Review This Reviews!

Showing posts with label kitchen appliances. Show all posts

Friday, December 15, 2023

Presto GranPappy Electric Deep Fryer Review

When my husband requested beignets this past week, I realized it was time to purchase a new Fry Daddy. After all, my original Fry Daddy was over 40 years old. It served me well for decades, but the time had arrived to retire it. The last few times that I have made beignets, I fried them in my electric skillet. Of course, that works just fine, but I prefer the deep fryer that a Fry Daddy offers for beignets or french fries.

My husband's parents were born in Louisiana and we still have relatives living in Louisiana, including my own sister. Beignets have always been a part of our lives. After all, one cannot hail from New Orleans and not be familiar with the fabulous Cafe Du Monde and their delicious beignets. In fact, you cannot visit New Orleans without visiting Cafe Du Monde. It is just not done!

Since we reside 400 miles away from New Orleans and Cafe Du Monde, we must settle for the next best thing. A box of Cafe Du Monde Beignet Mix and a deep fryer!

Preparing to replace my beloved Fry Daddy, I ventured over to Amazon where I discovered the GranPappy! Oh, yeah! Now we're talking!!!

This larger version of the original Fry Daddy is awesome! I can cook approximately 10 beignets at a time in the GranPappy, which means I am eating them much sooner. Okay, well, it really means I am sitting down to eat them much sooner. I always "snack" on them as I am cooking. They are simply too hard to resist!

By comparison, the Fry Daddy holds 4 cups of oil and the GranPappy holds 6 cups of oil. The GranPappy deep fryer is taller and wider as shown in the photo below.

Presto GranPappy Electric Deep Fryer

Presto 05411 GranPappy Electric Deep Fryer

I love the larger size! It makes me wish I had purchased a GranPappy years ago.

I cook in my electric skillets a few times each month, but when it comes to deep frying smaller items like french fries, beignets, hush puppies, fried okra, etc, I prefer the FryDaddy or my new GranPappy deep fryer. Because of the taller, more narrow designs, they simply do not pop or splatter oil out as much as the shorter sides of an electric skillet will. I don't enjoy being popped by hot oil, but we do love our fried foods. Therefore, I consider the GranPappy deep fryer an essential appliance in my kitchen.

It takes 15 minutes for the oil too heat in the GranPappy deep fryer. Keep in mind, you are cooking with hot oil. I highly recommend using the slotted spoon that comes with the GranPappy to lower your food into the oil. "Dropping" food into hot oil causes the hot oil to splash back on you and trust me, it burns.

When you are finished cooking, be sure to allow your oil to completely cool (I allow a few hours) before you remove the oil and clean the deep fryer.

Since the GranPappy has a detachable electric cord, I wash the deep fryer after each use. I have a separate pot with a strainer for storing the oil for reuse. The lip design allows you to easily pour the oil from the unit without making a mess. Alternately, you can store cooled oil in the GranPappy itself. It comes with a plastic lid just for that reason. Just be sure to wait for the oil and unit to completely cool before you put the lid on.

Cafe Du Monde Beignet Mix, 28 Oz (Pack of 1)

The GranPappy has only one temperature, therefore there are no controls to adjust. It maintains the proper frying temperature automatically.

It comes with a frying timetable to help you determine how long you need to cook food. For instance, fresh cut french fries take 6 to 10 minutes, but raw, battered shrimp only takes 3 to 5 minutes. Chicken will take longer (up to 18 minutes) depending on the size of the piece. Personally, I cook fried chicken in my electric skillet since I am cooking 8 to 10 pieces at a time, but I wouldn't hesitate to cook chicken in this deep fryer if I was only cooking a few wings or legs.

The beignets only take a few minutes to fry to perfection!

Friday, January 20, 2023

Huge 14" Dash Electric Skillet Reviewed

I have cooked with electric skillets my entire adult life, and that's a long time. My parents gave me a new electric skillet for my last birthday. It is very large, but I was thrilled with the gift. I knew immediately that it would reduce the length of time it took me to fry chicken simply because I could fry double the amount at one time in one electric skillet.

