Two thumbs up (or down) on gadgets, etc

Since recent kitchen remodel I am discarding stuff I don't need and always on the shopping prowl for things I think would enhance my kitchen needs.

Can't have enough cutting boards or smoothie shakers.

Beginning to think rice cooker is a waste. Tonight I made Spanish rice and just used a pot with a lid. I bought the rice cooker at an estate sale and thought I was going to have to duke it out with a lady that tried to walk off with my box of purchases. Heck, now I would just give it to her and tell her to keep her money because she has been chosen as the recipient of a gift. It is just more to wash than a regular pot/pan.

The latest purchase that I am tickled pink about I found for two bucks at Tuesday Morning. It is a little 4 piece set all red, white, and black (my kitchen colors) of little servers for olives, pickles, etc. It has a little 3 prong fork, a slotted micro spoon, mini tongs, and another mini spoon. It is by Emeril (bam!) and is just too handy.

And then there are the little hot pad holders for the handles of the personal size cast iron skillets. Along with the Spanish rice on them tonight I served quesadillas and refried beans topped with cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, and sour cream. (Blew the diet for a night, oh well.)

What must haves or must get rid ofs do you all have?

I used my mandolin slicer all last summer for potatoes, summer squash, and zucchini. I don't have a food processor so I love my mandolin slicer. Just have to watch your knuckles and make sure you use the handle. I probably couldn't live without my OXO apple corer and my OXO peeler (sharp). My boys always have to have their apple cored What could I do without? I got TWO george foreman knock-off grills when we got married yrs ago. Just useless. On the other hand, I got a rival toaster oven that lasted 9 years before it broke and I used it all the time for cooking chicken and making toast, so I would say cheap doesn't always mean junk! Good thread, kitchen gadgets are loads of fun.

I seriously couldn't survive without my food processor, my kitchen aid, or my cast iron skillet. I also like a really sharp knife with a fat handle. I also have a flour sifter from the 1950's, that I love when baking, you know the type, it is tin, with a little crank on the side that turns a thing a bob to sift, and has little apples painted on the side.

Tab, I also use a little apple corer/slicer. I love it. Some lucky horse always gets the core. I love to make a dipping sauce for my apples by whipping up a little bowl of vanilla instant pudding and blending in some of the honey roasted peanut butter. I cannot tell you how many times I have nearly bought a mandolin lately! Now I recently got rid of my what would have been a George Foreman but mom bought us the Hamilton Beach one instead. It was soooooooooo heavy.

Terry, I too use cast iron skillets for certain things. Cornbread is not cornbread unless it comes out of a cast iron skillet. And sharp knives are a must. I have a couple of little German made paring knives that I could not do without. Got the flour sifter as well although not using it much lately.

I thought of another one: the slicer for cutting up boiled eggs so beautifully. Love it.

Alas, there are others: little brownie spatula from Pampered Chef also makes my list of favorites. Can't do without their ice cream scoop either.

I have a cheese grater that I've had for.....oh......never mind, just a really long time. It is not your standard one where you grate your knuckles. This one has a little container where you put the cheese and turn the handle crank. (It's sorta like the ones that the server use at Olive Garden, only metal, not plastic.) You can get finely grated cheese, coarsely grated cheese and sliced. I've used this sucker for years and love that I don't grate my fingers with it.

And of course, I love my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Honestly, who wouldn't. (I got custody in my divorce!!!)

One of the things I use almost daily, and I don't think about, it a small wooden chopping block. I've had this one since I graduated from college (now we're talking a long, long time here). It's probably 8 x 11 inches. It stands on its side on the counter when not in use but I have chopped everything (except meat) on it for years and years. It's probably 2 inches thick and now it has just started to have a slight depression in the middle from all that chopping, dicing and whatever else I have done to it. It makes a great hot plate, too, for when I take something hot out of the oven and want to place it on the counter or the kitchen table.

Seems like sometimes, the smallest items can make a big impact.

kitchen shears! what did we do before them.

the plastic thing-a-ma-bob to spread olive oil on vegies before grilling them.

the chopper from pampered chef that you tap.

these are a few of my favorite things!

Empty mason jars with a lid!

One to mix up home made dressings in and one to take outside for whatever I'm drinking. Keeps the gnats out. Yes, I know that they are called Redneck wine glasses and sell for $14 but mine are free!

Two thumbs down for "Slice O Matic" I bought one and can't get it to work properly, it's easier to just do it with a knife.

Ice cubes that don't melt. Made out of soapstone...thank you once again Bed Bath & Beyond. I am enjoying no watered down version of Fentiman's ginger beer and also Fentiman's burdock and dandelion drink. Albertson's is carrying them.

Absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE my Pampered Chef can opener, that cuts from the side and leaves no sharp edges! (take it from someone who was dumb enough to squeeze the water out of can of tuna opened with the regular kind and got her thumb caught down inside and cut real bad!).

Can't afford a lot of the Pampered Chef things, but sure do love the few I have purchased. My hand chopper (whoops-no it doesn't cut hands, unless you forget how sharp the blades are when you clean it!), my pastry scraper, my peelers, lots of the "little" gadgets they have.

I use, but don't much like, the poached egg makers for the microwave. The eggs always want to explode whatever I do or don't do. And I like poached eggs. I have done them the old fashioned way in a pot too; but I don't like the yolks too runny. Takes a few tries to get the hang of keeping that white together too.