Kitchen Gadgets that Actually Work - Part 1

Walk down the aisles of your favorite kitchen or department store and you’re liable to find more kitchen gadgets that you can shake a stick at. Each one promises to be the device that will change your life, offering convenience and success in cooking. Unfortunately, most of them deliver disappointing results, taking up cabinet and drawer space that could be better used. There are, however, several gadgets I consider “must haves” in the kitchen. They really do make cooking easier. In other words, they actually work.

Box Grater
A sharp box grater is going to get a lot of use. From grating blocks of cheese to shredding vegetables, a box grater is far easier to use than a flat one. Get one that is razor-sharp, solidly constructed, and has a comfortable handle.

I will often use a box grater to grate carrots for salads, instead of the typical julienne cut. It’s faster and gives me more consistent results.

Colander
Fishing pasta or vegetables out of boiling water with a spoon is tedious work. Only a colander will do the trick, easily. Make sure you buy a large one with small perforations. A wide base is a bonus. That way, it can sit in the sink without tipping over.

Fine Mesh Strainer
Acting as a second cousin to the colander, a mesh strainer can help with all kinds of tasks. I have two of them, a large one for pressing cooked berries and other things through, to remove seeds or other unwanted bits when making sauces, and a smaller one for dusting powdered sugar over desserts. Make sure yours has a deep bowl and sturdy handle to avoid it bending and breaking over time.

I also use my small strainer to strain the solid bits from bacon grease. I refrigerate the rendered bacon grease and use it from time to time as a flavorful fat for cooking other dishes.

Garlic Press
I have a love-hate relationship with garlic presses. Crushing and mincing garlic with a chef’s knife is simple enough, but the pieces are rarely uniform and it can be hard on the hands. The way you handle garlic changes it’s flavor in dishes and a garlic press will give you a fuller, more evenly distributed, and less acrid, flavor. They can be difficult to clean, though. Get a sturdy one with a bowl large enough to handle two cloves at once. Make sure it has a simple to use cleaning attachment, as well.

Heatproof Rubber Spatula
I love these so much, I have three of them. You want a wide, fairly firm blade to make mixing and folding easy, but flexible enough to get into tight spaces when scraping a jar.

I’m constantly amazed how many people don’t use these to scrape out the last bit of peanut butter, mayonnaise, jam, and other bits in condiment jars. Just because the butter knife isn’t working so well doesn’t mean there’s not enough peanut butter to make a sandwich or two left in the jar.

Instant-Read Thermometer
More and more I’m using the temperature of foods to determine whether they are done cooking or not, instead of just a timer. Under-cooking chicken, or overcooking it and drying it out, has become a thing of  the past since I started using a thermometer. They’ll essential for good candy making. I like quick acting digital thermometers with thin probes, large displays, and wide temperature ranges. Unfortunately, the really good ones are also expensive. Don’t be shy about spending money on one of these, though. As always, buy the best one you can afford.

Kitchen Shears
Almost every application where a knife isn’t always easy to use is made easy with a good pair of kitchen sheers. Cutting and trimming chickens, pie dough, and parchment paper is much easier, let alone cutting open frozen food bags or snipping twine from roasts. Make sure yours are sharp with comfortable, slip-resistant handles. Being able to take them apart for complete and easy cleaning is important.

Measuring Cups and Spoons
How else are you going to accurately measure ingredients? Getting the wrong amount of a given ingredient in a baking is fatal to the food. I prefer dry measuring cups with straight sides, flat bottoms, and tops that are level with the handle. That way I can accurately scrape off excess flour when baking breads. I have 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup measures. Some brands even have 3/4 cup and 2/3 cup measures, as well.

As for liquid measuring cups, I love my older model 2 cup glass Pyrex. Their new ones aren’t as nice and, frankly, are hard to read. 2 cup and 4 cup sizes, with good handles and a pour spout, are my favorite, although the ones that look like drinking cups are pretty good, too.

For spoons, again I like bowls that are flush with the handles. Deep bowls make measuring liquids easier. Slim, oval-shaped bowl designs are easier to get into small-mouthed spice jars than circular designs.

Next time, I’ll feature eight more kitchen tools and gadgets that really do work.

