Kitchen

[peachesncream]

I just bought these: Chicago Metallic Taco Salad Pans. I'm kind of excited about them. We eat a main dish salad at least once a week. I think these will come in handy (if they don't, it won't be the first crazy kitchen purchase I've made!).

[RedTop]

When we built our house 33 years ago, I felt I needed a blender, and purchased a really nice Oster. It has been the most underused appliance I've ever owned. I love the pull choppers by Kuhn Rikon, and recently bought 2 extra ones just because I don't want to ever be without one. Otherwise I'm not easily tempted to buy the latest and greatest.

[Havarti]

On 3/8/2015 RedTop said:

When we built our house 33 years ago, I felt I needed a blender, and purchased a really nice Oster. It has been the most underused appliance I've ever owned. I love the pull choppers by Kuhn Rikon, and recently bought 2 extra ones just because I don't want to ever be without one. Otherwise I'm not easily tempted to buy the latest and greatest.

I totally agree with you! I love that little pull chopper – it is so quick & easy and everything comes out perfectly, with complete control as to the size you want the finished product to be. I bought two just so I would have a back-up in case anything happened to it. I just wish he would make it so the hole inside the top is closed so it could go in the dishwasher. I am weird about things; I always prefer that everything goes in the dishwasher, but THIS is worth the exception.

[Financialgrl]

On 3/3/2015 Perkup said:

On 3/1/2015 denisemb said:

What's the saying, "the road to Heaven is paved with good intentions." ?

Maybe it's a regional thing, but I've always heard that it's the road to H E L L O that is paved with good intentions.

Now as for kitchen gadgets, I have a huge, very full pantry, and I wouldn't even think to begin a list of the things in there that I don't use. Apparently DH (during his marriage to his deceased spouse) had the same problem, or she did. We have two of many things, most of which are of little or no use when there are only two of you.

Actually, I have an additional problem. It's not just kitchen things I love. I have an ongoing love affair with office supplies, for which there is no logical explanation. Serious enough that I recently tossed a lot of silver colored gem clips in favor of some gold colored ones. Nuff said.

Years ago I bought a hamburger patty press (metal) and it came with a bunch of cut parchment papers. Used it maybe 5 times cuz its hard to get clean so I usually end up using my hands. There's a CE juicer in my cabinet that is also a pain to clean so it doesn't get used. Ironically the things I reach for more often are not the electronics - i.e, I have what amounts to a food processor that you turn the handle, it spins and cuts things that I use all the time. Think it was a Genius TSV about 6 months ago.

Office supplies - had to laugh. Used to prepare taxes for the public, haven't done so in years, so now only do taxes for family. Yet each year during the Virginia no sales tax on school supplies at Walmart, I go nuts and buy supplies for tax time. I get about 20 of the cheap pocket folders bc they are only about 10 cents each (cuz we used to have to folder the public's taxes) and, if they aren't getting back a very big state refund, family often just mails in those rather than pay to efile state and I have a lot of those "sign here" with little arrows, lots of rubber bands, paper clips, binder clips and what not. Each year, I folder all their copies of their taxes and if they are mailing the state return, I provide them an extra copy with the little arrow telling them where to sign, include an addressed envelope and a sticky reminding them to put a stamp on before sending. And ya know what, its really just bc its what I've always done cuz every one of these people can read, none are stupid yet old habits really do die hard! And yet, I have the feeling if I stopped doing this, I'd get asked why cuz its their routine as well - they expect to see it!

[brbfromTX]

House_cat in response to Yonana-yes we used it maybe 5-6 different times. It just takes so many bananas! The taste was delicious, but couldn't keep up with how many bananas it took to make a nice dish. The clean up was not easy either. Sorry for slow response I don't stay on too long and this board thing is new to me.

[vabreeze]

On 3/8/2015 peachesncream said:

I just bought these: Chicago Metallic Taco Salad Pans. I'm kind of excited about them. We eat a main dish salad at least once a week. I think these will come in handy (if they don't, it won't be the first crazy kitchen purchase I've made!).

I purchased a 'Perfect Tortilla Pan Set' (4 pans) at Walgreen's in the section where the 'as seen on TV' items are found. I don't classify this as one of my dumbest purchases because I use it often to have baked taco salads and I no longer need to buy them from Taco Bell anymore. Also, I make a healthier version than the ones Iuzed to buy. Just wish the pans were larger. ..'

[Gardengal55]

On 3/7/2015 Havarti said:

On 3/6/2015 Katey1261 said:

On 3/1/2015 house_cat said:

On 3/1/2015 spud188 said: I bought the dumbest thing on HSN,it looked like toaster,you put meat in these bags,drop in the 2 slots,push a button and your meat would cook in the disposable bags.

