Pie Crust Cutters

For whenever I want 'openings' in a top pie crust and don't want to make just slits or a strip-lattice top, I can use these which I call my "lazy cutters". With these, I can cut designs on 9" or 10" top crusts.

Below:  I think(?) these first two are made by Norpro and 

they sold for $3.48 each.   They might cost a bit more 

these days. (?)  If you are interested in buying

any of these 'forms', you could check at a kitchen 

supply kind of store, or...just do a google search for

" Lattice & Hearts Pie Top Cutters "

Once you bring up a list of websites, click on "images"

so you can see the various design disks that 

are available and from where.

Below:  I think the next two are from Nordic Ware.  On the left (below), the red pie crust cutter with heart design is REVERSIBLE and can be found at: http://www.everythingkitchens.com/nordic-ware-heart-lattice-pie-cutter-04010.html

On the right, this gold pie crust cutter with the apple design is ALSO reversible and can be found at:  
http://www.everythingkitchens.com/nordic-ware-leaves-apples-pie-cutter-04020.html

 As shown below, this is the pattern on the 

reverse side of the two pictured above...

 The designs are raised and their edges are quite sharp.  

To use them, I first roll the crust to the thickness I want.  Then, I carefully lift it from the table and lay it across the designed disk.  Next, I take the rolling pin and gently press it down as I roll it over the sharp edges of the crust designs.  Just make sure you have the crust rolled down on ALL areas of the raised designs so that when you lift the crust to put it on the pie, you have well-cut openings which make your design.  Some bakers say to lightly dust either the crust or the design disk so that you'll be able to more easily lift the crust off.  

Below:  When I've used the pre-made crusts like what came in this box, I haven't had to flour the crust nor the disk.  But, I suppose if the crust were to get a little too warm, I would HAVE to use a little flour to prevent sticking/tearing. (?)

Apple peeler, corer, slicer...

As long as there are paring knives and other 'sharp things' with which to give an apple a good trimmin', a gadget like this isn't on a "HAVE TO HAVE" list!  But, for me, it's in my list of gadgets that I "LIKE TO HAVE"!


With this, I can get a pile of apples ready for a pie or a crisp in a real hurry.    I'm sure every one of you have already seen one, and many of you probably have one.

Below:  When the apple has gone 'all the way through', like this, I carefully pull it off and chop it up as seen in the bottom photo.

Below:  If I want slices for an apple pie, I cut the slices in half or thirds.  For a recipe that calls for chopped apples, I make 1/2" cuts all the way around.  This works so SLICK.  SLICK and QUICK!!!!!

Knife Sharpener

The long 'thing' with the black handle works like magic!--  I really like this knife sharpener. 

I didn't know a sharpener like this existed until I got it as a gift from my daughter's husband who works in a meat cutting shop (so, he would know!).    With this, I have such an easy time keeping my knives sharp....

Before this came to me, I was using (mostly unsuccessfully) several different "Mickey Mouse" kinds of sharpeners.  I had three different kinds in my kitchen drawer.  Not anymore.  Thanks, John!

Wheat Grinder

At the beginning of my recipes using whole wheat flour (well,... not the REALLY far back beginning as in the 'planting/growing' beginning), I see this... 

After a thorough dusting (pouring the wheat back 'n forth from one container to another outside in a strong wind), I put it in the wheat grinder which I've had since the mid-80's.  I don't know if everyone's machine lasts THIS long, but............. I LIKE!!!!

Below:  The freshly ground wheat ends up looking like this...  it's ready to use for baking.  (I promptly refrigerate any left-over flour.)

Where did I get the wheat from? A number of years ago, my hubby drove to Peshtigo and bought a few 100# burlap sacks of hard Winter wheat from a farmer-- it was amazingly clean!!!!!!!   I think it's also amazing that if stored in ideal conditions, wheat stays g-o-o-d for a long while (in its whole/unground state, that is).

One source for ordering  whole wheat is here:  www.beprepared.com

FoodSaver Appliance (Gadget?)

This post is about something I've come to appreciate using for more things than just 'the usual'.  Thank you, PJ, it's yours, but I sure do like using it!  I'm referring to a FoodSaver.  By using it the way I do, my 'family of two' can easily and conveniently have a variety of food without eating 'one thing' over and over until it's gone.  I can save money when buying the bags for the FoodSaver it if I get the kind that's labeled "SimplySmart Universal Vacuum Sealer Bags".  (On the cover of their box, they list five different brands of vacuum sealers they'll work with.)  This brand of bags might be sold all around(?), but I bought mine at Fleet Farm.

Upon PJ's suggestion, which I greatly appreciate, I can make a large pan/dish of food and we can first enjoy it fresh from the oven...

Then, tightly cover the left-over portion and refrigerate it for 10-12 hours, or until it firms up.  After that, cut it into squares (as seen below) and put the 'blocks' into little plastic containers like this...

Snap their covers on, stick 'em into the freezer for about 10-12 hours.   Once frozen through, I get them out, pop 'em out of their little plastic containers and stick the frozen squares into a FoodSaver quart-sized bag-- 'suck the breath' out, label/date (as seen below), and put them back into the freezer.  Handled this way, they really do taste 'fresh' for at least three months,-- or, more?   (See my note at the bottom about foods that, individually, do not freeze well.*)

Above:  I do not put the 'name/date' on the place that is provided for it on the bags.  Instead, I write on the tab that will be cut off/discarded when opening/using the food.  This way, again concentrating on being a bit 'thrifty', I end up with a vacuum seal bag that can be thoroughly cleaned and re-used for something smaller the next time around (small block of cheese, or ???).

Another use:  I found that I can freeze some FRESHLY BAKED MONSTER COOKIES in single layers, get them out of the freezer, vacuum seal them in a gallon-size bag, and send them to the West-- when I follow these steps,** and use some sort of packing material, the cookies arrive in 'great shape'. (When sealing those frozen cookies, I double-deck them with their backs together.) 

And, another:  FoodSavers are good for prolonging the life of many things-- I'm sure you have a list longer than I do!  As I've done in the past, I vacuum packed a couple of blocks of dipping chocolate that are so readily available at this time of the year-- also, a few of the large Hershey bars that I use for a certain recipe, etc.

And, another:  Recently a family of two moved from out-of-State.  Knowing they would be living in a 'sea of boxes' for a little while, I took a number (and variety) of vacuum sealed 'food blocks' to them.  They said they really appreciated being able to have a home-cooked meal with that kind of convenience. 

I think the list of possible uses for a vacuum sealer is almost.............. endless!
 
So,...INhale!, Mr. FoodSaver,...I . like . YOU!!!!

*Note about foods that don't freeze as well:  While I've found that foods combined in a casserole seem to freeze well and taste fresh when thawed, there are foods that don't 'do well' on their own.  If you want to check out a site or two on this subject, click on...
http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-foods_that_do_not_freeze_well.htm
OR
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/dont_freeze_foods.html
OR
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/askext/freezing/4451.htm
There are more sites, but you should get a pretty good idea of what to expect when  freezing certain foods from this information.

**When I did not freeze the cookies first, they sort of crumbled as the air was being sucked out.  Not a good thing!  Even on the 'manual' setting, it wasn't a good experience for the cookies!  This 'vacuum sealing method' of sending cookies may not work with 'delicate' varieties, but,...................m-a-y-b-e.................. it would........if they were first frozen and then quickly sealed. (???)

Parchment Paper Use

My comment about parchment paper:  I LIKE PARCHMENT PAPER!!!!  I'm including this post under "Gadgets I Like" because it makes baking e-a-s-y and I have no big cookie sheets/pans to wash!  The parchment paper I use is thoughtfully and generously furnished by my daughter Paula who lives in Utah-- they come 100/pack. 

