Outside the Brown Bag - Taking my Kitchen Toys to Work

[Kerry Beal]

So at one of the hospitals in which I work I have an Instant Pot, an Anova, an inexpensive immersion blender - and today I added a Cuisinart Steam Oven. Picked up a refurbished one inexpensively. Interesting thing - I don't think it's actually refurbished - it's just one of the newer models in one of the older boxes.

 

I work either 12 or 24 hour shifts here - so it's nice to have the opportunity to cook rather than brown bagging it. Another bonus - if I'm working on a Saturday - up until Christmas the farmers market is open and I can hit it on my way in. There is also a 24 hours Sobey's in town and I've found some excellent deals on proteins at times. 

 

Thought I'd keep track here of things I'm cooking at work - and would love to see postings by others who cook at work.

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

 

Here's the new baby in it's new location. Got several people involved in finding something to put it on!

 

 

 

Picked up a few odds and ends at the market - some strawberries that went directly on the desk in the ER for snacking. Planning to make green beans in tomatoes for dinner. There is a cauliflower and a couple of nice little delicata in the car.

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

Christened the CSO with some almonds. First batch will be perfect for Burnt Almond Bark. Second batch will be good for eating!

 

 

Picked up 4 chicken Marylands at Sobey's for less than $3.00 - steam baked a couple at 425 for 30 minutes - with Anna's advice I cut the tendons. Lovely crispy skin. 

[MelissaH]

Nothing to add, per se, as I work from home. But once upon a time when I worked in an office that had a toaster oven in the kitchen, I brought in some chocolate chip cookie dough balls from my freezer. I baked them mid-morning, so they'd be ready for a snack over a meeting. You wouldn't believe the number of officemates who came out of the woodwork, people who usually didn't have much to say to me—or maybe you would!

[Kerry Beal]

Starting to put together the green beans with tomatoes.

 

 

Sautéed the onion for a bit, added the tomatoes and pressure cooked on high for 10 minutes.

 

 

 

Steamed the green beans in the CSO to speed things up a bit.

 

 

Getting ready to assemble. Will let them stew together a bit on the slow cook function of the IP with the lid open.

 

 

 

[rotuts]

nice.

 

always cut the tendons.

 

few people know this.

[IndyRob]

I've often wondered whether there are laws that govern/limit this sort of thing.  My wife's company built a brand new 11 story downtown office building.  When it was done I joined her for a weekend open-house tour day.  They had a beautiful kitchen area with tons of stainless steel everywhere.  But virtually no appliances.  Refrigerators and microwaves was all.

 

I've only seen one toaster oven, a few toasters, and a popcorn machine in my entire career.

[Kerry Beal]

 

 

[Shelby]

Oh I love this!

 

Do you have to share your toys with others?  If so, do they know how to use them?  I'm an only child so I'm not a good sharer lol.

[Shelby]

PS. those strawberries are lovely.  Do they taste as good as they look?

[Lisa Shock]

2 hours ago, IndyRob said:

I've often wondered whether there are laws that govern/limit this sort of thing.  My wife's company built a brand new 11 story downtown office building.  When it was done I joined her for a weekend open-house tour day.  They had a beautiful kitchen area with tons of stainless steel everywhere.  But virtually no appliances.  Refrigerators and microwaves was all.

 

I've only seen one toaster oven, a few toasters, and a popcorn machine in my entire career.

Health department laws vary from county to county. That said, they primarily cover people preparing food for other people, not themselves.

 

I suspect there are two things happening: uncreative employees, and people who treat objects in common areas badly. If no one can be bothered to wipe out a microwave when their lunch splatters inside it, would you trust them to use and then clean other appliances.

 

I have worked places where people kept small appliances in their office and carried them to the kitchen to make lunch, washed them and stored them back in their office.

[IowaDee]

Shelby, I too am an only and I totally agree about sharing.  What is mine, is mine but what is your is ours....right? And that includes paychecks as well.   I've never worked in a place where the sharing issue came up but I would have second thoughts about taking in my expensive toys  to share. Which is to say that Kerry is a much better person than I am!

[Kerry Beal]

56 minutes ago, Shelby said:

Oh I love this!

 

Do you have to share your toys with others?  If so, do they know how to use them?  I'm an only child so I'm not a good sharer lol.

Hope not! Don't share the IP but the CSO will be out in the open.

Edited October 15, 2016 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Kerry Beal]

53 minutes ago, Shelby said:

PS. those strawberries are lovely.  Do they taste as good as they look?

