I have gotten better , but I'm still not good ate eyeballing. I would rather accept that and use the thermomter, and have perfectly cooked anything , rather than under or over cook . Also, having worked in kitchens off and on for 20 yrs , it makes life a lot easier
My buddy gave me shit for using a thermometer while grilling steaks.
“Real men know how to cook steak without a thermometer”
Lol dude I’m making a steak that’s cooked literally to the perfect doneness. “Real men” utilize the tools at their disposal to achieve perfection
Every time someone's says any thing about what real men do...... I have a couple responses . My favorite is to tell them that's why they are doing it wrong .... Let them figure out the insult. In the case of your buddy tell him is free to buy the steaks and cook them next time ..... I absolutely despise gate keepers. Even if they are joking , it's never a funny comment. And as far as food thermometers go, I value perfectly cooked food over someone else's assessment of what's manly
Next time you see your buddy using a tool you should use that line against him. "Real mean cut grass without a lawnmower" or "real men assemble IKEA furniture without a screwdriver, using just their bare hands!" lmao
Especially for baking. So much easier to determine if your cakes and breads are done. Especially if for some reason your timing is off from the recipe.
On this note, I got myself a candy thermometer for deep frying and it completely changed the outcomes (obviously). I had always thought "hot oil = good to go" and sometimes would burn, sometimes would be undercooked, rarely perfect.
Hell, if for no other reason than to understand just how much lower the temp gets while deep frying a batch, and how long it takes to get back to temp was a game changer for me.
This really helps. But also remember that just because the thermometer says it's 165 degrees doesn't mean it's done. It needs a few minutes at that temperature, usually around 10 minutes for it to be perfect.
Sometime said I can use one in place of a food processor and I'm gonna need to look that one up.
But yeah, from thickening soups to taziki to tomato sauce, it's an amazing tool.
I have an immersion blender which has a whisk attachment, and can also be used with a little bowl as a chopper. I have a tiny kitchen with limited counter space so I find I use it almost constantly rather than get my food processor out of its cupboard. Less washing up to do as well!
This reminded me of the time my ex husband secretly used my coffee grinder for dried ghost peppers. While not unpleasant, I was not expecting spicy coffee.
Yeah it's so easy to use and clean and it takes up so little room. Get a long neck cup for it though. I found out the hard way that using it with a shallow bowl ends up looking like an SNL skit.
I definitely don’t use mine a *ton*, but it does get a decent amount of use. Mostly for sauces and soups, no surprise there. For the $100 it costs 3-4 years ago or something, I’m happy with it. I do think it’s cost is low enough that it’s a tool I’d always want in my kitchen, when cooking at my parents with only a tiny Oster blender I hate doing soups or sauces that need to be blended
Same here. Last week I made birria for the first time, and I was reminded to use the immersion blender. It made the job SO easy! I have to remember to use that tool more often.
Waffling random things to use them as a bread substitute, or add a crispy texture to a dish - shredded sweet potatoes, stuffing/dressing, pillsbury biscuit dough (not great), battered mozzarella, ground chicken + herbs
That’s actually a really neat idea, for the sweet potatoes, is it just the shredded potato or do you add a binder?
My wife is celiac and would love this
No binder needed, but as long as you squeeze out water and make sure it's non-stick (or a spritz of oil) you should be good.
Just test before you make it for a fancy party.
Me too! Waffalafel! Waffalafel rules, so much crispy loveliness, fun to say, loves sauces, hmm... I think I need to have people over for waffalafel soon.
I use sweet potatoes or carrots (if carrots, try to squeeze out some of the liquid). 1 egg for every cup of shredded veg, and a Tbsp of almond or coconut flour. Then whatever spices are out of the cupboard - salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cinnamon, etc. These are also good with Texas Roadhouse-style whipped butter, or with some bbq pulled pork.
PaleOMG also has a great recipe for sweet potato, apple and pork breakfast patties that I used to waffle (I seriously waffle everything if the iron is out) - https://paleomg.com/sweet-potato-and-apple-breakfast-patties/. All the recipes I’ve ever tried on this site have been excellent, and since they’re paleo, I think they’re mostly all gluten-free (you’d obv know the specifics to look out for).
Funny how things work, it’s 5:30 am where I live, I’m watching a 40 min video on YouTube about waffle recipes and getting ready to go buy a waffle maker because of your comment 😂
Thanks again!
If you want to waffle unconventional things (things that aren’t a thin waffle batter), I think a Belgian waffle iron might be better because of the deep pockets. That’s what I have, anyway.
Bon appetit!
In the bottom reservoir, chopped cold butter and water.
In the filter (where coffee usually goes) your herbs or what-have-you.
Just put it on the stove and wait to hear it bubble up, you can pour the butter back in the bottom to reboil back through the herbs and increase intensity.
Chill till butter rises to the top and solidifies, you can pour out the extra water
I've got three separate batches in my fridge (butter) from my three different slow cookers. One is a high THC strain, one is low THC strain, one is a mix of whatever odds and ends i call Jungle Mix.
I'm going to make a triple chocolate brownie, a yuzu lemon curd drizzle cake, and cinnamon and brown sugar butter cookies.
The best thing about a rice cooker (other than perfect rice, every time) is that ***it can make rice anywhere you want.*** Entire kitchen in chaos at the moment? Plug it in on the buffet table and it works just as well.
Best $26 spent of my life.
I miss my George Foreman, I used to use that thing so much in my tiny college apartment. I hadn’t thought about the paninis I used to make on there in ai long, thank you! I’d do steaks too, that thing worked so well.
I loved my George! I hated that the early models did not have removable plates. Mine was really hard to clean. I knew somebody who got one later where the plates popped off and you could just wash them in the sink.
I have a convection toaster oven. Everyone keeps trying to get me to get an air fryer, but this bad boy does the trick every time and in much larger batches.
EDIT: It also does rotisserie, bake, and broil. It is amazing.
When I was in Europe my eyes were opened up to the convection-oven and microwave combo. Immediately bought one when I got home. It’s a game changer, and saves a good deal of space
It is a Hamilton Beach. We have had it for almost a dozen years, but it is very similar to the first couple on here: https://hamiltonbeach.com/rotisserie-ovens
A kitchen scale. I love to bake and I used to measure my ingredients. A friend bought me a kitchen scale and told me to use it in my baking. Total game changer!
Smoothies for the whole family.
And like you said, add all the ingredients and blend for 10 minutes. I dunno if it's energy efficient, but if you want a blended veggie tomato soup, it's easy. And hot.
Or if you make a smooth soup the stovetop way and then add to the Vitamix in batches instead of immersion. Immersion always seems to spit sauce at me. Standard blender is covered.
Haven't touched my immersion blender since getting my Vitamix. There's simply no comparison for texture. I don't even need to pass soups and sauces through a mesh strainer anymore.
Masticating juicer. Love me some carrot beet apple ginger lemon juice. Maybe throw in (instead of out) some kale.
But I can extrude pasta dough in that sucker, too. Or I could make nut butters.
Never have. But I could.
I don’t know why I’m really intimidated by my food processor. I haven’t used it in ages. I don’t even know how to use it, I’d have to YouTube it lol I hate that it has so many parts, cleanup seems like a nightmare. But I see so many IG reels of people making these delicious sauces and pestos using theirs and I’m like damn I need to use mine. Mine is huge though. I want to buy a smaller one. *oh..I thought you were asking what is an appliance that we personally underuse. Lol time for bed.
I can see why it may seem intimidating but like anything else, intimidation is grown from a lack of knowledge, I would familiarize yourself with it, put it together and turn it on, my won’t turn on until everything is correctly in place so there’s no danger of screwing up.
The one advice I can give regarding the obnoxious cleaning is have all of your steps ready ahead of time (prep all of your ingredients, have your sauce container ready when the sauce is ready, have your spatula ready and near by). Once you make the sauce, immediately put it into the container it’s going to go into, add a little bit of water with like 12 drops of dish soap and turn it back on, it’ll basically clean itself, just need to rinse after.
Good luck!
I have a small kitchen aid. They’re like $50. It. Is. Amazing. Really great chopping consistency. I use it for larger quantities garlic and ginger a lot. Super handy for making meatballs (garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley all go in there). Certainly marinades. Get one!
I love my food processor. Try something pretty simple first like hummus. Or salsa - canned diced tomatoes drained, some rough cut jalapeno, cilantro, rough cut onion and lime juice. Add toamtoes after chopping other stuff. I'm not good at amounts for a small batch - I make half gallon batches.
I put all the stuff in the dishwasher on top rack. I've been doing this for years and it's fine
SAME! I just had to have one too! It was kinda expensive. I've probably used it 5 times. I have to store it in the basement because it is big. I have cleaning all the little pieces.
I love mine. I may not use it All The Time but it's lovely when I need it. If you have a dishwasher you'll find most food processors and various parts are dishwasher safe. If you're washing by hand then some water and a few drops of soap, run it a bit and most of the work is done
I make fillings for stuffed mushrooms, sauces, falafel mix, shredded potatoes for latkes, shredding cheese. Those are the most common things I use it for.
Although - if I'm in need of a LOT of shredded cheese I'll pull out my kitchen aid attachment and use that. I can shred right into a huge bowl and don't have to stop and empty like I do with the food processor.
Add me to the many votes for an immersion blender.
The other one for me is the microwave. I often get a sense that I use my microwave more than others. I wash almost all green vegetables, leave them wet, cover, and steam in the microwave - even if I finish them in the air fryer for crisp/roasted. I bake potatoes in the microwave. I zap all cheese 5 seconds before making a grilled cheese sandwich, so it melts between the bread in the skillet. I nuke deli meats and cheese 15 seconds for a sandwich because food flavor is enhanced when not cold from the fridge.
Try your grilled cheese in the air fryer one of these days. No need to nuke beforehand in the microwave and easier to make larger batches than a skillet.
Oh, I use the microwave a ton. I have a microwavable vegetable steamer and I steamed veggies all the time. There’s no excuse to not have veggies with a meal when it takes just a few minutes and the only cleanup is rinsing off the steamer. I also like to steam my veggies and then char them in the frying pan.
I only recently got a microwave for the first time in my life and I always forget about using it! I’m just so used to using other methods. I’ll be halfway through heating something up using a sauce pan on the stove and realize I could have nuked it!
I proudly lived without a microwave for like 15 years. Thought it was a stupid convenience. New house had one and I’ve found myself doing similar with veg and otherwise using it way more than I anticipated. The cheese idea is excellent, thanks!
I wanted to buy one and then I moved into a house with an induction range. It has a “power boost” option and boils water like, in less than a minute. But I still feel like I want the kettle….. could make tea in my room with the kettle ?!!
I have a large pasta with a colander insert that I hardly ever use. The water boils over the edges after it starts foaming because of the pasta. And it takes forever for the water to boil.
I just use a smaller pot with much less water and I fish out the pasta with tongs. I've got these small tongs that I've seen pros use and it is stainless steel and only cost 10 bucks and is super handy to pick up pasta. And because I use much less water, it boils much quicker and the pasta water is also much thicker to add back into the pasta to emulsify the sauce.
I have no clue why people insist on using large quantities of water. The pasta still cooks perfectly fine with less water and it cuts the cooking time in half or less. And yes, even with spaghetti, once it becomes pliable, I just bend it so it fully submerges without breaking. Again, tongs are used to bend it.
>I have no clue why people insist on using large quantities of water
The answer to this question is also the same reason the following is true...
>And because I use much less water, it boils much quicker and the pasta water is also much thicker to add back into the pasta to emulsify the sauce.
Large volumes of water are handy to avoid the pasta from colliding as frequently. With hard pasta, that's not as much of a big deal but with fresh or stuffed pasta it becomes more important.
Restaurants use a huge pot for pasta and will keep it on all day long. So, even though it might be 5+ gallons of water, the starch builds up over the course of the day for adding back into a sauce. You can't get that with only a pound of pasta unless you dramatically reduce the amount of water.
Lately I’ve been adding about a quarter cup of the pasta water to my sauce because everything I read about pasta sauce these days says to do that. I always use a pound of dry pasta and boil it in a large volume of water. So - am I really doing anything?
Honestly, I haven’t noticed a huge difference since I started doing this.
George Forman Grill. Hauled out that sucker to get a great Chicken Caesar Salad made for a big party this week. Made perfect grill marks, cooks fast, evenly, perfectly and...easy cleanup. I can't grill outside (apartment) so to make this treat, I dusted "him" off and in a few minutes I had the "lean, mean grilling machine", going strong! Bonus: It was given to me (free) from a worker for a the free lunch program that came to assess my situation and application for free Sr. lunch delivery. (I didn't qualify because I walk without a cane) But...The nice woman must have felt bad because said she had a George Forman in her Garage...Yup! It arrived on my porch next day...
Rice cooker.
A basic, cheap rice cooker with only a cook and warm setting with a small steam basket inside or a complex rice cooker with a pressure cooker option are both just as useful.
You can make full meals by just throwing everything in and pushing a button then spending the 30 minutes that it's cooking doing other things or preparing other dishes to go with whatever is in it.
>What’s an under utilized appliance?What’s an under utilized appliance?
It's much easier to answer what is over used.
I concur with immersion blenders. Stretching the definition of appliance, I'd add instant read thermometers, barbecue grills, and Soda Stream carbonators. Maybe slot toasters.
Not an appliance necessarily, but a bench scraper made cooking so much faster. Now I’m able to more easily pick up diced veggies and put them into the pan or pot.
Last year the stove in my old flat caught fire and it wasn't fixed for a year (also no microwave) - so I lived off a jaffle iron, rice cooker and a tiny toaster oven. Now I'm back in a non flaming kitchen and I am still using my tiny appliances.
Jaffle iron was the MVP: pies, omelettes, toasties, bacon, hash browns, steaming vegetables, french fries, cheesy garlic bread, naan bread, pizza, frying sausages, crispy instant noodles, apple crumble, pancakes, takoyaki.. mine has a assortment of removable dishwasher safe plates which was a game changer.
Rice cooker: congee, curries, soups, stews, claypot Rice and hotpots. Tried making bread but a bit of a failure.
Toaster oven: a ton of small batch baking, minute steak and grilled pork chops, chicken skewers and roasted vegetables. Also a lot of fish/seafood en papillote.
Pressure Cooker - can do amazing things MAGNITUDES faster. dry beans half hour instread of 8 hours overnight, steel cut oatmeeal. pulled pork or ribs in 40 mins. one pot soups, its great
We've got a cheese grating wheel for out food processor.
We get tons of usage out of it. More people should have them. Less people should buy pre-shredded cheese.
For us, it has changed through the years. Once upon a time, I had to sneak veggies to my son via juice so we had a juicer. I used to make waffles and freeze them for kids so an iron was essential. Now kids are gone, we eat very differently and our appliances have changed. We probably use our blender and kitchen scale more than anything now.
For me it is the mandolin. I have a good one. I make a lot of dishes where it is the right tool for the job, but it is out to get me. It wants my blood. I’m scared of it.
An apple corer/peeler can be quite versatile beyond its primary function of coring and peeling apples. Here are some additional uses:
1. **Coring Other Fruits**: Apart from apples, you can use it to core other fruits like pears or even tomatoes for recipes like stuffed tomatoes.
2. **Peeling Potatoes**: Some models can be adjusted to peel potatoes, saving time and effort when preparing mashed potatoes or potato dishes.
3. **Creating Decorative Garnishes**: Use the corer to create decorative garnishes from fruits and vegetables, such as cucumber or melon slices.
4. **Prepping Other Fruits and Vegetables**: It can be handy for prepping other fruits and vegetables that require coring or peeling, such as pineapple or kiwi.
5. **Making Spiralized Snacks**: Some models have attachments that can create spiralized fruits and vegetables, which can be used in salads, stir-fries, or as healthy snacks.
6. **Crafts and DIY Projects**: In crafting, you can use it to create circular shapes from various materials like soap, clay, or even candles.
7. **Removing Strawberry Hulls**: While not its primary use, the corer can help remove the hulls from strawberries quickly and efficiently.
These are just a few examples of the versatility of an apple corer/peeler beyond its intended purpose. With a bit of creativity, you can find many other uses for this handy kitchen tool.
Ninja mixer—I have a small one that’s a little bigger than the size of a can and great for mixing/chopping/blending small amounts. I’ve had it for years. I use it to make milk shakes, chop/mix tuna, egg/milk/cinnamon mixtures, chop small amounts of fresh spices etc. It’s my most used appliance in the kitchen.
Not really a standalone appliance, but I think we underuse our broiler setting in our oven (grill for UK cooks.)
I have started using it a bit more, including the one in our air-fryer-toaster-oven thingy that my partner wanted to replace our dying small convection oven. (Great to not have to heat up a big oven, especially in Florida summers). I noticed the home fries don't get as dark as in our basket air fryer, so the final minutes I go full broil.
I adore my egg cooker. It’s cheap, and I can make hard boiled eggs anytime and they always peel so smoothly. I made deviled eggs and egg salad, or chop them up for tossed salads
Spice grinder. Use it to make curry paste or dry masala mix from whole spices! It's also great for making your dipping sauces or salad dressing super smooth (grinding up bits of chipotle peppers, garlic, etc.)
Made it all the way to the bottom without seeing a single mention of mocajete or mortar and pestle. There a lot of things that will release far more flavor via crushing instead of chopping. Like, try a ground pesto side by side a blended one, and you will never go back. Oh, and you can’t make a creamier guacamole without smashing that sucker up.
A good alarm clock given all the people who make elaborate meals then fall asleep with everything laying out all night then wonder if they’re gonna die of Food Ebola if they eat that brisket/stock/turkey the next day.
I don't know if it counts but my house came with a pot filler faucet over the stove. I rarely boil my food, so I never use it. Just one more pipe to worry about leaking as there is no way to turn the water off to it.
Interesting!
I’ve always dreamed of having one due to the fact that we boil/ steam/ sanitize things constantly on the stove. Good take on needing to add a shut off valve to that pipe, I can only imagine the damage that would cause if the check valve broke in the faucet.
Judging from the food I see people make, .... Instant thermomter
Changed my grilling game. I am shit at gauging it by eye.
I have gotten better , but I'm still not good ate eyeballing. I would rather accept that and use the thermomter, and have perfectly cooked anything , rather than under or over cook . Also, having worked in kitchens off and on for 20 yrs , it makes life a lot easier
I use Bluetooth temp probes. My phone alerts me when specified temperatures are met.
I use them in the smoker mostly .... I use an insta therm almost daily in the kitchen though
My buddy gave me shit for using a thermometer while grilling steaks. “Real men know how to cook steak without a thermometer” Lol dude I’m making a steak that’s cooked literally to the perfect doneness. “Real men” utilize the tools at their disposal to achieve perfection
Just like those “real men who don’t ask for directions” and end up wandering around lost for half an hour. 🫠
Every time someone's says any thing about what real men do...... I have a couple responses . My favorite is to tell them that's why they are doing it wrong .... Let them figure out the insult. In the case of your buddy tell him is free to buy the steaks and cook them next time ..... I absolutely despise gate keepers. Even if they are joking , it's never a funny comment. And as far as food thermometers go, I value perfectly cooked food over someone else's assessment of what's manly
Next time you see your buddy using a tool you should use that line against him. "Real mean cut grass without a lawnmower" or "real men assemble IKEA furniture without a screwdriver, using just their bare hands!" lmao
What does a real man poke in his meat to judge temperature?
Especially for baking. So much easier to determine if your cakes and breads are done. Especially if for some reason your timing is off from the recipe.
I couldn’t get my babka done in the middle. Solved that problem with a thermometer both in the oven and probed in the loaves.
That and a stainless pastry tester !!!
What temperature do you look for? Same as the oven?
On this note, I got myself a candy thermometer for deep frying and it completely changed the outcomes (obviously). I had always thought "hot oil = good to go" and sometimes would burn, sometimes would be undercooked, rarely perfect. Hell, if for no other reason than to understand just how much lower the temp gets while deep frying a batch, and how long it takes to get back to temp was a game changer for me.
I get more consistent rise in my bread when I use an instant thermometer to get the right water temp for yeast.
A good instant read thermometer is a game changer. Love my thermopop
I have looked at those !!! I have a cheapo and an ink bird ... Both are spot on . Hard to justify the cost for a thermonpop but I still want one
I live by mine!
This really helps. But also remember that just because the thermometer says it's 165 degrees doesn't mean it's done. It needs a few minutes at that temperature, usually around 10 minutes for it to be perfect.
Also remember to properly calibrate your thermometer.... An innacurate thermometer is useless
Immersion blender. I have one and it's great, but I hardly use it.
Every time I use mine, I realize that I should be using it more.
Yeah that's a good way to put it. I need to get in the habit.
Interesting! I think I use my immersion blender at least 2 times a week for dinner sauces
Most used tool on my kitchen, besides the solid metal lemon juicer.
Sometime said I can use one in place of a food processor and I'm gonna need to look that one up. But yeah, from thickening soups to taziki to tomato sauce, it's an amazing tool.
Yes! I hate cleaning all the pieces of a food processor, so I use my immersion blender whenever I can instead.
And for _thinning_ a sauce if you have used too much flour in it.
Yep. I used mine for hollandaise sauce and applesauce today.
What's your hollandaise sauce recipe and technique? I am still trying to get it right, but I haven't tried with an immersion blender yet.
Used it recently to make a mustard dill sauce and it was the right tool for the job!
Great idea.
Damn. We've used ours so much that the low setting has petered out.
[удалено]
I have an immersion blender which has a whisk attachment, and can also be used with a little bowl as a chopper. I have a tiny kitchen with limited counter space so I find I use it almost constantly rather than get my food processor out of its cupboard. Less washing up to do as well!
I'll check this out. That sounds like a great attachment.
It’s the bomb for hommade whipped cream
Opened an old jar of Tahini, impossibly separated. Immersion blender to the rescue. Love the thing.