In the past, when I fried chicken, it took almost 2 hours in one electric skillet. Years ago, my brother gave me a second electric skillet so I could use two at a time. That has been a fabulous time saver, but it still required clean up of two electric skillets.

My first experience with my new large Dash electric skillet was, of course, frying chicken. This skillet will fry 6 - 8 chicken breasts or thighs (depending on size), 10 - 12 legs, or a combination of pieces all at one time in approximately 45 minutes. I deep fry my chicken so it does take a lot of vegetable oil to fill the skillet, but it took a lot for 2 electric skillets too.

The clean up is much easier than with my original electric skillets. After I dispose of the oil, I wipe out the Dash skillet, set it in my sink and wash the inside of the skillet. Thus far, after several uses, the skillet doesn't even look like it needs to be washed after I wipe it out, but I still wash it!

When my siblings were home for the holidays, I took my Dash skillet over to my mom's house to cook. My oldest brother joined me in the kitchen to make our family spaghetti. There is no real set recipe for the family spaghetti. We have a basic beginning of ingredients, but then we season with "whatever" to taste.

I must say, cooking the spaghetti with my brother was one of my all-time favorite cooking experiences. He brings a whole new attitude to preparing a meal. Think the French Chef! He adds a dash of this and a dash of that to create a delicious dinner. I will never be able to duplicate that spaghetti, but it truly was the best I have ever eaten. Would you believe we added worcestershire sauce to it? As Emeril would say, that certainly "kicked it up a notch"!

Most recently, I fried pork chops in my Dash electric skillet. Wow! How awesome it was to be able to fry 10 boneless breakfast chops at once. For another dinner night, I fried 6 bone-in 3/4" pork chops all at one time. They were all tender and outstanding! As a matter of fact, my husband said the bone-in chops were the best he had ever had including what he had eaten in restaurants.

I can hardly wait to try something new in my Dash electric skillet!

The 14" Dash Family Size Electric Skillet

DASH Family Size Electric Skillet with 14 inch Nonstick Surface + Recipe Book for Pizza, Burgers, Cookies, Fajitas, Breakfast & More, 20 Cup Capacity, 1400-WattCheck PriceAfter I received the Dash Electric Skillet, I was anxious to try it out. I've been pleasantly surprised by this skillet. It cooks evenly and cleans up quickly.

The tempered glass lid has a seal around it that locks in the heat, almost creating a steam effect to cooking. I credit that for why the pork chops I cooked were so tender.

Features of the Dash Skillet

20 cup capacity
2.5" Depth
Tempered Glass Lid with seal
Non-stick Surface
PFOA-Free (the chemicals used on nonstick surfaces)
Cool Touch Handles
Removable Cord
Non-Slip Feet
4.5-qt. capacity
6.7"H x 18.9"W x 16.5"D

I came across this interesting video on Youtube. I thought you might enjoy watching it too. I never would have thought to make a pizza in the skillet.

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Mr Coffee 12 Cup Coffee Maker Review

There is never a shortage of coffee in our house, and there is no doubt about it, we love our coffee.

It seems that about every two or three years we are buying a new coffee maker. The Mr. Coffee 12-cup programmable with rapid Brew is our newest addition to our kitchen.

We have had many different brands of coffee makers over the years and they all seem to certainly fit our needs. This time we decided to go back to Mr. Coffee. I didn't realize it until I opened the box that I bought such a colorful coffee maker.

There is nothing better than waking up to a hot fresh cup of coffee in the morning. I use the programmable setting so that when we wake up the coffee is ready.

Mr. Coffee 12 Programmable Coffee Maker Features:

Strong Brew Selector for a bolder cup of coffee. (My favorite)
Delay Brew set it ahead and wake up to fresh coffee.
The freshness timer monitors how fresh the coffee is from the time it's brewed.
Grab-A-Cup Pause when you need a cup before brewing is finished.
2 Hour Auto Shut-Off automatically turns off the coffee maker so you don't have to.
Easy View Water Window lets you see the exact water level as you fill, for no overflows.
Lift and Clean Filter Basket for fast easy clean-up.
Rapid Brew System.