Photo credit: Marcelo Dias

Ham and Asparagus Frittata

My goodness, it’s been a while. Along with my work schedule, I’ve gone back to school. That’s been taking up quite a bit of my time. It’s past time to talk about food, again.

Frittatas are wonderful mixtures of eggs and other savory ingredients. In this case, were; using ham, asparagus, and cheese. You may want to wait until late spring to use asparagus, when it’s in season. Other vegetables can easily be substituted, though. Unlike omelets, frittatas are finished in the oven. Unlike quiche, there’s no crust. They’re quite easy to prepare, and make a great brunch or weekend breakfast. Breakfast food for dinner is fun, too.

Equipment Needed
cutting board
chef’s knife
box grater
measuring cups and spoons
whisk
mixing bowls
rubber spatula
non-stick, oven-proof skillet

Ingredients
1/2 lb. asparagus
2 oz. deli ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup of grated gruyere, or other crumbly or hard cheese
6 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley, or 1 tbsp dried parsley

Directions
Trim the woody stalks from the asparagus and cut on a bias into small pieces, about 1-inch long. Leave a few trimmed spears whole if you feel adventurous.

Adjust an oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In the meantime, beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the cheese, parsley, salt and pepper, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a medium sized, oven proof skillet over medium heat, until shimmering. Add the onion, asparagus and ham. Cook until the onion is softened, stirring frequently, about 4 – 5 minutes.

Add the egg mixture to the skillet and gently stir with the rubber spatula. Cook until the eggs on the bottom start to set, about 30 seconds. Gently pull the cooked eggs back from the edge of the skillet towards the center. Tilt the skillet slightly to let any uncooked egg run to the clear edge. Repeat, working around the skillet, until the eggs are mostly set on top, but still moist, about 1 or 2 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the top is set and dry to the touch, about 3 minutes.

Run the spatula around the skillet edge and bottom to loosen the frittata and invert onto a serving plate. Cut into 4 to 8 pieces. Frittatas can be served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Makes 4 servings.

Leaving the Kitchen

To save money on gas, I’ve started riding the bus to work. Because it takes twice as long to get to and from work, now, my wife and kids have started to take over cooking supper.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

I know, I know. In almost every other Mormon household it’s expected that the ladies do the cookin’ while the men-folk work in the fields. That stereotype is a bunch of crock, by the way, historically as well as modernly, but we’ll go into that later. Maybe.

The point is they’re not used to it. From the day my wife and I got married I’ve done the bulk of the cooking and grocery shopping. She hates cooking and is frankly better at fixing most broken stuff around the house than I am, and it’s worked out pretty well for us so far.

Now I’m worried. Remember, my wife hates cooking. My kids know a little about it. My 11 year old has taken to it pretty well, but her repertoire is limited. When people don’t like to cook, they tend to rely on premade stuff. More expensive. Less tasty.

So far, it’s been okay. The only thing I’ve had to do is ask for more vegetables. “Yes, dear, I enjoyed the things you called “chicken enchiladas,” but it would have been nice to have something green to go with it.” My wife caved into my wishes by steaming some broccoli the next evening. I only hope that they will continue this trend of making things better and better as time goes on.

My other concern is grocery shopping. Out of necessity, I’ve gotten pretty adept at finding ways to lower our food budget. Some things are still worth paying more for, but other items are not. I’ve been teaching my daughters how to calculate a deal. They know how to compare cost per ounce, not just what seems to be the cost based on the sticker. “On Sale” doesn’t always mean a better deal. In fact, my local grocery store is notorious for putting things “on sale” for the regular price, right before they raise it. Because my daughters know how to check this, I’m not too worried about them. The trouble is that my wife is going to be doing most of the shopping. She hates grocery shopping as much as she hates cooking, maybe more. Consequently, she’ll go for convenience and expediency as much as checking the value and price. Case in point, the last time we went shopping she stocked the cart high and paid out about half again as much as I would have. I’m not saying we couldn’t use the things she bought. She just makes me nervous.

The real reason for all this concern is that, whether I like to admit it or not, I’m a control freak when it comes to the kitchen and pantry. At least I have been. The kitchen has been my domain for so many years; it’s hard to give up its daily control. Letting things go is good, though. Or so they tell me. It’s not like I won’t still be cooking on the weekends. I just have to get used to the idea that my kitchen is being occupied by a well meaning alien invasion force.