Cookies Galore
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I don't need no instructions to know how to rock
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Post by Cookies Galore on Oct 4, 2012 20:25:11 GMT -5
We used an ooooooooold toaster over before it finally died a few years ago. I purchased a new one and immediately returned it because the new quartz heating elements scared the shit out of me! The toaster glows! I am totally not down with glowing cookware. We had to search, but found a Hamilton Beach that still has the non-glowing heating element. We are toaster oven people, not toaster people. My uncle owns Italian bakery, so I always have rolls in the freezer. There is nothing better than thawing out a delicious roll and putting it in the toaster oven to get a little crisp. Can't do that with a normal toaster. DF also likes to toast a bagel, put butter on it, and then put it back in the toaster oven. Definitely can't do that with a normal toaster!
I have a garlic press that I barely use. A lot of times when I cook with garlic I toast the clove(s) and then fork mash it.
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marvholly
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Post by marvholly on Oct 5, 2012 7:07:54 GMT -5
Weltz Texture is exactly the problem w/chopped liver in a processor. The ground chuck I can live with. Local store has chicken liver on sale this week so that is in my future. Was WAAAY too $$ to do over the holidays. Putting some in the freezer too.
Kitten I am known as a very ‘hands on’ cook but do the shell to shell bit w/eggs.
Singlemom I use my microwave multiple times/day from reheating coffee in the am to making fresh veg and reheating lunch and/or dinner from my batch cooks.
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milee
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Post by milee on Oct 5, 2012 7:34:46 GMT -5
While there's nothing we actually do the initial cooking of in the microwave, we do use it a fair amount especially since it's safe for kids to use. The boys enjoy preparing their own food or hot drinks like tea or cocoa and the microwave lets them do it without much risk of them burning themself. They also will cook on the stovetop or use the oven to make cookies, but I like to be in the kitchen with them for that. Wait, I take that first statement back. There are a few things the boys will cook in the microwave that are initial cooking, not just heating things up. They will cook scrambled eggs or sometimes melt cheese on something in the microwave, so that probably counts as initial cooking. If anyone grows an extra arm or something, I'll report back.
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imawino
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Post by imawino on Oct 5, 2012 7:43:38 GMT -5
Okay KitchenAid stand mixer users, I need help. I really want one but there are so many and I have no idea what the differences are. At quick glance there are.....
Classic Classic plus Artisan Architect and Professional.....
series mixers (and I may have missed one?). Are there big differences in what they do?
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milee
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Post by milee on Oct 5, 2012 8:02:24 GMT -5
Okay KitchenAid stand mixer users, I need help. I really want one but there are so many and I have no idea what the differences are. At quick glance there are..... Classic Classic plus Artisan Architect and Professional..... series mixers (and I may have missed one?). Are there big differences in what they do? The biggest difference is in their capacity. America's Test Kitchen recommended either the Artisan or the Professional, depending on what quantity of stuff you make and if you make bread, which puts a bigger demand on the motor. Unless you're doing constant, heavy duty baking, the Artisan would be fine for most home chefs, but if you want a little more capacity and ability to do heavy breads, go for the Professional. Don't get the really low end, cheapie ones. If you wait, Williams Sonoma, cooking.com and other places run good sales. Keep checking each month or so and you'll see.
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imawino
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Post by imawino on Oct 5, 2012 8:59:56 GMT -5
Thanks Milee. Of course I start looking at them and decide I must have the top of the line one - but in reality it's probably mostly just going to get used to mix chocolate chip cookie dough.....which may or may not make its way to the oven before making its way into my belly.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2012 9:24:53 GMT -5
But if you ever think you want to do bread... that is something you want to consider. I don't have one. My mom uses hers for bread all of the time though, and she says its easy peasy given the model she has...
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lurkyloo
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“Time means nothing now,” said Toad. “It is just the thing that happens between snacks.”
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Post by lurkyloo on Oct 5, 2012 9:32:39 GMT -5
FYI, microwaves specifically heat the water molecules in food. They do not change the chemical composition of food, except as the heated water molecules react with food which would happen anyway. Or if you melt the plastic thingy containing or covering your food, which again can happen on the stove too. I've heard a lot of complaints about more recent KitchenAid mixers--seems they're prone to breaking. The company will reportedly cheerfully replace it if it breaks but I guess it's cheaper to sell crappy ones and then supply good ones to the people who actually use them? All hearsay, though.
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Chocolate Lover
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Post by Chocolate Lover on Oct 5, 2012 11:11:17 GMT -5
Thanks Milee. Of course I start looking at them and decide I must have the top of the line one - but in reality it's probably mostly just going to get used to mix chocolate chip cookie dough.....which may or may not make its way to the oven before making its way into my belly. For cookie dough, the Classic is fine, it's what I have. (I think, it used to be my sister's so not 100% sure) I have it sitting on a baker's rack and have to move it to do dough, it shakes the crap out of the rack but handles the dough ok.
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Apple
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Post by Apple on Oct 5, 2012 12:37:26 GMT -5
I have one of the artisans, I love it and plan to use it more. The bread I make most often is no-knead bread (recipe in that section, with pictures) or beer bread, so don't need a heavy duty mixer, yet. I got it on sale, with discount coupon and a free "extra". For whatever reason, I chose the grinder instead of the extra bowl (found out later that extra bowl is EXPENSIVE). I haven't used the grinder yet because I still have a lot of frozen ground cow in my freezer from cowpooling with my parents (my brother raises a few every year and sells the meat by the half). Sirloin does go on sale a lot around here, so I can see myself using it in the near future.