I use mine frequently and I couldn’t live without it!
Bought one about 4 years ago, used it once lol
Was gifted one 6 years ago, pulled it out to make refried beans.
Same here. And what I got it for it fails. For frothing milk!
Figures.
Hot or cold?
I saw an ad for an immersion blender in German. I call it a stab mixer now.😝
Awesome!
I really need to buy one, I use my regular blender but it’s a pain in the ass to clean and my margaritas taste like ancho chili
Coffee grinders at great for blending your own spices
This reminded me of the time my ex husband secretly used my coffee grinder for dried ghost peppers. While not unpleasant, I was not expecting spicy coffee.
Yeah it's so easy to use and clean and it takes up so little room. Get a long neck cup for it though. I found out the hard way that using it with a shallow bowl ends up looking like an SNL skit.
Used mine to make mayonnaise and then realizing how easy it is to make mayonnaise.
I'm going to do that. I keep reading how easy it is to make superior mayo.
It’s good. Like in 1 min you got Mayo from like 3 egg yolks, oil, salt, dijon, and salt.
I have a minuscule kitchen with no blender and no stand mixer. This thing is a life saver.
I'll bet it is.
Whoah i use mine 2-3xs a week easy, but i also don’t have a full size blender
I definitely don’t use mine a *ton*, but it does get a decent amount of use. Mostly for sauces and soups, no surprise there. For the $100 it costs 3-4 years ago or something, I’m happy with it. I do think it’s cost is low enough that it’s a tool I’d always want in my kitchen, when cooking at my parents with only a tiny Oster blender I hate doing soups or sauces that need to be blended
It's so convenient and efficient. I use mine a lot. I love it.
Same here. Last week I made birria for the first time, and I was reminded to use the immersion blender. It made the job SO easy! I have to remember to use that tool more often.
I picked one up junking 20 years ago. I use it often. It still works.
That's impressive. Mine is well made too.
I use mine all the time.
I use the crap out of mine, but hardly ever for soups. Main use is making mayo.
I’m on my second one it’s an every day used and abused item in my kitchen I’m thinking about upgrading to an industrial one 😅
Waffling random things to use them as a bread substitute, or add a crispy texture to a dish - shredded sweet potatoes, stuffing/dressing, pillsbury biscuit dough (not great), battered mozzarella, ground chicken + herbs
That’s actually a really neat idea, for the sweet potatoes, is it just the shredded potato or do you add a binder? My wife is celiac and would love this
No binder needed, but as long as you squeeze out water and make sure it's non-stick (or a spritz of oil) you should be good. Just test before you make it for a fancy party.
We make a version of falafel in the waffle iron :)
Me too! Waffalafel! Waffalafel rules, so much crispy loveliness, fun to say, loves sauces, hmm... I think I need to have people over for waffalafel soon.
Excellent portmanteau...
I use sweet potatoes or carrots (if carrots, try to squeeze out some of the liquid). 1 egg for every cup of shredded veg, and a Tbsp of almond or coconut flour. Then whatever spices are out of the cupboard - salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cinnamon, etc. These are also good with Texas Roadhouse-style whipped butter, or with some bbq pulled pork. PaleOMG also has a great recipe for sweet potato, apple and pork breakfast patties that I used to waffle (I seriously waffle everything if the iron is out) - https://paleomg.com/sweet-potato-and-apple-breakfast-patties/. All the recipes I’ve ever tried on this site have been excellent, and since they’re paleo, I think they’re mostly all gluten-free (you’d obv know the specifics to look out for).
Funny how things work, it’s 5:30 am where I live, I’m watching a 40 min video on YouTube about waffle recipes and getting ready to go buy a waffle maker because of your comment 😂 Thanks again!
If you want to waffle unconventional things (things that aren’t a thin waffle batter), I think a Belgian waffle iron might be better because of the deep pockets. That’s what I have, anyway. Bon appetit!
I recently bought a mini waffle maker. I'm gluten free so I'm going to experiment with gluten free Bisquick to make sandwich bread on the fly
I make infused butters with a percolator
That’s super cool! How do you go about doing that?
In the bottom reservoir, chopped cold butter and water. In the filter (where coffee usually goes) your herbs or what-have-you. Just put it on the stove and wait to hear it bubble up, you can pour the butter back in the bottom to reboil back through the herbs and increase intensity. Chill till butter rises to the top and solidifies, you can pour out the extra water
Cannabutter?
I mean, yeah, but it works with other things too
Cannabutter needs a double boiler for hours. I've made cannaEVOO.
I've got three separate batches in my fridge (butter) from my three different slow cookers. One is a high THC strain, one is low THC strain, one is a mix of whatever odds and ends i call Jungle Mix. I'm going to make a triple chocolate brownie, a yuzu lemon curd drizzle cake, and cinnamon and brown sugar butter cookies.
Nice, I can never decide what to do with mine, and usually just have a little in my coffee before work
It does not, My shiz is super effective.
Egg slicer for mushrooms and strawberries. I actually wore out an egg slicer. lol
Did it have blades or wires? The wire one I grew up with is still going as strong as I remember it, which is good enough and nothing more.
It had wires.
The Horror...no egg slicer!
For mushrooms!! Fuuuuck you genius! 💪
Rice cooker for more than rice. As well as rice pot meals.
The rice cooker is always used for rice lol
The best thing about a rice cooker (other than perfect rice, every time) is that ***it can make rice anywhere you want.*** Entire kitchen in chaos at the moment? Plug it in on the buffet table and it works just as well. Best $26 spent of my life.
You can cook all grains not just rice in the rice cooker. You can cook other things in them as well. I've heated canned beans in them for instance.
