

) a Black & Decker grill Amazon.com: Black & Decker G48TD Grill and Waffle Baker: Kitchen & Dining It has plates that flip over so one side is flat for pancakes/grilled cheese, etc. and the other side is waffles. Truthfully, I never used the waffle side, but I swear, that thing was the BEST for pancakes. What killed me was I went to use it and it just wouldn't heat up anymore. Dead. I liked it too because it folded over closed so it took up less room in the kitchen - they have those big griddles, but they're huge to store. I remember my Mom buying it for Al & I when we bought our house and he rolled his eyes thinking we'll never use it. I think he was as upset as me when it died. $50 to replace, so I will definitely be doing that soon.

My other new favorite thing (although since starting Weight Watchers it's now torture to use for the kids LOL) is one of those professional waffle irons where you pour the mix, close it and flip. Waring Pro Stainless Steel Professional Waffle Maker - QVC.com It makes the BEST belgian waffles. So now in my new way of eating, I rarely have one but the girls love it. It's nice to have for dessert too if you're having company and want a nice dessert - waffles & ice cream. (See why it's torture now??)

I also LOVE the "lock & lock" containers (you guys are really seeing I'm a qvc person here). QVC â€“ Cooking & Dining â€“ Lock & Lock They really keep a seal nice and stuff stays fresh. I also have a cake carrier from them which is nice when you're bringing cake to someone's house - no foil on the icing to ruin it.

I do love watching QVC not only for the products but their kitchen shows have some good ideas in it.

luvsginger · 09-06-2008, 10:02 AM

For basic meal preparation, my go to item would have to be my mini chopper. It chops garlic, onions, ginger and fresh herbs very quickly. I love my Kitchen Aid Mixer for baking, whipped cream, making meringues and much more. I have the pasta attachment and I LOVE it! No more rolling for me! Of course, I can't live without my rice cooker and blender/food processor. The food processor shreds carrots for carrot cake, slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes, makes strudel topping a breeze. How did my mother do it all without all these gadgets? Have you ever seen Martin Yan from Yan Can Cook chop vegetables? That's how my mom did it.
Oh, I can't forget my ice cream maker in the summer time and my Big Daddy Fryer that I bring out in the winter months. And, I use Henckel Knives I do wish however that I had a better method of sharpening them. Our local Farmers Market has a man that sharpens your knives while you wait but it's quite expensive so I've never used him. Any ideas?

**waywyrd** · 09-06-2008, 10:48 AM

Anybody use those Silpat baking mats? I love them, cookies just slide right off and they brown so evenly. I couldn't do without my KitchenAid either, I'm a big baker. For those of you that want to dress yours up, I ran across this site a while back and thought it was cute:

Pictures

luvsginger · 09-06-2008, 02:43 PM

I've always wondered how those mats work, are they easy to handle? They look flimsy to me, same with the muffin trays. It seems the batter would spill.
I forgot to mention another one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. The microplane. It makes grating parmesan, ginger and citrus fruit rinds a breeze!

Brodie · 09-06-2008, 02:52 PM

Quote:

I have 1 Wusthof (spelled wrong I assume LOL) knife that I got with a Williams-Sonoma gift card. As much as I like it, I feel like it could be sharper. I should take it somewhere to get it sharpened. Still dull, it's better than any knife I owned.

Do you use a sharpening steel? I use the Henkel knives and generally a couple of strikes on the steal sort of liven up the edge before I use the knife each time... About once a year I bring them in to be sharpened... There's a local hardware store here that does it... I think a lot of them do... I agree, a good sharp knife makes cooking MUCH easier... Dull knives can actually be more dangerous!

PugMum · 09-06-2008, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waywyrd

Anybody use those Silpat baking mats? I love them, cookies just slide right off and they brown so evenly. I couldn't do without my KitchenAid either, I'm a big baker. For those of you that want to dress yours up, I ran across this site a while back and thought it was cute:

Pictures

I LOVE Silpat mats, I have three. I LOVE my KitchenAid stand mixer too. I have the KitchenAid Combi Whip & Bowl. The 3 qt. bowl is half the size of the regular bowl and is perfect for things like egg whites, whipping cream or frosting.

canuckinchile · 09-06-2008, 07:02 PM

I love the Silpat mats too! It doesn't matter how beat up or old your cookie sheets are, they work like a charm. The other thing I really like

is kind of silly. We bought a can crusher from Lee Valley tools, and we drink a fair bit of diet pop/soda so having it above the recycle bins really cuts down on the space used. Also, if I am having a bad day, it's kind of therapeutic

