Best Buy :: Small Appliances that do Big Things

Chef Patrick had come up with some really creative stuff.  One thing I see myself definitely doing at home is the quick broth using a Keurig Coffee Maker.  Imagine adding this, instead of water, to any recipe? SO MUCH BETTER!  I love my Keurig Coffee Maker and am jealous of this yellow one I saw at the store (or for our hometown TCU fans).  Using the my K-cup and some spices (recipe below), he ran it once to make a broth – GENIUS and so simple.

K-Cup Broth Recipe – 1 T mushroom powder, 1 t minced dehydrated onion, 1 ½ t celery salt, ½ t dried thyme, ½ bay leafI

I had a chance to chat with Chef Patrick and get some ideas for us, Moms, in the kitchen.  Moms are short on time and budget these days so I asked Chef, “What three small appliances can do “more than people think” and everyone should have?”

1. Blender  – Did you know that if you leave it going it can get to boiling? Drinks, sauces, so many things can be made in the blender, it is really essential.

2. Convection Toaster Oven – Chef actually made steak…STEAK PEOPLE, in this in less than 20 minutes and I didn’t have a chance to taste it, but I saw it and it was juicy.  With the new ones they have at Best Buy, you could easily make a couple steaks at a time in it.   It doesn’t heat up the house, like the oven does in the summer, and I think having one would be motivating to make the kids more of a “hot lunch” more often.  Grill some chicken or toasted ham & cheese sandwiches instead of PB&J?

3. Kitchen Aid Mixer with great attachments – These aren’t cheap but worth every penny.  The attachments are endless.  When I said I didn’t have one, I think his heart stopped for a minute.  He asked how I shredded chicken for recipes and when I responded with “by hand” I felt so crazy and inefficient.  I thought of how I have to sit there for 5+ minutes and my kids always decide to get into something when I have messy hands so I am yelling at them like a crazy person.  How much easier would it be to throw it in the mixer and let it be shredding while I do something else?

One other question I asked Chef was about budgeting.  “What should Moms splurge on?”.  The answer was what I expected – Splurge on Proteins (beef, poultry, fish) and Vegetables.  At Max’s Wine Dive (Chef Patrick is at the Dallas location but the one in Fort Worth location carries the same policies), they try to always buy local and fresh.  It is tough these days to sometimes keep that in a budget, but with Co-ops and Farmer’s Markets, it is getting easier.  And don’t forget growing your own garden – a fun family activity, cheap produce, etc!

One tip he also gave was about spices.  Most of us have a cabinet full of spices, and who knows how long most of them have been sitting in there.  He recommends planning out your meals and heading to places like Central Market or Whole Foods (remember he is a Dallas guy) to get fresh spices as much as possible.  Meal planning and making out a detailed list when grocery shopping is KEY for this but can allow you to purchase only what you need and it to be fresh (and flavorful).

So, what did I take away from all this? There are a LOT of cool appliances out there and while I don’t think I need all of them, there are some that I could add to my kitchen that could really cut some time down on my prep/cooking and make my life a bit easier.

So head over to Best Buy – they have some great deals on small appliances and a huge selection.  Maybe taking up a little counter top space is worth it!

What small appliance is essential at your house? Have you found a creative way to use an appliance?

**This post was sponsored, but all opinions expressed are our own.