Family Foodies

Updated for 2012!

Besides your basic appliances – refrigerator, stove, microwave – there are a few items which should be in every kitchen.  Whether you are a gourmet cook or a from-the-box cook, you will need the right tools and equipment to perform basic food preparation and serving tasks.

About a year and a half ago my cousin became a Pampered Chef consultant and in order to help her out I had done a show and quickly fell in love with so many Pampered Chef products.  So a lot of my recommendations are going to be either Pampered Chef things I already have or things I wish I had because really they have so many must have things.

Here is a Top Ten List of Things Every Kitchen Needs:

1. Stand Mixer. I have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer and as a mom who LOVES to bake this is a must have in my kitchen.  Aside from baking I also use mine for making mashed potatoes.  I can throw the potatoes in and let it do its work while I do other things.  I find it makes mashed potatoes creamier than hand mixers do.

And with the Kitchen Aid you can get so many attachments to add to it.  Things like a pasta maker or a sausage maker.  You can also make homemade ice cream with it.  So it really can be the workhorse of any kitchen, even if you aren’t much of a baker.

2. Stoneware.  Pampered Chef is known for their stones.  I started out with a rectangle pizza stone and eventually added the large bar pan.  And most recently I got the Deep Covered Baker.  I usually only use the pizza stone for pizza and maybe cookies.  The large bar pan I use to make bacon in the oven (which is a great way to cook bacon), oven fried chicken, pizza, cookies, and any other meat I have to cook in the oven.   If you are able to get just one stone, then I definitely recommend the large bar pan (or small depending on your family size).  But really host a party and get yourself the Deep Covered Baker too.

3. Knife set.  A good knife set is a must have for any kitchen.  Or at least a utility knife, a carving knife, and a trimmer if you can’t afford a whole set.

One summer while I was in college I sold Cutco knives.  Being a college student I thought I had no need for knives so I ended up selling my mom my demo set.  That was 15 years ago and now when I go over my mom’s house and I see that set of knives that I let slip through my fingers I long for it back.  If only I knew then what I know now.

4. A Good Pot and Pan Set.  When it comes to pots and pans you have a few options.  Non stick like Calphalon or All-Clad like what professional chefs use.

Here’s another wish list item of mine from Pampered Chef, the Executive set from Pampered Chef.

My cousin (aka my Pampered Chef rep) has a sister in law who is a professional chef.  She used my cousin’s stainless fry pan from Pampered Chef and was very impressed with it.  So impressed that the next time she needs to replace a pot or pan she’ll be purchasing a stainless from my cousin.  If you can’t get a whole set again I would recommend at least getting a 3 qt saucepan, 12″ fry pan, and a stock pot or Dutch Oven.

5. Crockpot.  This is great to have for those nights when you know you are going to be short on time.  Put everything in the crockpot in the morning before you leave for the day and come home to a house filled with the beautiful aroma of whatever you made.

6. Spoons and Spatulas.  You need to have big spoons and spatulas.  Not metal as these ruin pots and pans.  I prefer plastic and my husband likes wooden spoons.  So we actually have a mixture of both of those kinds.

7. Colander.  Colanders can be used for more than just draining pasta.  It’s also great for cleaning fruits and vegetables or straining things.  I have 3 different sized colanders to meet all the differing needs.  I prefer mesh metal because I find them easier to clean than the plastic ones.  Plastic are fine too though and they are inexpensive.  You can usually pick one up at the dollar store.

8. Can Opener.  I hate opening cans!  Must be because I’m left handed.  I prefer electric can openers because usually manual can openers are made for right handed people.  And I know all of you righties are thinking what’s the difference.  There’s a huge difference.  Try opening a can with your left hand sometime. I literally have to completely change my train of thought to use most manual can openers.  Yes, they do make lefty manual can openers, but they are hard to come by.

I still don’t care much for my electric can opener, but if I want to open cans then I need it.  Sometimes I have a hard time getting it to catch the can though.  Still, it is an important tool to have in the kitchen until they start putting pull tabs on all cans.  A lefty can dream, can’t she?

9.  Food Processor.  It doesn’t have to be a large food processor.   I have small ones that are easy to store and get out when needed.  It’s an invaluable tool for chopping and mincing things.   Erin from Small Town Mom Living in a BIG City uses both, but for most jobs she likes her Black and Decker one touch chopper.  I have one of these too, but I find the manual one to work better.  Erin says she can control the fineness better on her electric chopper than her manual one though.

10.  Cutting Board.  To save your counters and your table you have got to have a cutting board.  I recommend plastic cutting boards over wooden or glass ones.  Wooden ones can trap bacteria.  Glass cutting boards will dull knives faster.   If you have a dishwasher the plastic cutting boards can be cleaned in there to get rid of any bacteria that might have been left behind.  You can also easily bleach them without ruining them to kill any germs.  So plastic is the way to go for cutting boards.  It’s what’s recommended for commercial use.  If it’s good enough for a restaurant, then it’s good enough for me!

Is there something not mentioned here that you find to be invaluable in your kitchen?  That you could not do without?  Leave a comment and share your most needed kitchen item!

photo credit: e skene photo credit: allaboutgeorge

This is not a sponsored post – I just love these new FiberOne Brownies!

They’re soft and delicious – not at all like most prepacked brownies I’ve tried.  If you haven’t given them a shot yet, I recommend them – and wouldn’t you know it – you can order them in bulk from Amazon

Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies 38 Ct

On our busiest of days, it may seem like a feat of unnatural human strength to get a healthy, homemade meal on the table for our families. With so many convenient (and cheap!) options to chose from, many moms are relying on fast food as a quick and easy way to fill our children’s bellies with sustenance. In fact, 84% of kids eat fast food at least once a week.

But what are we actually filling those little bellies with?

We are bombarded with commercials on TV showcasing the healthier and more balanced options that restaurants like McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s are featuring. But despite the over-use of buzzwords like “all-natural,” “new and improved” and “healthier options,” are these the things our kids are choosing?

And are those “healthier options” as healthy as we think?

Most Common Offenders

Most popular options for pre-schoolers include french fries, soda, chicken nuggets, cheeseburgers and hamburgers. While there are alternatives for both fries and sodas on many menus, when researchers from a Yale University study went into 250 fast-food restaurants across the country, they found that “over 80% of the time, fries were served with kids’ meals and over half of the time soft drinks were served over healthier options.”

Mass produced, processed and filled with preservatives, artificial flavorings, colorings and other additives, most of these options also present an awfully long list of ingredients.

At McDonald’s, where the Chicken McNuggets are “new and improved” and a common choice for kids, the meat alone contains over seven ingredients. Add another 20 for the breading, including scary additives and chemical preservatives that are also used in silly putty, and you have a very unnatural chicken product that millions of kids consume every single day.

If you’re feeling queasy already, the tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), also found in the McNugget, is a chemical preservative and a form of butane, or, in other words, lighter fluid. Shilo Urban, in an article titled “What’s in Fast Food Chicken? (Hint: It’s NOT Chicken)”, stated that one gram of this can cause a whole host of negative symptoms, while just five grams can kill you.

Author of Eat This, Not That!, David Zinczenko, informs us that McDonald’s isn’t even the guiltiest culprit of multi-ingredient “chicken” nuggets. Wendy’s nuggets have over 30 ingredients while Burger King chicken fries top out at 35.

And while the burgers at McDonald’s appear to be made with 100% ground beef, the buns and processed cheese add a whole host of healthy eating don’ts such as high fructose corn syrup and preservatives.

Wendy’s Frosty, a restaurant staple and a common treat for kids at the fast food chain, has a whopping 14 ingredients in it, despite the common association with a traditional milkshake, which consist of milk and ice cream.

Deli Sandwiches Triumph

Fortunately for us busy moms, while they aren’t plentiful, there are healthier fast food options out there.

According to the Yale Study, the healthiest options are dominated by Subway and Burger King and include menu items such as a veggie delite sandwich, roast beef sandwich, grilled chicken, macaroni and cheese. A junior burger from Sonic with apple slices and unsweet tea even made the list and comes in at 350-calories.

These meals all come with a side of fruit and are absent of sugary soft drinks. They don’t blow our kid’s daily calorie allotments and won’t fill their bodies with excess sodium and saturated fat.

Taking Action

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a recovering Chicken NcNugget addict. Thinking I was making the healthier selection in a sea of greasy burgers and high-calorie salad options, I was nauseous as I read the gory details. Having previously ignored the onslaught of fast food related info, raising a child has forced me to re-examine the nutritional facts and what I have fed him on my most hectic afternoons.

Moving forward, I will certainly be choosing more wisely.

How has this information forced you to re-examine the fast food decisions you have made? What are some of your healthier alternatives for a busy afternoon or evening?

Sure, the beads and bright colors might be attractive. The parades might give off the allure of 24/7 fun. But even when attending Mardi Gras, the main reason many of us love New Orleans so much is the food. Even dishes we’ve come to know so well taste better in the Big Easy. While it might not be feasible for everyone to make the pilgrimage to New Orleans this February, we can always create a little Mardi Gras of our own, right in our own kitchens. Here are a few staples of the New Orleans recipe book.

Jambalaya

Really, you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy jambalaya. It’s a great meal for any time. The best part about jambalaya, aside from the name, is that you can do almost anything with it. Really, the only staples of the dish are rice, tomatoes, and bell peppers. After that you can add almost anything you can imagine. While a traditional New Orleans jambalaya will traditionally contain andouille sausage and shrimp, there are dozens upon dozens of other options. You can also add your own blend of seasonings, spices, and vegetables to get it just how you want it. If you need a guide, and we all do at first, here are a couple of popular recipes:

Emeril’s Mardi Gras Jambalaya
Eula Mae’s chicken and ham jambalaya

Gumbo

Another simple dish you’ll see on many non-New Orleans restaurant menus is gumbo. As with jambalaya it’s a versatile dish, so you can create many variations for your own home. It’s in many ways akin to chili, though in many cases it’s a bit soupier and lighter. Still, it’s a great dish to really experiment and find your own sweet spot. As in most cases, it’s best to search around for a basic recipe and an exotic recipe, and then compare them. That should give you an idea of what you can do with your own gumbo. But if you’re looking for some traditional New Orleans gumbo, here’s a good one.

Good New Orleans Creole Gumbo

And if you want something a little heartier:

Chicken Andouille Gumbo

Crawfish Etouffee

This is something I’ve only had at restaurants, but it’s easy to imagine making it at home. It, like so many other New Orleans dishes, is normally served over a bed of rice. I always love this, because the rice absorbs some of the sauces, giving it its own flavor. The only problem with making this at home is that it might not be easy to find crawfish in your area. You might have to place an order online, at an outlet such as Louisiana Crawfish Company. Once you get those suckers, though, you’re in for a hearty and delicious meal.

Crawfish Etouffee

King Cake

We finish off with a rich and filling dessert, King Cake. It might not seem like much, but this dough-based recipe is one of the most delicious desserts you’ll ever taste. It will definitely take some special shopping, but once you find the ingredients, at your supermarket or online, you’ll be able to finish off a traditional New Orleans meal with one of its stealthily decadent desserts.

Sandra Lee’s King Cake
Suzan Jackson’s King Cake

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m finding myself scouring the web for cheap flights and New Orleans hotels. Mardi Gras is, after all, just a little over a month away.

Joe Pawlikowski is the editor of Prepaid Reviews a site that provides news, commentary, and reviews of prepaid wireless services, such as Tracfone.

One of the most exciting parts — and perhaps the most exciting part — of traveling is experiencing different cuisines. We might get a quality variety of food while at home, but there’s just something about tasting food from a different culture. Whether it’s simply another region of the country or it’s another country altogether, we all enjoy experiencing foods that we simply cannot at home.

The problem is that it can be difficult, if not impossible, to travel at certain points in life. Kids, bundles of joy that they are, mostly prevent extravagant travel. Even if they don’t, they probably won’t want to try the array of foods you want. If they’re anything like my siblings and I growing up, they want McDonald’s for as many meals as possible. Thankfully, there are simple ways to enjoy authentic cuisines right from our homes. It just takes some ingenuity and elbow grease.

Culturally themed restaurants

You might think this is a section detailing how you can find restaurants in your area that serve cuisines foreign to your region. I’m sorry, but that’s just not the case. It’s actually pretty difficult to find authentic cuisine at a random restaurant. Too often it’s a watered-down, lowest common denominator form of the cuisine. What’s the fun in that?

This isn’t even addressing Chinese food, which really isn’t what they eat in China. It’s about any kind of themed restaurant. That restaurant that offers New Orleans flavors? Chances are it’s not quite. Since it’s new and different to the people outside of New Orleans, it’s often tweaked as to make the natives comfortable. And that takes away from its authenticity.

Maybe you’re lucky and have a restaurant or two in your area that do serve authentic cuisines from other regions of the country and world. If so, count yourself lucky. They’re not common, so you’ve stumbled upon a gem.

Cooking yourself

This blog is mostly about cooking, so you probably guessed by this point that cooking yourself is the best way to experience foods from other cultures. It’s not exactly easy, though. There are a few steps you’ll need to take before you can dig into these recipes.

1. Research, research, research. If you don’t know the type of cuisine served in a region, how will you know whether a recipe is authentic or not? It takes plenty of research before you know exactly what kinds of dishes you’d eat in a certain region, and which are hybrids made for diners with less sophisticated palates. Thankfully, a little googling can go a long way in this case. Be sure to look for articles and videos that deal with cultural elements as well as food. The more knowledge, the better.

2. Find recipes. Now we get to a more fun step. Here we can take our research further, looking into what specific restaurants in our favored regions serve. Even better, we can find articles and videos — Food Network is great for this — wherein restauranteurs talk about what goes into their dishes. Having a knowledge of what works with what, along with a few simple recipes, can help greatly. With the knowledge and recipes in hand, we can be sure of creating something reasonably authentic.

3. Shopping for ingredients. More and more grocery stores now have international aisles that carry items you might need for your recipes. If, for instance, you want to cook something Thai, you’ll find plenty of sauces and ingredients that you won’t find in an American-only grocery store. Even better, look for specialty supermarkets. You might not have one in your area, but make sure to search Yelp just to make sure. You’re much more likely to find key ingredients there than you are even at a supermarket with a robust international section.

Bite the bullet and travel

While you can have tons of fun researching cuisines, hunting down ingredients, and cooking authentic meals for yourself, there is always a little joy in traveling to these regions. Not only do you get the food, but you get the whole experience. That’s not something you can recreate in your kitchen. Of course, it’s a whole lot more expensive than finding the ingredients yourself.

Say you want to visit Dallas to try some of their world-famous barbecue. You can scour the web for cheap flights and even find a reasonably priced Dallas hotel. It’s still going to cost you plenty, though. And no, the kids won’t magically disappear for the weekend. So there are still plenty of obstacles in the way. But it’s still possible if you have the freedom and are willing to pay up.

For those of us who don’t and can’t, cooking at home is certainly a better alternative to finding a local restaurant. Chances are it’s not authentic cuisine, anyway. Even better, learning to cook new cuisines can bring new skills. And who doesn’t want to add a few new tricks to their culinary arsenals?

Joe Pawlikowski is the editor of Prepaid Reviews a site that provides news, commentary, and reviews of prepaid wireless services, such as Tracfone.