These are the things that I find are handy to have in the kitchen for scratch cooking for one or two people:
Pots and pans - Note that non-stick pans are bad for you and the environment. Try to use stainless steel with a copper coated bottom (or thick aluminum)- these cook more evenly and with proper care will last longer and be easier to clean than non-stick.
coffee pot - stove top perculator is more energy efficient and easier to make smaller batches.
small saucepan - 1-1.5qt for heating canned veggies or soups.
medium saucepan - 2 qt for boiling macaroni or potatos. I have a second one that is heavy aluminum that I use to deep fry small quantities since it is deeper than my skillets.
Also if you have two medium saucepans you can improvise a double boiler.
large soup pot for soups, stews, pot roast.
large skillet - at least one (I use two) stainless steel copper bottom are the best for frying things like pancakes, hamburgers or fried potatos, unless you happen to have a large iron skillet.
Iron cookware:
Iron cookware is good and healthy to eat out of. You get the iron from the skillet in your food. Iron cookware must be seasoned properly so it won't stick. Older ironware is sturdier, the newer stuff may break if dropped.
Never let soapy water touch ironware after it is seasoned. And only use water to clean the ironware if you are going to use it immediately after washing.
How to season iron cookware:
Wash out the new skillet. (Or completely derust an old one then wash it.)
Rub the entire surface with oil.
Some people use vegetable oil - but be careful because some types can become gummy. Try to use pure corn oil if you want to use vegetable oil.
Bacon grease or lard are best. Butter burns too easy and has solids that will burn and make it taste bad.
If your oven is gas and has a pilot light, just put the ironware in the oven close to the pilot light.
If you don't have a pilot light, or have an electric oven, put the ironware in the oven after baking something. This will take several times of slowly heating the iron for the oil to make a slick coat.
Re-apply the oil or grease every time you put it in the oven- especially on the inside.
You can speed this process up a little by putting the skillet in an oven on 'warm' for 30 minutes at a time.
NOTE: heating the ironware on the stovetop or in a very hot oven does not season well and will damage the integrity of the metal.
How to wash iron cookware:
DO NOT use soap. Do not use water unless you are going to use it immediately after washing - rust happens. Wipe the iron cookware out with a paper towel. If it is well seasoned any food stuff will come off with a little dry brushing, scraping or scrubbing. If stuff does not come off, don't worry. cover the unwashed cookware and store it in the oven until you need to use it again and wash then. Or if this is not an option - wash and dry well, re-oil and put in 'warm' oven for 30 min.
How to derust an iron skillet
There are many ways to do it. A lot depends on how bad it is. If it is real bad, like something your great-grandma left under the porch 40 years ago, then the first step here is probably necessary.
The one that worked best for me is to put the iron skillet in a fire. You need a campfire for this, let it get hot, take it out gently and set it aside to cool completely. The rust gets brittle and flakes off.
Next use tools, things like large wire brushes, even the motorized kind, steel scrubbers to scrub and scrape the iron as clean as possible. You are not looking to have it shiny as new metal however just get the big chunks off the inside walls and concentrate on getting the bottom smooth as possible, there will still be pits.
Lighty rusted iron is easily cleaned with a stainless steel pad, (not the soapy kind) and reseasoned.
Glass casserole dishes- I use them both as casseroles and as baking pans for cakes and pastries, I don't have cake pans. I have one that is about 9"x9" it is good for small casseroles and is also a good size for brownies, cobblers or fudge or a small cake.
I have another that is 9"x13". This one is good for things like lazagne, mexican casserole, and bread pudding. or a larger cake.
Glass pie plate. I have one but I don't use it very often.
Cookie sheets - I have a large heavy aluminum one. Non-stick is not good for you or the environment. A way to make several batches of cookies with one sheet is to cover it in aluminum foil, remove the sheet of foil with the cookies when they are baked and put another sheet of foil on the cookie sheet for the next batch. Usually by the time the first batch is cool enough to take off the foil. The second batch is baked and then the foil from the first batch can be re-used for the third batch. (Yes I bake alot of cookies!) I also cut the pizza in half and bake
it on the cookie sheet.