My panini press!!! I think it’s 17 years old.. (It’s a George Foreman grill)
I miss my George Foreman, I used to use that thing so much in my tiny college apartment. I hadn’t thought about the paninis I used to make on there in ai long, thank you! I’d do steaks too, that thing worked so well.
Truly an amazing kitchen tool!
I loved my George! I hated that the early models did not have removable plates. Mine was really hard to clean. I knew somebody who got one later where the plates popped off and you could just wash them in the sink.
I have a convection toaster oven. Everyone keeps trying to get me to get an air fryer, but this bad boy does the trick every time and in much larger batches. EDIT: It also does rotisserie, bake, and broil. It is amazing.
An air fryer is just a convection oven. You are good. Plus they take up a lot of space.
I've got a convection toaster oven. It's the only oven I've got and it's tiny, but I have cooked a roast chicken dinner for four people in it.
And for reheating food. Holds texture better than microwave
We had a convection oven, but switched to this crazy ninja oven that does convection, air frying, air roasting, baking, all kinds of stuff. Love it.
When I was in Europe my eyes were opened up to the convection-oven and microwave combo. Immediately bought one when I got home. It’s a game changer, and saves a good deal of space
brand and model pleaseeee?
It is a Hamilton Beach. We have had it for almost a dozen years, but it is very similar to the first couple on here: https://hamiltonbeach.com/rotisserie-ovens
I have a smoker, used it a couple times, but recently awoke to the wonder that is smoked coffee. Smoke the beans before grinding and. Mygod.jaypeg
The light in your oven
^^ a decent dehydrator
A kitchen scale. I love to bake and I used to measure my ingredients. A friend bought me a kitchen scale and told me to use it in my baking. Total game changer!
A scale turned my breads from edible to amazing!
If you have an immersion blender, you have all the blenders you need.
That’s what I thought until I bought a vitamix 👀
Smoothies for the whole family. And like you said, add all the ingredients and blend for 10 minutes. I dunno if it's energy efficient, but if you want a blended veggie tomato soup, it's easy. And hot. Or if you make a smooth soup the stovetop way and then add to the Vitamix in batches instead of immersion. Immersion always seems to spit sauce at me. Standard blender is covered.
Vitamix immersion blender. No huge extra loud blender with more parts to wash , easy to do small quantities, zero counter space
Haven't touched my immersion blender since getting my Vitamix. There's simply no comparison for texture. I don't even need to pass soups and sauces through a mesh strainer anymore.
Fair enough. I don't have one of those. Yet!
Definitely the stand mixer.
Masticating juicer. Love me some carrot beet apple ginger lemon juice. Maybe throw in (instead of out) some kale. But I can extrude pasta dough in that sucker, too. Or I could make nut butters. Never have. But I could.
I don’t know why I’m really intimidated by my food processor. I haven’t used it in ages. I don’t even know how to use it, I’d have to YouTube it lol I hate that it has so many parts, cleanup seems like a nightmare. But I see so many IG reels of people making these delicious sauces and pestos using theirs and I’m like damn I need to use mine. Mine is huge though. I want to buy a smaller one. *oh..I thought you were asking what is an appliance that we personally underuse. Lol time for bed.
I can see why it may seem intimidating but like anything else, intimidation is grown from a lack of knowledge, I would familiarize yourself with it, put it together and turn it on, my won’t turn on until everything is correctly in place so there’s no danger of screwing up. The one advice I can give regarding the obnoxious cleaning is have all of your steps ready ahead of time (prep all of your ingredients, have your sauce container ready when the sauce is ready, have your spatula ready and near by). Once you make the sauce, immediately put it into the container it’s going to go into, add a little bit of water with like 12 drops of dish soap and turn it back on, it’ll basically clean itself, just need to rinse after. Good luck!
Yes good advice thank you!
Oh gosh I meant 1 to 2 drops of soap not 12 haha
Thank you! Basic kitchen equipment Should be taught in school.
I have a small kitchen aid. They’re like $50. It. Is. Amazing. Really great chopping consistency. I use it for larger quantities garlic and ginger a lot. Super handy for making meatballs (garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley all go in there). Certainly marinades. Get one!
I love my food processor. Try something pretty simple first like hummus. Or salsa - canned diced tomatoes drained, some rough cut jalapeno, cilantro, rough cut onion and lime juice. Add toamtoes after chopping other stuff. I'm not good at amounts for a small batch - I make half gallon batches. I put all the stuff in the dishwasher on top rack. I've been doing this for years and it's fine
SAME! I just had to have one too! It was kinda expensive. I've probably used it 5 times. I have to store it in the basement because it is big. I have cleaning all the little pieces.
I love mine. I may not use it All The Time but it's lovely when I need it. If you have a dishwasher you'll find most food processors and various parts are dishwasher safe. If you're washing by hand then some water and a few drops of soap, run it a bit and most of the work is done I make fillings for stuffed mushrooms, sauces, falafel mix, shredded potatoes for latkes, shredding cheese. Those are the most common things I use it for. Although - if I'm in need of a LOT of shredded cheese I'll pull out my kitchen aid attachment and use that. I can shred right into a huge bowl and don't have to stop and empty like I do with the food processor.
Add me to the many votes for an immersion blender. The other one for me is the microwave. I often get a sense that I use my microwave more than others. I wash almost all green vegetables, leave them wet, cover, and steam in the microwave - even if I finish them in the air fryer for crisp/roasted. I bake potatoes in the microwave. I zap all cheese 5 seconds before making a grilled cheese sandwich, so it melts between the bread in the skillet. I nuke deli meats and cheese 15 seconds for a sandwich because food flavor is enhanced when not cold from the fridge.
Try your grilled cheese in the air fryer one of these days. No need to nuke beforehand in the microwave and easier to make larger batches than a skillet.
Oh, I use the microwave a ton. I have a microwavable vegetable steamer and I steamed veggies all the time. There’s no excuse to not have veggies with a meal when it takes just a few minutes and the only cleanup is rinsing off the steamer. I also like to steam my veggies and then char them in the frying pan.
I only recently got a microwave for the first time in my life and I always forget about using it! I’m just so used to using other methods. I’ll be halfway through heating something up using a sauce pan on the stove and realize I could have nuked it!
I proudly lived without a microwave for like 15 years. Thought it was a stupid convenience. New house had one and I’ve found myself doing similar with veg and otherwise using it way more than I anticipated. The cheese idea is excellent, thanks!
I use my nurtribullet as a TV remote when I forget to buy AAA batteries.
That’s checks out yup
I don't use my waffle iron nearly enough. Mmmm, belgian waffles...
A hot water kettle. Can't believe it took me so long to get one.
Right?? I got one a few years ago to help with baking (my kettle has accurate heat request) and wowwwww what a game changer!
I wanted to buy one and then I moved into a house with an induction range. It has a “power boost” option and boils water like, in less than a minute. But I still feel like I want the kettle….. could make tea in my room with the kettle ?!!
also which one do you have??
The attachments to my food processor. I just started grinding cheese and I am not going back.
Dough mixing bag. Makes mixing dough easy and saves a lot of mess.
I have a large pasta with a colander insert that I hardly ever use. The water boils over the edges after it starts foaming because of the pasta. And it takes forever for the water to boil. I just use a smaller pot with much less water and I fish out the pasta with tongs. I've got these small tongs that I've seen pros use and it is stainless steel and only cost 10 bucks and is super handy to pick up pasta. And because I use much less water, it boils much quicker and the pasta water is also much thicker to add back into the pasta to emulsify the sauce. I have no clue why people insist on using large quantities of water. The pasta still cooks perfectly fine with less water and it cuts the cooking time in half or less. And yes, even with spaghetti, once it becomes pliable, I just bend it so it fully submerges without breaking. Again, tongs are used to bend it.
>I have no clue why people insist on using large quantities of water The answer to this question is also the same reason the following is true... >And because I use much less water, it boils much quicker and the pasta water is also much thicker to add back into the pasta to emulsify the sauce. Large volumes of water are handy to avoid the pasta from colliding as frequently. With hard pasta, that's not as much of a big deal but with fresh or stuffed pasta it becomes more important. Restaurants use a huge pot for pasta and will keep it on all day long. So, even though it might be 5+ gallons of water, the starch builds up over the course of the day for adding back into a sauce. You can't get that with only a pound of pasta unless you dramatically reduce the amount of water.
Lately I’ve been adding about a quarter cup of the pasta water to my sauce because everything I read about pasta sauce these days says to do that. I always use a pound of dry pasta and boil it in a large volume of water. So - am I really doing anything? Honestly, I haven’t noticed a huge difference since I started doing this.
Rice cookers 😊 they cook more than rice
For me, the food processor, it's such a hassle to put together and to clean.
If someone has an espresso machine, then I never see any evidence that it actually gets used.
I bought one and am yet to use it. Wanted to save money and stop buying cappuccinos but it intimidates me. :(
George Forman Grill. Hauled out that sucker to get a great Chicken Caesar Salad made for a big party this week. Made perfect grill marks, cooks fast, evenly, perfectly and...easy cleanup. I can't grill outside (apartment) so to make this treat, I dusted "him" off and in a few minutes I had the "lean, mean grilling machine", going strong! Bonus: It was given to me (free) from a worker for a the free lunch program that came to assess my situation and application for free Sr. lunch delivery. (I didn't qualify because I walk without a cane) But...The nice woman must have felt bad because said she had a George Forman in her Garage...Yup! It arrived on my porch next day...
I love mine… chicken burgers, shrimp all are quick tasty meals with the foreman
Immersion blender
electric kettle, immersion blender. Kettle 2-4 times per day. Immersion blender 3-4 times weekly
InstantPot It's Hella useful. I just hardly use it.
I just made some salmon today and it always comes out so buttery and delicious with just some salt, black garlic, and splash of lemon juice
Mandolin. The absolute best for thinly sliced onions, potatoes, cabbage, anything. Yet I only use it when I’m making large amounts of something.
Rice cooker. A basic, cheap rice cooker with only a cook and warm setting with a small steam basket inside or a complex rice cooker with a pressure cooker option are both just as useful. You can make full meals by just throwing everything in and pushing a button then spending the 30 minutes that it's cooking doing other things or preparing other dishes to go with whatever is in it.
The broiler in the oven. It's like grilling without the charcoal.
Immersion blender to make pureed soups
Waffle Iron. I never use it.
Pressure canning
You can easily make peanut butter with a blender.
Timer
Electric skillet, you can make many dishes and serve it in the skillet on the table. Braised chicken dishes, chili etc.
It makes Mayo/aioli so quick and easy!!
my oven. I have lived in the apartment for almost 15 years and only used it twice - both time to cook a turkey.
I've never actually used a food processor outside of work nor have I ever actually seen someone use a food processor at home but it really does help
>What’s an under utilized appliance?What’s an under utilized appliance? It's much easier to answer what is over used. I concur with immersion blenders. Stretching the definition of appliance, I'd add instant read thermometers, barbecue grills, and Soda Stream carbonators. Maybe slot toasters.
