Kitchen gadgets! The accessories of the kitchen!

I love to cook as many of you have seen in the cooking forum or in chat. I love to talk about food!

I really enjoy cooking for other people mostly. It isn't as much fun to cook for yourself. I prefer to cook meals and I love to try anything new. I have no problem trying something challenging, the most was Creme Brulee but it came out great! I am not really a baker however but I will for special occasions. The only thing I love to bake is bread and that is from scratch, no bread machine! I think I'd lose my Italian rights if I used one of those :lol

I know for me I love kitchen gadgets they seem to make some things so much easier or they can add to a meal. They are like accessories to a kitchen to me and I have an addiction, esp the late night infomercials that show all the crazy ones. Yes I admit I have spent many nights ordering those infomercial gadgets and then another week waiting to get it in the mail and then immediately opening it and making a meal just so I could check it out..

I am going to post some of my favorites. If you have any please feel free! I could always use more! It's like shoes for the kitchen, you can never have enough!

This is probably my favorite!

The Swivel Store!
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I am obsessed with spices!! My spice collection use to take up an entire cabinet that had three shelves, that is a lot of space to use for spices, but I like to keep all kinds because you never know what you will need. I also like to have mine categorized and then alphabetized (that is my OCD for sure) but for me it makes it easier to find what I need. This little gem I found makes organizing them so much easier and I have my shelves back plus they aren't all cluttered and I'm not climbing on counters to look in the back. It's a great kitchen accessory.
The Swivel Store

Next we have:
Eggies System!
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We all know what a pain hardboiled eggs can be when it comes to peeling them. I found this little gem last night and it is on its way! I was talking to my bf and not even paying attention to him, I was too intrigued by what was on my screen, however he knows my love of kitchen accessories. This not only helps you make hard boiled eggs perfectly but it has a slicer and it gives you a recipe book on various things you can make and at $10 bucks plus S&H I am SOLD! I will let you know how this one works out. So far the reviews are pretty good for it. I can't wait to make an egg breakfast concoction with it...might have to test it out on my bf's breakfast Eggies!


Then we have another favorite of mine
The Slap Chop!
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I have had this piece for YEARS! It easy to clean, dishwasher safe and comes apart for easy and thorough cleaning. This is a time saver when you need to chop a lot of veggies or fruit esp onions! I have used this for various things while cooking and it has saved me time from having to hand chop everything. You can dice, mince and chop with this!! I recently needed to finely chopped 3 cups of macadamia nuts, well this took secs vs me messing around by hand dicing the nuts with a knife! It also came with graty the cheese grater which I also like...heck free kitchen gadget with purchase I'm not complaining!
Slap chop = epic!
Slap Chop


This one is a simple accessory but it works great.
Garlic Press
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Being Italian I use a lot of garlic! I am not a fan of minced garlic cloves esp with the amount I use and I prefer to use fresh garlic. I prefer to use everything fresh when I can. I just have to peel put it in and press, then presto I have my minced garlic! These can be found at any store like Wal Mart, Target, the various department stores and any kitchen store. I don't think I need to post a link for this one.


Then we have
The Double Decker Steamer
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I love the steamer! You can make an entire meal in 20mins in this thing. Put some chicken at the bottom and veggies or potatoes on top and turn the dial, let steam and ding you have dinner! I have made chicken and fish in the steamer as well as pork chops but I usually stick to chicken and fish or other kinds of seafood. Veggies come out perfect in a steamer, you can add butter or any seasoning you want to either. It's simple and easy and it's a healthy alternative to frying

This is the one very similar to the one I have, mine is just a different brand.
Black & Decker 6168561
Food Steamer & Rice Cooker - 4 Quart



So there are some of my favorite kitchen accessories that make cooking easier and a little more fun!

If you have any you like to use in the kitchen let me know!

I love cooking and experimenting in the kitchen. I haven't worked since January, (finish carpenter down south), so I do the majority of the cooking, shopping.

I have saved a couple of your recipe posts and hope to try them here within the next month or two. I really appreciate the effort you take in sharing!

reply to post by savageheart


Why thanks

I love sharing recipes with others. I am always getting asked by friends for my recipes so now I post them here then link them to the thread lol

I am actually going to use a site that I use for pictures to have my own recipe book printed out with all my recipes and pics. It's the coolest site too, you can customize your books however you want. I had a picture book made in December and I will have a recipe book made sometime later this year once I get all of them input on my computer.

Hope you enjoy!

reply to post by mblahnikluver


i too enjoy cooking, baking is no fun. too demanding but in cooking you can explore and experiment without ruining the dish. i feel too many cooking gadgets are in actuality doing things easily accomplished with basic kitchen implements. but I'm also a very frugal ( a/k/a cheap ) person, so that's a factor too.

two things I'd recommend you may enjoy. these I recommend from seeing how well my wife benefits with them in her baking. she takes Alton Brown as Kitchen Gospel. #1, a really high quality stove thermometer is a wise purchase. just as one must be Exact in baking measurement & technique, dead-on temperature is a plus.

#2, my wife uses these bands/strips, about 2" wide, that look like they are made of a better quality Oven Mitt material. these bands go around her Cake Tins before going into the oven. don't know how they work, but they make certain the baked cake comes out Level, will not be scorched, and my wife says they make it easier to release the cake parts too.

she said they are based on something else bakers use to use in the past, her guess was using wet towels wrapped around the tins. all I know is they work )

Bon Appetit!

