It's the weekend.It's too hot to go to the store to shop, yet you have to have some kind of lunch or supper for yourself and the family. What to do? Play roulette - refrigerator or pantry. There are ingredients there for something.- that's up to your creativity.
Every home chef should have pasta and rice in their arsenal. These are great as any base. Spaghetti and angel hair pasta can be turned into pasta con burro, a light dish that is packed with flavor. Sub in garlic and olive oil for the butter and make aglia e olio, another simple dinner that can be amped up with grilled chicken or salmon if you have them.Rice and beans are a staple in most kitchens. This is easy to make and again, you can add to it. Try chicken or ground beef to give it more weight. Throw in a can of tomato paste and sauce along with a dash of chili powder for a quickly made chili. Even without the spices it' still good. Rice can also be the base for a curry too.( remember that the spice rack is your friend here too ). An easy one can be made just by using the two ingredients. If you want throw in any veggies found in the fridge or freezer , go ahead. Peas and potatoes can also be tossed in too for more flavor.
Suppose the fridge holds only dribs or drabs or just cartons of leftovers? Use them. Leftover cheese , flour, and a little milk can be melted down into a sauce Add some chicken or veggie broth and you have a soup.Sliced cheese, ham and bread can be repurposed into a yummy Croque Monsieur, that tasty French bistro sandwich.If you just have cold cuts, then think an Italian hero or better yet , a chef salad. Mix some mayo and ketchup together with oil and vinegar for a homemade French dressing. to pour over it. Tuna fish is another versatile player in refrigerator roulette. Mix it with mayo and chopped celery for a stuffing for tomatoes or make a lovely salad Nicoise with it.It can also be perfect as a tuna melt with cheddar on top for a heartier lunch or supper.. Any leftover bread can be repurposed in both savory and sweet ways. You can make savory bread pudding as well as a sweet one. There is a bread salad that consists of stale cubed Italian bread, tomatoes ad sliced onion. One of the classic bread recipes is French toast and it can be made for any meal. Besides it's one that you know the kids will love and eat up instantly.
Refrigerator roulette can be a life saver,Look through the fridge or pantry for ingredients and then be creative. You can come up with a tasty meal with what ever is around.
Showing posts with label refrigerator. Show all posts
Showing posts with label refrigerator. Show all posts
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Foodie Tools - What Should Be In The Kitchen
What should every foodie have in his or her respective kitchen?
Good appliances and instruments. For those who thought the answer would be good food and ingredients, that is true. However to create a really good meal or gourmet quality goods, a kitchen should also have top of the line quality tools. This helps in making each meal a unique and memorable dining experience.
To top off the list a kitchen should always have a good stove. Mine is older than me, it being my Mom's stove' It's a Hotpoint and it's lasted fifty years without any fuss or bother. If you have to get a new one you should think this one. Hotpoint ovens are sold on both sides of the Atlantic and aren't that costly. If you're lucky to have a big kitchen think Aga, that do all - make all British stove and range. The next major appliance is a refrigerator. Yours should have enough room for everything from milk and orange juice to spaces for leftovers. The freezer should be accommodating enough to store prepared meals, ice cubes and a few boxes of ice pops. Make sure the freezer is roomy otherwise you'll have a mess falling down on you when you open the door(believe me, I know about this. It's no fun to get showered with boxes of frozen foods or veggies). With microwaves, have one that is family friendly and easy to use. Some cooks prefer ones with convection ovens in them. That's up to you. I just like a simple microwave to reheat or to melt butter or margarine if a recipe calls for it. I don't use mine much.
