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Family Matters:  What is your most unnecessary kitchen necessity?  |
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rough start farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3331 Posts
marianne
The Beautiful Pacific NW
Washington State
USA
3331 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 16 2012 : 3:14:30 PM
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So my daughter is preparing to leave her "cubby" (studio apartment in the upstairs of an outbuilding on our acreage) to move to the Seattle area in search of better career opportunities.
She will be living with a young man who may very well be "her person" for the rest of her life. They are not getting married yet so there will be no registry. However, they need almost everything.
My daughter and her intended (for lack of a better word) visited my MIL and Grandma whole-heartedly backed the whole idea of these young people making a go of it. So knowing that the kids don't have a pot to "cook" in, Grandma offered to scour the Goodwills, etc in her area for some essentials to help set them up...
Here's what my MIL has picked up
1) a nutcracker
2) a hand held strainer (not a colander)
3) a melon-baller (that she insists on calling a "de-baller")
So, what is your most unnecessary kitchen necessity? Because, those three items pretty much make MY list of unnecessary ANYthing! But, I guess Grandma's heart is in the right place...
Marianne |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2012 : 3:55:19 PM
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I think it's the mini-crock pot warmer, that doesn't get very warm, that my MIL got me "to warm the baby's ketchup so she won't get a tummy ache" with. It's ridiculous and has never been used once in 11 years!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2012 : 4:12:53 PM
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wicker paper plate holders (impossible to clean, and on top of that , I do not use paper plates), most blenders, battery powered anything, and all "As seen on TV" junk...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2012 : 6:40:04 PM
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I have a cheese grater thingy with interchangeable blades. It was free. Need I say more?
Cindy
"Vast floods can't quench love, no matter what love did/ Rivers can't drown love, no matter where love's hid"--Sinead O'Connor
"In many ways, you don't just live in the country, it lives inside you"--Ellen Eilers
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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rough start farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3331 Posts
marianne
The Beautiful Pacific NW
Washington State
USA
3331 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2012 : 11:26:03 PM
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So far, I think Angela has us all beat with the ketchup warmer!
Marianne |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2012 : 12:26:54 AM
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lol funny I like those three things! lol
The nutcracker-we LOVE crab legs and nuts. lol
The hand held strainer if it is what I think it is, I use mine at least once a week, my husband bought himself his own. I use mine to rinse my quinoa (has a film that needs to be rinsed so it won't taste bad), and dh likes to strain oil with his. lol Also great for making yogurt cheese, and other such stuff too. I use it a lot really.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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edlund33
True Blue Farmgirl
1515 Posts
Marilyn
Renton
WA
USA
1515 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2012 : 07:11:40 AM
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Wow, some great ideas but the ketchup warmer definitely takes the lead so far.....
When I moved out my grandma gave me her prized "Nutmeg grinder". It's a little metal box on the end of a handle. You hold the whole nutmeg (has anyone ever seen one of these in a store?) and grind it over the box, which collects the ground spice.
She also gave me a bunch of old worn out appliances (toaster, waffle iron, coffee percolator, mix master) from back in the era when you bought one power cord (Brown) to share between the appliances.....When my Dad saw that he smiled and told me NOT to use them! I still have all of these items but they are now part of my antiques collection.
Different generations sure see things of value in different lights!
Cheers! ~ Marilyn
Farm Girl No. 1100
http://blueskyanddaisies.blogspot.com
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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crafter
True Blue Farmgirl
2313 Posts
lori
Fort Atkinson
Wisconsin
USA
2313 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2012 : 09:37:29 AM
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I have my Grandmothers vineger pitcher, it's small, clear glass and has a glass topper..my Grandmother always had vinegar in it that she would add to whatever she may be eating- it too is in my antique collection and is used for display only...I also have some very small cookie cutters that were given to me to cut special shapes of cheese, I'm saving those if I ever have grandchildren for the play doh!
Lori |
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GirlwithHook
True Blue Farmgirl
922 Posts
Alyce
Madison
WI
USA
922 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2012 : 6:22:18 PM
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The glass pitcher (goodness only knows how old it is) that my mother used with a hand-beater for mixing instant pudding. I've actually been known to use it for liquids! 