If you don't have someone 'in the West' to get these for you, the website is:
http://www.gygi.com/shop/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=parchment+paper

These might be intended for one-time usage, but........................ being a sort of thrifty-minded person, I wipe them off with a clean cloth after making cookies and  find I can use them over and over, again.  The only exception being when I make something that is extraordinarily sticky or on the greasy side.  The photo below shows what the parchment paper looked like after I baked these Whoopie Pies (pictured at the top of this posting)...

With a quick wipe of a clean damp cloth, you can see  below that it's ready for the next go'round.  This = economical!

Strainers instead of a real sifter...

Meet my triplets...

I own two actual sifters (the kind specifically made for sifting flour, or other powdery things).  But, since watching Martha Stewart do kitchen things a long time ago, I switched to using these kinds of strainers ever since and use them for sifting flour and so much more.  (The regular flour sifter would make the powdered sugar get ticked off to the point of it being filled with static, etc.)  These are quite inexpensive, and......... they are multi-purpose in that I also grab them for what they were probably made for-- straining different kinds of liquids (chicken stock, included).   Also, after I pour unground wheat from one container to another in a strong outside wind, I like to bounce it around in a strainer like this-- any lingering fine dust slips out the bottom.  I like their little 'kettle resting' tabs opposite of the handle end.  My daughter Cheryl said that if she buys extra white sugar when it's on sale and it ends up with little clumps by the time she uses it, she just runs it through a strainer like this and everything's flowing just 'fine' in no time! These strainers just happen to be my preference for de-lumping things.

Warmer 'thing'

My Uncle Fred, into his 90's, was aways thinking of ways to share the kinds of things (gadgets) that he liked in his own kitchen.  Thus, I ended up with a gadget just like his and I REALLY like it-- it's something I use A LOT!!

When something on the burner is 'done' and the other burners are still 'busy', or when I just want to make sure something stays warm without further cooking, it's so easy to grab this little metal thing.
As you can see in the next picture, it is two layers of metal with an air pocket in between...

Graters

I'm reminded of an old tune, "..♪...it may be silly, but ain't it fun! ♪"  Ah, yes-- it might be silly to like gadgets, but,...  gadgets that make food preparation easy without being expensive can be a good thing!

Above:  For years, I've had the grater on the left-- it has places for 'small grating' and 'larger grating'.  I thought all was good-- that was, until Paula brought me the grater on the right with the much larger grating openings.  Now, when I don't need 'small/medium  gratings' and I'm in a hurry, I grab the one of the right (I like it!).  On the plate, you can see the size of cheese that each of the 'grate holes' make.

There's something else I like the large grater for:  When a recipe calls for softened butter and I only have 'cold stuff', I quickly grate it and in almost no time at all,-- like magic!-- the butter has softened.

Slicer Thingy

Here's another gadget my elderly Uncle Fred had sent to me back in the mid-80's.  The original picture on the packaging showed them to be a sort of  'tomato saw' with which you could end up with a bunch of uniformly sliced (sawed) tomatoes. 

Below:  One side of its blades has little 'saw teeth'...

While I do have a regular egg slicer, I find myself grabbing this little 'saw', first, when making egg salad sandwiches-- and then doing the chopping with the metal kind of meat chopper which I pictured in a different posting under GADGETS.

Hamburger 'Choppers'

Two kinds of hamburger busters....

So many years ago, when I was working with Young Women, we had a pizza party at Carol H.'s house.  With a nifty metal gadget exactly like the one the left, she was breaking up chunks of hamburger in her frying pan.  Nifty!   It didn't take me long to have one of my own.  Then, as time went on, I fell for some non-stick frying pans and I knew the sharp metal edges on this chopper would make owies in them.   So,........................ I found another use for the metal gadget:  I use it in any glass container and gently chop boiled eggs prior to making egg salad sandwiches.  It's quick and works slicker than snail snot (that's a description I learned from our fix-it guy Mike).    So,.........................

After watching some shows of Living with Amy on Channel 11 each morning at 9 O'clock, I noticed her breaking up chunks of browning hamburger with the kind of plastic gadget pictured on the right-- the kind that can't hurt a kettle/pan.  Thanks to Pam, I ended up with one of my own.  I use it so much.