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Kitchen Moments ~ Short Cuts
Posted 12:35 AM, May. 13, 2008
Short cuts are nice, aren't they? We all like to know the short cuts on how to get places. And the short cuts on how to figure out Algebra problems. How about short cuts on losing weight? (If any one has learned of one that is healthy, please contact me!!!) I suppose there are "not-so-good" short cuts that we should all avoid (like a short cut that a builder might take when building a home). But today I want to give you some short cuts to use in the kitchen. These are easy to prepare, even easier to use and can be used over and over again. How's that for short cuts?
First off, pan or deep fried chicken. The best part about this recipe is that you can make a big batch of it, put it in a gallon Ziploc bag and keep it in the freezer. Don't worry about using it over and over again, as long as you use it only for chicken. You never want to take flour that has touched raw chicken and use it for something else. Fried Chicken Flour Mix
3 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal 2 Tbs kosher salt 1 Tbs onion powder 1 Tbs ground mustard 2 tsp black pepper 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp granulated garlic 1. Mix all the flour ingredients together. Heat the oil in a deep pot to 350„a 2. Coat all the chicken pieces in the flour mix and set on a sheet pan. After 10-15 minutes, coat the chicken in flour again. 3. Drop the chicken into the hot oil biggest pieces first and fry the chicken for 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165„a. Let rest a few minutes and serve hot. Second, pan frying fish. This breading too, can be held in freezer. As it is with the chicken, do not use this breading for anything else other than fish. 3 cups flour
2 Tbs kosher salt 1 Tbs onion powder 1 Tbs ground mustard 2 tsp black pepper 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp granulated garlic dried parsley for color cayenne pepper to taste 1. Coat fish in breading and fry in shallow amount of oil. Fry on each side until golden brown.
Third, making your own condensed soup mix. This has one more step than opening a can and putting it in your recipe, but it doesn't have all those preservatives and you can put any flavor in it that you want. Cream of Anything Dry Mix
2 cups powder milk 3/4 cups cornstarch 1 Tbs onion powder 1 tsp black pepper 3/4 tsp mustard, dry, ground 1/3 tsp granulated garlic 1. Bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup of dry mix with a whisk. Boil mixture until thick.
2. Once your soup base is thick, add desired flavorings (chicken base, cheese, dry mushrooms, or just salt it to taste for a flavorful cream base). Fourth, pancake mix. You can make a big batch of this, put it in a container (we use an empty ice cream container) and store it in your pantry. Pancake Mix
6 cups flour 1 1/2 cups powder milk 2 tsp salt 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup powder To make 7 pancakes:
1. Measure out 1 1/4 cups dry mix and mix with 1 egg, 3/4 cups water, 1 to 2 Tablespoons of oil. Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her and her family at www.dewings.blogspot.com.
Kitchen Moments ~ Helpful Time Savers
Posted 1:16 AM, May. 6, 2008
Are you having "one of those day" where you are just running and running, going here and there and are so tired that that last thing you want to do is cook? Or do you know that "one of those days" is coming up with doctor appointments, practices, lessons, work, various jobs that need to be done, errands that need to be run .... and anything else that life throws at us?
We all have those kinds-of days. And yet, eating out is not always the best idea and eating those foods that are packed with preservatives is not a great idea either. Here are some easy-to-prepare and nutritious meals for you and your family. Most of these can be made the day before. Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal
* Applesauce can be substituted for the butter or oil for a lower fat recipe. *
Be creative with this recipe! Add things like nuts, flaked coconut, chocolate chips, or peanut butter. You can make this the night before, cover it and put it in the fridge. Bake as directed the next morning. Or you can bake this, cut into bars when cooled and freeze it, so when your mornings get hectic, you simply pull this out, warm it up in the oven or microwave and you have an easy, nutritious breakfast! Lunch: Macaroni and Cheese
This dish can be made a few hours ahead of time or the day before.
Supper: Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken BBQ
* If chicken is not frozen, 4 hours on low should be fine.*
This dish is good served with rice or potatoes. Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her and her family at www.dewings.blogspot.com. Kitchen Moments ~ Kid Friendly Sites
Posted 1:21 AM, Apr. 29, 2008
Here are some "kid friendly" web sites that talk about nutrition, they give suggestions for games and exercises for the children (both indoors and outdoors) and there are on-line games for them to play. My children enjoyed these sites and I think yours will too! Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her and her family at www.dewings.blogspot.com. Kitchen Moments ~ Fun, and Usefull, Kitchen Tools and Gadgets
Posted 2:11 AM, Apr. 22, 2008
Have you ever looked through a kitchen magazine and saw all of the neat and interesting gadgets within its pages, but wondered how useful they actually would be? I've seen some really cool looking, and sounding, tools for cooking and baking, but upon closer observation, or actual usage, they don't really stand up to the "test". And what is the "test"? How useful is it and is the space it takes up worth it.
