Accessorize Your Kitchen

When in a cooking slump,  I have found my passion for the kitchen can simply be reinvigorated by progressing my gadgets.  This is why when my husband bought me a ricer one year for Christmas it felt less like a vacuum and more like a pair of earrings.

• Slow Cooker:  This guy's not just for the office potluck.  Mine means so much to me I even remember the first thing I ever cooked in it (not as good as my mom's Sloppy Joe's).  Over the years my love continues to grow, maybe that's why there are 4 slow cooker's in my house.  
• I've learned any meat cooked in here makes the perfect sandwich. 
• Lower the calories on a pulled BBQ pork sandwich by slow cooking chicken or turkey in the nummy sauce.  
• Make the BEST steak sandwiches using the least expensive cut of beef, 1 green pepper, 1 yellow onion, 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth, 1/2 tbsp of your favorite seasoning mix.  When you get home from work cut into a whole wheat hoagie, remove some of the insides to make a nice boat for your filling, top with a slice of pepper jack cheese and broil until bubbly (about 3 minutes). Scoop some of the crock pot juice over the top - YUM!
• All soup is easy. Chop the ingredients throw them in and walk away for the rest of the day.  Season as you go. Smile knowing the flavors are going to continue melding into perfect tastiness as the day grows longer.  And CHILI - amp up your favorite recipe on Football Sunday and let the house fill with the delicious aroma.  Your chili will never be the same!
• Meatless Monday Stroganoff: Let 1/2 cup wild rice, 16oz chopped bella mushrooms, 2 cups vegetable broth, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and other favorite seasonings cook on low for the day. When you come home add egg noodles and an extra cup water if necessary - cook on high until soft about 30 minutes. Add 3/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
• A good set of knives:  The best ones I've found for a reasonable price are OXO Good Grips Professional.  I bought our set on my husband's first Father's Day almost 3 years ago and they're still going strong. The trick to maintaining your kitchen knives is to always hand wash and NEVER, no matter how tempting, leave them to the devices of your dishwasher.  They will dull in a jiff.
• Food Processor:  After the honeymoon phase of chopping everything with your wonderful knives has worn off, get yourself a food processor.  Works great to fine chop garlic, herbs, veggies just pulse a few times.
• Home made bread crumbs: 1 slice of lightly toasted bread, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning, 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese.
• No cook smokey tomato vinaigrette: 1 pint cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup fresh basil, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 tbsp honey, 1/4 cup or 2 slices smoked Gouda. Pour over 1lb hot orzo and top with Parmesan cheese and fresh cracked pepper.
• Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/orzo-with-smokey-tomato-vinaigrette-recipe/index.html
• Since I'm talking about cutting things, it's necessary to give a shout out to my new favorite tool, the mandolin:  Get the perfect julienne for stir fry, the perfect dice on onions, shred potatoes for hash browns with 10 swipes.  Looking into making yourself veggie packed sandwiches and wraps for the week, this makes it so easy. I use mine for cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers.  Great for small jobs and easy to clean up.
• Hard Anodized Non Stick Skillet:  Not your mama's non stick.  The new hard anodized technology gives us a stick free surface without the black material flakes of the pan ending up in our food.  Two more bonuses here. The technology has been around long enough that these are now available at a price the common man can afford. Watching your weight? Non stick means your cooking with less butter and oil!
• Perfect for eggs!  There are a lot of smart people out there telling us to EAT BREAKFAST EVERYDAY! Unfortunately for folks on the go, they're not counting most granola bars as breakfast.  We are being urged to eat eggs again. Scramble 3 eggs for two people in a bowl (1 egg + 1 egg white for 1 person), add 1 spoonful of salsa, a splash of skim milk for fluffiness. Throw your mix on a whole wheat tortilla, sprinkle with your favorite cheese.  Wrap in a paper towel and eat on the go if you're in a hurry.
• Cheese tip: To help cut back on the amount of cheese you use, pick the more flavorful options. Sharp cheddar, fresh bagged or shaved Parmesan - not the stuff in the plastic container, Gorgonzola, feta.
• Juicer: O.K. I saved this one for last because it's the one I was most skeptical of.  The other half watched a documentary on juicing (Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/) the choir started  singing, he saw the light, and for a second I thought maybe there was world peace.  So it wasn't that dramatic, but he did get pretty excited.  Within a week we were the proud owners of a Breville Juice Extractor. If you're not "in the know" on juicers, this puppy is the one all the kids are talking about.  The problem with juicers is cleaning them, this one makes that process a bit quicker then the less expensive versions.  The skinny on how juicing works is you put the whole fruit and or vegetable in and its juice comes out.  Here's why I now LOVE this thing.  Every morning my two year old asks for her juice.  This means she starts the day with carrot pear, orange and apple. There is no dilution, no concerns of arsenic or fungicides, and she poops better!  The smart guy in the documentary can tell you more about why juicing is good, so don't just take my word for it.