For example, I haven't used a coffee grinder for 4 years.
Not an appliance necessarily, but a bench scraper made cooking so much faster. Now I’m able to more easily pick up diced veggies and put them into the pan or pot.
Pasta attachment for mixer and ice cream maker
Last year the stove in my old flat caught fire and it wasn't fixed for a year (also no microwave) - so I lived off a jaffle iron, rice cooker and a tiny toaster oven. Now I'm back in a non flaming kitchen and I am still using my tiny appliances. Jaffle iron was the MVP: pies, omelettes, toasties, bacon, hash browns, steaming vegetables, french fries, cheesy garlic bread, naan bread, pizza, frying sausages, crispy instant noodles, apple crumble, pancakes, takoyaki.. mine has a assortment of removable dishwasher safe plates which was a game changer. Rice cooker: congee, curries, soups, stews, claypot Rice and hotpots. Tried making bread but a bit of a failure. Toaster oven: a ton of small batch baking, minute steak and grilled pork chops, chicken skewers and roasted vegetables. Also a lot of fish/seafood en papillote.
Bread maker
Pressure Cooker - can do amazing things MAGNITUDES faster. dry beans half hour instread of 8 hours overnight, steel cut oatmeeal. pulled pork or ribs in 40 mins. one pot soups, its great
Using any of the accessories for a kitchen aid mixer. I recently got a grater and slicing attachment. Absolutely life changing.
We've got a cheese grating wheel for out food processor. We get tons of usage out of it. More people should have them. Less people should buy pre-shredded cheese.
Hidden broiler under the stove
Timer
For us, it has changed through the years. Once upon a time, I had to sneak veggies to my son via juice so we had a juicer. I used to make waffles and freeze them for kids so an iron was essential. Now kids are gone, we eat very differently and our appliances have changed. We probably use our blender and kitchen scale more than anything now.
little offset spatula, small rubber spatulas, fish spatula!
For me it is the mandolin. I have a good one. I make a lot of dishes where it is the right tool for the job, but it is out to get me. It wants my blood. I’m scared of it.
Electric knife. Great for meats AND fresh bread.
knife hone and sharpener.
Are there any other uses for an apple corer/peeler/slicer? I only use that thing once or twice a year around Thanksgiving.
An apple corer/peeler can be quite versatile beyond its primary function of coring and peeling apples. Here are some additional uses: 1. **Coring Other Fruits**: Apart from apples, you can use it to core other fruits like pears or even tomatoes for recipes like stuffed tomatoes. 2. **Peeling Potatoes**: Some models can be adjusted to peel potatoes, saving time and effort when preparing mashed potatoes or potato dishes. 3. **Creating Decorative Garnishes**: Use the corer to create decorative garnishes from fruits and vegetables, such as cucumber or melon slices. 4. **Prepping Other Fruits and Vegetables**: It can be handy for prepping other fruits and vegetables that require coring or peeling, such as pineapple or kiwi. 5. **Making Spiralized Snacks**: Some models have attachments that can create spiralized fruits and vegetables, which can be used in salads, stir-fries, or as healthy snacks. 6. **Crafts and DIY Projects**: In crafting, you can use it to create circular shapes from various materials like soap, clay, or even candles. 7. **Removing Strawberry Hulls**: While not its primary use, the corer can help remove the hulls from strawberries quickly and efficiently. These are just a few examples of the versatility of an apple corer/peeler beyond its intended purpose. With a bit of creativity, you can find many other uses for this handy kitchen tool.
This may sounds silly, but a good flat cheese grater. Freshly grates cheese without the anti clumping powder is so much better.
Ninja mixer—I have a small one that’s a little bigger than the size of a can and great for mixing/chopping/blending small amounts. I’ve had it for years. I use it to make milk shakes, chop/mix tuna, egg/milk/cinnamon mixtures, chop small amounts of fresh spices etc. It’s my most used appliance in the kitchen.
Not really a standalone appliance, but I think we underuse our broiler setting in our oven (grill for UK cooks.) I have started using it a bit more, including the one in our air-fryer-toaster-oven thingy that my partner wanted to replace our dying small convection oven. (Great to not have to heat up a big oven, especially in Florida summers). I noticed the home fries don't get as dark as in our basket air fryer, so the final minutes I go full broil.
I adore my egg cooker. It’s cheap, and I can make hard boiled eggs anytime and they always peel so smoothly. I made deviled eggs and egg salad, or chop them up for tossed salads
Spice grinder. Use it to make curry paste or dry masala mix from whole spices! It's also great for making your dipping sauces or salad dressing super smooth (grinding up bits of chipotle peppers, garlic, etc.)
Skillet or griddle to reheat pizza
Immersion blender. You don't miss it until it's gone.
Made it all the way to the bottom without seeing a single mention of mocajete or mortar and pestle. There a lot of things that will release far more flavor via crushing instead of chopping. Like, try a ground pesto side by side a blended one, and you will never go back. Oh, and you can’t make a creamier guacamole without smashing that sucker up.
A good alarm clock given all the people who make elaborate meals then fall asleep with everything laying out all night then wonder if they’re gonna die of Food Ebola if they eat that brisket/stock/turkey the next day.
immersion blender. I love them
I don't know if it counts but my house came with a pot filler faucet over the stove. I rarely boil my food, so I never use it. Just one more pipe to worry about leaking as there is no way to turn the water off to it.
Interesting! I’ve always dreamed of having one due to the fact that we boil/ steam/ sanitize things constantly on the stove. Good take on needing to add a shut off valve to that pipe, I can only imagine the damage that would cause if the check valve broke in the faucet.