Following are items that we currently have in our kitchen. 1.  Silpat is a nonstick silicone baking mat that is used instead of parchment paper or greasing your pans. Yes, these mats can be expensive, but if you, or someone you know, bakes quite a bit, it would be well worth the price. It can be used just about anytime you use a cookie sheet or sheet pan. It is just as useful to bake your chicken on it as it is to bake your cookies on it. A very worthwhile item to be in any kitchen. 2.  Stainless steel bowls are extremely useful to have in your kitchen. They can be put in the oven, they can be scrubbed with steel wool scrubber, they can be dropped, they can be put in the fridge and freezer, they can be "drums" for little fingers.... In other words, these bowls are very versatile. I must admit that while I prefer the looks and charm of the ceramic bowls, the practicality of the stainless steel bowls and the fact that it would take quite a bit of effort to destroy them, wins them a place in my kitchen. 3.  The paring knife is an easier knife to handle then the larger knives. While the boning knife, the fillet knife, the bread knife, and the chef's knife are important to have, the paring knife is my favorite one to use. From the cheap ones to expensive Henckel knives, our kitchen has seen many, many different brands of knives. And while we have a set of Henckel knives (which are very good knives), this paring knife, made by Mundial, is my favorite. 4.  For those of your who want to go more "natural" and who enjoy making their own bread (among other baked goods), you might want to consider a Nutrimill. This grain mill is different from other grain mills in that it uses what the company calls a "high speed impact chamber to create flour from grains and beans". You can grind super fine flour for your cakes and then grind very coarse flour for your corn breads (using popcorn flour in your cornbread is delicious!). We haven't bought flour, white or wheat, for our family since we bought one, which was about 3 years ago. You can't get your flour any fresher then grinding it yourself! (For those interested, we use Wheat Montana: Prairie Gold which we buy from our local bulk food store) 5.  The Electrolux Assistant is a wonderful, powerful machine! My husband does a lot of baking and was never satisfied with the motor on our Kitchen Aid mixer. He read about this mixer from another baker and was very impressed with it. This mixer will knead batches of bagel dough (which is extremely dense dough) over and over, it will whip one egg white until hard peaks form, it has a timer and will turn itself off when the timer "goes off", it has a 600 watt motor, and has a scraper that scraps the bowl as it is mixing/kneading. There are many other great features to this mixer and we are very pleased with this purchase! Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her and her family at www.dewings.blogspot.com. Kitchen Moments ~ Have Fun With Your Cchildren!
Posted 1:18 AM, Apr. 16, 2008
"Think Spring" is a saying that is going around up here these days. When most of the country is already showing signs of Spring, we just got 3-4 more inches of snow! Yikes! At this point, it's not only the children who are getting "cabin fever". The adults are just as ready for warmer breezes as the children are to go out and play.
The good news is, regardless of what our weather is like, more choices for fresh produce are now becoming more available. The prices of tomatoes have gone down, the green and red grapes look better, pineapples, melons, eggplants, artichokes, plums, and many other types of produce have been seen in our grocery store. One of my favorite fruit has also become available: strawberries. Strawberries are such versatile fruit and you can do many things with them. You can put them in ice cream, shakes, muffins, smoothies, just about any kind of dessert, you can eat them alone or put them in a fruit salad. You can also use them in savory dishes: like a strawberry and avocado salad, a spicy fruit chutney, a duck breast with a strawberry and orange sauce, pork chops with strawberries and pineapple chunks. Your imagination is the limit! One of my favorite desserts is Strawberry Shortcake. The freshness of the strawberries, coupled with the sweetness of the shortcake and creaminess of the whipped cream, has always made me think of long, warm summer days and picnics in the sunshine. Upon seeing them in the store, I bought a package, thinking that perhaps a good dose of Strawberry Shortcake might help with the blues of these long winter days (as much for me for my children!).  Strawberry Shortcake
2 cups of all-purpose flour *
4 T of butter
1 tsp of salt 3 tsp of baking powder 1/4 cup of sugar 1 cup of milk 1 package of strawberries whipping cream Yields: 6 -8 biscuits Directions:
This is any easy recipe and your children will enjoy doing it with you very much! Not to mention the joy of eating it afterwards!
 Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She home schools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Come visit her at www.dewings.blogspot.com Kitchen Moments ~ It's Sap Season!
Posted 1:29 AM, Apr. 8, 2008
Spring is coming! And that means warmer weather, flowers, and .... what else? It's Maple syrup time! Up here in the north woods of Wisconsin, at the end of March and early April, we tap the Sugar Maple trees and gather sap. This sap is then boiled down to make maple syrup.
During Winter, the trees are dormant. The temperature outside is very cold, with the wind blowing right through you. But come late March, things start to change. Once the temperatures get above 32 degrees during the day and get below 32 degrees at night, the sap begins to flow within the trees. The warmer temps in the day cause the sap to run up the tree. And the colder temps at night cause the sap to come back down to the roots. Sap is the fluid in the trees made within the root system gathered from the water in the ground. It is the combination of water, mineral elements and other nutrients created within the cells of the roots. In a tree, as in most plants, the sap is transported from the roots up to the leaves. This process is called "basipetal" (1). Sap can be collected from any tree. However, Sugar Maple is the most popular and the most common because it's sap has the highest sugar content then any other tree. Although in Russia, Birch tree sap is often collected and consumed either fresh or fermented. (1) Once "sap season" is here, the tree needs to be tapped. To tap a tree, you drill a hole about 1" to 1 1/2" depth, at a slight angle upwards. Tap a spout into the hole far enough in so hands can't pull it out. (2) Tapping spouts have a little hook underneath the spout for the collection buckets to hang from and where the sap can drip into. Once sap season is well underway, the sap often needs to be collected twice a day. The more leaves the tree has and the more sunshine the tree gets, the more sap you will collect. Once the sap is collected, it needs to be strained. Before you begin to boil the sap, you must find the temperature of boiling water. This will change from season to season and from thermometer to thermometer. The sap is fully boiled down into maple syrup when the temperature of the sap is 7 degrees higher than boiling water. For example, last year water boiled at 210 degrees, so the sap was maple syrup at 217 degrees. This year, water is boiling at 206 degrees, so the sap is maple syrup at 213 degrees. Once you have determined your boiling point, you put the sap into a large pot and begin to boil it. As your sap boils down, you will need to consolidate it into one pot, and then into a smaller pot. The sap will need to be strained at least once more before the desired temperature is achieved. Sugar Maple sap has a certain % of sugar content and the more you boil it, the more the water is evaporated and the more the sugar content becomes concentrated. Sap straight from the tree looks like slightly tinted water. The natural mineral content of the sap becomes more concentrated the more you boil it and this turns the sap into a light-to-dark amber color. You can store your syrup by either pouring your boiling sap into sterilized Mason jars and screwing the lids on to seal them or you can pour your cooled syrup into the sterilized Mason jars and place them into a stock pot of water. Boil the water and jars for 20 minutes. Taking the jars out of the boiling water into the cooled air should cause the jars to seal. The other way to store your syrup is to keep it in the fridge. If you find mold has formed on the top of your syrup, skim off the mold and bring the syrup to a rapid boil. Skim off anything that comes to the surface. This should remove any mold from the syrup. But if it continues to have an "off" flavor, throw it away. Maple syrup is a wonderful ingredient to use in cooking. While it can't be substituted for sugar, it can be added for it's unique flavor. Try it in pumpkin pies, sauces, squash dishes, granola, etc. Here is our favorite recipe for granola:
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sap (2) http://pubpages.unh.edu/~hmz2/hw5/tapatree.html Jennifer Dewing has experience in the restaurant business. She turned in her chef's hat and donned the many hats of a stay-at-home mother 7 years ago. She is now the mother to 5 children, 7 years and under. She homeschools her eldest two children. Her husband is a professional chef and in their house, food is a big part of their family. Kitchen Moments ~ Capturing Memories
Posted 1:08 AM, Aug. 23, 2007
