KitchenQueen

Had a dog. He died a few years back. Big Doberman, wasn't allowed in the kitchen anyway. One near miss with a fast puppy and a pot of hot cooking oil in your hand will learn 'ya quick. Have a Roomba. It died a lot quicker than the dog. Waste of money. (The Roomba, not the dog.) With the exception of my ex, the Roomba was the the biggest waste of time and money I've ever had. Actually, the Roomba was a lot like my ex. Lots of fun initially, made funny noises ,and became a pain a lot faster than it should have. Anyhow, I'll admit I'm totally anal about my kitchen floor. I also am usually barefoot. I need CLEAN. Being clean, not just looking clean. I was acting silly about spaghetti blobs, and I'm not really a slob in the kitchen, but stuff on the floor drives me nuts. I must have clean. Wipe it up when it spills goes without saying. I was just wondering if anyone has ideas on a floor wax or anything that can take the heat. I just have the old vinyl tile. Maybe new flooring is the answer? But the original anal problem about cleanliness might not change, new flooring or not. Hardwood is out. I want seriously scrubbable. And don't ask about how spotless my bathrooms are.

I have an old tile-whatever kitchen floor. No super dooper flooring or anything new or special. My kitchen floor has more traffic than O'Hare airport. If I'm not sleeping or at work, I'm in the kitchen. I must clean it constantly. That low toss of the flour onto the bread board? Yeah, right. 20% board, 80% floor. Flipping an egg back INTO the pan? Fuggedaboutit. I vac, then mop once and finish with Mop 'N Glow. I'm doing this at least 3 times a week, and starting to resent it. Bigtime. I just want clean, and sanitary. Shiny is nice too. Okay, shiny is very important. But it does take a lot of time. There's constantly a little drip or spot of something . Or I turn and there's a blob of spaghetti sauce. When and how did THAT end up on the floor? Any hints for minimal upkeep, better products, or spot cleaning? I'd rather cook than clean.

Does the Lampe Berger REALLY work? I cook a lot. I also smoke. I'm always afraid my that my home ( to non-smoking guests ) may smell like the inside of a diaper. I have spent untold fortunes on candles, air fresheners, etc. Does it just perfume the air or actually change the air quality? How long does it last? I'm tired of opening all windows for hours before guests are expected. In the winter, this is not a fun option. In Houston summers, it's also not an option. Basically, in my climate , this is comfortable about 68 hours per year. Most of those 68 hours are between 1am and 6am.

Brand new Kitchenaid meat grinder with pasta plates pack at a thrift shop. $9.00. I already have one. But I couldn't leave it there at that price. Mine is immaculate, 'cept the wooden pusher isn't pristine anymore. Guess I'll keep it and sell mine for $9.00. I love thrift shops run by people who don't cook.

Yes, I saw it. It seems to be the same one I have. At $35.00, it sounds awfully low in price, I expected twice that for for the quality of this thing. here's the URL. http://cgi.ebay.com/Premium-Alfi-Ice-Bucke...1QQcmdZViewItem I found the same one on a UK website at 55.00 GBP !! I'm still going to hold out and hope someone here knows of a larger one of similar quality. If not, I'll be forced to buy another of the smaller ones.

I had an Alfi German made ice bucket given to me many years ago and I love it. Shiny stainless or chrome outside. Handle goes over the top, pull down and the lid opens. Pull it back up and it closes tightly. It has heavy flexible removeable plastic liner, and the inside is thermos type glass lined. Ice simply refuses to melt in this thing. But it's too small. I filled it with water , total 24 ounces. Does anyone make one 2-3 times this size, and is it terribly expensive?

I got curious and went back to Ebay. There's one place left still selling them. The original is the top photo, silver color, but move down and you'll see on the left that's black, with more inserts. I have both. I tried them side by side, and there was NO difference in the bread. I expected a difference, but there was none. And I can't believe what they're selling for now. I'm buying a boatload for Christmas gifts. I am gonna get SO hugged after the recipients try them once. http://cgi.ebay.com/ARTISAN-FRENCH-BREAD-B...7QQcmdZViewItem

Do you mean for baking bread that requires steam? I have one of These and it works like a charm!

OK, I'll admit my stupidity. What is an anti-griddle, and what is an immersion circulator? It can't be as simple as it sounds.

It looks a little clunky, but it beats my current method by a mile.

