Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[ken5050]

Morning group! Equipment question.

I've rarely use a blender..find the food processor much better. I have an old one I got at WalMart years ago...it was on sale for $9..makes great margaritas...but lately I see more instances where a blender makes sense. BB&B is running a clearance/closeout sale..they have a Cuisinart Blender marked down from $70 to $40..and I get 20% off of that..so it's $32..I don't care if it's black. Anyone have comments on it? Thanks

[pops88]

I lost all my kitchen equipment that I’d carefully collected over several years- nice Analon pans, Global knives, crystal caviar server, etc. A T.J. Maxx was close to the university when I was having to drive my daughter and wait for her. I stopped in weekly and checked their kitchen ware. Over the course of a year or so I was able to find some really great deals on good, high quality items. I recently found a beautiful Analon grill pan on their clearance rack for $14.00 and figured that was a real score.

Someone mentioned using baking soda as a facial scrub. I use it about once a week to exfoliate. I mix it with a little olive oil and lemon essential oil. A spa near me charges over $100 for a baking soda facial. I get a box of generic for under $0.50. I also mix baking soda, coconut oil, tea tree oil and rosemary oil for brushing my teeth.

[miss marmelstein]

We have a TJ Maxx near us but I never knew what it was. I’ll have to check it out. The pan I mentioned was in Household Goods which is sort of a Marshall’s. Marshall’s used to be fabulous for international foods and condiments but it seems to have fallen off.

[pops88]

Did you mean “Home Goods?” They are a division of T.J. Maxx if you did. There’s a new, combined T.J. Maxx and Home Goods where I am that is huge and I love it. My daughter and her fiance bought a house, so between that and the wedding Home Goods/T.J. Maxx have gotten a lot of my business! There are just so many good deals if you shop regularly and keep an eye out.

[Liz]

SUPERMODEL BEAUTY TIPS---using household products.

TO PREPARE FACE FOR MAKEUP--adjusts the PH balance: Wash face gently. While still damp, spray w/ fine mist of water w/ 1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar added. Then pat gently w/ damp cloth....leave face slightly damp. Then moisturize. Now ready for makeup.

NOTE: Many models do not use soap on their faces since it contains harsh alkalis that dry the skin leading to wrinkles.

When makeup is finished----take a dab of Vaseline and touch it to the top of your cheekbones for a glowing highlight.

===================================================

Want to take 10 years off your face? Use white cosmetic pencil around the sides of your nose...which darkens w/ age. BTW, this is a Hollywood makeup trick.

PREVENT WRINKLES At a very young age--dab olive oil on your forehead frown lines and at the corners of your eyes. Leave on 10 min. Then blot off.

======================================================

Supermodel Carmen Delle'Orefice always had an amazing mane of hair---even into her 80's. Her beauty regimen was to shampoo and rinse her hair as ususal---at the last she poured over a 1/2 gallon of water w/ about 1/4 c apple cider vinegar added.

The vinegar rinses away any shampoo residue...residue which makes hair lifeless and dull.

NEVER, never rinse hair w/ full-strength vinegar---it will strip away all the natural oils.

[miss marmelstein]

Yes. Thanks to you, I found a TJ Maxx and got my All-Clad for....19 dollars plus tax! So thanks a lot.

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

Check out America’s Test Kitchen equipment recommendations. Try the Tfal pro non stick aluminum disk bottom skillet. +/- 40 bucks. Teflon lasts forever just about and no hot spots. Very very nice pan. Try the Victronox Fibrox handled chefs knife. Way better than my Henkels. Also about 40. I have both. Both are cheap as dirt and awesome. To sharpen knives get an accusharp, pull your blades through 3 or 4 times every 6 months or so, then just steel your blades after each use. It is about $10 at Walmart. Blades so sharp you can shave with them. Forget expensive sharpeners. The accusharp works miracles.

[Jamestown1630]

I’ve adored Carmen for decades. I remember when she did a nude spread for Harper’s Bazaar when she was over 50. She was still beautiful, and that’s Chutzpah!

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

We have several pieces of All-Clad, and we like it a lot. We once found a pristine grill pan at the thrift store, and paid only 12 or 14 dollars for it. Came home and looked it up; at the time it was going for over $70.00 on Amazon!

As long as it has no flaws, you got a very good deal!

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

I’ve never heard of using baking soda for a facial. Do you put it on like a mask, or do you ‘scrub’ with it?

I understand the ‘logic’ behind the aspirin, because it’s mildly acidic; but how does the baking soda work?

I want to try it. But I’ve only used baking soda as a scalp scrub.

-JT

[miss marmelstein]

It looks good. I’m sure it will be fine.

[Jamestown1630]

In my experience, a blender is much better for pureeing soups, making smoothies, Daiquiris, etc.

Cuisinart is a good company, and it looks like you’d be getting an excellent price. But look it up on Amazon, and read all the reviews for the model.

I’ve got a pretty old Osterizer that still works fine, but has gotten ugly. When we moved into our current place, I wanted everything possible in our new kitchen to be Copper: including toaster and blender. The toaster has held up very well, but a copper blender is a pain: too hard to clean, so easily spotted.

Now husband is looking at a Breville (Champagne taste, Beer budget ;-). But as long as the Osterizer is holding up, we can SAVE up.

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Yes; I cut myself once, and got blood on my favorite white blouse. One of my co-workers hit it with HP: worked perfectly.

-JT

[Liz]

She’s had some tough times-—lost her life savings in bad stock deals-—had to sell some of her fabulous photos.

Then....she was advised to invest w/ (drum roll please) infamous crook Madoff...and lost all that money.

[Jamestown1630]

I know. But she’s still a triumph of Spirit and Beauty!

(And an inspiration to old ladies everywhere ;-)

-JT

[pops88]

Gently scrub with the baking soda. It exfoliates, i.e. it’s a mild abrasive to help wash away dead skin cells. It’s not recommended to use it everyday, but only once or twice a week.

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks. I’ll try.

[Stand Watch Listen]

Believe this solution came from a "Hints From Heloise" column. My mother was constantly sending the hints while I was in school..

• Combine 3 cups baking soda with 1 cup warm water in a small bowl or bucket. Mix the solution to form a paste.

• Apply the paste to the stained grout. Work in small areas so the paste doesn't dry out as you clean.

• Scrub the paste into the grout with an old medium-bristle toothbrush or a soft scrub brush. Add more paste if some dirt remains, and scrub the area a second time.

• Rinse the baking soda residue from the grout with clear water. Inspect for remaining stains, and clean the area with the baking-soda paste again if some stains remain.

• Wipe the grout dry after cleaning to prevent water spots or hard-water stains from forming.

• Spray tub-and-tile cleaner containing bleach onto badly stained areas. Allow the cleaner to soak on the grout for two to three minutes, and then wipe clean with a damp rag.

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks! I have some time coming up soon, and I’m going to try all of these ideas.

Best,
JT

[ken5050]

I'm 6'4"..Happily I have a 9' ceiling...when I installed the rack, I carefully measured the length of my largest pan, and adjusted the chain links accordingly. I clear it by 1/2"...

Peg boards can be helpful.. I always had them in the garage..for the tools..problem is most kitchens don't have enough wall space. I'm actually getting comfortable in my much smaller kitchen. I put up lots of extra shelves in the adjacent laundry room/pantry..

I would however, KILL for 3 more feet of counter space..