Originally posted by LargeFries
reply to post by mblahnikluver

 

i too enjoy cooking, baking is no fun. too demanding but in cooking you can explore and experiment without ruining the dish. i feel too many cooking gadgets are in actuality doing things easily accomplished with basic kitchen implements. but I'm also a very frugal ( a/k/a cheap ) person, so that's a factor too.

Yup that is exactly how I feel about baking however I can make some cakes! My friend and I have made quite a few cakes on the side and those are fun because you can do so much with them. The fondant isn't exactly fun to use but you get use to it.
Here is a link to her site.
Kellys Cake Shop

There are lots of things you can make that are cost effective and a lot of my gadgets or kitchen accessories I have bought at thrift stores for a couple bucks or less. I am cheap when it comes to shopping and I know that all the old original kitchen accessories from the 70s and 80s are the most durable! I have no problem buying at thrift stores for my kitchen accessories.

two things I'd recommend you may enjoy. these I recommend from seeing how well my wife benefits with them in her baking. she takes Alton Brown as Kitchen Gospel. #1, a really high quality stove thermometer is a wise purchase. just as one must be Exact in baking measurement & technique, dead-on temperature is a plus.

Ahh Alton Brown is a kitchen god! Love him! I have learned alot from him, he is like Bill Nye for the kitchen lol Agreed a good kitchen thermometer is a must! I have one here but it's my roommates and it's not that great. I will have to invest in a new one when I move.

#2, my wife uses these bands/strips, about 2" wide, that look like they are made of a better quality Oven Mitt material. these bands go around her Cake Tins before going into the oven. don't know how they work, but they make certain the baked cake comes out Level, will not be scorched, and my wife says they make it easier to release the cake parts too.

OMG that is amazing! I do make cakes and I will have to get these for my friend and her cake baking collection. Thanks! This one will surely come in handy.

she said they are based on something else bakers use to use in the past, her guess was using wet towels wrapped around the tins. all I know is they work

)

Bon Appetit!

I have heard of the wet towels! Good to know, thanks for the tips!

Love the gadgets, but I find food prep very soothing, so I am going to stick to my various knives, chopper, pestle and mortar, and occasional use of a blender.

The act of using fairly primitive tools (apart from the blender for soups) has an almost therapeutic quality for me, and learning knife skills is more difficult than you might think.

On top of that, if you learn to use your tools (knives) then you have a skill that is essential in any survival situation.

So, as much as I love the gadgets, I prefer the old fashioned way, although I do use a steamer set, but with a pan, and layers on top, as well as a chinese (bamboo) steamer, rather than the electric kind.

Having said that, I think a slow cooker is a piece of equipment every kitchen should have.

Originally posted by budski
Love the gadgets, but I find food prep very soothing, so I am going to stick to my various knives, chopper, pestle and mortar, and occasional use of a blender.

I like some food prep and my knives! I am not a blender person unless it's to make smoothies!

The act of using fairly primitive tools (apart from the blender for soups) has an almost therapeutic quality for me, and learning knife skills is more difficult than you might think.

You use a blender for soups? I only make a few soups but there is one I want to try that i had at a French restaurant, carrot dill. It was actually really good! Yes the skill of a knife is one that takes practice and time! I can chop and dice but I am not a pro at it. You would think with all the yrs I have been cooking i would have mastered it

On top of that, if you learn to use your tools (knives) then you have a skill that is essential in any survival situation.

Very true! I can fillet and descale a fish really well, does that give me any points in survival skills

So, as much as I love the gadgets, I prefer the old fashioned way, although I do use a steamer set, but with a pan, and layers on top, as well as a chinese (bamboo) steamer, rather than the electric kind.

Chinese bamboo steamer? I havent heard of that before.

Before I had an actual steamer I did it the old fashioned way, but for me it made it easier to use the steamer esp when I didn't have the time or the proper kitchen materials. I always tend to lose my kitchen items when a relationship ends. I am not sure why I always lose those items!

Having said that, I think a slow cooker is a piece of equipment every kitchen should have.

edit on 5/6/2011 by budski because: (no reason given)

I agree! Slow cookers are awesome and you can make pretty much anything in one!

reply to post by mblahnikluver


You have to try a chinese bamboo steamer - they fit on top of a pan, and they are really awesome. The taste is different, and I don't know if it's because they are porous, but the crunchy veg is much crunchier

Does this count: ulu.com... it works better then a lot of things that are mean't to do the same thing. That along with the Mortar and Pastel are just greatness for both cooking and just getting out your anger in a relatively good way.

Originally posted by budski
reply to post by mblahnikluver

 

You have to try a chinese bamboo steamer - they fit on top of a pan, and they are really awesome. The taste is different, and I don't know if it's because they are porous, but the crunchy veg is much crunchier

I am definitely googling this one tonight!

I have been on a huge cooking kick lately and I"ve been buying all kinds of new kitchen items. I am getting ready to move out of where I am and have my own place again..YAY! My roommate doesnt have a lot of kitchen items so I have to buy a lot of them but these are going with me!

Originally posted by Golithion
Does this count: ulu.com... it works better then a lot of things that are mean't to do the same thing. That along with the Mortar and Pastel are just greatness for both cooking and just getting out your anger in a relatively good way.

edit on 6/5/1111 by Golithion because: Who the hell spells better bedder ughhh!

Ok now that is cool site! That is definitely getting bookmarked in my favorites. I said to myself that when I move that the two things I will splurge on will be pots and pans and a nice set of knives!

Yup I love the mortar and pestal!