09-06-2008, 09:12 AM	#54
marybethp Merry Christmas Everyone! Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: NY Age: 39 Posts: 4,432	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos Okay, I'm jumping in here. LOVE my pampered chef stones - they get uglier with each use and I swear, better. I love the little bar pan for the toaster oven. Great when I just want a quick meal for the kids. I use my 13" round one for everything too. My chicken cutlets and pork chops cook nice on them. I have 1 Wusthof (spelled wrong I assume LOL) knife that I got with a Williams-Sonoma gift card. As much as I like it, I feel like it could be sharper. I should take it somewhere to get it sharpened. Still dull, it's better than any knife I owned. Someone mentioned QVC for pots. I have a set of Cook's Essentials pots from QVC which I like. They are actually made by the same company who makes the line for Pampered Chef (whose pots I hear are great). I also have a Dutch Oven that is similar to a Le Creuset - my Mom got it for me because she thought I had to have it. I rolled my eyes at first, but MAN do I use that thing a lot. Pot roast is phenomenal in it. Here's the one I have in blue Basix by Staub Enameled Cast Iron 6 qt. French Oven - QVC.com (if the link doesn't work, go to QVC.com and type in K13773 in the search box). I also have (had ) a Black & Decker grill Amazon.com: Black & Decker G48TD Grill and Waffle Baker: Kitchen & Dining It has plates that flip over so one side is flat for pancakes/grilled cheese, etc. and the other side is waffles. Truthfully, I never used the waffle side, but I swear, that thing was the BEST for pancakes. What killed me was I went to use it and it just wouldn't heat up anymore. Dead. I liked it too because it folded over closed so it took up less room in the kitchen - they have those big griddles, but they're huge to store. I remember my Mom buying it for Al & I when we bought our house and he rolled his eyes thinking we'll never use it. I think he was as upset as me when it died. $50 to replace, so I will definitely be doing that soon. My other new favorite thing (although since starting Weight Watchers it's now torture to use for the kids LOL) is one of those professional waffle irons where you pour the mix, close it and flip. Waring Pro Stainless Steel Professional Waffle Maker - QVC.com It makes the BEST belgian waffles. So now in my new way of eating, I rarely have one but the girls love it. It's nice to have for dessert too if you're having company and want a nice dessert - waffles & ice cream. (See why it's torture now??) I also LOVE the "lock & lock" containers (you guys are really seeing I'm a qvc person here). QVC â€“ Cooking & Dining â€“ Lock & Lock They really keep a seal nice and stuff stays fresh. I also have a cake carrier from them which is nice when you're bringing cake to someone's house - no foil on the icing to ruin it. I do love watching QVC not only for the products but their kitchen shows have some good ideas in it. __________________ There is no exercise better for the than reaching down and lifting people up! It's better to be hated for who you are than be loved for who you're not

09-06-2008, 10:02 AM	#55
luvsginger Happy New Year!!! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Party Land Posts: 1,297	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos For basic meal preparation, my go to item would have to be my mini chopper. It chops garlic, onions, ginger and fresh herbs very quickly. I love my Kitchen Aid Mixer for baking, whipped cream, making meringues and much more. I have the pasta attachment and I LOVE it! No more rolling for me! Of course, I can't live without my rice cooker and blender/food processor. The food processor shreds carrots for carrot cake, slice potatoes for scalloped potatoes, makes strudel topping a breeze. How did my mother do it all without all these gadgets? Have you ever seen Martin Yan from Yan Can Cook chop vegetables? That's how my mom did it. Oh, I can't forget my ice cream maker in the summer time and my Big Daddy Fryer that I bring out in the winter months. And, I use Henckel Knives I do wish however that I had a better method of sharpening them. Our local Farmers Market has a man that sharpens your knives while you wait but it's quite expensive so I've never used him. Any ideas? __________________ I should have known you'd know where to find the boys and the booze.

09-06-2008, 10:48 AM	#56
waywyrd dazed and confused Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: South Carolina Posts: 9,964	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos Anybody use those Silpat baking mats? I love them, cookies just slide right off and they brown so evenly. I couldn't do without my KitchenAid either, I'm a big baker. For those of you that want to dress yours up, I ran across this site a while back and thought it was cute: Pictures __________________ If you won't talk to your cat about catnip, who will?

09-06-2008, 02:43 PM	#57
luvsginger Happy New Year!!! Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Party Land Posts: 1,297	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos I've always wondered how those mats work, are they easy to handle? They look flimsy to me, same with the muffin trays. It seems the batter would spill. I forgot to mention another one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. The microplane. It makes grating parmesan, ginger and citrus fruit rinds a breeze! __________________ I should have known you'd know where to find the boys and the booze.

09-06-2008, 07:02 PM	#60
canuckinchile Forum Assistant Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: back in "The Big Smoke" Posts: 4,498	Re: Kitchen Gadgets and Gizmos I love the Silpat mats too! It doesn't matter how beat up or old your cookie sheets are, they work like a charm. The other thing I really like is kind of silly. We bought a can crusher from Lee Valley tools, and we drink a fair bit of diet pop/soda so having it above the recycle bins really cuts down on the space used. Also, if I am having a bad day, it's kind of therapeutic