This past week has been a tough one for my family as we have been dealing with a death in the family, the potential death of another one, and severe health issues. After attending a memorial on Sunday, I got to thinking about all the memories we let slip away. All the time we spent wasted doing other things than making the most of each moment with our loved ones. I want to capture those memories and to be able to make them last forever. I am not sure about your family but for my family ~ every event, ever holiday encompasses food. The food we eat is a great big part of our traditions yet most of the recipes are never written down. They are stored in the minds of our loved ones who create those dishes we either love to eat or hate to love. What happens to those recipes when our loved one is no longer with us? They are gone and buried along with them. This week, I challenge you to create your own Memory cookbook. Go out an purchase a blank scrapbook and begin creating those memories. Take pictures of your loved ones cooking your favorite dish and add it to your book. Get creative! For those like me, who aren't so creative, check out these books: Memory Cookbook Take some pictures of your creations, leave me a comment and let me know. I will try and do the same on my own blog. Give you loved ones an extra big hug for me and I will talk to you all next week. Misty Kitchen Moments ~ Banana Split
Posted 1:18 AM, Aug. 15, 2007
I was looking for something fun the other day for lunch. I called up Chef John and he sent me a great idea that I just had to share with all of you! How about a Banana Split for lunch??! No, no ... I am not talking about the one with all the gooey fudge and ice cream. I am talking about a healthy version of this. This is a great way to let your finicky eater have a really fun, seeminly "naughty" lunch. Ingredients: 3 bananas 3 strawberry yogurts 3 vanilla yogurts 3 chocolate yogurts dry roasted peanuts, unsalted granola chocolate chips pineapple chunks or tidbits optional: Other healthy toppings (strawberries, cherries, flavored granola, ...) Directions: Peel bananas. Slice them length-wise. Place two slices in a banana split boat/dish. Add one small ice cream scoop full of each yogurt in a row. Top with pineapples, your favorite fruit, granola, and then a few chocolate chips. Enjoy! Misty Misty Rottmiller is a homeschooling mom of 3 boys in Arizona. Memories are best created in the kitchen is a refrain that is often heard around her home. Martha Stewart she is not! Misty often runs screaming from crafts and avoids most things that require creativity. Join her as she adventures through the kitchen sharing with you the basics, recipes, educational activities, and more. You can also visit her blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/3boyz Kitchen Moments ~ S'mores
Posted 1:06 AM, Aug. 9, 2007
Well... the public schools are back into the full swing of things here and the unofficial end to summer has come and gone. I thought this week we would celebrate with a traditional campground favorite: S'MORES! 1 graham cracker pie crust; 20 marshmallows, and 2 large chocolate candy bars. Directions: Fill up the pie crust with marshmallows. Break up the candy bar into chunks and sprinkle throughout the pie. Keep going until it looks good. Bake at 350 until all is melted. Let cool. Cut and serve! Enjoy! Misty Misty Rottmiller is a homeschooling mom of 3 boys in Arizona. Memories are best created in the kitchen is a refrain that is often heard around her home. Martha Stewart she is not! Misty often runs screaming from crafts and avoids most things that require creativity. Join her as she adventures through the kitchen sharing with you the basics, recipes, educational activities, and more. You can also visit her blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/3boyz Kitchen Moments ~ First Aid
Posted 1:57 AM, Aug. 1, 2007
Last week we talked about the importance of knowing First Aid. This week we will talk about the types of Hazards that can be found in the kitchen and how to prevent them. Please share this information with your family and children. I cannot stress enough how important it is to take precautions in all that we do!
Now, for most of us, these rules are no brainers. We have all heard them before and know them BUT our children do not. I so often take for granted the "easy stuff" and forget to teach the "first basic steps" before getting into the more complex areas. When we introduce our children to the joys of the kitchen, we need to start with safety first! Kitchen Moments ~ First Aid
Posted 2:57 AM, Jul. 26, 2007
This week, first aid has been on my mind a lot. Especially how it pertains to my kitchen and the hazards that lay within. Most often when we think of the kitchen, we think of food. We associate food with traditions and special memories we create with our families to last a lifetime. BUT how often do we look past these to the hazards that could harm our families? Every home should have a first aid kit, a first aid manual, and a fire extinguisher. When teaching your children, remember to cover basic first aid, what to do in an emergency, how to prevent accidents, and if you have older children -- I strongly recommend a first aid class and a cpr class. The Kids Guide to First Aid is an excellent introduction for children to learn and practice first aid. It can also be used as your household guide. Items are arranged alphabetically with clear concise directions on how to treat, complete with illustrations. Every home should have an excellent first aid kit within. You never know what trouble the kids might get into. The one shown above is what I keep in my house at all times. It has come in handy many times and has a form for refill items at a great price. I was able to purchase mine from Sam's club for around $20. I have a mini-version of this in each vehicle AND a special outdoor one that I take with us hiking, to the lake, or camping. Next week, we will look at the dangers of the kitchen and how we can prevent needing first aid in the kitchen. Blessings to all! Misty Rottmiller is a homeschooling mom of 3 boys in Arizona. Memories are best created in the kitchen is a refrain that is often heard around her home. Martha Stewart she is not! Misty often runs screaming from crafts and avoids most things that require creativity. Join her as she adventures through the kitchen sharing with you the basics, recipes, educational activities, and more. You can also visit her blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/3boyz Kitchen Moments ~ Meal Preparation Stores
