Do you cook with any small appliances?

katlupe

katlupe

SF VIP
Location
Norwich, NY
I have never used the stove in my apartment. I use the oven for a cupboard and the top for my small appliances. I mostly use the Instant Pot, the Induction Cook Top and the Nuwave Convection Oven. I also have a small waffle iron, a toaster oven and a hot pot (for hot water) and of course, a coffee maker. I cook a lot but usually small meals. If I make a recipe that makes too much, I just freeze it in individual portions for future fast food. I like to cook but I like not having to cook if I don't want to. Before I moved here, I cooked for twenty years with a wood cook stove and I loved it. But that life was very hard on me and I am happy to be where I am today.

Today I made spaghetti with ground beef and Italian sausage (hot and sweet). I ate one dish of it and then put three portions in freezer bags in the freezer. The IP makes cooking for one so much easier. All the ingredients were cooked in the same pot. So one pot and one dish to wash. The portions I put away are big enough for two in case I have company. This is a recipe that is referred to as a "Dump & Go" and I am experimenting with more of these recipes.

Is there a small appliance you use for cooking that you really like? I think it makes cooking more fun.
 

I still use a burner or two on the stove but I haven't needed the oven since last Easter.

I use an Oster convection toaster oven and the microwave every day.

I don't do much actual cooking anymore but I would be interested in any recipes or websites that you come across that are geared towards simple healthy meals for seniors.

Today my actual cooking consisted of microwaving some fresh baby spinach for 3 minutes!
 
We use our Staub cast-iron pot for soups/stews/sauces, and our toaster oven to cook things like pot-pie. The Stub can be put in the stove oven or stove-stop and has taken the place of the slow cooker.
 

I recently bought a toaster oven, but other than toast, it takes a long time. I like baked veggies. In the oven at 425 frozen veg take about 10-12 mins. in the toaster oven, it takes over 20 mins!

Occasionally I use my pressure cooker (Insta Pot, but on the stove)

I use my immersion blender which can be attached to a small food processor

I ruined my instant water boiler kettle that I used for my coffee press

X I'll use the microwave to thaw or reheat, but don't really need it.
X I don't like food from a slow cooker
 
I use my Air Fryer, Crock Pot, Toaster, Keurig n my stove has a grill n griddle in the center but it makes a horrible mess so I have an Electric Grill n Griddle I got for Christmas . I have a blender for frozen drinks, a Kitchen Magician so I make my own french fries n scallops potatoes n chips! I have a Microwave but just to reheat.
 
I use my microwave to reheat. Use my toaster ever day. I used to use an electric skillet my mother bought me a long time ago but the inside got ruined.
 
Depending on what I'm cooking I use many small appliances, many have been mentioned here. Some things taste or cook better than others in the different appliances.
Generally the micro wave is used mainly for reheating but I do make puddings, a basic white sauce or melt chocolate in it which works so much better than a double boiler which seems to take forever.
 
I use a microwave to reheat the Keurig coffee that always manages to get cold before I finish drinking it, also for other heating. The rice cooker is also handy - no more burnt rice. Yay!

Crock pots come out to keep foods like (vegan) sausage, peppers & onions or pasta dishes hot during large gathering, but I don't cook in them.

My wall ovens only get used when I'm making cookies (mostly over the holidays) or pizza. Otherwise I use a convection toaster oven, including when reheating pizza that I'd made and frozen.

Since we don't eat meat I can't remember the last time I used the broiler, but it has to be over 5 years.
 
I love my Salter soup maker that ive had for several years the convenience is a good feature and the recipe book is very good. I can make a hearty soup in about 30 mins. My fave is leek and onion soup and chunky fresh vegetable soup.
 
I use my electric stove and oven most of the time, I still do heavy cooking. Trying new recipes is one of my retirement new hobbies. I also use my food processor and my toaster. That's about it. I don't trust microwaves and bought my stove electric because I think gas stoves with flames are dangerous for older people. I am thinking of getting a small toaster oven just for heating food, now I use my big oven for that, not cost efficient.
 
Duster said:
One thing I use almost everyday is a small food processor.
I must confess that I still have a deep fat fryer that I use about once a week. Not the healthiest option, but some things taste so much better deep fried.
Click to expand...
Deep frying is usually healthier than skillet frying. I use our deep fryer quite a bit.

I also use the electric pressure cooker and a contact grill
 
We bought a Breville convection/toaster oven and we use it a lot, especially in the summer, because it doesn't heat up the house much. However, I still use my big oven and stove top as well. We use the instant pot occasionally, too.
 
I wonder if the current versions of 'toaster ovens' are better insulated than the older ones were.

I had enjoyed using mine for years, but it was a definite fire hazard, to take a lot of extra caution around it.
I wanted to mention, that anyone should check on this, if considering one. Especially in particular,
@Catlady or others with cats.

If any of the cats ever tend to jump onto a counter, you'd need to be extra careful where you put one, if you ever got one...
unless they make them much better insulated and safer, now, which I hope they do!
 
Gardenlover said:
If I'm cooking inside this is the only thing I'm allowed to use:
View attachment 89761

My sister had one when we were kids, it made a decent little cake. View attachment 89762
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I nearly burned my neighbors house down with one of those. It was plugged in to a garage outlet and we put paper in it then left to oven door open. The paper flew to the house and burned up the very expensive air conditioner located directly under their dining room window. The AC unit had some kind of flammable cover over it and up in blazes it went. Luckily, the fire was put out before it burned up the dining room.
 

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