An oil/candy thermometer that attaches firmly to the side of the pot and can be read from any angle. A potholder that doesn't suck in some way or another. Dream on. "A well-designed bottle brush that's at least a foot long." I have a brush made for cleaning dryer vents. Has a foot or more of coiled flexible stainless like a plumbing snake,with a brush on the end. The brush could be a bit stiffer, but it works, believe me. I bought one, and it's coiled in my kitchen drawer. I use it a lot. That sucker goes anywhere. Use it with denture cleaning tablets for those inaccessible things.

Dianabanana, You too? It would be even handier if sirens went off and red lights flashed screeching "the oregano's dead" and immediately added it to your automatic shopping list. I think I've gone crazy. Must be from my Sharpie fumes.

I have a Food Saver. I also thought it was a pain to pull out every time I used it. I finally cleared the bottom shelf in an above counter cabinet,and put it there, accessories on the side. Now I open the cabinet door, pull it down on the counter, use it, and put it back. Takes seconds. I now use it every time I need it. It was a good move for me. It's been worth it in celery and berries alone.

Oh yeah, while we're asking for the impossible. A home scanner . I swipe my grocery bar code as I put the groceries away. When I use something, I swipe the code and it tells me my date of purchase. Did I really buy that oregano in 2003? And it can't take up more than 3 cubic inches of counterspace. And if someone does invent that third hand thingy, I would buy it. It beats waving around a hot 90 pound LC pot lid. Been there,done that.

I love it and didn't know it existed, but it wouldn't take a half sheet pan, if I'm reading the dimensions correctly. Too danged small.

What have you wished someone would invent for the home cook? Things you'd buy in a minute if someone would get busy and invent and market it. A medium sized proofing box with temp control. Enough for 2 loaves or one large artisan loaf. They invented heating pads and aquarium thermometers, didn't they? And some doohickey that will push down the dough crawling up your Kitchenaid dough hook. And I'm tired of water in a pan on the oven bottom, and/or opening the door to spray. There's got to be a better way. What do you want?

In the Houston area, mobile taco vendors are everywhere. And the majority of them reek of filth. I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole. The city is doing absolutely nothing about enforcing their regulations. No way!

I have only one question. Why on earth has Chufi not published a cookbook? I would not care in the least what it cost. I'd buy one for me and one for every person I care for. Her talents are being wasted when people not on this site don't know about her. This woman is a treasure and needs to be shared. Let me rephrase that with apologies to Chufi's husband.

I just can't pass up kitchen toys!! Actually I marninated some beef and chicken, got some baby bellas, pearl onions. red pepper, and the other standards and tried it out. I had a danged good shish-kabob dinner that night. The puppy works very well. Now let's see if I ever use it again. More toys to buy. We need a thread on how many kitchen doo-hickies you own that have NEVER been used. I'd win, but would be too embarrassed to reply.

Thrift shop, obviously never used, no book, no box, it works. $6.00. Was searching the net for an instruction manual. Since this thing has on and off, I just wanted some basic info on recommended times. What I found was gagillions of people wanting one. It's a new fad comeback like fondue, and since they are no longer manufactured, nearly impossible to find. Whatever, I have kabob food supplies. Any recipes or ideas? Any self help sites for women who cannot pass up a sale on this kind of thing? When I die, someone is going to go nuts. Unless that person is a member here. Nevermind, I've decided it's my money , it's fun, and I can do it if I want to. Poopie on the lawyers.

See what I mean? Conch on the brain, can't even spell pregnant.

Thanks guys, I'll just have to order some non-tenderized from the supplier offered. Has this ever happened to you? The more you try to forget a yen for some unobtainable food, the more you realize you're thinking about it constantly? And MUST have some? Food obsessions are not limited to prergnant women.

You have two choices. Sharp scissors or a hand grenade. The grenade makes a mess.

I've used nothing but Viva for years. But it's pricey the way I go through them. I just got a large pack of the new Brawny Basic. We'll see. It seems the manufacturers are finding out many of us have discovered microfiber towels and their sales are falling.

I have a cheap Krups and I use it all the time. Bread, cold cuts and cheese bought in one piece,oranges sliced , piled on a plate and covered in plastic wrap in the fridge for snacking, leftover hunks of pot roast,you name it. Onions and apples to slap on the paninni maker or little Foreman grill. Great with pork. Get one. And you will probably ditch your mandoline. Leave it accessible on your overcluttered counter for two weeks. You'll end up keeping it there. I love mine. You'll use it a lot more than you realize.