Gadgets and Gizmoes
 

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to share something with you all that I find to be absolutely amazing. Since I'm the idiot who lost a WHOLE set of pots while moving, I went to K-mart and bought a set of Martha Stewart non-stick aluminum pots. They were costly, but they REALLY work. I was amazed since a lot of pots will have food stuck to the surface anyway. Not these. For example: last night I cooked a pot of Mahatma yellow rice and even though my rice stuck together like glue :D, not ONE grain was stuck to the pot. Plus they are sooo easy to clean. I know you all may think that I'm crazy, but I just had to share this with you ;) .

What amazing gadgets and things do you guys have around the house that make your life easier?

My George Foreman grill!!! Man, I love that thing. I've had it for over a year and I'm still amazed at how fast it cooks your food. Y'all wouldn't believe some of the stuff I've tried to cook on the Foreman.

you are so correct Bamboozled

Also, since I have a washer and dryer in my apartment, it is soooooo convenient, but I make fewer trips home. :(

Then there is my cell phone. It does come in handy AT HOME.

My paraffin wax thingy

My bubble spa thingy for the bathtub

:cool:

SHOWTIME(SET IT & FORGET IT)
 

We have the showtime set and it really works. You can cook a whole oven roaster (6lbs) in about 30-45 min with no mess. I think we have tried everything in there since we got it as a gift from my step-dad for Xmas. Plus, for anyone trying to loose weight this is great b/c it drips all the oils and fat off the foods into a non-stick pan.

I wouldn't pay the TV price unless you want the steamer and kabobbs. Try and go into Target or Walmart when it's on sale.

AKA2D, can you tell me more about your "paraffin wax thingy". Is it for your hands, feet or both? How does it work? I'm really considering getting one, but I really don't even know what they do.

MSRevlon, I am cracking up at the "set it and forget it". There's just something about that infomercial. I've seen it a dozen times, but every time it comes on, I have to sit through the entire thing. So, it really works, huh? I've always wondered. I just can't fathom leaving a frozen, whole chicken in a pot, kick it for a while and come back to the crib and just dig in. I know the Foreman cooks stuff really fast, but that just seems a bit extreme.

wax thingy
 

Bamboozled,
The wax thingy heats up in the microwave. They give you this big glob of wax. You heat it in this container and you can put your hands, feet, or elbow in the melted wax. Then, you place whatever body part in this towel like thingy, then you let it cool and you peel the cool wax.

It is recommended that you do not share your wax.

:cool:

What's this about...
 

Have any of you ever heard of or tried using a rice cooker? My mother's friend mentioned it to her and I'm wondering what's so good about it? From what I'm told they are really popular, but nobody can tell me why.

Give me a pot!
 

I know Soror. I cook rice the old fashioned way. No rice cooker for me. All I can see is that you measure the water, place it and the rice in the cooker and it cooks it. It just doesn't taste done to me, still crunchy. :confused:

My sister swears that it is sooooo magnificent. Her buttocks knows our momma didn't use a doggone rice cooker. Momma used a plain ole pot. LMAO!

Walmart had some small ones for $7.99.

AKA2D, so how big is this container? I'm LMAO trying to imagine it. Something that's big enough to fit a hand, a foot or an elbow? Now the purpose of using the wax is to make your skin silky smooth, right? Yeah, I'mma have to go buy one of those this weekend. Do they really make a difference?

I've never met a kitchen gadget that didn't have my name on it...:)
 

1. I love my Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker. I like the taste of fresh brewed ice tea (No Lipton canned or bottled for me). It takes a total of about 15 minutes to make a gallon and since you make it with ice, there's no waiting for it to get cold.

2. I have a combination steamer/ rice cooker. Now I still use my old fashioned pots for the rice BUT the steamer is great for veggies and seafood. I like mussels and they come out great.

3. Food processor. I can't remember the last time I chopped anything by hand. Its perfect for onions. No tears, no mess.

:D Thanks prayerfull...

I don't know how I forgot my T-Fal deep fryer. I use it for chicken and fish. The charcoal filter cuts down on that "funky" smell that you get when you fry food.