Utensils - Stainless steel is worth the price and will last forever and be easier to clean. Plastic and nylon melt into your food (gross). I find it easiest to keep the utensils handle-down in a jar on the stovetop. I use:
slotted spoon
large spoon (2)
spatula
wire whisks
strainers - (for tea, herbs coffee)
ladle (not so much)
large meat fork - is handy for big pieces of meat
paring/utility knife - 2-3" blade I use for peeling, chopping, slicing and cutting most everything. I also use it for deboning chicken and fish.
serrated knife - I have a serrated knife for cutting breads and tomatos.
I have a whole lot of other kinds of knives that I hardly ever use. I do use a knife sharpener.
Cake server - this is handy to get slices of stuff like cake or lazagne out of pans.
grater - I use one of those foursided box graters. They are a good space saver. One side slices cheese, the other grates cheese, carrots or cabbage, the other side grates the carrots finer, and the finest side I use to grate nutmeg and nuts.
measuring stuff - I have a couple of the glass pyrex measuring cups as they are the most versatile. A set of measuring spoons are handy.
sifter - is a necessity. This is the key to making good food from scratch.
trivets - places to put hot stuff. The raised ones that have holes will make it easier for something on it to cool -the insulated ones will not. Put a lid (or even a plate) on something hot to keep it warm.
scissors - you should keep large stainless steel ( all metal) scissors especially for the kitchen. They can be used to open packaging, snip herbs, and cut up meat and cartilage. Avoid the ones with plastic, germ will grow where the plastic meets the metal.
mixing bowls - several glass or stainless of various sizes from the thrift stores.
pastry cutter - is a handy thing if you plan on doing a lot of baking
rolling pin - if you are new to baking, the ones that you can fill with ice, or have a sleeve over them are good until you get used to handling dough. If you don't have room to keep a rolling pin, you can use a straight sided bottle, with the labels removed. I use the wooden dowel from my papertowel holder.
potato masher - can't make good mashed potatos without it
Note: I have a eco-friendly energy efficient kitchen. I do not use things that plug in. If you do a lot of baking a mixer would be handy. And a blender is good for smoothies. And microwaves are good for warming things up.
I am planning to get a bread machine since the price of bread keeps rising. And I can make my homemade yogurt in it too. I will let you know more about the bread machine in another post when I get it.
find out about menu planning
or return to front page
small saucepan - 1-1.5qt for heating canned veggies or soups.
medium saucepan - 2 qt for boiling macaroni or potatos. I have a second one that is heavy aluminum that I use to deep fry small quantities since it is deeper than my skillets.
Also if you have two medium saucepans you can improvise a double boiler.
large soup pot for soups, stews, pot roast.
large skillet - at least one (I use two) stainless steel copper bottom are the best for frying things like pancakes, hamburgers or fried potatos, unless you happen to have a large iron skillet.
Iron cookware:
Iron cookware is good and healthy to eat out of. You get the iron from the skillet in your food. Iron cookware must be seasoned properly so it won't stick. Older ironware is sturdier, the newer stuff may break if dropped.
Never let soapy water touch ironware after it is seasoned. And only use water to clean the ironware if you are going to use it immediately after washing.
How to season iron cookware:
Wash out the new skillet. (Or completely derust an old one then wash it.)
Rub the entire surface with oil.
Some people use vegetable oil - but be careful because some types can become gummy. Try to use pure corn oil if you want to use vegetable oil.
Bacon grease or lard are best. Butter burns too easy and has solids that will burn and make it taste bad.
If your oven is gas and has a pilot light, just put the ironware in the oven close to the pilot light.
If you don't have a pilot light, or have an electric oven, put the ironware in the oven after baking something. This will take several times of slowly heating the iron for the oil to make a slick coat.
Re-apply the oil or grease every time you put it in the oven- especially on the inside.
You can speed this process up a little by putting the skillet in an oven on 'warm' for 30 minutes at a time.
NOTE: heating the ironware on the stovetop or in a very hot oven does not season well and will damage the integrity of the metal.
How to wash iron cookware:
DO NOT use soap. Do not use water unless you are going to use it immediately after washing - rust happens. Wipe the iron cookware out with a paper towel. If it is well seasoned any food stuff will come off with a little dry brushing, scraping or scrubbing. If stuff does not come off, don't worry. cover the unwashed cookware and store it in the oven until you need to use it again and wash then. Or if this is not an option - wash and dry well, re-oil and put in 'warm' oven for 30 min.
