Dust Off the Forgotten Kitchen Appliances
When my husband and I got married, we combined all of our kitchen appliances. Both of us had accumulated a kitchen full of various gadgets in the years since college. I thought everything I contributed were “must haves” for any cook, and looked quite skeptically at many of the items my husband contributed. What in the world was I ever going to do with a silly George Foreman type grill that I’d only seen on infomercials? I thought you only made hamburgers with it. After recently giving it a try, I have to give my husband kudos for contributing a great appliance.
I decided to try the indoor grill after eating some delicious grilled fish tacos at a restaurant. We have an outdoor grill but I cook dinner while simultaneously chasing our one-year-old so that’s not too safe. I remembered the dusty George Foreman type grill and gave it a try after giving it a good cleaning. I let the grill warm up for about 5 minutes and then sprayed it with cooking spray. I had thawed some tilapia in the refrigerator overnight. I liberally sprinkled both sides of the fish with blackening seasoning, threw the pieces on the grill, shut the lid and let the machine do its job. Meanwhile, I chopped lettuce and tomatoes, heated some tortillas in the microwave, put cheese and salsa in bowls, and prepared a side of corn.
In less than ten minutes, the fish was perfectly cooked and dinner was ready. I was amazed at how tasty and easy the tacos were to make. They are now a family favorite. (Grilling time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish. Cook until fish is white and flaky.)
I’ve since made grilled vegetables, shrimp, and veggie burgers on the grill – all have turned out delicious.
Do you have appliances you never use? Dust them off and give them another try – you never know what you’ll discover!
Drop me a comment and share your favorite kitchen appliances or gadgets.
A few weekends ago I was treated to the magnificence that is a grilled sandwich made in a George Foreman grill. Perfection (unlike the consistently burned ones I make on the stove).
My favorite surprising kitchen appliance is a handheld blender – great for blending soups in the pot that they are cooked in.
My cheapest “appliance” is a river rock that fits my hand perfectly. I use it for smashing garlic cloves and anything else that needs smashing. When I was an International 4-H Youth Exchange Representative to Trinidad and Tobago, all of my host moms had a rock in their kitchens which was used for pounding garlic and spices. One even had an old tombstone-like slab which was her pounding surface.
Since I’ve tried crushing garlic with the flat side of a knife and it usually shoots across the room, I prefer my rock because the garlic never escapes its wrath.
thanks for the reminder about the foreman grills….that is perfect for cooking up something quick and easy. I will have to pull mine out tonight and use it! (and since it is suppose to 90 degrees outside, that should save some on energy!)