What Size and Brand Pressure Cooker Should I Buy?

Sunday is appliance and equipment day at CookingManager.Com. Commenter David asks: What size cooker would you recommend? How about brand? Thanks. David, I’ve owned a 12-liter Italian Lagostina for about five years and just bought an 8-quart Fagor. (Liters and quarts are about the same.) I can’t recommend a particular brand, but I can give […]

Five Basic Recipes for the Food Processor

On Sundays I write about cooking appliance and equipment. This is the third in a series on food processors. Click for Part I and II. Here are a few examples of techniques I use to adapt any recipe to the food processor. All can made in the main bowl with the “S”  or helicopter blade. […]

Food Processor Basics

A food processor can save you loads of time in the kitchen. The more you cook, the more time you save. It won’t peel or wash your vegetables, but it chops, slices and mixes. You can use it for salads, casseroles, cakes, breads and more. Mine even has an attachment for beating eggs, eliminating the need for a mixer. A mixer is the food processor’s only real competition and only useful if you separate eggs on a regular basis.

Use Your Food Processor Efficiently

Mini Food Processor On Sundays at CookingManager.Com, I write about appliances and kitchen equipment. This is Part I of a three-part series on food processors. Part II and Part III. My mother loved gadgets, and her all-time favorite was the food processor. She had three: one meat, one dairy, and one for Passover. She bought […]

Gas Burners: Energy Saving Tips

See Part I:Gas Burner: Introduction Tips for using a gas burner efficiently: Choosing a pot: Choose the right pot for the task. Deep pots are best for liquids like soups and noodles, while shallow pans are better for frying or making casseroles. Liquids evaporate more quickly in a shallow pan. Deep pots ensure that food […]

Gas Burners: Introduction

When we talk about appliances we rarely think about our most basic cooking tool, the gas burners that rest on top of the stove or counter. Many American cooks use the microwave and conventional oven more frequently than gas burners. Yet few of us would give them up entirely.

Pressure Cookers: Tasty, Quick, and Frugal Meals

I asked my brother whether he ever uses a pressure cooker. “I had one,” he “but a piece got lost a few years ago. I don’t miss it. How often do I cook artichokes anyway?”

Many people believe that pressure cookers are only good for one particular item. My mother used hers for tongue and corn on the cob. But pressure cookers can be used for just about everything normally made in a pot including vegetables, soups, beans, sauces, grains and meats.

Microwave-Safe Utensils

Each Sunday at CookingManager.Com, I highlight a different kitchen appliance or utensil. This is the second part of a short series on microwave ovens. Part I:  Microwave Myths (and disclaimer) Choosing Utensils for the Microwave To reheat or defrost in the microwave, you may use paper or an ordinary dinner plate. But for more serious cooking you need […]

Microwave Myths

How do microwaves work?
Microwaves work by radiating microwave energy into food. This energy only heats up the moisture in food, so dried foods may burn or explode. The waves pass through glass, ceramic, plastic and paper, but metal deflects them.
Defrosting in the microwave.
Do microwaves undercook food?

How Thermostats Work, Or Why Not Bake When the A/C Is On?

Electric heating and cooling elements or motors are not smart. They only have two settings, off and on. We can’t set them at some middle range to ensure a constant temperature.