Multi-Tasking Equipment

[Kim Shook]

There is brownie recipe testing going on Chez Shook today. Slicing brownies is always a challenge, I think. It just suddenly occurred to me to try my pizza cutter. It worked wonderfully!! No sticking, no big chunks of top crust coming off. Great idea!

Anyone else have any multi taskers that you use that might help the rest of us? Kim

[moosnsqrl]

I use my egg slicer for uniform mushroom slices.

[Fat Guy]

I use a knife to pry stuff open.

[Anna N]

I use a knife to pry stuff open.

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BAD!

[SuzySushi]

Little trick I saw in a magazine just this month: use a mesh tea strainer to sprinkle confectioners' sugar or cocoa over cakes or candies.

A ball-type tea strainer also makes a good holder for a bouquet garni or whole spices you want to flavor a stew, but need to pull out before serving.

[christine007]

Unflavored dental floss.

It's great for cutting brownies, and soft gooey stuff.

Edited September 26, 2006 by christine007 (log)

[bookluvingbabe]

I use my kitchen shears to cut up pizza.

[Kim Shook]

Unflavored dental floss.

It's great for cutting brownies, and soft gooey stuff.

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A package of that stuff lives in my knife drawer. That stuff is wonderful.

[Anna N]

I use my kitchen shears  to cut up pizza.

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Me too!

[shellfishfiend]

I also use kitchen shears to cut up pizza. They are also great for cutting green onions and snipping up whole canned tomatoes.

Not food related, but I have used my pizza cutter to cut through the layers of paint on old windows that have been painted shut.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

A bench knife is great for cutting bar cookies. And I never, EVER, cook without a hemostat in my pocket.

[MollyB]

A French press coffee maker works beautifully to keep dried mushrooms submerged while rehydrating them.

[Panosmex]

Sure: a potato masher to squash avocado meat into guacamole.

A blade type pastry blender to cut up eggs for egg salad.

There is brownie recipe testing going on Chez Shook today.  Slicing brownies is always a challenge, I think.  It just suddenly occurred to me to try my pizza cutter.  It worked wonderfully!!  No sticking, no big chunks of top crust coming off.  Great idea!

Anyone else have any multi taskers that you use that might help the rest of us?  Kim

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[Kim Shook]

I thought of another one. I use my potato masher to mash up eggs for egg salad. That was a tip from someone online (maybe here) when I was looking to make like-the-deli egg salad.

[Toliver]

Sure: a potato masher to squash avocado meat into guacamole.

A blade type pastry blender to cut up eggs for egg salad.

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I also use the pastry cutter to mince up egg yolks for deviled eggs.

I use the potato masher to mash up peeled bananas when making banana bread.

[scubadoo97]

I thought of another one.  I use my potato masher to mash up eggs for egg salad.  That was a tip from someone online (maybe here) when I was looking to make like-the-deli egg salad.

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And tuna for tuna salad

[snowangel]

Does using an offset spatula to mud drywall count?

[Human Bean]

[...] I never, EVER, cook without a hemostat in my pocket.

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Hmm. Care to elaborate? I have a hemostat or two around the place, but never used them for culinary purposes; one possible exception being the needle-holder that I sometimes use to remove pinbones from salmon filets.

[Anna N]

Sure: a potato masher to squash avocado meat into guacamole.

A blade type pastry blender to cut up eggs for egg salad.

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I also use the pastry cutter to mince up egg yolks for deviled eggs.

I use the potato masher to mash up peeled bananas when making banana bread.

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A pastry cutter to break up ground meat when frying it = works great.

[Anna N]

[...] I never, EVER, cook without a hemostat in my pocket.

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Hmm. Care to elaborate? I have a hemostat or two around the place, but never used them for culinary purposes; one possible exception being the needle-holder that I sometimes use to remove pinbones from salmon filets.

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Use a hemostat for loads of things - what comes immediately to mind is grabbing that darn cartilage in chicken filets to get it out and holding on to the silverskin when prepping pork tenderloins.

[Mayhaw Man]

Sometimes I use my wooden meat hammer to smash the occasional roach. Those little devils go every-which-away when you get a good, solid direct hit (kinda like Gallagher with those watermelons, only better!).

Though, when I get excited and use the waffle side of the hammer, it's not nearly as much fun. Kind of anticlimactic, really, and much harder to wipe off of the hammer.

[Anna N]

I am adding to the list as things come to mind or hand.

I use a denture brush to scrub tiny veggies like fingerlings and other miniature potatoes.

I use the jar lifter from my canning kit to take ramekins out of a water bath. This will only work on ramekins with a slight rim or a slight flare at the top. They will not work on straight-sided ramekins.

I use my long, spring-loaded tongs to reach items on the top shelf of my cabinets. With the tongs I can drag items to the front of the shelf and once there, I can just safely reach them.

[JanMcBaker]

I have a large splatter screen that has feet so it can be put on the counter and the screen won't mess the counter. It also works great as a cooling rack for cookies, extra pancakes cooked for another meal, etc.

[jgm]

I use my oven to allow freshly-made noodles to dry out. I just put thin kitchen towels over the racks, lay the noodles on the towels, and leave the door open a few inches.

The best part is that the cats can't get to them there, and I can eat them with confidence, knowing they weren't walked or nibbled upon when I wasn't looking.

In a small kitchen like mine, it also keeps various noodle/pasta-drying apparatuses off the counter while drying takes place, and that's a definite advantage.

[jgm]

I use the jar lifter from my canning kit to take ramekins out of a water bath.  This will only work on ramekins with a slight rim or a slight flare at the top.  They will not work on straight-sided ramekins.

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Why didn't I think of that??? It's both obvious and brilliant!