I really like the rapid brew system it brews a pot of coffee 20% faster than previous models. This is a great feature if friends drop over and you need a quick pot of coffee.

It's easy to make less than 12 cups with the easy view water window and adjusting the amount of coffee. The coffee maker requires 12-cup basket-style coffee filters (Not Included).

So far we are pleased with our new Mr. Coffee Maker, and it is reasonably priced so you won't have to take out a loan to buy this one.

If you happen to need a smaller coffee maker this 5-Cup Mr. Coffee Maker is reviewed by my friend, Pat Austin right here on ReviewThisReviews.

Find more Product Reviews Here: ReviewThisProductReviews.com

Mr. Coffee 12-Cup Coffee Maker, Black (Red)Check the Price

FOLLOW US ON:

Wednesday, June 8, 2022

The Best Powerful Lightweight Stick Blender With Versatile Attachments

A stick blender, also called an immersion blender, is great for puréeing soups and sauces. Using a lightweight stick blender with a whisk attachment can be a lot more comfortable to use than a traditional hand mixer for mixing batters or whipping heavy cream. Several months ago, after the plastic housing and whip attachment on my 1980s-era Braun MR72 MultiPractic deluxe hand held blender with variable speed control eventually cracked, I did a lot of online research before choosing a new stick blender.

The Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender (model MU-HB-02) is one of my most used kitchen tools. It is also one of the best kitchen gifts and can replace several small appliances!

Ultimately, I purchased a Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender (model MU-HB-02) with three versatile attachments: an immersion blender, a wire whisk and frother. Today I'll share my review of this excellent, powerful, lightweight stick blender.

The Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender Is Surprisingly Powerful

Having used the Braun MR72 MultiPractic stick blender and whisk attachment for several decades gave me a much better idea of which features were important to me when choosing my next model of one of these small appliances. After narrowing down my top contenders for a new immersion blender, the powerful 500W motor on the Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender (model MU-HB-02) weighed heavily in its favor, since the 150W motor on my old Braun made it underpowered for my needs.

When using any immersion blender, it's important to hold the blades above the bottom of the pot, pan or other container and control the tool as the suction created by the blade and its housing try to force the shaft downward. The first time I used the blending shaft attachment on my new Müeller hand blender, I could feel how much more power it has compared to my old Braun model!

Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender speed control dial, power button and turbo button

The slim, contoured, ergonomic shape is easy for even a small hand like mine to hold comfortably. The speed control knob turns continuously, and the power and turbo buttons require just a thumb press.

Variable Speed Control Knob, One-Touch On/Off Button and Turbo Button Let You Control That Power Easily

My old model had a variable-speed control dial, but it had only 6 speeds. That, in combination with the 150W motor, provided a very limited range of speeds. By contrast, the Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender (model MU-HB-02) offers a choice of 9 speeds, thanks to multiple power and speed controls that give you more control over its powerful 500W motor.

The top of the motor body housing is the speed control knob. On the side near the top are two stacked buttons: The power button and the turbo button.

Speed Control Knob: After inserting the desired attachment—immersion blender, whisk or frother—into the motor body housing, plug the hand blender into the wall outlet. Then, the speed control dial clockwise to increase the speed or counter-clockwise to decrease the speed.

Power Button: Press your thumb on the one-touch on/off power button to turn on the motor and continue to depress it as you blend, whisk or froth your food or beverage. Release the button to turn off the hand blender. The company advises not to hold the Power button down for longer than 50 seconds at a time. However, I have not found that to be a limitation, since the 500W motor provides enough power to complete most tasks I have tried in less than 50 seconds!

Turbo Button: The Turbo button lets you kick things up a gear when you need to, whether you are puréeing cooked vegetables or whipping egg whites or heavy cream. Just slide your thumb down from the Power button to the Turbo button (directly underneath it) and press it for a quick burst of increased power.

Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender (model MU-HB-02) with attachments and instruction manual

The Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender (model MU-HB-02) with the immersion blending shaft attached, along with the gear box, whisk and frother attachments and simple instruction manual

Immersion Blending Shaft, Whisk and Frother Attachments Are All Extremely Useful

Blending Shaft: Attach this to the motor to use the Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender as an immersion blender. Its extremely sharp, stainless steel S-shaped blade lets you blend shakes or smoothies and purée soups, sauces or baby food.

Whisk Attachment: I use this lightweight stick blender with the whisk attachment several nights a week to make fresh whipped cream to serve with berries, ice cream, or another dessert. The difference in taste between store-bought whipped cream in a pressurized can and freshly whipped, lightly sweetened heavy cream with a splash of vanilla is significant. And with my new Müeller stick blender and wire whisk attachment, I can whip up a small batch of whipped cream, just enough for my husband and me, in just seconds!

I just pour a few tablespoons of heavy whipping cream into a 2-cup Pyrex glass liquid measuring cup, add my sweetener of choice and some pure vanilla extract, then insert my hand blender with the whisk attachment and move the whisk in circles, holding it slightly above the bottom of the measuring cup. I start on the slowest speed for 5 or 10 seconds to avoid splattering, then dial the speed up and finish whipping the cream to the desired consistency. After spooning the topping over our dessert, I just pull out the which attachment and wash it and the measuring cup. Easy peasy!

The powerful motor of this hand blender also means I can use it to beat egg whites or mix cake, cupcake or other thin to medium batters, rather than pulling out my large, heavy KitchenAid stand mixer (which I now reserve for mixing thicker, heavier batters and doughs).

Frother Attachment: My husband and I drink Bulletproof coffee (hot coffee whipped with clarified butter and MCT oil to a creamy, foam-topped consistency) in the morning. It has several valuable benefits, as I've discussed in my product review of The Best Affordable Programmable Large- and Small-Batch Coffee Maker. We had already purchased a cordless milk frother for this purpose, but it devours batteries and is underpowered, which is even more noticeable as the two AA batteries run down.

The frother attachment to our new Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender is a significant improvement in terms of power (110V vs. 3V), and we no longer are chewing through AA batteries.

Close-up of extremely sharp stainless steel blending shaft blade

The stainless steel blending shaft has an extremely sharp blade. Fortunately, it's also dishwasher safe!

Easy to Assemble and Disassemble

The plastic whip attachment for my old Braun hand blender was a pain in the neck to attach and detach from the motor housing. Fortunately, assembling and disassembling my new Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender (model MU-HB-02) with different attachments is a breeze!

Make sure the motor body is unplugged before attaching or detaching anything to or from it.

To attach the immersion blending shaft, insert it into the motor body and turn it counterclockwise so it snaps into the housing (you will hear a click).

To connect the whisk attachment or milk frother, first insert the shaft of the attachment into the gearbox. Then, insert the gearbox into the motor body and turn it counterclockwise so it snaps into the housing (you will hear a click).

To remove the immersion blending shaft, whisk or frother after using, simply reverse the process: Turn the blending shaft or gearbox clockwise and pull gently to detach it from the motor body housing, then gently pull out the whisk or frother attachment from the gearbox, if applicable.

Quick and Easy Clean-Up With Dishwasher-Safe Attachments

The motor body housing and gearbox should never be immersed in water, but can be cleaned easily just by wiping with a sponge or damp cloth.

The blending shaft, whisk and frother attachments can be hand washed in warm soapy water or put in the dishwasher for easy clean-up.

Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender assembled with blending shaft as an immersion blender

Connect the stainless steel blending shaft to the motor housing for a powerful immersion blender

Lightweight, Slim and Comfortable to Use

The Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender model MU-HB-02 weighs only approximately 1.9 pounds. It is lightweight, slim and has an ergonomic grip that is comfortable even for small hands like mine.

