Share your cookware discoveries that you now can't live without

[pandacordova]

My hand blender, I can puree soup right in the pot with out having to get out the big blender.

Also, I used to have several cast iron skillets that belonged to my grandmother, but one day my husband was trying to be nice and cleaned them in the dishwasher!! They were never the same after that. I had to keep reminding myself he did not know any better.

 

[whatevergirl]

My hand blender, I can puree soup right in the pot with out having to get out the big blender.

Also, I used to have several cast iron skillets that belonged to my grandmother, but one day my husband was trying to be nice and cleaned them in the dishwasher!! They were never the same after that. I had to keep reminding myself he did not know any better.

*Another poster or two commented on this also as being a fave. Question, why would you need to puree the soup IN the pot…why not before you put it into the pot? I notice that many people use the hand blenders for soup that’s already cooking?

Thank you for the cautionary tale about putting the cast iron pot into the dishwasher…I wonder if it has to do with rusting. (like the pot sits in there drying) *

 

[puzzleannie]

I don’t bake anymore but when I did I could never find cookie sheets I liked. DD has the stone bakeware from pampered chef (I think she likes their stuff) and has used them for at least 10 years and loves them, so that is one thing I might invest in if I was still cooking and baking.

years ago red clay or stone casserole dishes with lids were a fad, I got one as a gift and used it for years until one of the kids broke it, that is something else I would buy again.

but to answer thread question I would have to say #1 is my wok, simply black metal (steel?) with wood handle, medium size, and I would say half the meals I make that require stovetop cooking use that pan. have had it since Detroit so at least 20 years. I have to get a new set of bamboo utensils every few years’ but that is no problem

 

[pandacordova]

Question, why would you need to puree the soup IN the pot…why not before you put it into the pot? I notice that many people use the hand blenders for soup that’s already cooking?

Answer: many vegtables are too tough before they are cooked. You can chop them very fine but if you want a smooth and creamy soup you have to put it in a blender after it is cooked. This is very messy and I have burned myself many times trying to make a fancy dinner. With the hand blendar this is a thing of the past.

My favorite soup for this is Italian Yellow Pepper Soup. Yum!!

 

[whatevergirl]

Question, why would you need to puree the soup IN the pot…why not before you put it into the pot? I notice that many people use the hand blenders for soup that’s already cooking?

Answer: many vegtables are too tough before they are cooked. You can chop them very fine but if you want a smooth and creamy soup you have to put it in a blender after it is cooked. This is very messy and I have burned myself many times trying to make a fancy dinner. With the hand blendar this is a thing of the past.

My favorite soup for this is Italian Yellow Pepper Soup. Yum!!

Really? It’s not too spicy? That’s great.
Thank you for coming back to answer my question. So…I bet bisques are much easier to make using this? I just adore bisques. This could be the final thing we buy then…your post makes me want to run out and buy one! lol

 

[jc-servant]

I feel odd posting in this thread as I am a 23 year old man, but here goes…

I purchased my first piece of cast iron (not enamel) cookware this summer- a skillet to take on camping excursions with me. I have to say this thing is AWESOME. I have been using it over the campfire and on the stove top. I want to get a kitchen full of cast iron cookware if I ever find gainful employment again!

This is turning into a cast iron appreciation thread!

My mother inherited her grandmother’s cast iron skillet that was already wonderfully “seasoned” with a great black color to it. She bought me a cast iron skillet when I graduated from college and I despaired over trying to get mine seasoned since I didn’t have the option of taking the pan camping at that time. A campfire is a great way to get the pan seasoned quickly. Mom took pity on me and traded skillets for about 2 years so that mine got used almost daily cooking for the family and got past the point where it would begin to rust from just sitting in a slightly humid cabinet.

My suggestion for your next cast iron piece is not an expensive cast iron/enamel set that will have pieces you likely won’t use. Go to a camping supply and purchase the “dutch oven” that will be a great size for making spaghetti sauce, chili, bean soup and all sorts of delicious and economical things whether at home or camping! The ones with the cast iron lid (not glass) will work fine settled directly into the coals of an outdoor fire. You can pass the plain cast iron down through many generations without worry about enamel chipping and they cost far less.

To make spaghetti (or another pasta) outdoors you brown the meat first and pour out the grease then follow your favorite recipe for making sauce using tomato paste, water and your herbs (premeasured into a baggie) with the meat already in the pan. When the sauce is ready you just toss the pasta directly into the sauce to cook instead of using another pot with water. You will be the envy of all of the other campers in the area when they smell your food.

Another tip for camping is to pack the meat frozen solid instead of wasting space using lots of ice and it will allow you to have eggs and bacon for breakfast on day 2 and spaghetti with meat sauce. Cooking foods high in acid like tomato-based spaghetti sauce in nonenamel cast iron will also boost your intake of iron without pricey vitamins.

 

[jc-servant]

My favorite kitchen items that are not cast iron are my silicone bakeware since they can literally be peeled off an item and turned inside out if need be. They require little to no “greasing” and don’t seem to hold food odors so they can be used to bake a cake or mold gelatin and other things. Cousins to the bakeware are my silicone spatulas that can be used in a hot pot to scrape and stir without melting or holding smells like plastic or wooden spoons; the Sil-pat oven liner that prevents food from dripping onto the floor of the oven and burning; the square silicone pot holders that double as a trivet to protect the counter/table from a hot pan.

 

[whatevergirl]

My favorite kitchen items that are not cast iron are my silicone bakeware since they can literally be peeled off an item and turned inside out if need be. They require little to no “greasing” and don’t seem to hold food odors so they can be used to bake a cake or mold gelatin and other things. Cousins to the bakeware are my silicone spatulas that can be used in a hot pot to scrape and stir without melting or holding smells like plastic or wooden spoons; the Sil-pat oven liner that prevents food from dripping onto the floor of the oven and burning; the square silicone pot holders that double as a trivet to protect the counter/table from a hot pan.

*You and others here have talked about this silicone bakeware…I must find time on my vacation here, to check it out! Sold at department stores or Target? Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut. *

 

[whatevergirl]

*I wanted to say again how much I LOVE the Paula Deen line of pots and pans. My dh and I picked this out ( we already had two pans of her line) for Christmas…a full set. It’s truly something! Everything cooks evenly, and clean up is a breeze. I love the glass lids. I would highly recommend her line, if you’re looking for a new set of pots and pans. *