Posted 2:05 AM, Jul. 18, 2007
Hi!! Sorry it has been so long since I have last written. The time leading up to surgery, surgery, and recovery have been harder than I thought. I still have a ways to go but am finally coherent enough to write again. Misty Misty Rottmiller is a homeschooling mom of 3 boys in Arizona. Memories are best created in the kitchen is a refrain that is often heard around her home. Martha Stewart she is not! Misty often runs screaming from crafts and avoids most things that require creativity. Join her as she adventures through the kitchen sharing with you the basics, recipes, educational activities, and more. You can also visit her blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/3boyz/ Kitchen Moments ~ Easy Cooking Recipe
Posted 1:20 AM, Jun. 28, 2007
So sorry everyone that this is late! I had planned on having a bunch of articles written before surgery but I wasn't feeling as up to writing as I had hoped. I am now in the first week of my recovery and feeling better than I have in a long time! Although I still can't do much. Including, anything in my kitchen. Misty
Misty Rottmiller is a homeschooling mom of 3 boys in Arizona. Memories are best created in the kitchen is a refrain that is often heard around her home. Martha Stewart she is not! Misty often runs screaming from crafts and avoids most things that require creativity. Join her as she adventures through the kitchen sharing with you the basics, recipes, educational activities, and more. You can also visit her blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/3boyz/ Kitchen Moments ~ Volcano Fun!
Posted 2:43 AM, Jun. 13, 2007
Today, my seven-year-old is bored. It’s too hot to play outside anymore and he is tired of all the inside stuff. I need to find something for him to do. But what?? I have a closet full of stuff just for this reason! Each year when I am budgeting for our curriculum, I add in about $300 worth of “I’m bored, Mama’s sick, Let’s do something different, or another complaint” items. These can be games, science kits, books, art kits. Usually, it’s a hand-on type things. This is probably the number 1 tip I give out to other homeschool families. Make sure you have something extra on hand for those days when you just need a break from the norm. I have a volcano kit. : -) Perfect! Get out the books on volcanoes. Make oldest read them aloud to his younger brothers. Story time for little ones … check! Reading time for older one … check! Science … check! Ohh… loooky here! A book about Pompeii! History …. Check! See … I can school without even trying! The volcano needs to be painted. Yeah! Art … check! If you don’t have a closet full of complaint day items … you can easily make a volcano. Start with a small bottle. Any will work that have a narrower neck than body. An old 8oz cough syrup bottle would be perfect. Make up a batch of self-drying clay (recipe is in one of the links in the play-doh post). A cheap plastic plate (you know the ones you can purchase for picnics during the summer that are 4 for $1. Keep some handy for projects. You won’t want them back after the kids are done with them!) is the perfect thing to work on. Set your bottle in the middle and cover in clay. The sides will end up fairly steep unless you use an insane amount of clay to create a gradual slop. More clay though means keeping the kids busy longer. OR …. You lose them do to lack of attention span. Either way works. Give the clay 24 hours to dry, then paint with acrylic paint. If you don’t paint it, the first eruption will soften the clay and ruin the volcano. There are different types of eruptions named after specific volcanoes that have erupted in a specific way. For an older child, have them research these volcanoes. Language Arts … check! Chart the differences. Math … check! Where are they located? Geography … check! I think we have all the subjects covered now! Strombolian Eruption: Constant, non-violent eruption. Put 1 tablespoon of baking soda into the volcano. Add 1 cup of vinegar. Then stand back and watch! Add a few drops of food coloring to the vinegar before pouring to have colored lava. Hawaiian Eruption: Predictable, least violent eruption. Put 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap into the volcano. Add 1 cup of vinegar. Color if desired. Stand back and watch the eruption. Vulcanian Eruption: Explosive eruption. Put 2 Alka-Setzer tables, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and food coloring (optional) into the volcano. Add ½ cup of water. Pelean Eruption: Most violent eruption. Put 2 tablespoons of baking soda and food coloring into the volcano. Add ½ cup of boiling water. Stand way back. Here are a few tips for you when you are enjoying your volcano.
I hope you all are having a wonderful summer! I am off to play with the volcano some more. Many Kitchen Blessings, Misty Misty Rottmiller is a homeschooling mom of 3 boys in Arizona. Memories are best created in the kitchen is a refrain that is often heard around her home. Martha Stewart she is not! Misty often runs screaming from crafts and avoids most things that require creativity. Join her as she adventures through the kitchen sharing with you the basics, recipes, educational activities, and more. You can also visit her blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/3boyz/ Kitchen Moments ~ Kitchen Basics 2: Pots & Pans
Posted 1:44 AM, Jun. 6, 2007
Welcome back to part 2 of a series of articles that I am writing called Kitchen Basics. About 2 weeks ago, the first article was posted on Basic Tools Needed in a Kitchen and I will be posting the follow-up articles about every other week until we are done. So ….. onto what else you never knew you needed! When I moved out on my own, I head for my local discount retailer (more than likely Target) and walked up and down the kitchen aisle gathering things that I would need for my first kitchen. Over on the Pots & Pans aisle …. There are several chooses. Stainless steel, Teflon, cast iron. Do I buy a set or buy each pan as I need it? Sure, I thought some were of better quality than others but I am working on a budget. I need the best I can get for the least amount of money. I don’t want things burning and sticking to the pan and I HAVE to have something. Nothing is not an option. I grabbed a box of Tfal or something similar and called it good. Fast forward, many years down the road (and no I am not telling you how many!) Chef John is in my kitchen again. I am watching him prep for another cooking class. The first class of 20 kids will be descending upon my home in about 20 minutes. Chef John is unpacking ….. PANS???!!!! Okay … so what is wrong with MY pans?? Yep…. You know I asked. He hemmed and hawed but in-between classes I finally got my answer. In short … my pans are okay. They get the job done but are essentially worthless to a chef. They don’t cook evenly and Teflon is a big no-no. So what do I need?? I got out a piece of paper and pen, after all I KNEW my set needed to be replaced. Might as well replace it with something “Chef John Approved.” First rule: No Teflon. They need to be Stainless-steel preferably All-Clad. All-Clad is the brand name. You will hear Chef John mention that a lot according to my notes. Unfortunately, my budget cannot afford All-Clad. Don’t worry – there is help available! : -) He gave me a list of pan sizes that every kitchen should have.
Bonus Items:
I don’t think I had half of these items in my kitchen. I set out to find something that was in my budget and meet Chef John’s requirements. I found several things that I thought would work, called and got a no. Finally, at Sam’s Club, I ran across the Wolfgang Puck Pots & Pan set for $99. It had most of the things in the list in it or very close to it, was stainless steel, and I could afford it. Called up Chef John, he came down to look at it and said yes … that will work! Can anyone guess what I got for Christmas last year? Hint: Chef John is no longer unpacking pots & pans in my kitchen. The sad news is that no other affordable sets meet his requirements. I have looked. According to our chef, a decent set of pots and pans will run you about $300. A great set of pots and pans can run you around $900. And a professional set of top of the line high-quality can run thousands. About every 10 years, you will need to replace your decent set of pots and pans. A great set can last you 15 or so. A cheap set (like my original one) needs to be replaced every 3-5. A professional set … well some of these have a life-time warranty on them. If you take care of them properly, you will never need to replace them. Speaking of caring for your pots and pans properly, there are a few rules. Everyone of which I had broken, I am have now been retrained in the kitchen in this area.
There is some special cleaners you can purchase to help increase the life of your pans. Taking care of them properly will sure an easier cooking time, less mess, and you won’t need to replace them as often. Next time, we will talk about knives. Ah…. Another interesting topic. Hide your wallets … this one will cost you and there is no alternative. Wishing you lots of Kitchen Memories, Misty Misty Rottmiller is a homeschooling mom of 3 boys in Arizona. Memories are best created in the kitchen is a refrain that is often heard around her home. Martha Stewart she is not! Misty often runs screaming from crafts and avoids most things that require creativity. Join her as she adventures through the kitchen sharing with you the basics, recipes, educational activities, and more. You can also visit her blog at www.homeschoolblogger.com/3boyz/ 
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Product of the Month This time-tested method of planning will give your family new direction for the future. Start today! Choose the dates for your planning weekend, read her book which has the entire “how to” included, and go for it! 
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Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a half-inch thick sheet. Cut with a biscuit cutter or cut into squares. Place on baking sheet. 
Sprinkle 3 tablespoons sugar over sliced berries. Mash berries if desired. Whip cream in mixer until soft peaks are formed.