Herbes de Provence and bay leaves. My two favorite (in that order) seasonings!
A hook, a book, and a good cup of coffee.... |
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Canadian farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Lori
Ontario
Canada
482 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 05:32:51 AM
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I have an electric can opener that was always hard to use...what a dust collector. Good old hand crank one, works every time!
Lori
Farmgirl Sister #183 |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
6839 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
6839 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 4:45:25 PM
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| I think junky old pots and pans that are warped and have loose handles!! And those already cheap burned cookie sheets!!! Here is what I suggest: better to have a few good items than a kitchen full of useless hand me downs. I think essentials include: good quality butcher and paring knife, knife sharpener, decent pots, cast iron skillet, working crock pot(could be second hand as long as it is decent), washable cutting board, tongs, good hard plastic cooking utensils, hand crank can opener, measuring spoons and cups , and a good quality baking sheet. |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 5:09:07 PM
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My most useless piece would be the french-fry cutter that will sever all of your fingers if you do try to put a potato through it. Especially since we also just make oven fries by cutting potatoes into wedges. Winnie, you can repurpose those worn out cookie sheets. I used one to line my pantry shelf where the oils are kept. That way, any oil drippings from olive oil bottles, etc. drip on the sheet and not on the wood. I also have a 'ketchup warmer'...it came free with my crock pot but was touted as a dip warmer. Problem is, it's too small to get your hand in without burning it for dip! Think it's been in the closet for 15 years unused...
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE
Chapter Leader, Connecticut Simpler Life Sisters
Suburban Farmgirl Blogger
http://sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ |
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sissarge
True Blue Farmgirl
502 Posts
Linda
Montgomery
Texas
USA
502 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 5:27:41 PM
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| Well--thanks, Nicole, how easy, but it takes someone else to turn the light on. The suggestion of using the cookie sheet to put under your oils. I change the paper, I wash the bottles after each use, (yes I do) I hate the greasy mess on the shelf liner, which I change about 3 times a year (only under the oils) Before I could type this to you, I went and cleaned out my shelf, and changed the liner and stuck a well used cookie sheet under the oils. YYeeaaa! Thanks again. So nice, I love getting ideals from my farm sisters. Thanks and have a great week! Farmgirl #946 Linda |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 7:07:49 PM
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I love the cookie sheet idea too! I don't have any bad ones around as I like good quality stuff too, but I think I will pick one up at the next garage sale or whatever just for this use! I have a butcher block table for my "oils" and such, and I've been trying to figure this out what to put under it, just this week in fact! So I love this idea. I will use shelf paper on the pan too! lol haha
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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rough start farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3331 Posts
marianne
The Beautiful Pacific NW
Washington State
USA
3331 Posts |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 7:36:57 PM
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Duh, I,ve been using the large plastic lid from an oat container. Cookie sheet would be better. Here I come Goodwill!
Marianne |
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Red Tractor Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
6839 Posts
Winnie
Gainesville
Fl
USA
6839 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2012 : 04:34:19 AM
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Nicole- Yes, that is a great use for a burned out cookie sheet!!Thanks!
Winnie #3109
Red Tractor Girl |
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pennyhenny
True Blue Farmgirl
304 Posts
Missy
Dayton
OH
USA
304 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2012 : 06:00:36 AM
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I have a ceramic used tea bag holder which has a lid. So the idea is to put the wet used tea bag inside and put the lid on it. LOL It's cute though!
hugs,
-missy-
Happiness held is the seed; Happiness shared is the flower.
John Harrigan |
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momshopsalotta
True Blue Farmgirl
232 Posts
Connie
Hertford
NC
USA
232 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2012 : 06:14:48 AM
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| Hey, I have a great idea to re-purpose all those unused "ketchup warmers"... start throwing fondue parties!! |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2012 : 06:31:16 AM
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I tried to come up with an idea for the darned thing. I love the idea of cheese melter!!!! I always melt cheese for the girls to use for brussel sprouts. I can finally use the little dust catcher once a week and when we do cookouts. We all love melted butter to baste over our corn on the cob. It would work great for that!!!!
Thanks Connie!!!!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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Family Matters: What is your most unnecessary kitchen necessity? |
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What is your most unnecessary kitchen necessity?
