Friday, March 23, 2024

Kitchen Essentials

Whether you’re a bachelor or a family of 4, cooking is a part of your life.  Even if it’s just popping bread in the toaster.  Sharing meals with someone you love is an age old tradition and one that seems to be falling away.  We live in a world with limited time and fast food everywhere.  But there are ways to make cooking easier.

 

 

A well stocked kitchen is ideal.  But if you’re on a budget (and have limited space) these 7 essentials are a wonderful start.  Your stomach (not to mention heart and cholesterol) will thank you.

 

 

*Pot and Pan Set

Now you can get a set of good pots and pans for fairly cheap.  You need a good set to do everything from boiling pasta to sautéing chicken.  Don’t skimp on this or try to do everything with a huge pot your mom gave you when you moved out. It won’t work.

 

 

*Knife Set

You don’t need anything fancy.  Really just a great chopping knife with a sharpener and a steak knife set will do.  The bread knife, paring knife and all the others are added bonuses. It’s miserable trying to chop anything with a dull knife.

 

 

*Garlic Press

It may seem small, but I love this sucker.  It demolishes garlic instantly.  And makes putting garlic in everything really easy.  And garlic is a super healthy way to make anything tastier.

 

 

*Food Processor

This is an investment that you’ll use all the time.  A really high powered blender works too, like the Vitamixer.  But if you don’t have the dough, you can get away with a fairly inexpensive processor like the CuisineArt.  It makes your life a lot easier and opens up a world full of fun recipes.

 

 

*Wire Whisk

When you have to beat the living tar out of some recipe, using a spoon just doesn’t cut it.  Grab a whisk.  They’re inexpensive and cut the time down by half.  They’re great for baking, cooking eggs, making salad dressing, you name it.

 

 

*Cutting Board

This is kind of a given, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t have one! Or if they do, it’s a really bad one.  A good wood board is awesome.  And it looks good on your counter, if you don’t have space to store it.  And it’s good to have 2: one for meat and only meat and one for everything else.

 

 

*Salad Spinner

Before I got one, I’d wash lettuce and then lay it in paper towel and dry it.  Problem was it never got fully dry and I was burning through paper towels like they were going out of style.  You can get a great spinner for around $20.  It’s well worth it.  Plus, if you have kids, they’ll love pushing the spinner down.  They have fun and you don’t have to work as hard. Win!

 

 

If you take care of these 7 basic things, you’ll be off to a great start at stocking your kitchen! Just think of the possibilities for dinner.

Lisa Coronado is a content writer for Custom Magnets  .

Friday, March 23, 2024

Ice Cream – The Best Dessert Ever

Home Made Ice Cream

Home Made Ice Cream

 

Home Made Ice Cream

 

Everyone has their own personal favorite dessert they pull out on special occasions. And even if you’re not celebrating anything in particular, they can be the perfect way to end off any meal. Or if you’re just sitting on the couch watching television, they make the perfect snack. Some desserts like apple pie and chocolate cake are commonly mentioned when it comes to favorites. You’ll also find huge legions of fans for cheesecake or an expertly prepared crème brûlée. But when you break it down to the basics and take an overall look at every dessert available, there’s one clear choice that comes out as the best. Ice cream is the absolute best dessert ever created, and it’s not hard to see why. You might not be convinced right now, but here are some reasons that might change your mind.

It goes with everything – what other dessert is so multi-purpose? It’s not like you can serve Angel food cake with a slice of pumpkin pie. Ice cream on the other hand, goes with almost everything else. In fact, we dare you to name one dessert that isn’t made better with ice cream on the side. You can also combine different flavors together to form a unique taste that other desserts simply can’t achieve.

It doesn’t cost a lot – you might be thinking to yourself “hey wait a minute, a carton of premium ice cream costs $10!”. While that might seem expensive, think about how much other desserts cost in comparison. In the overall picture, ice cream is actually pretty cheap, especially considering the high quality of premium brands.

It’s portable – have you ever tried taking a key lime pie to the beach? How about going for a walk while eating chocolate mousse? With ice cream, there’s nothing better than loading it into a waffle cone and taking it wherever you go. It’s the type of food you can enjoy on the go, and that something no other dessert can offer.

It makes Summer come to life – what would a summer season be without a trip to your local ice cream shop? Ice cream offers a special kind of coolness combined with sweetness that is highlighted by the best season of the year. It’s a valuable part of family memories, and what says summer more than the sound of the ice cream man and his truck? When you hear his familiar song ringing through the neighborhood, you know the summer season is in full effect.

You can make it Yourself – sure you can put together grandma’s Apple pie recipe or bake a decadent cheesecake. But just think about how much work that takes. A lot of times, it’s a lot easier to just buy a baked good at the store. Ice cream on the other hand is something that you can put together easily as long as you have the right machine. Making a custard is as simple as cooking a few ingredients and then letting it cool. When you have your basic mixture, just pour it into your ice cream maker and you’ll be good to go in about half an hour. And while your ice cream churns, it’s the perfect opportunity for your family to gather around and add treats like chocolate, graham crackers, marshmallows, or fresh fruit.

Despite being centuries old, there are new flavors coming out every year. But rather than buying them at a store, you can do it yourself with the right ice cream maker.

 

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