Food We need to talk about cooking and food prep tools and utensils.

That looks very similar, but on ours the not-so-sturdy lid fits 'inside' the pot, not over the sides. I also think that ours is smaller. Sorry for being vague, we haven't yet used it, I'm not even sure where my wife stored it. The one pictured almost looks like a steamer, not a warming pot.

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Between the Members Mark 'hard anodized' cookware we bought as a set, the misc pieces of Kitchen Essentials & Calphalon cookware purchased separately (at thrift/resale shops, I'm cheap!), and what we 'inheirited' from my in-laws, you would think that we're dedicated cooks or semi-pro chefs. I did drop $29.00 + tax on a 14" non-stick frying pan because the Members Mark one lost its non-stick and became annoyingly convex.

 

This baby is coming home to mama!

Blendtec Designer Series

 

A Crock-Pot update.

We've used the new CP several times, and hadn't seen the "it cooks too hot" problem mentioned by several people in the product reviews. We have noticed that when turning it down from High to Warm, it continues to cook, we can see the liquid still boiling. I hoping that turning it off then resetting it to Warm will resolve that issue. Another thing I noticed is the glaze on the interior of the pot is uneven, and there are some places that don't clean very well ( much like trying to clean older sinks & tubs with spots where the glaze is worn through).

 

Blender update. LOVE it! Easy to use, easy to clean and can do everything from hot soups to ice cream and but butters.


Five stars!

 

Butt butter. Heh heh heh

 

Leaving the lid off for a few minutes did little to bring down the boil, and stirring wasn't possible with a pork loin. We'll do some experimenting and see what works. I don't recall this being an issue with the 'old' CP.

One of the emails from the company mentioned new regulations re temperatures they had to follow, maybe that applies to 'warm.' I'll find it, and copy it here.

 

I must've deleted and not saved the emails from Crock-Pot.

More worthless info................I'm not a fan of some Pampered Chef (PC) products. I'm sure that many of them work just fine, but IMO PC is just another trend for people willing to buy overpriced products because "everyone else is buying them" to follow. With that said, the PC peeler (the basic & simple one) does a great job. I tend to be very heavyhanded when peeling apples (or anything, really), but the PC peeler made it quick & easy, and more importantly it took only the apple skin.

 

I like my ninja blender. Why "blend" when you can kill it dead and make hamburger? It doesn't make fluffy mashed potatoes though. They turn out thick and flat like soft cream cheese.

 

You shouldn't blend potatoes, it will break down the starches and make them gluey. If you are making Aligot this is a good thing, but regular mashed potatoes should be fluffy.

I find a ricer gives the best results. It takes more effort, but it's worth it.

If I were to cheat, I would use an electric hand beater and beat them lightly.

 

Yes. A stand mixer can work well too. I have to remember that.

 

My wife bought me a PC mandolin (I do the majority of the cooking). I wanted a mandolin, but the PC one is too damn safe and elaborate, to the point of being unusable. I'd prefer something simply without the guards and interlocks.

 

Very nice.

I have to keep my microplane grater wrapped up, for the same reason.

 

Is THAT why they turned out all gooey and gluey? I wasn't happy with them at all. Using my rice cooker might be worth a try.

 

I use a hand beater or stand mixer for mashed potatoes. Perfect.
And I don't remember where it was originally from (TV. magazine, whatever), but it's been passed down in my family: Don't add the fat until the potatoes are at the right mashed consistency. Beat them until they're at the stage you like, then gently add in milk/cream/butter. Makes a world of difference.

Also, I need to dig out our food mill. I love it for applesauce. Saves so much time, because you can boil the apples with the skin on and seeds intact, and the mill keeps it all out of the sauce.