Almost 65 and retired. Raised by an East Coast liberal. I am also a child of the sixties.

What can’t you live without in your kitchen?

Posted Saturday, March 10, 2012, at 4:12 PM

I have several things and thought I would share them. I'm sure we all have those items that we just can't live without.

Mistreat the pan on top and you DIE!

The item on the bottom I bought on a whim when Big Lots had a bunch of them as factory re-packs. God bless Ron Popeil's pointy little heart. This thing works as advertised! If you can get it on the spit or in the basket, it will cook it!

I do believe that almost every kitchen in the USA has one of these. I've had them in all sizes and shapes over the years. This one is still pretty basic. I don't trust those fancy programmable types that when they break it cost a fortune to fix or replace.

This next one I got as a gift. I was skeptical at first, but this also has worked as advertised. It will grill, make waffles, pancakes, eggs, hash browns. All around a great time saver and money saver.

So what is it you just can't live without?

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I have found that I can live without pretty much anything. I have cooked meals for an entire crew with only one burner that worked on my stove.

If you happen to have an electric frying pan, you are pretty much set.

I would say that the fridge with something that I couldn't do without. We have had to a few times when KaeLynn was a baby. One fridge quit and the other one that we bought was a lemon. I had three sets of groceries go bad because of this.

I do know that if you happen to live near a cold mountain stream, your food will never spoil.

As long as you have a frying pan, a little flour and a fishing pole, you won't starve. A knife would come in handy for these occasions and a little bacon grease.

-- Posted by KH Gal on Sun, Mar 11, 2012, at 12:21 AM
Great answer!

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Sun, Mar 11, 2012, at 6:19 AM
It kind of depends on how frivolous of an answer I give. If I'm being frivolous, I can NOT live without ranch dressing and diet coke.

But seriously, and I'm nothing if not serious. (hehehehe) I'd have said, my non stick pans. I paid good money for them, and I keep a silicone pad of protective love around them. Chicken fried steak is perfect out of these pans, as is crunchy chicken breasts. Hurt THOSE and DIE.

I have cast iron pots and stuff.... those are a must have for certain things. But my stainless is another must have for other things. hmmmmmmm... I love my slow cooker, turn it on and drop some stuff in there, always good.

I must be one of the few that doesn't have a pressure cooker. I remember my Mom using one, and me being scared! I think I'm traumatized by that.... I don't need one.

In a pinch though, Bonnie is right, electric pan, and you can cook anything!

Good idea for a conversation starter, Roy!

-- Posted by jessiemiller on Mon, Mar 12, 2012, at 8:18 AM

Brenda
I too will never have a pressure cooker. My grandmother was cooking beets when I was maybe 6 or 7 and something "blew" and it was a scene out of Kansas Chainsaw Massacre. I too think I was traumatized for life. Lol
If push comes to shove, if I can build a fire, I'll take the cast iron any day.

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Mon, Mar 12, 2012, at 8:38 AM
A cupboard full of spices, garbage disposal and our indoor grill....

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Mon, Mar 12, 2012, at 10:21 AM
Spices have their place, for sure...but not on beef! I like beef!

We have a huge grill right outside the back door... on a covered porch, so I use it alot. Grilling is definately the way to go!

-- Posted by jessiemiller on Mon, Mar 12, 2012, at 10:51 AM
I like a little Garlic on steak. I LOVE raw Hamburger with a little garlic. I get chewed out for eating it that way, but hey I've been eating it raw since I was a kid and I ain't dead yet. lol!

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Mon, Mar 12, 2012, at 11:31 AM
Montreal Steak Seasoning, LIBERALLY :+)on both sides, rub in with Worchestershire sause and let stand in a pile on top of each other for 20 or 25 minutes before slapping on a hot grill and inch thick beef steak will come out tasty as all get out.

-- Posted by wh67 on Mon, Mar 12, 2012, at 11:46 AM
I love beef, but raw hamburger is just gross!

Yeah Roy Montreal Steak seasoning is good. I like steaks cut in strips, like fajita strips,and sometimes marinated...cooked just enough to still be juicy and laid on a salad.

Recently we had a butcher cut our beef in a 'flat iron' cut. That may be one of my new favorite cuts...super tender and juicy!

-- Posted by jessiemiller on Mon, Mar 12, 2012, at 12:07 PM
I had a pressure cooker years ago. Let's just say every time I used it was a new adventure. I hear the new ones are very safe now.

Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper and garlic powder seems like a all around good spice mix. Gotta have garlic! :-)

-- Posted by royincaldwell on Mon, Mar 12, 2012, at 2:01 PM

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