It is also 12.6 inches tall, so if I'm puréeing hot soup in a stockpot or Dutch oven, for example, my hand stays comfortably elevated above the heat.

Surprisingly Affordable and an Excellent Value

I could have spent more money on an immersion blender with whisk and other attachments that had features this one lacks, such as a speed dial that be operated with the dominant hand while the power is on. However, the quality/price/performance ratio on this Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender is quite impressive and it does everything I need it to at an extremely affordable price—less than $35 at the time of publication.

Since this stick blender with the whisk attachment is made mostly of stainless steel (unlike many others), takes the place of frother and a hand mixer (and is much more comfortable to use), can stand in for a regular blender or food processor in many cases and does a better job than either of those for blending small amounts of ingredients, it's really a terrific value. The America's Test Kitchen expert testers also recommended this immersion blender on the Cook's Illustrated website.

Don’t Use the Immersion Blending Shaft in Nonstick Cookware

The only other feature I could wish for would be a removable pan guard for the immersion blending shaft's blade housing, like the one on the KitchenAid KHBV53BM Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender, that wouldn't scratch nonstick cookware. However, the pan guard appears to be plastic, and I wouldn't feel comfortable using a plastic attachment inside a hot pan or pot of food that's directly on the heat anyway. In addition, that KitchenAid model has only 180W of power, doesn't come with a whisk or frother attachment, and the removable immersion blending arm isn't dishwasher-safe.

If I need to purée a soup or sauce, it's easy enough to use a stainless steel pot or to transfer the contents of a nonstick pot to a stainless steel bowl for immersion blending and then return the puréed mixture to the pot. This minor inconvenience is well worth it to have all the advantages and versatility of the Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender, especially given its affordable price.

An Affordable and Versatile Small Kitchen Appliance Any Home Cook Would Love

Click image to order the
Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender
(model MU-HB-02) on Amazon

This is one of those kitchen tools that you don't realize you needed until you have one. In fact, since I don't do a lot of immersion blending, when my old Braun stick blender with plastic parts cracked, I thought about not replacing it. But I really loved being able to whip up a small batch of fresh whipped cream or whip just one or two egg whites without having to drag out my heavy KitchenAid stand mixer, which is what prompted me to take a look at getting another hand blender with a whisk attachment. Finding a lightweight, stainless steel model with a much more powerful motor at an affordable price made the decision very easy.

The fact that this stick blender also has a milk frother attachment was a nice bonus that many gift recipients would appreciate, since lattes, cappucinos and other frothy drinks have become so popular. And, of course, anyone who drinks Bulletproof coffee would definitely love such a powerful frother.

I find myself using this versatile stick blender nearly every day, sometimes multiple times a day, for frothing coffee, making fresh whipped cream, or puréeing a sauce or gravy to get the lumps out quickly and easily. I'll bet someone you know would get a lot of use out of this Müeller Multi-Purpose Ultra-Stick Hand Blender, too.

The Best Powerful, Lightweight Stick Blender With Versatile Attachments by Margaret Schindel

Friday, September 3, 2021

Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven Reviewed

When my oven went out for the second time in a year, I knew I needed an alternative so I searched for the best countertop oven for baking. Discovering the Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven has been like finding a riverbed of gold!

Not having a working oven in our home is a major inconvenience. It has taken months to get the circuit board parts for repairing our built-in double ovens (twice). I understand there is a backlog and some parts are simply not available at this time. However, cooking dinner for my family can't wait for months, or that proverbial "slow boat".

Of course I cook on the stove, in my Instant Pot, in my Crockpot and in the microwave. However, we love pizza, lasagna, manicotti, chicken enchiladas, roast, salmon, casserole style dinners, plus various breads, baked sides & desserts, which require an oven. I use my oven for something almost every day. Therefore, this time, I had to find a separate countertop oven to carry us through until my double ovens are fixed.