Yup!

[Kerry Beal]

42 minutes ago, Lisa Shock said:

Health department laws vary from county to county. That said, they primarily cover people preparing food for other people, not themselves.

 

I suspect there are two things happening: uncreative employees, and people who treat objects in common areas badly. If no one can be bothered to wipe out a microwave when their lunch splatters inside it, would you trust them to use and then clean other appliances.

 

I have worked places where people kept small appliances in their office and carried them to the kitchen to make lunch, washed them and stored them back in their office.

It's more the fire department that has decided what we can have in the kitchens in various places I have worked - after too many smoke alarms going off the toaster oven often gets the boot.

[TicTac]

Now if only your cooking would influence the food that hospitals serve to their patients!

 

Love this thread already.

 

 

[NWKate]

1 hour ago, Lisa Shock said:

Health department laws vary from county to county. That said, they primarily cover people preparing food for other people, not themselves.

 

I suspect there are two things happening: uncreative employees, and people who treat objects in common areas badly. If no one can be bothered to wipe out a microwave when their lunch splatters inside it, would you trust them to use and then clean other appliances.

 

I have worked places where people kept small appliances in their office and carried them to the kitchen to make lunch, washed them and stored them back in their office.

 

This is so true. In the last place I worked, I resorted to take out since the microwaves were absolutely criminal.  Honestly, it made me wonder what the state of their kitchens were.

When the coffeemaker died, I brought in a high end Cuisinart model that I had received as a gift and never received one thank you.  Needless to say, when I left, the coffeemaker left with me.

 

Since I left, I've lost over 20 pounds due to no longer stress eating.

[sartoric]

5 hours ago, rotuts said:

nice.

 

always cut the tendons.

 

few people know this.

I lop off the knuckle with a heavy cleaver, even better

[Doofa]

Kerry. Not only have you a CSO in your workplace, plus your other equipment. this makes me rather envious as it also highlights for me how poorly served we are sometimes in the UK. I can't even get a CSO over here. I've been in touch with Cuisinart and they have no plans to bring it to market here. In compensation I enjoy reading about what you produce in them and I really enjoy your writings. Fancy having kit like that at work, never mind home. D 

[Kerry Beal]

16 minutes ago, Doofa said:

Kerry. Not only have you a CSO in your workplace, plus your other equipment. this makes me rather envious as it also highlights for me how poorly served we are sometimes in the UK. I can't even get a CSO over here. I've been in touch with Cuisinart and they have no plans to bring it to market here. In compensation I enjoy reading about what you produce in them and I really enjoy your writings. Fancy having kit like that at work, never mind home. D 

But you can get the Electrolux I think which might be superior.

[Doofa]

3 minutes ago, Kerry Beal said:

But you can get the Electrolux I think which might be superior.

Seems so but the ones I can find are all commercial grade. I can't find anything like you have by any manufacturer. Suppose there is no market in 60 million peeps. Well, 80k on this small isle. Thanks anyway, very kind. D

[gfweb]

7 hours ago, IndyRob said:

I've often wondered whether there are laws that govern/limit this sort of thing.  My wife's company built a brand new 11 story downtown office building.  When it was done I joined her for a weekend open-house tour day.  They had a beautiful kitchen area with tons of stainless steel everywhere.  But virtually no appliances.  Refrigerators and microwaves was all.

 

I've only seen one toaster oven, a few toasters, and a popcorn machine in my entire career.

 

Couldn't do this in a US hospital, I think. Not for any sensible reason.

[Kerry Beal]

Stopped at the Farmer's Market this morning on the way to work. Felt bad for all the shivering vendors. But all the produce available made me think stew! So quickly hit the grocery store to find a blade roast that I could repurpose to make stew beef.

 

Browned the beef in 3 slabs then cut into stew sized pieces.

 

 

Browned up my leeks and onion. 

 

 

 

20 minutes in the IP on high pressure.

 

Added the leeks and onions, parsnips and carrots - 5 minutes high pressure.

 

 

All packaged up to take home now - will decide if I want to add potatoes or just serve over mash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rotuts]

Work a bit show is it ?

 

 

"" Come on , its a joke ! "

 

         Craig Ferguson    ......    from time to time

[Anna N]

26 minutes ago, rotuts said:

Work a bit show is it ?

 

 

"" Come on , its a joke ! "

 

         Craig Ferguson    ......    from time to time

You know what it's like "hours and hour of boredom interrupted by moments of sheer inanity".