Spud, if this were a contest, you just might win with this one.

Um spud188 you aren't alone I bought it too. Never used and it is in the Garage somewhere.

I have a different version of this called the Sunbeam Rocket Grill http://www.amazon.com/Sunbeam-RG72-Rocket-Grill/dp/B002FJ88IU and I just love it! It only has one slot rather than two, but I put the meat in a parchment paper pouch, then hang it in the vertical grill slot like a toaster slot) and it cook wonderful meat (either fresh or frozen) and the fat drips into a channel at the bottom of the bag. Then, I just toss the bag out, with no clean-up. What more could a lazy cook want? I cried when Sunbeam discontinued the item and even bought 6 of them from Fingerhut for $20 each when I discovered all the closeouts went there for final sale. I stocked up with a lifetime supply of parchment bags and I felt like I had won the lottery! I use this grill and I also have a T-Fal Optigrill http://optigrill.t-falusa.com/ which is fantastic! It even tells you when the meat is done. These two grills are all a lazy meat-lover needs to live happily ever after.

Yes---I love My Rocket Grill too from QVC. Have had it for at least 6 yrs. and my husband uses it more than me. I found the bags at HSN when it was discontinued here and stocked up. It is clean and fast, love the grill marks.

[Havarti]

On 3/8/2015 Financialgrl said:

On 3/3/2015 Perkup said:

On 3/1/2015 denisemb said:

Years ago I bought a hamburger patty press (metal) and it came with a bunch of cut parchment papers. Used it maybe 5 times cuz its hard to get clean so I usually end up using my hands. There's a CE juicer in my cabinet that is also a pain to clean so it doesn't get used. Ironically the things I reach for more often are not the electronics - i.e, I have what amounts to a food processor that you turn the handle, it spins and cuts things that I use all the time. Think it was a Genius TSV about 6 months ago.

Office supplies - had to laugh. Used to prepare taxes for the public, haven't done so in years, so now only do taxes for family. Yet each year during the Virginia no sales tax on school supplies at Walmart, I go nuts and buy supplies for tax time. I get about 20 of the cheap pocket folders bc they are only about 10 cents each (cuz we used to have to folder the public's taxes) and, if they aren't getting back a very big state refund, family often just mails in those rather than pay to efile state and I have a lot of those "sign here" with little arrows, lots of rubber bands, paper clips, binder clips and what not. Each year, I folder all their copies of their taxes and if they are mailing the state return, I provide them an extra copy with the little arrow telling them where to sign, include an addressed envelope and a sticky reminding them to put a stamp on before sending. And ya know what, its really just bc its what I've always done cuz every one of these people can read, none are stupid yet old habits really do die hard! And yet, I have the feeling if I stopped doing this, I'd get asked why cuz its their routine as well - they expect to see it!

This is so funny. I, too, am addicted to purchasing office supplies. For some it is shoes, or purses, or jewelry, but for me office supplies are the items that catch my eye. I used to sell educational materials for educational publishers, so that took me to many school supply stores all over the country to make sales presentations. We would all laugh because while I was selling them educational supplies, my customers were selling me the newest trinkets & gizmos in office supplies. When I would make my sales calls it was a race to see whether they would present office supply items to me to buy first, or I would go first and show them the newest in school supplies. I always walked out with a bag full of treasures. Years later I still have a lifetime’s supply of nearly everything office-supply oriented you can image and I can’t part with any of it.

[peachesncream]

On 3/8/2015 vabreeze said:

On 3/8/2015 peachesncream said:

I just bought these: Chicago Metallic Taco Salad Pans. I'm kind of excited about them. We eat a main dish salad at least once a week. I think these will come in handy (if they don't, it won't be the first crazy kitchen purchase I've made!).

I purchased a 'Perfect Tortilla Pan Set' (4 pans) at Walgreen's in the section where the 'as seen on TV' items are found. I don't classify this as one of my dumbest purchases because I use it often to have baked taco salads and I no longer need to buy them from Taco Bell anymore. Also, I make a healthier version than the ones Iuzed to buy. Just wish the pans were larger. ..'

The pans by Chicago Metallic are 9 inches in diameter, and hold a large burrito size tortilla, (smaller ones work also). They come two pans to a set. I think it was $20 for the set.

I only need two pans, no matter how many people I'm cooking for. I can make two taco bowls, then remove the shells, and bake another two. And so on.

[peachesncream]

I meant to add that the taco shell pans come from cooking.com. They were $14.95 for a set, plus shipping.