Thursday, August 4, 2011

Choosing Kitchen Essentials

Once you have an idea of which appliances, pots, pans, and utensils are essential in your kitchen, the next step is to take inventory. Not only do you need to see what you have, but you should also assess the condition it is in.
This step may seem unnecessary at first glance. However, if you take inventory you will potentially save money. This is because a lot of people waste energy purchasing things they may already have. People buy things and then forget about them almost constantly. After going through your things you may realize you don’t need as much as you thought. This means that you will save money. Here are some tips:
 Make a list of exactly what you have.
 Compare that to your list to determine what you need.
 Also determine if any of your items are old and need to be replaced.
If you do those three things, it will give you an idea of exactly what you need to buy.
Make Calculated Purchases
When people go out to buy kitchen equipment, they often find themselves at the store in a state of confusion. Even something that seems so simple as buying a saucepan can get complicated quickly. You have a choice as to what material the pan is made of, the grip, the size, and the brand.
Most people make their purchases based on certain criteria, such as price. Or, they’ll talk to the sales staff and make a decision based on their recommendation. While these methods certainly represent great reasons to buy something, it does not reveal the true picture
The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house. And in a lot of households, the kitchen and the various appliances and cooking supplies are used multiple times a day. This means that if you purchase the wrong equipment, or things that are not built to last, then you could end up replacing it within just a few months. That is why buying the least expensive kitchen equipment in the market is not always a good idea. You end up spending more in the long run because you need to replace it often.
So, as you shop for kitchen items, remember that the least expensive product may not suit your needs. You need to be able to make calculated purchases and find a balance between reasonably priced items and those that are built to last.
Gather Information
An easy way to help you make calculated purchases is to gather product information. There are several ways you can do this.
 Gather information and product specs from the manufacture. Visit their website or look on the box.
 Ask others what their favorite kitchen appliances and utensils are. Talk with your friends and family members and you can also find the information online.
 Read product reviews. You can find them online and in consumer magazines. There are a lot of people out there who take the time to review the various kitchen tools and appliances and share their findings with others.
 Attend product demonstrations and test out the products on your own. That way, you can see first hand how a product functions.
 Which products do professional chefs use? They are committed to finding equipment that will last. This is information will be important for those items that you use often.
Once you find the information, you can make educated decisions about what you would like to buy. This step may not seem as if it is directly related to making money. However, if you make calculated purchases and gather as much information as you can, you will not waste money by purchasing things that are unnecessary.
Plus, if you go to a store and already have knowledge about what you want to buy, this will help you converse with the sales staff in an educated manner. If you are torn between several products, they can actually help you make a decision. If you were to arrive at the store without knowing what to buy, the chances of you ending up with something you don’t like or don’t need is an easy way to waste money.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

About Us

Buying Kitchen Equipment: Tips And Tricks To Help You Save Money


You sit down to cook a meal but get frustrated. You spend a whole looking for the right kitchen utensils. After a few minutes of frustration you realize that the reason why you are spending so long looking for tools is that you do not have exactly what you need. You are in need of some new kitchen equipment.

The problem is, your kitchen needs a major overhaul, and this can be expensive. You need to find a way to save on kitchen equipment or else you will get frustrated every time you try to cook something.

Every great chef understands that having the best equipment you can find is essential to your success. They also know that if you have too many appliances and gadgets in your kitchen, it can get overwhelming and confusing, not to mention expensive.

In this blog, you will learn how to save on kitchen equipment. Here are some things that the report will cover:

 The equipment you need for a well stocked kitchen.

 How to take inventory of what you already have so you don’t waste money.

 Read reviews and ask others what they think so you can purchase high quality equipment.

 How to be wary of the latest fads in cooking equipment.

 Learning the difference between inexpensive equipment and cheap equipment.

 Discover the difference between ―needing‖ and ―wanting‖.

 How to comparison shop so you can find what you need for less.

 How to find the best deals.
 
Read our posts for helpful and valuable information daily

The Well Equipped Kitchen

The Well Equipped Kitchen


Before you get started purchasing things for your kitchen, it is important to understand what you really need. But before you can do that, you need an idea of which items make up a well equipped kitchen. Here is a basic list. Keep in mind that you can add and subtract items depending on your cooking habits. But, it is important to get this list written down before you start buying things. It will help you save money.
 
