My Kitchen "Must Haves"

mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/679/11-kitchen-tools-you-dont-really-need/
Some people think steaming is just for professionals. I think I couldn't live without my steamer. I don't have the reamer yet, but it's on my wish list.
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
Exactly. Yeah I went low carb and lost 41 pounds about 3 years ago. I don't have the multiple level steamer, just a single level. Have you tried steamed spinach? I won't cook it any other way now.
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
I sorta retired back in March and have taken over all the cooking, so I really mean it, I love steamer. The story is right about most of the gadgets but dead wrong on the steamer.
 
reefraff

reefraff

Active Member
My must have gadget is the microwave LOL!
Hmmm. Steamed Crawdads........
I'll stick to the grill. Watered down olive oil lightly brushed on potato slices with some Montreal steak seasoning on the grill NOM!!! My wife likes peppers done like that except regular season salt.
We get this frozen corn that you microwave in the bag so it's steamed. For frozen corn it's pretty dang good.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
LOL...gotta love the microwave and the steamer veggies
BUT I gotta have my blender for my pina coladas and stuff like that
 
travelerjp98

travelerjp98

Active Member
I saw that article too!!! And, I thought the exact same thing on some of the other things including the steamer.... like our panini press...
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
You really only need one thing in your kitchen, and that is a mexican momma.
i completely misread that, and well, had some rant about how useless those all were.
But I need a rolling pin, how else are you going to roll out tortillas, and what are you going to make it on, if you don't have a cast iron griddle? How am I going to make my veggies without a steamer (one of those nesting pot kinds) boil them in butter (well k I'm caught there)
I guess they never make lemonaid, something that is made with frequency in our house, but I don't use the style shown...
I guess you never need to make a beer bong either...
And what about my beer chicken roasting thing...
Geeze, the only useless thing on there is something called a panini thing, I guess it is a fancy George Forman...
 
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dragonzim

Active Member
Never saw the need for an electric steamer. For less than $10 you can get a regular pot with a steamer insert or one of those stacking chinese bamboo steamer baskets that can sit in a pan of water. We have one of those and you can do your veggies on one level, meat on another, dumplings or whatever on the next and so on...
 
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dragonzim

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by stdreb27 http:///t/387790/my-kitchen-must-haves#post_3416071
who in their right mind would steam meat?
Steamed chicken with a homemade garlic sauce is quite tasty!
As far as must haves for the kitchen... A couple of good knives can make all the difference in the world. I like Henckels or Sabatier. Expect to pay between $40-$75 per knife for good ones. Dont bother buying one of those big sets that come with the block since you'll most likely only use a few of them anyway. 3 or 4 knives are all that you should really need to cook with. I use a 10" chefs knife for almost everything, a small 6 inch serrated knife for things like tomatoes and bread, a narrow long bladed knife that can be used for a variety of things, but usually for fileting and carving and a paring knife for anything that is too small for the big chefs knife
Also a couple of different size and style cutting boards too. I have a large wooden one with the channel around the outside for carving meat, a smaller wood one for chopping vegetables and a plastic one that I use just for poultry since it can go in the dishwasher.
 
ironeagle2006

ironeagle2006

Active Member
My 5 Must and I mean MUST haves in my Kitchen. 1st is a Great set of Knives I have a set of knives that was expensive but I will tell you this I can cut up anything I need to with them. 2nd is a great set of Enameled Cast Iron Cookware You have the best of everything Non stick Oven safe and never needs to be Seasoned. 3rd is 3 Cutting Boards one is for Poultry ONLY one is for Meats only the other is for everything else. 4th I do alot of Baking so my Kitchen aid Mixer is next. Sorry but I will not give that bad boy UP. Last is my 5 Quart Food processor that has both a chopping blade and a mixing blade for it. I also have a spare bowl for it.
My knife set consists of a 10 inch Chef 10 inch Boner 4 inch Paring 7 inch Multipointed Serrated 10 inch Sedachu great for going thru wet fruits. I also get them sharpened every 3-6 months and steel them when needed. My cookware is a 6 and 8 Quart Dutch Oven 8-10-12 Inch Frying pan and 4-6 Cup Sauce Pan all Lodge Enemaled Cast Iron. No wonder my wifey lets me do all the cooking.
 
sweatervest13

sweatervest13

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by DragonZim http:///t/387790/my-kitchen-must-haves#post_3416094
Steamed chicken with a homemade garlic sauce is quite tasty!
As far as must haves for the kitchen... A couple of good knives can make all the difference in the world. I like Henckels or Sabatier. Expect to pay between $40-$75 per knife for good ones. Dont bother buying one of those big sets that come with the block since you'll most likely only use a few of them anyway. 3 or 4 knives are all that you should really need to cook with. I use a 10" chefs knife for almost everything, a small 6 inch serrated knife for things like tomatoes and bread, a narrow long bladed knife that can be used for a variety of things, but usually for fileting and carving and a paring knife for anything that is too small for the big chefs knife
Also a couple of different size and style cutting boards too. I have a large wooden one with the channel around the outside for carving meat, a smaller wood one for chopping vegetables and a plastic one that I use just for poultry since it can go in the dishwasher.
Can not cook with out a good knife. I 100% agree. Along with cutting boards (must have a poultry only). I am a big fan of the asian knifes. The ceramic knifes are great too, but watch out they are really sharp (not kidding at all, super sharp!!!). I do have to admit that I love my deep fryer (home made chicken strips are amazing, along with deep fried pickles). But the wife only lets me bring out the fryer every once in a while. Then back storage for a month or two :-(. Funny enough I keep all my extra kitchen appliances in the basement in my fish room. Fish tanks and blenders. LOL
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
Steamed flounder is exceptional. As far as knives, if I can sharpen it, it's a good knife. I have a $500 set of Cutco knives, but always use my $1 store knife because it takes and keeps a nice edge. I would throw the Cutco's away if I weren't into them for $500.
 
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dragonzim

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mantisman51 http:///t/387790/my-kitchen-must-haves#post_3416106
. I have a $500 set of Cutco knives, but always use my $1 store knife because it takes and keeps a nice edge. I would throw the Cutco's away if I weren't into them for $500.
Cutco knives are expensive, but they are not considered good knives...
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f90/cutco-knives-1325.html
My wife uses her Kitchen Aid Professional series mixes ALL the time, so I guess its considered a must have in my kitchen. I just never use it myself. She does a ton of baking though. I have a good cast iron dutch oven and 2 skillets that I use occasionally. My favorite potspans are my All-Clads. Expensive as all get out but they perform phenomenally. We got a small set from my wife's aunt when we got married that I think was around $300 for 2 pots and 2 pans, all with lids, but I use them all the time. Best heat distribution of any pot I've ever used.
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
I do like knives, I think the japs make some good ones, but I hate the way they look. I prefer the Kraut's solgen knives...
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
All I know is I cant wait to get my hands on my mothers Gaurdian service pans. lol they were my grandmothers wedding present. My mother used them for yrs, and now my father is using them. They will be mine some day. There are 4 pieces - dutch oven, two triangle pans with metal lids, and a roaster.
 
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