I thought a pizza cutter was utterly useless until I started making crack.ers--makes that process so much faster than a knife. I still cut pizza with a knife though.
I love my potato peeler too though. My mom never used one because all she had was a cheap one (that us kids used when we helped). She's also crazy good with a paring knife (grew up on a farm)--wish I was that good! I take too much "meat" off whatever I'm peeling that way, so I stick with my good peeler.
ETA to fix crack.ers--that word censor is dumb, imo.
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kittensaver
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We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
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Post by kittensaver on Oct 5, 2012 12:42:20 GMT -5
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t-dog
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Post by t-dog on Oct 5, 2012 15:36:01 GMT -5
milee - nuke the ice cream carton for 10 seconds before you scoop and you won't bend spoons anymore.
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t-dog
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Post by t-dog on Oct 5, 2012 15:50:43 GMT -5
Ok crock pot devotees- I own 2 and I really need to learn how to use them better. Any recipes you all recommend?
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kittensaver
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We cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. - Mother Teresa
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Post by kittensaver on Oct 5, 2012 15:55:45 GMT -5
Love her site. She turned a personal blog journey (using her crockpot every day for one year) into a cookbook writing career. You can get recipes free off the blog or purchase her books at any online book seller. crockpot365.blogspot.com/
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t-dog
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Post by t-dog on Oct 5, 2012 16:08:23 GMT -5
Thanks Kitten!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 5, 2012 16:22:49 GMT -5
I recently bought Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook... I have tried several recipes and liked them a lot, with many more bookmarked to try... (Awesome stuffed peppers!) ... they do have more 'prep' involved than just throw in a can of this and that... but so good so far...
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kgb18
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Post by kgb18 on Oct 6, 2012 21:17:12 GMT -5
I know there are some posters around here who hate crock pots, but I've made some pretty tasty stuff in mine. I just made Maple-Glazed Chicken with sweet potatoes and squash last week. It was really good.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2012 22:23:29 GMT -5
oh, i want that recipe !
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taz157
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Post by taz157 on Oct 6, 2012 22:43:18 GMT -5
Me too!
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marvholly
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Post by marvholly on Oct 7, 2012 5:40:10 GMT -5
NOTE: I do not consider things like microwaves, crockpots, toaster ovens or food processors to be gadgets. They are appliances since they sit out on a counter to use. Gadgets are small, hand held items like reamers, egg slicers or separators, soup ladles………….Nor sure where hand blenders or hand mixers fall.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2012 14:53:45 GMT -5
I've got one! MIL bought me a spaetzle maker and I have to say it is 10 times easier to make them with it than trying to push the dough through a colander like I was doing.
ETA: so I categorize it as something that I thought would be useless but it actually isn't! ;D
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imawino
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Post by imawino on Oct 10, 2012 15:03:44 GMT -5
I've got one! MIL bought me a spaetzle maker and I have to say it is 10 times easier to make them with it than trying to push the dough through a colander like I was doing. ETA: so I categorize it as something that I thought would be useless but it actually isn't! ;D I have no idea what spaetzle is. Does this make me stupid? also - I think I'm getting a KitchenAid mixer for my birthday. I hope they get me the one I want! And in a pretty color!
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justme
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Post by justme on Oct 10, 2012 15:07:30 GMT -5
I (FINALLY!) just got a KitchenAid! With CC rewards points too so I'm a good YMer. I got it in a boring neutral color since everyone has them for so damn long and I don't want to hate the color in 5/10/20 years.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Oct 10, 2012 15:11:21 GMT -5
My Mother has this awesome orange shag area rug with green triangles on it. The key to loving with outdated styles is to just work it until it becomes retro-cool!
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justme
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Post by justme on Oct 10, 2012 15:23:11 GMT -5
My Mother has this awesome orange shag area rug with green triangles on it. The key to loving with outdated styles is to just work it until it becomes retro-cool! True. Though my problem was I couldn't even decide on a color I loved. The store I got it from only had silver, black, or that bright red and it would have cost more for shipping to get a different color so my choice was made for me. Which is great since now 20 years from now I can just blame the store for not having other colors.
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imawino
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Post by imawino on Oct 10, 2012 15:41:23 GMT -5
No, no, no! I do not want my fabulous new mixer to be in a boring color. I want Boysenberry or Cobalt or something that I will actually want to get out and look at and possibly make food with once in a great while.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Oct 10, 2012 15:45:23 GMT -5
And my next kitchen remodel, I will take my mixer to the tile store with me to make sure everything is perfect!
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swamp
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Don't be a fool. Call me!
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Post by swamp on Oct 10, 2012 15:46:44 GMT -5
I designed my kitchen around the wine fridge. Is that bad?
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Oct 10, 2012 15:50:14 GMT -5
It is only bad because you haven't invited me over.
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swamp
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Post by swamp on Oct 10, 2012 15:50:45 GMT -5
It is only bad because you haven't invited me over. when would you like to come over? ETA: I'd suggest waiting until summer because you're going to freeze your heinie off
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