 Basic Kitchen Utensils


Mixing bowls

Measuring cups, spoons, and glass measuring cup for handling liquids

Soup ladle

Whisk

A really food knife set

Can opener

Potato masher

Wooden spoons

Vegetable peeler

Colander

Rubber spatulas
 
 Appliances


Blender

Mixer

Toaster

Food processor (helpful, but not necessary)
 
Pressure Cooker
 
Rice Cooker
 
 Baking Dishes and Pans



Dishes for baking and cooking things in the oven such as cookie sheets ceramic baking dishes, and cake pans.

Roasting pan for larger meats and one for smaller meats.

A good, standard pan set that includes everything such as pots, sauté pans, and fry pans.

Large soup pot and other pots and pans you may need that are not included in the set.

It is important to write down how you envision your kitchen. Think about what you need in your kitchen at the bare minimum.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Pressure Cooking Saves Time and Energy


Using a pressure cooker not only is a faster and better way to cook the foods you love, it also saves energy. Pressure cooking saves energy and water because the amount of heat or electricity your stove uses is greatly reduced compared to baking or stove top cooking. In addition, pressure cooking is much safer and healthier than microwaving.

Below are some of your favorite foods and the cooking time needed for using a pressure cooker. You can see how significantly reduced the cooking times are as opposed to stove top cooking or baking. (All cooking times are calculated using 15psi)

Asparagus – 1 to 2 minutes

Green or Yellow Beans – 2 to 3 minutes

Broccoli Flowerets – 1 minute

Broccoli Stalks, large – 5 to 6 minutes

Broccoli Stalks, small – 3 to 4 minutes

Cabbage – 3 to 4 minutes

Carrots, small – 1 minute

Carrots, large – 4 minutes

Corn- 1 minute

Corn on the cob – 3 minutes

Potatoes, whole, large – 5 to 7 minutes (WOW! Think of the time it takes to bake or even boil a potato.)

Zucchini – 2 minutes

Pinto Beans, soaked, using natural release-1 to 3 minutes

Beef pot roast, 1-1/2 lb to 2 lbs. – 35 to 40 minutes

Chicken breast, frozen, boneless, skinless – 7 to 10 minutes

Chicken, whole 3 to 4 lb. – 18 to 25 minutes

As you can see, using a pressure cooker greatly reduces the cooking time! Not only that, your foods taste much better because the juices are retained and none of the vitamins and minerals are boiled or baked away and you can forget losing them in the microwave too.

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Monday, July 25, 2011

Pressure Cooking Basics

Pressure Cooking Basics
If you don’t own a pressure cooker, once you learn how easy it is to use and how awesome your food turns out, you will want to get

one and start using it right away! Cooking your foods in a pressure cooker is faster than traditional baking or cooking and your

meals come out oh so delicious.
How a Pressure Cooker Works
Pressure cooking is a method of cooking where steam is sealed in a special airtight pot. The vapor from the liquid (such as stock,

broth, water, wine or brandy) rises and is captured in the pressure cooker when it is sealed. This then raises the pressure in the

pressure cooker as well as the temperature of the liquid to its maximum. The increased temperature and pressure significantly

speeds up the cooking time by infusing hot steam into the food. Pressure cooking can speed up cooking times over 1/3 or more and

is often 10 times faster than traditional cooking. Compared to microwave cooking, foods taste considerably better and compared to

a slow cooker, foods cook in a significantly shorter amount of time.
Higher Pressure = Shorter Cooking Time
Pressure cookers come in a variety of pressures, so be sure to use the right amount of cooking time for the amount of pressure for

your cooker. The highest pressure is 15psi, so if your cooker’s pressure is lower than that, you may have to increase the cooking

time by 12 or 15 percent, depending on the recipe. Most recipes for pressure cookers indicate the amount of cooking time at 15

psi.
When the pressure selector dial on a modern pressure cooker is set to high (15psi) it is safely under a pressure of 15 pounds per

square inch. 15 pounds of pressure is less than half of the pressure in a normal car tire, so it’s not very much, but it’s enough

to greatly reduce the cooking time of food. The temperature inside the pressure cooker is increased above what is possible in a

normal stovetop cooking pot.
The steam pressure inside the pressure cooker cooks food much more rapidly than just boiling or baking. And while microwaves cook

fast, often the food is dried out, rubbery or soggy. Using a pressure cooker, while the cooking time is greatly reduced, the

quality of the food is preserved. Meats are juicy and tender, vegetables melt in your mouth and desserts come out more delicious

than ever. Pressure cooked foods also retain their vitamins and nutrients unlike boiled or baked foods.
So, as you can see, using a pressure cooker is not only safe, but it saves you time and makes your foods taste much better!

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Saturday, July 9, 2011

How To Buy and save money on pre-owned cookware

Saving Money On Kitchenware: How To Buy Pre-owned Cookware And Not Get Ripped Off In The Process


In the 21st century, the typical family finds itself living on a pretty tight and restricted budget. People simply do not have a great deal of money to spend -- even when it comes to making the purchase of cookware, kitchenware, and appliances for the home kitchen. Perhaps you are the head of a family that works very hard to make ends meet. In that regard, you likely have found yourself searching for ways in which you can save money on the basic necessities that you need for your home -- including such items as cookware and kitchenware.

One way in which you can end up saving some money on cookware and kitchenware is through the purchase of pre-owned products and merchandise. With this in mind, there are some tips and pointers that you need to keep in mind to make certain that you do not get ripped off or burned on your purchase of pre-owned cookware and kitchenware.

In this day and age, a great resource for pre-owned merchandise is the Internet and World Wide Web. This holds true even if you are looking for cookware and kitchenware items that have been pre-owned. One type of website venue that you will want to visit in your online search for pre-owned cookware or kitchenware is a reputable auction site. Keep in mind that reference has been made to reputable Internet auction site.

Unfortunately, in the 21st century, there are some disreputable operators on the Net that have set up less than reliable auction sites. Therefore, if you are considering the purchase of pre-owned cookware and kitchenware from an auction site on the Net, make very certain that you access only an auction site that has established a reputation for fair dealing, reliability and honesty.

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Pressure Cookers

Buying And Using A Pressure Cooker
The pressure cooker has been a common household equipment that almost every kitchen has it. Well, you can’t deny the fact that it makes cooking stews and chunky soups more convenient with the added convenience of tenderizing tough cuts of meat. The pressure cooker offers the advantage of cooking your food at a faster pace since high temperature is trapped inside the pot.

If you have been using your mother’s or worse your grandmother’s hand me down pressure cooker, don’t you think it is high time you buy a new one to replace it? Sure, you can’t let go of your old reliable pressure cooker since it brings back good old memories of the dishes you use to prepare in it. But if you need to run it under cold water just to be able to release the pressure and bring down its temperature, I think that you would prefer the convenience that current pressure cookers offer.

When looking for a new pressure cooker, I suggest that you select one with a timer. This is a very important accessory because you don’t want your vegetables to get mushy now do we? The extra minutes may not affect other types of dishes but it can definitely ruin a very delicate meal. It is best also that you choose one that has a quick release option because it takes less time to lower down the temperature and release the pressure, rather than waiting for about 10 to 20 minutes running the pressure cooker under cold water. Other types even come with a detachable pressure regulator.



So once you have decided on your pressure cooker and have bought it, it is important that you handle it properly so that it can be useful for you for many years to come. The first thing that you should do is to read the user’s manual and be familiar with how to use it. After every use, thoroughly wash it. It is best to store it with the lid separated to avoid trapping the smell inside the pot and ready for your next use.



When using a pressure cooker to cook your dishes, it would be more suitable to cut the food into uniform sizes for even cooking. It would help if you would cut those types of food that would cook longer into small pieces while those that would cook at a shorter time in much larger pieces in order that they cook at the same time more or less.



Having a good and reliable pressure cooker definitely offers its advantages for easy cooking in the kitchen. Enjoy cooking.


The Ultimate Pressure Cooker Cookbook - Get It HERE