I told you on another page about the kitchen-appliances I would not do without. Let me now tell you about a few others that help with the cooking and really come in handy.
If you cook as much as I do, these are really essential kitchen-appliances.
RICE COOKER
This inexpensive little pot is the handiest thing in the world. I love fluffy rice and boiling it on top of the stove just does not do the job and I do not like the minute kind. I can prepare as little or as much as I want and it comes out perfect every time.
The biggest problem is sometimes the rice you buy. Even in the rice cooker it can be pasty unless you use the following tip. Soak your rice to remove most of the starch. You may have to rinse it several times so the water comes out fairly clear.
You won’t have this trouble with some rice, but with most. It just takes a few minutes and the results are worth it.
You can also reheat your rice in the cooker. When you are done, put the center of the cooker in the refrigerator. Take it out when you want to use it and add a little water, stir and put back in the base and push down the switch. Comes out just as well as it did the first time.
My rice cooker the AROMA 7 CUP RICE COOKER With1 STEAMER TRAY – ARC717-1G is also a vegetable steamer; it has a rack in the bottom so the vegetables don’t sit all the way down. Handy, especially when you are doing artichokes.
An inexpensive but invaluable kitchen-appliance.
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ADVANTIUM OVEN
Some of you may have never heard of this, but it is wonderful to use. When was the last time you did breaded pork chops in 9 minutes or less? I hate microwave baked potatoes and they take too long in a regular oven, wasting gas or electricity, not so with the Advantium.
It is also perfect for thawing food. A microwave partially cooks the food and especially with beef, it becomes tough. Letting your food sit on the counter or in the sink all day is not healthy. This oven thaws by weight and is quick and easy.
This oven cooks with halogen light, this creates the heat. It is also a combination microwave. I won’t try to tell you all the benefits here; it would take me too long but this is one smart kitchen-appliance. So click on the link above and look it over. The oven is made by GE.
There are a couple of models, over the stove (which I have) or as a built in oven. They are normally 220v but they now have a 110v model, I understand it’s still great it just cooks a little slower due to the difference in voltage. Their ad says Speedcook technology – Delivers oven-quality food up to eight times faster than a conventional oven; Multiple cooking modes – Bakes, broils, browns, roasts, microwaves and grills fast, with no preheating.
So if you need to replace that microwave anyway, look into this kitchen-appliance. I will admit it is a bit more expensive to begin with, but the saving benefits are there over the long run.
As I said this is one smart kitchen-appliance.
TABLE TOP GRILL
We love to barbeque, but sometimes the weather outside is not so great and you really would prefer to grill the steaks, chicken or hamburgers. Nothing tastes as good cooked in a frying pan.
I have a ceramic grill, it is electric and I can set it right on the table to cook the meats. Or everyone can cook their own, that makes it fun. Be careful with children, always help them. Sure wouldn’t want them burned.
I actually found mine at a thrift shop, can’t honestly remember what I paid for it, because it was many years ago. But, I can tell you knowing me, it wasn’t much. You can probably find one also, if you look. I have seen them at the various shops I frequent.
ROTISSERIE
Do you love rotisserie chicken and you buy one every once in a while at the grocery. Those scrawny little birds that cost 3-4 times as much as they should?
Well, let me tell you about a kitchen-appliance that I purchased and absolutely use.
You have all watched the infomercial with Ron Popeil and wondered “Does that product really work?” I am here to tell you it does.
I have what is called the RONCO Compact Showtime™ Rotisserie; it will do up to a 10 lb turkey.
Most of what you buy in the store is a frying chicken, well, you can save money by buying the less expensive roasting hen and it comes out so beautifully done and juicy.
I also use the rotisserie for pork roast, crispy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. Yum!!
A drip tray is included to catch all the excess fat, I line mine with aluminum foil for easy clean up.
There is a basket that fits on the rotisserie and you can do chicken pieces, fish, pork chops, shrimp, etc.
YOGHURT MAKER
An inexpensive little kitchen-appliance in fact I got lucky and found the yoghurt maker at a thrift shop for a whole $3.00!! Since we like yoghurt and use it a lot, it made sense for me to buy this little machine. It came with all the instructions, or I would not have purchased it.
Now you can buy yoghurt at the grocery store and it is not terribly expensive. But since milk can be frozen and kept on hand all the time and the little machine is so easy to use, why not make it yourself and save some money. I figure it costs me about 75 cents to make a quart of yoghurt.
The machine I have is by Salton, which is a very good brand. So keep your eyes open and maybe you will find as good a deal as well.
If you like Middle Eastern foods, then this is an important part of their cuisine.
For those of you that enjoy fruit flavored or fruit added yoghurt, it is so easy to add the fruits in season or to buy the cans of different fruits to add. Much less expensive than buying the little containers.
Yoghurt smoothies are all the rage now, so make them yourself and save money. Just take a can of any kind of fruit and put it in the blender, add your yoghurt and blend. Delicious!!
JUICER
(you can lose weight with one of these kitchen-appliances)
Juicing almost seems to have gone out of fashion, but not in my home. I would much rather have some fresh juices than open a can. It is also a lot healthier for you as well.
You can juice almost any fruit or vegetable. We really
like carrot and apple. You are also only putting natural sugars into your diet, not refined sugar. Too much of that certainly is not good for you.
Another benefit of juicing is if you are on a diet. My Doctor said “If you want to lose weight, do vegetables”.
There are many brands on the market; you will have to decide which is the best one for you. Mine is theJuiceman JM411 Juiceman II Elite Juicer shown in the picture. Anyway, try it; you might decide you like it.