Small Kitchen Appliances

Small Appliances Your Kitchen Should Not Be Without

Slow Cooker

     The slow cooker is a basic appliance consisting of an electric housing unit (usually metal) in which a large ceramic pot is inserted along with its lid. Slow cookers are just that. They cook very slowly and are ideal for recipes that call for combining all the ingredients and leaving it to cook. Stew, soup, chilli, nacho cheese, and pot roast are good examples of dishes that cook well in a slow cooker. Many brands can be programmed to shut off at a certain time, great for busy people who want to enjoy a warm, cooked meal at the end of the day.

Bread Machine

     Bread machines take all the work out of bread making. With a bread machine, the necessary ingredients are combined, the lid shut and the button pressed. The machine uses a dough hook to mix and knead the dough, then it heats up slightly allowing the dough to rise. After it has risen, the hook resumes kneading for a few minutes, and the machine heats up and cooks the bread.

Toaster Oven

     For heating, toasting, baking and broiling toaster ovens are incredibly convenient. Toasted sandwiches, crispy French fries, pizza, cookies, even Cornish hens, virtually any small dishes you bake in your oven can be cooked in a countertop oven.

Food Processor

     Chopping, dicing and slicing by hand takes time, but a food processor does all that in seconds. Fruit and vegetables can easily be prepared for salads, sauces or pureed for homemade baby food.

Electric Steamer

     This is a most health-promoting appliance. When vegetables are boiled or baked, most of the nutrients flow out with the juices, leaving the veggies low in both nutrients AND flavor. Steaming food, however, allows it to be thoroughly cooked and still remain healthy. Steamers aren't only for cooking vegetables, though. You can steam chicken, fish, and even rice. Most steamers come with "tiers" or trays, so you can steam all of your food at once.

     Not all kitchens have the space or the need for these appliances, but the benefits these machines have to offer are worth considering.