What's your worst kitchen habit?

[Anna N]

....

But my horrible habit comes in when I'm prepping vegetables or fruit. I just shove the trimmings, cores, and peels off the back or sides of the cutting board. I'll peel carrots or potatoes right on the counter. During a big cooking session, or making a salad, it looks like I'm working in the center of a compost heap. I clean it all up very well, after, but when I'm on a tear, I just shove stuff around.

See - I got thinking about this and it made sense (mostly!) so I put two layers of newspaper on the counter with cutting board on top and shoved everything unwanted off the edge. At the end just rolled up the newspaper and it all went into the compostable garbage container! Now it seems like a GOOD habit!

[Lilija]

....

But my horrible habit comes in when I'm prepping vegetables or fruit. I just shove the trimmings, cores, and peels off the back or sides of the cutting board. I'll peel carrots or potatoes right on the counter. During a big cooking session, or making a salad, it looks like I'm working in the center of a compost heap. I clean it all up very well, after, but when I'm on a tear, I just shove stuff around.

See - I got thinking about this and it made sense (mostly!) so I put two layers of newspaper on the counter with cutting board on top and shoved everything unwanted off the edge. At the end just rolled up the newspaper and it all went into the compostable garbage container! Now it seems like a GOOD habit!

Oooh! Way to turn it around...I'll try that tomorrow.

[tim]

Hi,

I was criticized for admitting that I recycled used chicken bones for chicken stock. The pathogen police were offended that some family member had actually chewed on those bones. I answered their justifiable concern by taking the time to sanitize the bones in fresh water carefully heated to the boiling point and held at that temperature for a number of hours before use.

The P.P. still don't want to eat at my house.

Tim

Edited October 28, 2009 by tim (log)

[judiu]

Hi,

I was criticized for admitting that I recycled used chicken bones for chicken stock. The pathogen police were offended that some family member had actually chewed on those bones. I answered their justifiable concern by taking the time to sanitize the bones in fresh water carefully heated to the boiling point and held at that temperature for a number of hours before use.

The P.P. still don't want to eat at my house.

Tim

These 'family members', were they of the 2 legged variety, or the 4 legged?

[jsmeeker]

I'm another person that has cleanup issues. It can be pretty bad, with drity pots and pans and knives and what not piling up. Yes, I have a diswasher, but there are still plenty of things that don't go in it. And even with the diswasher, I can "forget" to run it, thinking "I can cram in one more thing tomorrow morning ot later today". And then "forget" to empty it prompty. When I DO wash stuff by hand, I can "forget" to remove it from the drying rack and put it away. Seriously, I probably fetch half the things I need to cook and bake from the drying rack or the dishwasher.

[emmalish]

When I DO wash stuff by hand, I can "forget" to remove it from the drying rack and put it away. Seriously, I probably fetch half the things I need to cook and bake from the drying rack or the dishwasher.

Heh. All the dishes in my kitchen are currently clean, yet I have a huuuuuuge pile of dishes sitting next to the sink waiting to be put away. Looks like I haven't washed any dishes for weeks. So I'm always digging through the clean pile looking for what I need.

[LaurieB]

"See - I got thinking about this and it made sense (mostly!) so I put two layers of newspaper on the counter with cutting board on top and shoved everything unwanted off the edge. At the end just rolled up the newspaper and it all went into the compostable garbage container! Now it seems like a GOOD habit!"

Holy Moly, it's a GREAT idea! I have a very small kitchen; too many newspapers; voila! I'll try it this weekend!

[CKatCook]

I'm another person that has cleanup issues. It can be pretty bad, with drity pots and pans and knives and what not piling up. Yes, I have a diswasher, but there are still plenty of things that don't go in it. And even with the diswasher, I can "forget" to run it, thinking "I can cram in one more thing tomorrow morning ot later today". And then "forget" to empty it prompty. When I DO wash stuff by hand, I can "forget" to remove it from the drying rack and put it away. Seriously, I probably fetch half the things I need to cook and bake from the drying rack or the dishwasher.

I do this, mostly because I love to cook, but hate to clean. Top that off with the fact I cannot stand the noice my current dishwasher makes, I wait until it becomes a have to most of the time.

[JTravel]

"See - I got thinking about this and it made sense (mostly!) so I put two layers of newspaper on the counter with cutting board on top and shoved everything unwanted off the edge. At the end just rolled up the newspaper and it all went into the compostable garbage container! Now it seems like a GOOD habit!"

I can still picture my Dad sitting at the old formica table which was covered with newspapers, cutting up apples so my Mother could make pies....or applesauce. He loved her apple pies. There was even a special beat up aluminum pan used for the good parts. He often did that sort of prep work for her, sorting blueberries, hacking squash etc. at the same spot. Newspapers even then were handy for messy tasks, though I don't think they composted.

Thanks for the memory.

As for bad habits, Messy, messy, with stuff stacked up as I work. Then stacked in drainer, glad I'm not the only one.

[vilasman]

I read where one person has a lot of measuring spoons, cups and bowls and such and they use them all when cooking and they dont wash any of them until they are finished. I took that concept a few steps further. I actually bought enough of the basic cooking tools to basically have 3 sets. My wife cooks like a tornado, I clean very slowly. I cook slowly too. But my concept is.. wife cooks with one set of things... that set goes in the dishwasher and starts washing. Wife cooks with the 2nd set, it goes into the sink, awaiting the first to finish. If wife is not yet out of steam, she then moves on to the third set, the first set comes out dry, the second set goes in and starts washing.

Usually by this time she needs a break but by the time she recovers, she has a nice clean kitchen and at least 2 sets of tools to work with.

[kayb]

The supply of fresh produce in the shops here is unreliable at best so when I see nice vegetables I buy them. A lot of them. And then, because I've bought way more than 3 people can eat, half of it rots in the fridge. Such a waste but I can't seem to stop myself.

I too abuse my non-stick pans. And I've never cleaned an oven.

In our "outside" kitchen, I never clean the grill right after I use it. I wait until the next time I want to use it, at which point I find remnants of whatever was last grilled stuck to the grate. So I have to spend half an hour cleaning it before I can use it. It would be so much easier to clean it right after it's used instead of letting the bbq sauce dry out and become one with the grate.

There's an easy fix for that. Leave the grill dirty. Wait until the next grilling event. Light the fire, put the grate back on, walk away. Come back 10 minutes later with your steel brush and clean in in about 15 seconds.

[Nyleve Baar]

Fact is, it's supposed to be good for your grill to leave all the gundgy grease on it. Protects the grill from rust. So don't clean after cooking - clean before during the preheat. Two birds, one stone.

[SauceRobert]

I have no bad habits in the kitchen, I am an angel.

On the other hand, my husband, born of Depression-era parents, puts every single teeny tiny leftover in it's own special little container and packs my fridge with them. Makes me crazy. ITS OK TO THROW OUT THE TWO REMAINING PEAS.

some angel! It may dull your knives but only if they rub against other things (not that big of a deal) But what about your husband?! That could cause a nasty cut!

[pax]

I am befuddled. I take care of my knives, and I have never used one on my husband.

[Kouign Aman]

I am befuddled. I take care of my knives, and I have never used one on my husband.

LOL!!!!

Good for you, for that would certainly dull them!