At the time of writing this article, my double ovens are still waiting for repair and I have been using my Calphalon Cool Touch Countertop (Convection option) Oven multiple times each day for weeks now. I am here to tell you, this little countertop oven is fabulous! I have decided it actually does a better job of baking bread than my large convection oven. Therefore, even after my ovens are repaired again, I will continue to use this magnificent work-horse appliance.

Why Choose the Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven

Previously, I did not want a countertop oven because I was warned that they get really hot on the outside. Plus, most have small interiors and are very limited on what they can cook well. It seemed like it would be a waste of counter space.

When desperation forced me to reconsider and research countertop ovens, I chose the Calphalon Cool Touch Countertop Oven simply because it is "cool touch". The outside of the oven doesn't get hot! Plus, I read that the interior cooking space was a little over 12" x 12", which is large enough for a variety of pans. Even though I have needed to purchase smaller cookie sheets and a casserole dish without handles separately, I would like to note that the oven did come with a 12" pizza pan and a baking pan that fit the oven. That allowed me to start cooking immediately.

My first baking experiment for the "little oven" was my banana bread. My standard loaf pan fit in the oven without any problem. You can imagine my surprise when I pulled out a beautifully browned loaf of bread, followed by the real test of cutting into it to find it was fully baked with no under-cooked center spots.

Calphalon Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven

I was beyond excited to serve it to my family for breakfast. I admit, that was the best ever banana bread and I've been baking banana bread for decades. Next, we baked biscuits and they were also cooked to perfection.

Then we tried pizza and it was perfect! Followed by broiled beef sausages. Admittedly, my husband prefers a charred skin on his beef sausage, but I thought the beef sausages were better than usual because the skin wasn't burnt. Then came the clincher, the one meal that sold me on believing this convection countertop oven is better than my built-in ovens. I baked my lasagna and it was cooked perfectly.

In the midst of a stressful major appliance outage, this little oven has delivered peace and perfection!

I give the Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven my highest recommendation.

Features of the Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster Oven

Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Toaster OvenCheck Price

Cool Touch Exterior
Large Interior Capacity
Convection or Standard Oven Settings
Oven Light
Non-stick Interior
Easy to Select & Set Cooking Options
Easy to Set Timer
Preheats Really Fast
Preset cooking functions: Toast, Bagel, Bake, Roast, Broil, (Bread) Proof, Pizza, Cookies, Reheat, & Dehydrate
Keep Warm & Defrost Buttons
Wire Cooking Rack with Optional Upper or Lower Position
Included Accessories: 12" Pizza Pan, Baking Pan, Dehydration Basket, & Crumb Tray
Does Not Heat Up the Kitchen like a Regular Oven
3 Year Warranty - Product Registeration at Calphalon.com

A Few Placement Notes

While the sides and top are cool touch, the bottom and back are hot, therefore I pull the "little oven" out about 4" from the wall when using
The Electric Cord is on the right side of the back, not the center. This keeps the cord away from the heat of the back, but might limit placement depending on where your electric outlet is installed
The Cooling Vent is on the right side and should not be blocked.
Rubber Feet on the Bottom create a 1½" separation between the counter and the bottom of the countertop oven
Exterior Measurements: 19" wide x 12½" height x 17" depth (including handle)
Do Not Place Hot Food on the Glass Oven Door
Print the User Guide Here

My New Lasagna/Casserole Dish That Fits This Countertop Oven

HIC Oblong Rectangular Baking Dish Roasting Lasagna Pan, Fine White Porcelain,13 x 9Check Price

Monday, July 1, 2019

Reviewing the NuWave Brio 10 Qt Air Fryer

Reviewing the NuWave Brio on Review This!

Just this week I purchased the NuWave Brio 10 qt air fryer. And I am immediately in love with this way of cooking. I had to immediately review my new kitchen appliance. If I find that over time I become disenchanted with this air fryer, I'll update this review. But right now I cannot imagine changing my mind about this machine.

NuWave Brio

I bought an air fryer due to a recommendation from a co-worker. My co-worker had a cardiac event at a very young age. Thankfully, he recovered fully and returned to work. Not only did he return to work he clearly was losing weight and living a healthier lifestyle. I asked him what his secret was. He said that he was using an air fryer. And if I was interested in losing weight and/or becoming healthier, I should definitely get one.

After looking at video reviews and comparison shopping in the stores, I chose the NuWave Brio 10 Qt machine. I made this choice for three main reasons.

similar pricing to the other machines
1500w (double the power of some of the other machines)
a larger cooking space than some of the other machines

The NuWave advertising lists the highlights of this appliance as:

digital controls
evenly distributed heat
dishwasher safe parts (the parts - not the machine)
program functions - program your favorite recipes
stage functions - create up to 10 stages of time/temp adjustments
rotisserie - adjustable forks and rotates 360 degrees
sear function
reversible wire rack (to adjust the height of your food and/or make room for up to an 8 lb chicken)
built-in "safe start" sensor
precise temperature control from 100F - 400F degrees.

NuWave Brio 10 Qt.

My Skepticism and Hesitation

That initial air fryer recommendation came to me close to two years ago. When my co-worker suggested an air fryer, one of the reasons I was very skeptical is that I didn't believe that I'd use one regularly. After all, I never deep-fry foods and I already often bake my meats/french fries rather than fry.

Since then, a second co-worker has had a cardiac event (she is fully recovered also - thank God!). With my friends having major health scares, my own increasingly health problems, and after watching a movie of a young man who controls his Multiple Sclerosis (MS) symptoms via diet and exercise, I decided to take the plunge and purchase an air fryer.

(No, I do not have MS, but his story about healthy diet was so motivating I decided to focus on cutting out even more carbs, sugars, and junk foods. If you would like to see my review of Living Proof by Matt Embry, click here).

The Past Week with the Brio Air Fryer

Since I have bought this machine, I have had a wide variety of cooked vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, green beans) that I normally would not have unless I was eating out. For some reason, I have never been able to stir-fry or saute vegetables and have them turn out appealing in any way. The one vegetable I cook well is summer squash, but I was frying them in a small amount of oil. Now I'm air frying them with only a dusting of cooking spray.

I've made chicken livers in this machine and they turned out GREAT. I did not expect them too. The light flour coating browned and crisped. I was amazed. Another perk was that cooking the chicken livers in the machine greatly decreased that cooking liver smell that permeates the apartment when I cook them in the frying pan!

I've also made a beef and broccoli Chinese food recipe that turned out GREAT. This is something I've never been able to cook successfully previously.

I have made both lightly floured chicken nuggets and BBQ chicken chunks that looked and tasted as though they were grilled.

But the best thing about this appliance has been cooking great foods, foods that I often would pop into the oven for 30 - 45 minutes. But this apartment is hot and we've been having a heatwave. Without the Brio, I would either be on the verge of heatstroke while making dinner or I would forgo a real meal. With the NuWave Brio, I have been making great meals during this heatwave and adding very little, if any, extra heat in the kitchen.

I am really pleased with this purchase and I'm very glad I finally acted on my co-worker's recommendation.

FOLLOW US ON:

Friday, June 14, 2019

Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker Reviewed

An inexpensive rice cooker that everyone should have in their kitchen!

I love rice, but I always hated the mess on my stove-top created by the sputtering pan. I have several friends who have commented over the years, that their rice would burn on the stove if they cooked it according to the package instructions.

On the stovetop, Riceland Rice, the brand I prefer, should be cooked on a low boil, covered for 15 minutes. You are not supposed to lift the lid or stir the rice for 20 minutes. I have always believed my rice did not burn simply because of my brand of cookware, and not because my friends were doing anything wrong.

Regardless of the cleanup required, I cook rice frequently. After all, cleanup is just a part of cooking and I do enjoy cooking.

When my children were in school, there were mothers who found their solution by buying a rice cooker. However, it wasn't until this last Mother's Day that I discovered the real beauty of a rice cooker in my own kitchen when my son gifted me with a Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker.

Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker Review

Hamilton Beach (37518) Rice Cooker,
4 Cups uncooked resulting in 8 Cups Cooked
Comes with Steam & Rinse BasketCheck Availablity & Price
See Below for Newer Model I want to start by saying, I really love this rice cooker and I wish I had it decades ago. It is so easy to cook and clean with this fabulous little cooker. Plus, it doesn't take up very much storage room. Because I use it often, I leave mine out on the counter, but it would be small enough to store in a standard kitchen cabinet.

I have yet to experiment with all that this beauty can do for me, but cooking the rice without a mess is enough for me to recommend this cooker to anyone. It came with a small steamer basket, which I look forward to testing soon by steaming fresh vegetables. The basket can also be used as a colander for rinsing.

You can cook white or brown rice, beans, hot cereal, hot soup and grains in the cooker, in addition to steaming vegetables.

The cooking pot has a nonstick coating and is dishwasher safe.

To Cook White Rice in the Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker

Simply add 1 cup white rice, 1 teaspoon of butter, dash of salt and 2 cups boiling water into the cooker pot.

Set the pot into the cooker and close the lid.
Plug in the Rice Cooker

Select Warm, then Select White Rice

The cooker will auto set the timer to the default timing and auto-adjusts the time as it cooks. (usually takes about 35 minutes to cook the rice according to my recipe, but let the cooker auto-adjust itself)

When it has finished cooking, the cooker automatically switches over to a warming cycle to keep the rice warm until you are ready to serve.

Rice Cooker Vs. Instant Pot

I want to note that I do have an Instant Pot, which I also love. The 8 cup rice cooker is perfect for rice or sides. It is smaller and lighter-weight than my Instant Pot, which makes it much easier to store. However, I could never cook my Minestrone Soup in it. I need my Instant Pot for complete dinner size meals.

If you have space for both, I highly recommend having both the 8 cup Hamilton Beach Rice Cooker and the 6 Qt. Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.

Note: A few days ago, I needed a housewarming gift and thought this would be the perfect gift. However, I noted that my model (37518) was no longer available "new". Therefore, I purchased (37519 - shown on the far right below). Other than a slightly different color control panel, it is exactly the same in size and function.

Instant Pot Ultra, 10-in-1 Pressure Cooker, Slow Rice Cooker, Yogurt /Cake Maker, Egg Cooker, Sauté, and moreCheck Price Hamilton Beach Digital Programmable Rice Cooker & Food Steamer, 8 Cups Cooked (4 Uncooked), With Steam & Rinse Basket, Stainless SteelCheck Price Hamilton Beach 8-Cup Rice Cooker and Steamer | Model# 37519Check Price

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Heart Waffle Maker Reviewed

Another Way To Say I Love You

Heart Waffles image courtesy of pixabay.com

With Valentine's Day rapidly approaching, I have had hearts on my mind. I found an adorable little kitchen gadget that will allow me to make little heart shaped waffles anytime of the year that I want to.

The fun part is that with this mini waffle maker you and I are not constrained with just making waffles. Any wet batter will work. So, we can make heart shaped hash browns, paninis or even biscuit dough for a little heart shaped pizza. Now isn't that a fun idea?

This little waffle maker is very light weight (about a pound) and does not take up much room for storage. It is a perfect size for a small apartment and can even travel with you on vacation. It heats up fairly quickly, too. The one drawback is that it only makes one waffle at a time but it shouldn't take too much time to whip up several due to the miniature size.

I couldn't help but think of one of my family members who traveled around the country in an RV. This little heart waffle maker would have been great for them to have on their trips because it would pack away nicely in that very limited kitchen area. You are not limited to a heart design, either. There is an option for traditional round waffles if you would rather have them instead of hearts.

What a fun idea for a house warming gift or a gift for the new bride and groom. Kids can make heart shaped waffles for Mom or Dad on Mother's and Father's day. There are just so many fun ways that this little gadget can be used! I think that it would be such a fun little addition to any kitchen. What about you? Do you think that you would have some fun with it?

Mini Heart Waffle Maker

FOLLOW US ON: