A New Colander
Sometimes I buy something and don’t appreciate it at first. I haven’t had this colander long, and even so, I don’t recall where I bought it. It would almost have to be WalMart, but then I might have been in Target, which I rarely visit now. Maybe I was walking past this item and bought it on impulse. *I almost have a vision that I was in the WalMart that is across town, near the Cracker Barrell and the Mall just a few blocks away. Not sure what I was looking for there, but now I recall walking up and down the isles. I was looking for something, and I think I looked down and saw the colander.
My thought was that I needed a small colander for canned beans. Often canned beans have a thick liquid they are packed in, not just water and instead of just pouring this liquid in the pot along with the beans, it is suggested, and I want to rinse the beans off first. You might be washing extra sugar or salt away with the packing liquid. The image isn’t an actual picture of my new colander, but is much like the one I have.
I have another colander I use regularly to strain out organic leftovers. I don’t want to put these wet items in my regular garbage bag which might later leak. I keep it in my kitchen sink, and when I have the ends of an onion, or potato peels, or some food that I have had in the fridge, but want to throw out, I usually put these in the colander. This strainer keeps the items from clogging the sink. And when this colander becomes full, I take four plastic grocery bags and nest them and then dump the refuse from the colander into them and tie them up. I mentioned that I use four bags and this is to help insure that if one or two of the bags have holes in them that four should keep any liquid from draining out of the bags. I don’t need them absolutely leak proof, but just leak proof long enough to get first to my car, and then from the car into the dumpster.
I’ve used my new colander to strain some black beans that I was using for a soup.
Spice Jars & a Repurposed Lazy Susan
Next is my repurposed Lazy Susan. I used this for my spices until a few months ago when I bought a set of empty spice jars. I’ve filled most of those jars already and I used one of the packing matrices to keep the jars neat and organized. But there is still a problem that I have not yet found a solution to. I use a 3 letter code that I put on the jar lids to remind me of which spice is in that container, but with almost 48 containers, how do I organize them? At first I just placed them alphabetically. But then making a subset of the “most used” spices seemed appropriate. e.g. garlic powder, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, celery seed, marjoram, cayenne powder, cumin, and even turmeric. And then I thought about grouping the “warm spices”: cloves, cinnamon, ginger, mace, nutmeg and pumpkin spice (which includes the previously listed spices). *I use the warm spices to sprinkle on my fried apples. For years I just used cinnamon, but then I thought of using the other warm spices, and even included coriander. I then thought of making a “warm spice” mixture just for my fried apples.
The apples fried, I put them on a plate and then reach over to the Lazy Susan and get a spoonful of Splenda and sift it across the apples. I then reach back over and get the red topped “warm spice” mix and sift that on top of the Splenda & apples. Works great!
But, now I had the Lazy Susan sitting on the kitchen floor leaning against my portable kitchen island. After a few days I suddenly had a thought for how I might repurpose this Lazy Susan. I could put it over next to my stove and use it to organize my sweeteners (Splenda, coconut sugar, Sweet-n-Low, Agave Nectar and Cary’s Sugar Free Syrup) and several other items like corn starch, corn meal and polenta, and even the oil brush I use to spread oil in pans. No sooner had I thought of this, and cleared off the spot to put the Lazy Susan, but it came to me to try and put my ceramic container of kitchen utensils (spatulas, tongs, thermometer, etc.) in the middle of the Lazy Susan (if it would fit). And fit it did, almost perfectly. It is surprising to me that after so long, this item found its perfect place and use.
It has continued to be a welcomed change. I pull out a spatula for either a stir fry or a hamburger in a frying pan on the stove top. Or, I reach for my oil brush to spread oil in a pan. Or, I choose the sweetener I want for either coffee or tea, or adding Splenda to fried apples. And on the back side, I have my cornstarch that I use at the end of my stir fry.
Indian Long Pepper & the Grinder
Sometimes, if I see a spice, condiment or food item that I’ve never tried, I might buy it if it is cheap enough. I think that is what happened when I saw a package of Long Pepper somewhere. I bought it and then didn’t open it, for probably over a year. And then a couple of years ago I was throwing out unused items (which rarely happens until fairly recently) and happened to come upon this plastic baggie labeled with “Indian Long Pepper.” Fortunately, I didn’t throw it out without first opening the package and tasting the flavor. The problem though is that Indian Long Pepper is unlike the little round seeds that make up most other peppers, be they black, white, green or red. The Long Pepper has a gnarly shape and is very hard. It just won’t fit in a regular pepper grinder. So at first I just used my small mortar and pestle to grind my Long Pepper. But, when grinding, if you don’t cover the top with your hand, or have a cover for the mortar (bowl for grinding), its possible that some of the Long Pepper will jump out of the bowl. And, grinding with a pestle & mortar isn’t convenient.
I went online to see if I could find a pepper grinder that would accommodate the shape & hardness of the Long Pepper. Not sure of the exact words I used, but I finally came upon a nutmeg grinder that incorporated a microplane in the process. I ordered one from Amazon (later ordering more as Christmas presents for those I was also providing with a package of Long Pepper) and when it arrived I was amazed at the remarkable planning that had gone into it’s design.
There are some designs for items that are just a cut above. Form follows function. e.g. The P-51 Mustang is a well designed propeller driven fighter airplane. You just have to look at one to recognize it’s uniqueness. Or how about the old Northwest Airlines logo which I consider the most perfect logo for an English speaking people. Note that the logo incorporates a compass shape, with the pointer pointing (where) Northwest. But then the pointer portion makes the large italicized “N” also become a “W.” How brilliant could you be? I’ve looked, but never found a record of who actually came up with this design.
And a logo that will never be, because of the choice of how to name the institution: A few years ago, Mount Olive College became a university and it was decided, not by me, to name it “The University of Mount Olive.” But my thoughts then, and they have reoccurred to me since, was that it would have been a much more clever name if they had named it “Mount Olive University.” Why, more clever? I visually see them emphasizing the first three letters of “MOUNT OLIVE” as “MOUNT OLIVE.” And then incorporating an advertising campaign something the effect of, “Mount Olive University, the start of your education in Mount Olive.” Okay, maybe not exactly the best advertising phrase. And sometimes when I am passing throuh, I also play with advertising for Dunn, North Carolina. How about, “When you are “Dunn” shopping why not have dinner and a movie?”
So this microplane grinder was perfectly designed. It can grind nutmeg which is an incredibly hard nut. But I also tested it, and I could grind cumin, other small spices and the Long Pepper. There was even a storage compartment in the top of this grinder. And now for the one imperfection. The grinder is made of black plastic, except for the metal microplane, and the screw top of the storage container sometimes seizes. It locks up and can’t be unscrewed. And at least once, when it did unseize, I tried to use olive oil to keep it from seizing, but this didn’t work.
Several years into using this grinder, it just stopped working. I couldn’t figure out why, and finally I noted that the metal microplane was rotating with the grinder handle. I’m not sure if the plane was glued and the glue had come undone, but I bought some Gorilla Glue Gel and just put a dab or two on the outer edge of the metal plane. It seems to have fixed the plane again and I’m going to try it out shortly (before the 24 hours suggested setting period). If it’s going to work, I think it will have already set. *Yes! It worked! **I was hoping the glue wouldn’t prevent the grinder mechanism from rotating so I only put a little glue gel on the opposite side of where the inner protrusion was. It worked fine.
I think the ground Long Pepper is more pungent than regular ground black pepper, and I still have a regular pepper blend in another grinder.
Microwave Onion Cooker
When I was growing up there was an FCX in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The Farmer’s Cooperative Exchange sold all sorts of farm supplies: seeds, plants, equipment, parts for farm equipment, etc. In 1986 the FCX went into bankruptcy and was incorporated into the Southern States Cooperative. I think of the Agri Supply store just outside of Lumberton, NC as being a like business.
I think I may have first bought a “Microwave Onion Cooker” at the Agri Supply store. It looks like a large white plastic onion, that has two halves and a very small steam vent. It’s “first” use is to cook a whole onion in the microwave and it does that very well. But, I then started to think of other things I might cook . I can cook a white or sweet potato in this cooker. I have cooked an egg, even adding onions, peppers & cheese in this cooker. The egg concoction comes out in a flat round shape perfect for an English muffin. You could bake an apple in it, even adding a little butter, cinnamon & sweetener.
The Agri Supply store still sells this item and probably offers the best price for it.
Box Cutter Pens
I do want to mention the box cutter (pen) as one of those exceptionally useful items, not just in the kitchen drawer, but by your easy chair and in your car. Any place that you often have a packaged item that needs a quick open, the box cutter can do the job. *And it also works in helping to peel an orange.
I bought these through Amazon. They easily slice through the Amazon shipping packages, mailers, and taped boxes. Many see thru plastic packages that may contain things like ink pens, fingernail clippers, or have tamper proof seals are easily “gotten into” using this box cutter. The blade length is adjustable and there is a blade lock that is easily manipulated with a single hand. For peeling oranges, just set the blade far enough to slice through the outer rind. Tupperware had a promotional “orange peeler” that they used to give away. This does the job just as well.
Ramekins & 3 Footed Salsa Bowls
I have a set of blue and white ceramic ramekins that I have used as “monkey dishes” for years. I might mix up some cornstarch in one to pour into my stir fry. Or I might mix several spices in one before pouring them into a dish or pot. I’ve also put bacon grease in one of these. But, I also have a few 3 footed plastic salsa bowls. I had a red, yellow, and a green salsa bowl so I might put mild salsa in the green and spicy salsa in the red and homemade hummus in the yellow bowl.
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Not too long ago, WalMart started selling these colored salsa bowls for about a dollar, so I bought a couple more colors (blue & a grayish color). And then it came to me to start using these bowls in the same way I had been using the ceramic ramikins. They are a perfect little mixing bowl, and when needed can be individual salsa, dip, or hummus dishes at a party. I almost forgot, I now put my Greek God’s Plain Yogurt in one and add in a little pureed raspberries, blackberries or blueberries and mix it all up.
Braun MultiQuick Tool
Of all the kitchen items I’ve mentioned so far, this tool with its various attachments is probably the most used over time (except for maybe the onion cooker or box cutter).
I bought the smaller, less powerful, and less capacity version of this Braun manufactured tool years ago when I was looking for a “stick blender” to puree hot liquids while they were still in their pots. I had a “Curried Apple” Soup that had onion, carrots and Granny Smith apples cooked down, but it all needed to be pureed, and a stick blender was the way to go. This tool also came with a whisk attachment, so you could get a carton of heavy cream and make your own whipped cream easily. Depending upon the size of your mayonnaise jar, you could even scoop out a little mayo, add any flavorings (curry, capers, etc.) and blend it all in the jar. *I mention mayo specifically because years ago I had a “Shrimp Po’Boy” sandwich at the Water’s Edge Restaurant on Shem Creek just across from Charleston, South Carolina. The sandwich was good but it was the “curry remoulade” sauce on the fried shrimp that made it special. I came home and tried to figure out how to replicate this sauce. At the time, I couldn’t even find a decent definition of “remoulade” online. But, I finally concluded that I would use Dukes Mayo, some Patak’s Curry Paste, and some small capers and these three ingredients when mixed together formed a yellowish sauce that went well on fried shrimp, but also on a ham or turkey sandwich. *Patak’s Curry Paste is also what I use to make my “Curried Apple Soup” and you can add chicken to this soup or leave it vegetarian.
I mentioned that I had originally bought the less powerful version of this tool, and as a result I limped along for years using the chopper attachment that was too small to hold a whole can of Garbanzo beans, and also not powerful enough to blend the whole can at one time for making hummus. When I finally bought a new larger version, what a difference. I now dump a whole can of chickpeas into the chopper, add some tahini, some cumin and some lemon (I use lime.) juice, blend and you have a delicious hummus dip for an assortment of veggies, or as I also like, for Smoked Oysters.
But I can also whip up a fast, delicious homemade salsa in the chopper. Sometimes, when in season, fresh tomatoes, but often with a can of “Roasted Garlic” diced tomatoes in a can. Roughly chop up some sweet onion, colorful sweet bell pepper, some Herdez “Salsa Ranchera” (smoked chipotle flavor) and during the late summer add some spicy, colorful peppers from the State Farmers’ Market. Or jalapenos and poblanos, that you buy at WalMart, and first roast in the oven for more flavor.
A quick trip through the Taco Bell drive thru, and bring a bean burrito back home to eat with some homemade salsa, chopped sweet onion and sour cream.
A trick for making coleslaw (the mayo version) is to rough chop the cabbage, put it in the chopper and cover it all with water, then blend with a few pulses. The water will keep the cabbage from becoming mush. Pour off the water, add some mayo and some Half-n-Half (a trick I learned from a restaurant I frequented) add S&P to taste. The Half-n-Half makes it creamier (no duh) and I don’t prefer carrots in this, but I do like carrots.
Hillshire Farms Reusable Containers
More than a year ago, I had bought a container of “Hillshire Farms Deli – Pastrami,” and when it came time to throw away the plastic container, I took a second look. It was a nice size for left overs, slightly smaller than the Rubbermaid Easy Find containers I have a bunch of. It had a clear bowl, and the tight seal lid was of semi clear red plastic. It was then that I realized the Hillshire Farms Company had planned for me (or others) to re-use these containers, and had made it especially easy to do so. The advertising was printed on a cardboard sheet and attached to the red lid with that stretchy glue substance. The cardboard and the glue were both easily peeled off. I keep my bacon in one of these and it will hold a whole pound of bacon.
It pays to pay attention to the prices for the same products at different grocery store chains. I visit a varied assortment of groceries during a week and I try to keep in mind which store has the cheapest price for a product. The Hillshire Farms Deli meats (in the 7 oz. container) can range from over $6 to under $5. And I figured that if the meat was under $5, then the storage container was worth the cost. WalMart and Aldi normally have a cheaper price on these products and also on the Beef Polska Kielbasa.
P38 Military Issue – Field Can Opener
I have a steel version of one of these that probably came via the US Marines from over 50 years ago. I got it while I was still in high school and have kept it mostly on my key chains through the years. I forget about it until I need it, and then it never fails… at least not yet.
This was issued to Marines (and probably most other services) to use in the field to open their metal cans of K-Rations. The “Jar Heads” might have called it their “John Wayne.” I don’t know why the can opener would take on that name. I do know why rough toilet paper takes on the name of John Wayne.
I’m at home using my regular hand crank can opener, and then I find a can that for whatever reason won’t open completely. The cutting mechanism doesn’t “catch” in some location and you end up with a can lid that you can’t lift up to get at it’s contents. John Wayne! And he finishes the job, plodding along at one little twist at a time.
New Electric Wok
I’ve had an electric wok that a cousin of mine gave me years ago. I run through periods of use and not use. I forget how easy it is to chop up the ingredients, quickly cook them and easily clean the wok before the next use. The wok I had was made by Westinghouse and has worked faithfully through the years, but apparently they don’t make electric woks any longer.
I have a friend who’s oldest son is to be married at the end of next May and I thought an electric wok might be a good wedding gift. If the young couple likes Chinese Stir Fry, you can’t get much cheaper that making a stir fry at home, or cooking it quickly, and cleaning the wok quickly. And you could make a veggie version, or add your choice or rotate through chicken, beef, pork or shrimp. Cheap that I am, I’ve also got a 3 in 1 Cookbook that probably cost me a dollar. It has a section for Chinese, Thai and Japanese cooking.
So that was the impetus for buying a new wok. I thought it prudent to buy one for myself, and if it seemed sturdy, to buy another for the wedding present. I chose one that looked good, from Amazon, and was relatively inexpensive. It arrived. It looked good. It cooked fine, and cleaned up easily. So I have already put in an order for another one.
New Waffle Maker
I may leave this off because I currently do not have an ideal waffle maker. It’s one of those that you pour the batter in and then flip the unit upside down. Then you wait for the green light to come on and the waffle should be ready. *I got rid of the flipping waffle maker, to the Thrift Store.
I bought a new Cuisinart Waffle Maker. It cooks really quickly, but the one thing I have noted is that the wells for the waffle aren’t deep. I’ve had that observation before with a different cheap waffle iron. Looking at the picture of this waffle iron, the depressions look much deeper than from the actual iron. But this waffle maker was only $25, so I will live with it. I got this one from Amazon.
S Hooks
I haven’t found these yet, and I don’t want to take those off my shower curtain, but those appear to be exactly what I want for my mobile kitchen cart. I want to hang my large non-electric wok on one, and maybe a pot/pan or two if they will fit.
I did buy these, but note the smaller S crook. That was a problem with some of my pans that wouldn’t fit on the small hook, and the small hook wouldn’t fit on the rod. So, I bought these, and they are working fine for all my pots & pans. They have clear plastic protectors on each end of the S hook.
Bill Gibson, II 