Food processors and blenders should start the secondary appliance list. These are a must for any cook because you need them for almost every dish. Get durable ones that can hold up to your cooking needs. You can go to Williams and Sonoma for top of the line machines but I've found that Target and K-Mart also have good quality blenders and food processors.Every good kitchen should also have a toaster oven and not a toaster. I learned from my family members that toaster ovens are better because you can do more with them. They also take some of the cooking burden off the regular stove as well. You can reheat but also make grilled cheese and other hot sandwiches in them. Other appliances are up to you. I love a good electric hand mixer because I can do so many things with it, whip, beat, and mix all with ease. If you want to stock your kitchen with less needed appliances, like an electric pasta and ice cream makers, then do so. Before buying ask yourself if you really need these or will they just be space wasters. A lot of times people will only use them once or twice. The pasta or ice cream maker is then forgotten after the initial thrill is gone. An espresso machine and a meat slicer are better alternatives. To me they're more practical and will be used more on a regular basis. You can also use these when you have company along with for the holidays.
As far as pots and pans, yes the expensive ones are good. but don't go to a specialty store for them. A lot of department stores will have Le Creuset for sale on a regular basis. Buy during January when the prices ar almost next to nothing. You can go to Target and K-Mart again for spatulas, ladles, knives and scissors. Again I've found that these two stores are great and absolutely well priced for all sorts of kitchenware and gadgets. Another must are thermometers. Have several for various applications. It also doesn't hurt to have a timer as well.
A foodie's kitchen should be an arsenal of good appliances and utensils. Everything should be in good working order and waiting to chop, dice, bake, cook or freeze. Remember,a good kitchen does produce good food but only if that kitchen has all the proper gear to do so.
Good appliances and instruments. For those who thought the answer would be good food and ingredients, that is true. However to create a really good meal or gourmet quality goods, a kitchen should also have top of the line quality tools. This helps in making each meal a unique and memorable dining experience.
To top off the list a kitchen should always have a good stove. Mine is older than me, it being my Mom's stove' It's a Hotpoint and it's lasted fifty years without any fuss or bother. If you have to get a new one you should think this one. Hotpoint ovens are sold on both sides of the Atlantic and aren't that costly. If you're lucky to have a big kitchen think Aga, that do all - make all British stove and range. The next major appliance is a refrigerator. Yours should have enough room for everything from milk and orange juice to spaces for leftovers. The freezer should be accommodating enough to store prepared meals, ice cubes and a few boxes of ice pops. Make sure the freezer is roomy otherwise you'll have a mess falling down on you when you open the door(believe me, I know about this. It's no fun to get showered with boxes of frozen foods or veggies). With microwaves, have one that is family friendly and easy to use. Some cooks prefer ones with convection ovens in them. That's up to you. I just like a simple microwave to reheat or to melt butter or margarine if a recipe calls for it. I don't use mine much.
Food processors and blenders should start the secondary appliance list. These are a must for any cook because you need them for almost every dish. Get durable ones that can hold up to your cooking needs. You can go to Williams and Sonoma for top of the line machines but I've found that Target and K-Mart also have good quality blenders and food processors.Every good kitchen should also have a toaster oven and not a toaster. I learned from my family members that toaster ovens are better because you can do more with them. They also take some of the cooking burden off the regular stove as well. You can reheat but also make grilled cheese and other hot sandwiches in them. Other appliances are up to you. I love a good electric hand mixer because I can do so many things with it, whip, beat, and mix all with ease. If you want to stock your kitchen with less needed appliances, like an electric pasta and ice cream makers, then do so. Before buying ask yourself if you really need these or will they just be space wasters. A lot of times people will only use them once or twice. The pasta or ice cream maker is then forgotten after the initial thrill is gone. An espresso machine and a meat slicer are better alternatives. To me they're more practical and will be used more on a regular basis. You can also use these when you have company along with for the holidays.
As far as pots and pans, yes the expensive ones are good. but don't go to a specialty store for them. A lot of department stores will have Le Creuset for sale on a regular basis. Buy during January when the prices ar almost next to nothing. You can go to Target and K-Mart again for spatulas, ladles, knives and scissors. Again I've found that these two stores are great and absolutely well priced for all sorts of kitchenware and gadgets. Another must are thermometers. Have several for various applications. It also doesn't hurt to have a timer as well.
A foodie's kitchen should be an arsenal of good appliances and utensils. Everything should be in good working order and waiting to chop, dice, bake, cook or freeze. Remember,a good kitchen does produce good food but only if that kitchen has all the proper gear to do so.
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