Disappointing Kitchen Accessories

[galanie]

My food processor only gets used to make hummus. For everything else, it's either the blender or the knife. For most things, I just wash out the blender w/out taking it apart. Much easier to wash than that darned food processor. And YES, gas stove. Much easier to control the heat and they don't burn food as easily. You get instant visual on how high the heat is rather than a guess from your setting.

Though for some purposes there's a thing I saw that has promise. It's a rack that goes over the electric stove burner. It's purpose is for cooking an Indian type bread called Chapati on an electric stove. Not needed for a gas stove. Very similar to a tortilla but thicker, sort of a pita bread with no pocket. Got me to thinking about other uses for that rack.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I use coconut oil instead of olive oil these days. I like it much better. I love the flavor of broccoli, garlic, coconut oil and a touch of water to help steam it. YUMMY!

 

[TennesseeChicken]

I have read that olive oil turns to trans-fat when heated at high temps. This is why I never cook with it, use it only for salad dressing. And coconut oil is awesome! I use it all the time, even on my skin!

 

[mickey328]

I don't even own a blender...I have in the past but found that it was too difficult to chop things...the blades are so short and at the bottom of that funnel shaped container, and the one I had was difficult to take apart and put back together. Probably just the machines I have but I find the food processor much easier to use and clean.

I didn't realize that about olive oil and heat...will definitely have to check on that. I've never cooked with coconut oil, may have to check that out as well.

Gadgets can be funny...I bet I've had at least a dozen different gizmos for peeling and crushing garlic. I've found none works for me as well as the flat edge of a knife, LOL.

 

[hennotrooster]

Bar Keeper's Friend? I've never heard of it...but the way y'all are talking it sounds like I need to check it out.

We got one of those pump sprayer things...a great investment! I use olive oil in mine which adds pretty much no taste and doesn't burn or smoke till it reaches a really, really high temp. For the most part though I don't spray...I get the pan hot and then just pour enough in to coat the bottom.

I can relate, galanie. When I get a new machine, it takes me a while to "remember" I have it, LOL. I have an old, old food processor...probably nearly 30 years old now. I've lost or misplaced all the extra blades, and only have the one that is sort of S shaped and fits in the bottom. It's hot a huge one; probably holds a pint and a half. When I just have one onion to chop, it's easier to do it by hand. I do have one of those mini choppers (in fact, I think I inherited another from someone along the way, so I actually have 2) but for some reason, I never seem to get it out. I do use the "regular" one quite a bit though when I'm doing things that have to be chopped fairly fine...like when I'm chopping a big batch of onions to dehydrate...I can process 10 lbs in short order over doing them by hand. Mine tends to clean up quite easily...if I'm going from onions to another veg, I usually just give it a quick rinse under running water. When I'm done, all the parts that need washing go right into the dishwasher.

As far as the good pots/pans go, another thing that seems to really help is using a gas stove...I've found that you get less burning and sticking with gas than with electric. And the "heavy bottom" remark is right on the money...the side walls don't have to be as heavy but the heavier the bottom, the better. The ones I have are copper sandwiched between the SS and they hold the heat wonderfully as well as spread it evenly so there aren't "hot spots" which will play havoc with your cooking. Those suckers are heavy though; makes draining yer spuds an adventure, LOL. My larger skillet has the long handle on one side and a shorter one on the other side, which is good because I would almost not be able to lift it with just the one when it's full of food in addition to its own weight.

Let me clear something I said up...I said that I have only stainless steel cookware then said my cast iron stays nice well the cast iron was a gift from my father in law, he brought it along with him when he came to live with us and I use it and make sure I keep it well oiled when done.

Mickey bar keeper's friend is similar to bon ami it is a cleanser (comet type) that will keep your pans looking like new the outside of my pans look new and so do the bottoms. I like to use those plastic scrubbers when I use it, it seems to work better for some strange reason with these and copper bottoms clean up nice. The bar keeper's friend is great for you stove as well. You will like what it does for you pots and pans... hope you try it Wal Mart carries it in some of the stores.

Dish washer tip : I recently started to use mine just for the rinse cycle. Since I have to fill the sink anyway to wash pans I figured I would just wash it all and then put it in the dishwasher for the rinse, no drying. I like not having all the dishes sitting out to dry when the cycle is done I pop it open and let it air dry. I do however dry the plastic if any. I do not like dish racks (but have one) can't seem to get away from it. My daughter uses her dishwasher as the dish rack.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I didn't realize that about olive oil and heat...will definitely have to check on that. I've never cooked with coconut oil, may have to check that out as well.

Once Olive oil is heated to it's smoke point, it loses it's nutritional benefits. Coconut oil has a higher smoke point, so it's better to use in high heat cooking. Coconut oil will not go rancid like olive oil will.


Quote:

From here:
http://www.kelapo.com/coconut-oil-benefits/

 

[galanie]

I get beef fat for free from the grocer and render my own Suet. I now use lard and suet only. Except in bread and other recipes that I use olive oil for. But for fat or oil for frying, etc. ... Lard or suet. Never any trouble with those. And in spite of what you might think, my cholesterol is actually lower than it used to be rather than higher.

 

[TennesseeChicken]

I do most of my cooking with beef lard, bacon grease or ghee. Makes things taste better!

 

[mickey328]

It certainly does, but we have issues with cholesterol here and DH is highly allergic to anything that comes from a pig, so that lets out a lot of that good stuff

Will defintely check around for some Bar Keepers Friend

I throw my pots and pans in the dishwasher...I sort of pre scrub the stuck on stuff and then pop 'em in there. I don't have any cast iron...yet. I'd really like to find a good Dutch Oven, but they're soooo flippin' expensive! It's on the list for Thrift Store treasure hunts, but they are few and far between.

 

[galanie]

If you do the homework, real unhydrogenated animal fats have the effect of lowering your cholesterol rather than raising them. This is what made me start using what I use. And the proof is in the pudding. My doctor put my on statins to lower my cholesterol. I took my own self off them, and have been using nothing but real butter and natural fats since. The result? Well she still wants me to take those awful things, but the last blood test, which should have shown my cholesterol through the roof according to current medical belief... didn't.

Allergy though.. whoa that's different.