Small Appliances

How many small appliances do you have?  Without thinking too hard about it, I can think of five in my kitchen without having to think too hard about it: coffee maker, hot water kettle, toaster, microwave, rotisserie and I have more in my cupboards.  And I have had many that haven't been deemed worthy of moving with us: small waffle iron, ice cream maker, pressure cooker.  It might sound funny, but I would happily give up my microwave oven too.  I use it mostly for reheating, and I don't like the soggy way most foods come out of it preferring to use a non-stick frying pan and pot cover.  It's not as fast, but the quality of the food coming out is so much nicer!!!  Plus, I don't like the way using my Corning Ware and Pyrex in the microwave makes them shatter instead of break over time.

 Would you give up your microwave?

Among the small appliances that I have and would buy again are:

1.  Hot Air Popcorn Popper, with the caveat that the popcorn doesn't shoot out of the machine, which no matter how careful you are to have a bowl under it, still sprays the area and floor with popcorn. 

2.  my bread machine is worth every penny.  True, I don't use it everyday anymore, but it is so easy to use and foolproof, that I know that anyone in my family could use it.  The bread machine also gives you the option of replacing some of the wheat flour with oats, rye and many other flours that are being made available these days.

3.  My husband didn't like my sandwich maker, so when it wore out, it wasn't replaced.  I am thinking of replacing it now that my kids are adults because of how quickly you can make an omelet in it, without having to stand over it like you do when it's in a pan on the stove.  Also the pizza pockets made with tortilla's are delish, as in pretty much everything you put into it EXCEPT cake and brownie mixes which I think are complete yuck!
      In this same class are the donut makers , which we bought my daughter for Christmas and have been very pleased with.  It turns out a bunch of mini donuts without tying up the oven or making a big mess to clean up after.

4.  It does take up a lot of room, so it sits in my dining room, but I love my rotisserie!  It makes the best rotisserie chicken and roasts.  I can use it to cook that night's dinner, or I can use it to cook dinner for a later night, while I'm using my conventional oven.

5. I love my slow cooker for days that I am not feeling good.  I just need to spend about 15 minutes to brown meats and vegetables in a frying pan on my stove, then dump all of it into my slow cooker with about a scant cup of water, and bullion cube, cover on medium and dinner is ready that night with no more effort on my part.

6.  My husband has a big orbital mixer, but it is too heavy for me to drag out so I love my powerful, little hand mixer for the smaller jobs like beating eggs, mixing pancake batter etc.

What are your favorite small appliances?

On a good day

One of the biggest problems I have trying to be frugal is the annoying time of day, that most women know as "supper," or if you are trying to be fancy, "dinner." I think you can ask any mother, and the question she most dreads, and is most consistently asked is "What's for supper Mom?"



There is probably only one question that we dread more, which is "Guess what fell out of my mouth today?" Thankfully, that question isn't asked all that often, and not by every kid.



Thank God for small favors!



Back to dinner, or if you rather, supper. Two names, same dilemma. On a good day, I will have gotten a piece of meat out the day before, actually two. When I'm being really conscientious, I get out a piece of beef and chicken out every morning, so that every day there is already a piece of meat thawed and ready to be cooked that night. Now the key word there you'll notice is, "good" day. On a good day. Not "every" day, not even "most" day or "some" days. I said on a good day.



On a sort of good day, the meat will be kind of thawed and can be popped into the microwave to get rid of the last vestiges of crunchiness, also known as ice.



On a bad day, that meat is still frozen so hard, I could use it to drive nails! With a little fore thought, I could have thrown it into the slow cooker that morning. That is, if I had a little fore thought. On a bad day, I have no thought, never mind fore thought.

That is when my determination to stay frugal goes right out the window. Usually, the first resolution to the problem is the most expensive because the result is instant; we go out for fast food. Yes, unlike a great majority of the population, we don't go out to eat. I refuse to ever be that un-frugal. When we go to a restaurant, it is after we have planned the when and the where, never a quick fix. Although getting fast food or take out is never, in my opinion, frugal.

Our family loves Chinese take out. When we get take out, and determine to be frugal, the bill is never below $50.

The tab for McDonalds and Burger King, always just this side of $50.

It doesn't take an economist to realize that not having only a few dinners ready can really shoot a hole into ones financial boat, and sink it!

So, I've thought of some remedies:

1. I have a slow cooker, I need to find some recipes that everyone likes. My pot roast recipe is a thumbs down for my family, so if anyone has a recipe for using in the crock pot, please share!

2. I need to once again remember the law of two, that is, when I cook a meal, make enough for two meals, and freeze one for later use. I have the vacuum sealer, what I need is the magic marker, and find a place that I can put it so no one "borrows" -imagine air quotes there - it.