How to derust an iron skillet
There are many ways to do it. A lot depends on how bad it is. If it is real bad, like something your great-grandma left under the porch 40 years ago, then the first step here is probably necessary.
The one that worked best for me is to put the iron skillet in a fire. You need a campfire for this, let it get hot, take it out gently and set it aside to cool completely. The rust gets brittle and flakes off.
Next use tools, things like large wire brushes, even the motorized kind, steel scrubbers to scrub and scrape the iron as clean as possible. You are not looking to have it shiny as new metal however just get the big chunks off the inside walls and concentrate on getting the bottom smooth as possible, there will still be pits.
Lighty rusted iron is easily cleaned with a stainless steel pad, (not the soapy kind) and reseasoned.
Glass casserole dishes- I use them both as casseroles and as baking pans for cakes and pastries, I don't have cake pans. I have one that is about 9"x9" it is good for small casseroles and is also a good size for brownies, cobblers or fudge or a small cake.
I have another that is 9"x13". This one is good for things like lazagne, mexican casserole, and bread pudding. or a larger cake.
Glass pie plate. I have one but I don't use it very often.
Cookie sheets - I have a large heavy aluminum one. Non-stick is not good for you or the environment. A way to make several batches of cookies with one sheet is to cover it in aluminum foil, remove the sheet of foil with the cookies when they are baked and put another sheet of foil on the cookie sheet for the next batch. Usually by the time the first batch is cool enough to take off the foil. The second batch is baked and then the foil from the first batch can be re-used for the third batch. (Yes I bake alot of cookies!) I also cut the pizza in half and bake
it on the cookie sheet.
Utensils - Stainless steel is worth the price and will last forever and be easier to clean. Plastic and nylon melt into your food (gross). I find it easiest to keep the utensils handle-down in a jar on the stovetop. I use:
slotted spoon
large spoon (2)
spatula
wire whisks
strainers - (for tea, herbs coffee)
ladle (not so much)
large meat fork - is handy for big pieces of meat
paring/utility knife - 2-3" blade I use for peeling, chopping, slicing and cutting most everything. I also use it for deboning chicken and fish.
serrated knife - I have a serrated knife for cutting breads and tomatos.
I have a whole lot of other kinds of knives that I hardly ever use. I do use a knife sharpener.
Cake server - this is handy to get slices of stuff like cake or lazagne out of pans.
grater - I use one of those foursided box graters. They are a good space saver. One side slices cheese, the other grates cheese, carrots or cabbage, the other side grates the carrots finer, and the finest side I use to grate nutmeg and nuts.
measuring stuff - I have a couple of the glass pyrex measuring cups as they are the most versatile. A set of measuring spoons are handy.
sifter - is a necessity. This is the key to making good food from scratch.
trivets - places to put hot stuff. The raised ones that have holes will make it easier for something on it to cool -the insulated ones will not. Put a lid (or even a plate) on something hot to keep it warm.
scissors - you should keep large stainless steel ( all metal) scissors especially for the kitchen. They can be used to open packaging, snip herbs, and cut up meat and cartilage. Avoid the ones with plastic, germ will grow where the plastic meets the metal.
mixing bowls - several glass or stainless of various sizes from the thrift stores.
pastry cutter - is a handy thing if you plan on doing a lot of baking
rolling pin - if you are new to baking, the ones that you can fill with ice, or have a sleeve over them are good until you get used to handling dough. If you don't have room to keep a rolling pin, you can use a straight sided bottle, with the labels removed. I use the wooden dowel from my papertowel holder.
potato masher - can't make good mashed potatos without it
Note: I have a eco-friendly energy efficient kitchen. I do not use things that plug in. If you do a lot of baking a mixer would be handy. And a blender is good for smoothies. And microwaves are good for warming things up.
I am planning to get a bread machine since the price of bread keeps rising. And I can make my homemade yogurt in it too. I will let you know more about the bread machine in another post when I get it.
find out about menu planning
or return to front page
No comments:
Post a Comment
type here