Kitchen Discoveries I Really Like

I have been cooking for Steve Pearson for over 54 years. After the first years of a steep learning curve on MY part and a realization on HIS part that he wouldn't be sitting at his momma's table every meal for the rest of his life, he hasn't starved, and I've gotten better.

To be sure his momma (Mary Nell Winton Pearson) was an outstanding cook. She prepared many dishes completely from scratch and was notorious for using every pot, pan, and gadget in her arsenal. My sister-in-law Susie and I can attest to that statement, because we were the ones who did much of the clean-up after our families devoured one of Grannie's awesome meals. Ask Steve about the time he dreamed he'd never have his momma's slaw again and cluelessly and foolishly told me about that dream.

But, back to me. :)

I've burned plenty of groceries, and I've certainly experimented on occasion with disastrous results. I confess to gently leading my children, by example, to request a certain restaurant on their birthdays, rather than a certain menu to be prepared by me. I do LOVE to dine at a nice restaurant where I am served and don't have a single dish to wash when I'm finished. My mother guided me in that direction. She, too, loved to eat out but particularly disliked buffets (such as Morrison's or Britling's which were my dad's favorites). She liked being pampered in restaurants. Admittedly, there weren't that many from which to choose during my childhood and the amount in the restaurant budget was meager. Don't get me wrong. Momma was a good cook. One of her favorite activities was sharing recipes or writing down the ingredients to a recipe prepared by a friend with nary a title or a direction. I share her love for beautiful cookbooks. Remember -- this was long before Pinterest was created.

I enjoy planning meals, spending time in the kitchen, and having people over. In my opinion, time around the table can be the best way to deepen friendships and relationships or get to know someone new. Yes, you can do that to some extent in a restaurant, but it's better in a home. Don't you think?

Anyway, after all these years of cooking, I've found some new gadgets and products in the past few months that I really like and want to recommend to you. . . if you're a "kitchen person," too.

CHICKEN SHREDDER

This flat, Mickey Mouse looking gadget, has sharp points on the inside, both bottom and top. You merely have to place a cooked chicken breast inside, close it as far as possible, then grab the black handles and rotate the top back and forth several times. Quick. Effective. I think it only cost about $10 on Amazon.

LEMON JUICER

After all these years of squeezing that juice out by hand or giving up and just buying a bottled version, I saw this gadget in a kitchen shop in Sedona, AZ and declared it was time I had one. It's perfect this summer for making fresh strawberry lemonade, and it does a great job of getting ALL the juice. Lemons aren't cheap, you know. I also have a zester that works well. Lemon or lime zest add a ton of flavor.

CHEESE GRATER

Like most of you, I've had one of the box type graters for years. You know the ones that scrape the skin off of your knuckles if you get too close trying to use up all of the block of cheese. Ouch! Every cooking video I watch says, "Please don't buy the pre-grated cheese in the store. It's so much better to grate it yourself." Well, I USED TO BE very prone to grabbing the pre-grated packages, but with this grater, it's very easy to turn a block of cheese into a pile of freshly-grated goodness. This one has powerful suction to attach it to the counter and an easy-to-attach handle. It's also a cinch to clean afterward.

A CHEESE THAT'S NEW TO ME

My married granddaughter Allie introduced me to this cheese, and I am really enjoying it. She's into buying good ingredients, organic when possible, and her husband has worked as a chef's assistant in several Nashville area restaurants. They served this cheese at their older son's first birthday party. It's mild and can be used in place of cheddar in recipes. It pairs well with fruit and nuts for snacking or charcuterie. Let me know if you try it and what recipes you use.

A FANTASTIC COOKIE SHEET

Go directly to The Cupboard on Johnston Street in Decatur, AL. Do not pass "Go." Do not collect $200. :) The Cupboard has this wonderful sheet pan in the bakeware section along with several other shapes and sizes of this same brand. It's heavy, non-stick, and extremely easy to clean. I find myself using it for many more things than just cookies, and I believe you will, too. Truly worth the money.

A PRETTY OIL DISPENSER

I brought this home from Magnolia Market in Waco, TX. Just because. Steve uses a lot of olive oil when he cooks things -- fried eggs, pancakes, etc. Why not put the oil in something pretty? Now I'm happy to keep the oil on the counter rather than in the pantry.

MY GUILT-FREE SWEET TEA

My absolute favorite beverage of choice is sweet iced tea. I'll drink it on the coldest day of the winter, and the hottest day of summer. HOWEVER, I realized that neither the sugar nor the caffeine were doing good things to my bloodwork or my metabolism, so I went in search of an alternative. Enter Southern Breeze Decaf Zero Calorie tea bags. Hallelujah! Guilt-free tea drinking! Go to the Southern Breeze Sweet Tea website, and I can pretty much guarantee you'll find a flavor or blend that will entice you to order some.

Okay. It's time to get in the kitchen and whip up some supper. I have chicken ready to shred for tomorrow's recipes, but tonight I think I'll fix Taco Salad Cups. The cheese is already grated. :) And a glass of my no-guilt sweet tea will pair well. :)

Let me know if you use any of these gadgets or products in the coming weeks. Thanks for reading.

#cheesegrater #lemonjuicer #chickenshredder #SouthernBreezeSweetTea #Dublinercheese #oildispenser