;) Speaking of informercials... ...I use my Orange Glow paste for everything! I takes paint spills off without scratching the surface underneath and it beats the usual lysol/clorox smell that use get with most cleaners

Bamboozled
 

LMAO! You cannot have all three of them in the thingy at the same time.

It's about as long as the keyboard from the control key on the left all the way to the control key on the right hand side. It's like a an elongated bowl or roasting pan. It does make your skin smooth.

Now the food processor, I should have. Whenever I decide to cook, that could come in handy.

Re: What's this about...
 

Soror, my mother has a rice cooker that we got from a family friend of Japanese ancestry. I like it because you just put the rice in, add the water (or chicken broth), and let it go. No need to watch pots. The rice turns out tender throughout, no grainy taste. :cool:

I've never been able to figure out the reasoning behind buying a rice cooker either - I put mine in a covered container in the microwave and cook it for about 8 minutes. It turns out perfectly, nothing sticks to the container and no pots to wash.

We've got a lot of gadgets around the house! In the kitchen, I faithfully use my double-decker steamer. Meats go in the bottom, veggies on top. My favorite is salmon and veggies, steamed, and I add some balsamic vinegar to steam along with it. I use the George Forman grill also. I also use one of those little electric choppers to dice up onions, peppers, etc. I would like to buy a bif food processor. I also bought a deep fryer a few months ago that I use to fry catfish and chicken.

We've also got alot of entertainment and computer gadgets. I think we've got a remote control for just about every one of those items too...funny thing is that they're ALL universal remotes..we've just never programmed everything into one remote.

Soror 2D - I've been wanting one of those wax things for a while. I also want a bath spa...think I might have to pick one up this weekend.

I LOVE GADGETS!!!
 

Ok, I absolutely LOVE my Black and Decker Grill (GF was entirely too friggin pricey)!!!! Oh my goodness, catfish on that grill is DIVYNE, DO YOU HEAR ME?!?!? I've only ever put meat on there, but I am contemplating making a grilled cheese sandwich on there. We'll see how that turns out.

Ok, the Showtime Rotisserie. See, yall don't know about me and the infomercial addiction, but this is my FAVORITE!!! We're buying one next month, and a sista CANNOT WAIT!!!! When Loverman told me, I ain't know how to act (I have been hinting about it since last year). Cornish hens, here we come!!! (Has anyone ever stuffed a bird with rice instead of stuffing? I'd like to try that.) Now Soror, how does your meat come out? Do you inject it with juice/broth? I heard you need to, b/c the food comes out dry. But I heard this from a chick who doesn't cook...said her mom told her... her mom might can't cook neither, lol, so I need to know! :) But what I DIDN'T know was that there were in stores. It's on now!!!

I'm going to by the paraffin wax thing, too. I didn't know you put it in the microwave, though! Dang, I thought it was electric!

I want a wok. See, my mother used to have all this mess, and we hardly ever used it. Now, I have clearly turned into her, because I want it ALL, ok? I don't need a food processor, but I need a nice slicer. I am 'tarred' of the cutting and the cutting board. I need a slicer.

My metal steamer thingie with the holes in it. Oh man, this is my favorite. The only thing we steam is broccoli, but we eat that like 3x a week. But it is the best thing since sliced bread to me, and so cute, lol. I love things that make life simple. I would have had no idea how to steam broccoli, otherwise.

Beater/mixer, whatever you wanna call it. I can't tell yall the last time I made a cake, but I made mashed potatoes with it a few weeks ago, and they came out PERFECT!! I don't even eat mashed potatoes (except Boston Market), but I was so sick of seeing him eat that processed mess in the box. WTF?? :confused:

Keyless entry thing for Sparkle. I never realized how handy that was until my hands were full, and I didn't have to put anything down to unlock the car doors.

Well, my wax thingy is not electric, you can put it in the microwave. Don't ask me where it came from, it was a Christmas present, therefore, I don't know.

:confused:

1. I love my George Foreman grill. I have not made one thing on there that did not come out perfectly. I really want the new larger one with the temperature control and timer, but it's a little too pricey. The one that I have now only cost me $13 out of Walgreens.

2. My Conair facial steemer. I always used to put a pot of water on to boil and cover my head with a towel so the steam could hit my face. That was just too awkward and annoying. My facial steemer has the steam and it's specially shaped so the steam only hits my face and not my fresh perm.

3. My salon shaper. I love this one to death. I bought it for $5 from Walgreen's and it works wonders. When I get a chip in my nails, I can just buff it out with that salon shaper and I don't have to rush out to the nail salon. Saves me a lot of money and time.

4. My sonicare toothbrush. It is so much better than those little cheap electric toothbrushes and is definitely worth the money. It works so well and it actually makes me like brushing my teeth. Instead of just two minutes, I brush my teeth for about ten minutes a day.

AKA2D, which paraffin wax thingy do you use? I am going to get one but I don't want to pay $60 or $80 for it.

I'm getting a FREE one!!!
 

Ooh, yall. This girl that sits in the cubicle next to me just asked if I wanted a rice cooker. I was like :confused:. She said her aunt bought one and now doesn't want it, doesn't have the receipt to take it back, so she's just GIVING it away!!! Yall know a sista eats rice a good 3 or 4 times a week!!! I cannot wait to give it a try. I'm hoping it makes the brown rice more tender. That mess just is not as good as white rice. Why is it that things that are better for you never taste as good as the bad stuff?

Re: I LOVE GADGETS!!!
 

I make cornish hens stuffed with wild rice and broccoli. it's really really good. Give it a try!

I had the same experience with my rice cooker. First it took FOREVER to cook the rice and then tasted like chalk. Could it be that i have a cheap one.. it was about $25-30.

Face steamer thingy.. i absolutely love. Classylady, why was boiling all that water just out of control. With this little gadget you only need like 3 caps full of water... and the timer let's you know when it's ready. Then you can set it to time your facials. Good buy!

i swear by Oxy Clean. carpet stains.. any stain! Laundry... I use it in my whites all the time.

the wok.. i've never used. but Braun electric toothbrush.. much better for the gums than brushing with a regular toothbrush.

Foot spa. Ever since i saw that Dateline (or whatever show it was) about the lady and her daughter that got TB from a bacteria ridden foot spa in a nail salon... i ran right out and bought this. Yeah, it's hard and not as relaxing doing your own feet... i just can't bring myself to go back. I don't know if anyone else saw the story but both of them(lady and daughter) were on a rack of meds and the dr.'s said that they would eventually need skin graphs(sp?) to get rid of the deep scars (that covered their legs up to their knees).

the paraffin wax thingies i saw were electric between $40-60 depending on size at Linen's and Things. AKA2D'91, how often do you use yours? And how long do the supplies last?

Bath SPA
 

Last week, I bought that bath spa thingy that hangs on the side of your bathtub. The thing is great! I LOVE IT! Walgreen's had it on sale (last day yesterday) for 24.99.




I read on another forum that the "perfect pancake" maker isn't all that? Has anyone tried it?

:confused:

Re: What's this about...
 

Since I'm South American (my family is from Guyana), rice is a staple of my diet. I swear by my rice cooker. It even does a good job on minute rice. Just pur the rice and wated in the cooker and press one button!!

Great for the culinary-challenged, like me! ;)

On another note, I'm looking to purchase a Palm Pilot, and I think I have it narrowed down to the m515 or m130. My question is for those who actually have the wireless capability (Internet) availabe on the m515, do you actually use the feature, or do you stick to your traditional computer? How much does it cost per month? Any advice?

Now for my gadgets,

1. Homedics Back Massager
2. Conair Foot Spa
3. Conair Facial Sauna


I LOVE THEM ALL!

Perfect pancake
 

I bought one today, I'll keep you guys posted. All I know is if my pancakes aren't perfect, I'm takin it right back to the store. This thing even claims you can cook eggs in it!!:eek: :confused: