Share your cookware discoveries that you now can't live without
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whatevergirl
Guest
*Yes, they are not wow to me, either…and pricey for what you end up with. I would rather stick with the other brands you’re all naming here. *
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whatevergirl
Guest
Thanks annie for your suggestions. So, a cast iron pan for omelettes? Really. Interesting. I NEVER would have thought that would work well for those. I love omelettes, that’s good to know. I use the Paula Deen larger pan for making them…they slide right outta the pan.
But, cast iron…hmm. How do you season the pan first?
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just_me_1
Guest
when I was broke and on my own, I had (still have it) a hard boiled egg boiler, does 4 at a time in the microwave! I ate alot of egg salad. then I decided to make a couple hundred deviled eggs for my wedding reception! I realized I had no idea how to make a hard boiled eggs large scale with a pot and stove! LOL! I’ve come a LOOOOONG way since then! 
coincidentally I have also recently discovered the hard boiled egg SLICER. wow. my life got easier, hehe!
coincidentally I have also recently discovered the hard boiled egg SLICER. wow. my life got easier, hehe!
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livnlern
Guest
I haven’t seen this mentioned so I’d have to say my pressure cooker. I can put pretty much any kind of meat in this and it’s very tender when it’s done. No need to use msg! I also cook fresh vegetables in it and they come out very well,in a short amount of time and I think they hold in more vitamens with this method of cooking. I have a Mirro brand cooker and they are very good about replacing parts that get worn out. This hasn’t happened very often but when it has, they responded quickly.
I also really like my gas cooktop. I’ve had electric in the past and there’s no comparison.
I also really like my gas cooktop. I’ve had electric in the past and there’s no comparison.
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just_me_1
Guest
I have a bunch of cast iron pans, skillets, and dutch ovens now. I only use them for fried eggs if I do eggs, it has to be hot, full of grease, and cook fast. otherwise I always cook my eggs TO the pan. it’s a mess. then they get scrubbed or soaked and reseasoned. if you clean them up as soon as you cook, you don’t need to reseason, just wipe em out ith a little pam on a paper towel. ta-da! if I need to wash/clean them, sometimes I cheat, ash then with hot as I can stand soap and water, then dry them completely and spray them all over with pam and wipe down while the pan is still warm. I’m not very handy in the kitchen, though, so I’m probably doing alot of this wrong. I just can’t justify baking a pan in the oven a few hours every time I cook something. if that’s the case, where’s my teflon?Thanks annie for your suggestions. So, a cast iron pan for omelettes? Really. Interesting. I NEVER would have thought that would work well for those. I love omelettes, that’s good to know. I use the Paula Deen larger pan for making them…they slide right outta the pan.
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prolifewife
Guest
Nothing new, but I just can’t be without my REAL METAL tongs. They are a hand-me down from my mother and they just rock. The cheap imitations of today are nothing compared to these good old fashioned ones. I can pick anything up out of the oven with these bad boys. Thanks mom! 
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Anna_jane
Guest
Definitely the cast iron skillet: the thing is a kitchen workhorse! And my silicon baking mat, and the food processor (I had no idea till recently it works for doughs and sauces, too).
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whatevergirl
Guest
*Food processor–my dh and I were talking about that, too…if the budget allows. lol What brand do you recommend? We have a very small one currently (very), and I don’t use it much, but my husband loves it. *
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whatevergirl
Guest
*LOL–I know, the clean up of the cast iron seems to have always held me back from buying them. We had a small one earlier in our marriage, and I remember things sticking to it, I must have been doing something wrong.I have a bunch of cast iron pans, skillets, and dutch ovens now. I only use them for fried eggs if I do eggs, it has to be hot, full of grease, and cook fast. otherwise I always cook my eggs TO the pan. it’s a mess. then they get scrubbed or soaked and reseasoned. if you clean them up as soon as you cook, you don’t need to reseason, just wipe em out ith a little pam on a paper towel. ta-da! if I need to wash/clean them, sometimes I cheat, ash then with hot as I can stand soap and water, then dry them completely and spray them all over with pam and wipe down while the pan is still warm. I’m not very handy in the kitchen, though, so I’m probably doing alot of this wrong. I just can’t justify baking a pan in the oven a few hours every time I cook something. if that’s the case, where’s my teflon?
I don’t like cooking my omelettes in anything, so the PD pan works pretty well…I just use a little nonstick cooking spray…I’m waiting for annie to weigh back in…because she uses cast iron she said here, for omelettes. *
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whatevergirl
Guest
They are great to have! I had plastic ones FOREVER, and I hated them…everything slipped out of them…Metal ones work so well!Nothing new, but I just can’t be without my REAL METAL tongs. They are a hand-me down from my mother and they just rock. The cheap imitations of today are nothing compared to these good old fashioned ones. I can pick anything up out of the oven with these bad boys. Thanks mom!
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puzzleannie
Guest
others have described seasoning the cast iron pans, wash them good because they sometimes come with a greasy coating. Dry thoroughly. rub inside including the rim with cooking oil, be generous. put the pans in a slow oven 175-200 for a few hours. wipe with paper towel (or we used to use newsprint). Never wash the pan in soap and water. let it cool, wipe out with a paper towel, use a plastic “wire” type scrubby or scraper to remove debris. Cast iron works best in foods that are cooked with a small amount of fat or oil. A dutch oven is great for stews, but you do have to wash the pan if you have sauce or gravy, which means it has to be re-seasoned every time. I prefer an enamel lined cast iron casserole like le Creuset for stews, and I prefer them oven slow cooked rather than stove top, which tempts you to hurry them up too much.
an omelet pan of whatever composition should be used only for eggs, never for any other purpose. before cooking eggs add whatever type of fat you use–butter, bacon drippings, oil etc. and pre-heat the pan, always use low heat for eggs, wait a good 5 minutes before adding the beaten eggs. You want enough fat to coat the pan but not to sit in a puddle. an omelet pan is a 7" or 8 " pan with sloping sides, you can use one with straight sides but it is harder to flip the omelet. if the pan is seasoned and you use low heat–always be patient when cooking eggs they will love you for it–your eggs will not stick.
hide the pan so your kids and husband don’t use it for anything else.
I’ve used other pans for eggs like t-fal and teflon but nothing works better than my old iron pan. but I can’t use it on the glass cook top, but I don’t cook eggs that much anymore so I guess it doesn’t matter.
never ever put any hot pan directly in water, thin ones will warp, thick ones will rust
not a pan but I love my bamboo tongs, easy to manipulate, handle any food without tearing it, and wipe clean
I also have a hardwood lemon reamer I use almost every day for juicing lemons, limes and oranges, much faster and easier to clean up than a juicer
I also have a ricer, with inserts in 3 sizes of holes, which I use at least twice a week. used to use it for potatoes, now with cauliflower. for a buffet dish I often make confetti mashed potatoes. cook broccoli and carrots, chopped, separately, rice them, and mix them with the mashed potatoes–I use Yukon gold.
I use the ricer for puree-ing small amounts, used to use it to make baby food in small amounts
an omelet pan of whatever composition should be used only for eggs, never for any other purpose. before cooking eggs add whatever type of fat you use–butter, bacon drippings, oil etc. and pre-heat the pan, always use low heat for eggs, wait a good 5 minutes before adding the beaten eggs. You want enough fat to coat the pan but not to sit in a puddle. an omelet pan is a 7" or 8 " pan with sloping sides, you can use one with straight sides but it is harder to flip the omelet. if the pan is seasoned and you use low heat–always be patient when cooking eggs they will love you for it–your eggs will not stick.
hide the pan so your kids and husband don’t use it for anything else.
I’ve used other pans for eggs like t-fal and teflon but nothing works better than my old iron pan. but I can’t use it on the glass cook top, but I don’t cook eggs that much anymore so I guess it doesn’t matter.
never ever put any hot pan directly in water, thin ones will warp, thick ones will rust
not a pan but I love my bamboo tongs, easy to manipulate, handle any food without tearing it, and wipe clean
I also have a hardwood lemon reamer I use almost every day for juicing lemons, limes and oranges, much faster and easier to clean up than a juicer
I also have a ricer, with inserts in 3 sizes of holes, which I use at least twice a week. used to use it for potatoes, now with cauliflower. for a buffet dish I often make confetti mashed potatoes. cook broccoli and carrots, chopped, separately, rice them, and mix them with the mashed potatoes–I use Yukon gold.
I use the ricer for puree-ing small amounts, used to use it to make baby food in small amounts
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baltobetsy
Guest
I got a Cuisinart many years ago, and my favorite thing to make was bread from the recipe in the instruction book. Haven’t done it in a very, very long time.
I love my panini grill right now - my favorites seem to rotate.
And my stick blender. I read a soup recipe and laugh when it says to puree it in batches in a blender. HA! I just put my handy stick blender right in the pan.
And my Microplane zester. That’s just wonderful for citrus zest, garlic, cheese, chocolate…
Betsy
I love my panini grill right now - my favorites seem to rotate.
And my stick blender. I read a soup recipe and laugh when it says to puree it in batches in a blender. HA! I just put my handy stick blender right in the pan.
And my Microplane zester. That’s just wonderful for citrus zest, garlic, cheese, chocolate…
Betsy
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Augusta_Sans
Guest
As silly as it sounds, the tool get sees the most action is my apple corer/divider.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/412EJBHRTFL.SL500_AA280.jpg
I never used to eat very much fruit, but ever since I bought this thing I eat at least two apples a day.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/412EJBHRTFL.SL500_AA280.jpg
I never used to eat very much fruit, but ever since I bought this thing I eat at least two apples a day.
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whatevergirl
Guest
You know, those are really great to have. My dd found one at our local grocery store, maybe a few weeks ago, and you’re right…we eat more apples, now. lol I used to buy them presliced in the bag because I was too lazy to slice them myself.As silly as it sounds, the tool get sees the most action is my apple corer/divider.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/412EJBHRTFL.SL500_AA280.jpg
I never used to eat very much fruit, but ever since I bought this thing I eat at least two apples a day.
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whatevergirl
Guest
*A stick blender…I have seen these…I think that is a food network staple, too.
I have an indoor portable grill…and I love this thing. I bought it last Christmas…and it makes paninis, grills and also can be converted by changing out the cooking plates into a griddle. I make hashed browns for the kids on this, eggs, chicken, shrimp, pancakes…you name it, it can do it…and clean up is a cinch. *
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BVM_1221
Guest
Not so much a piece of cookware, but something that does the cooking. The microwave oven, to be exact. This 65 year old confirmed bachelor has no idea how single men survived eating their own meals before the microwave came along.
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whatevergirl
Guest
Not so much a piece of cookware, but something that does the cooking. The microwave oven, to be exact. This 65 year old confirmed bachelor has no idea how single men survived eating their own meals before the microwave came along.
*hahaha *
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dachsiemom
Guest
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dachsiemom
Guest
Regarding Fiesta - yes the colors are gorgeous and the pics do not due justice. As a Christmas gift, my cousin purchased 12 place settings in different colors, for her son and family. She sets the table with place settings in different colors and makes for a fun table and is very pretty.Thank you for this link, I think I could be busy for hours looking at it. I love the ornaments too.
Also, Fiesta is made by an American Company (Homer Laughlins) in WV - not much to be found that is made in the good old USA anymore. I like to buy American products as much as possible.
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