And I don't mean the dust bunnies under the refrigerator! We have a dishwasher and a microwave (actually, the microwave is in the garage, but that is a different story -- maybe for a good laugh I'll tell you all sometime!). Unfortunately, I am stuck with an electric cooktop and oven -- I don't mind the oven, just wish it was bigger, but I am hoping for a gas cooktop someday!

What I really am after is gadgets; Lance says I have too many, and I never use them! I wonder (after looking in my cabinets) if he is right! What do you have, and what do you use? I have a small food processor, but not a large one, and wouldn't you know, the pie crust recipe I tried the other day said to mix in a food processor!

I was thinking of cleaning out the cabinets, but as sure as I do, I will come up needing what I've disposed of! Do you have everything, or do you stick to the old-fashioned multi-purpose gadgets, and if you've had both, which do you prefer? Maybe after hearing from you all I can decide whether to clean out completely!

-- Christine in OK (cljford@mmcable.com), January 12, 2002

Answers

I have the old fashioned & the new-----it depends on what mood I'm in on what I use--if the electricity is off I'm glad I have the wood stove & all my old gadgets-----if I'm in a hurry-----of coarse I ues the new ones to get it done in a hurry----- So I have both & enjoy both----

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), January 12, 2002.

I have about a bushel basket full of gadgets but what I find that I use is a 7 inch pearing knife and a one propeller electric mixer.

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), January 12, 2002.

I like my food grinder, that belonged to my mom,You screw it to the table. About 70 years old. I have a old double broiler, I like it for cooking rice. Also a old colener{can"t spell it], made of enamel, to drain things. I still use the old type can opener. Well all I can think of right now.

-- Irene texas (tkorsborn@cs.com), January 12, 2002.

My most prized kitchen gadget is my King Kutter or Kutter King or whatever its called, the kids call it the rotary cheese blower. It has the large cylinders and hand crank. It can shred a block of cheese in no time. Slice potatoes or salami, crinkle cut veggies, coleslaw. It does everything. I have an electric food processor, but I haven't figured out how to use it.

I have cast iron ware. 6 sizes of skillets with lids, 2 dutch ovens, chicken fryer with a griddle lid, cornbread pans....I just need a large rectangle griddle to use on the outside grill.

Stainless steel sauce pans, small up to large stock pot.

Half dozen springy type wire whips. Dear spouse does not understand why I need so many. I use them all the time.

Chicago cutlery. I think I have everything but a paring knife and a scimitar. I have 4 pair of their kitchen shears, that way I can keep at least one pair in the kitchen. They turn up out in the barn, the tool shed and the garden.

Stainless steel mixing bowls, all sizes. Measuring cups, all sizes.

Someday, I would like to get rid of this electric stove and get a another propane Wedgewood or Monarch with the double ovens, griddle, roticerie, broiler. I don't know why my parents had such a problem storing those in their garage and back porch! They sold 3 of my stoves!

-- Laura (Ladybugwrangler@hotmail.com), January 12, 2002.

Except for the toaster, a cook from the 1800s would find my kitchen to be the same as hers. I just never got into gadgets at all, and I love all of my antique kitchen things so well that I have been using them for years. I had to laugh..on TV the other day, we saw an ad for a "miraculous chopper"...cutting blades inside a hand-pumped container....my husband laughed too and wondered if the inventors know that this was a commmon thing in kitchens over a hundred years ago? We use a non-electric can opener and have two more in a drawer for back up....sometimes I wish I had a blender, but that's only in the summertime when I want to make milkshakes without using my hand mixer......love my toaster, although I do have the old kind where you place the bread on wires over the flame..just never found anything made after 1900 that I enjoy using.

-- lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), January 12, 2002.

I do have some modern conveniences. But I have found that the basics are what I reach for time and time again. When we built our kitchen, I had Cale put a shelf about 6 inches above the countertop, all the way around. so nothing sits directly on my counter, but just above and behind it. On this shelf I have a microwave, an air popcorn popper, a toaster, a blender, coffe-maker, large crock-poy, small crock-pot, and bread machine. Most of these items were gifts. When I want to use any of these things they are handy. I also have a food processor, a mixer, and a slicer/shredder (salad shooter). Since my family knows I love to cook they buy these things for me for gifts, and I use all of these things pretty regularly. I also have a second kitchen, fully stocked with large pans and bowls and items to can with. I also have an ice-cream maker. I have a good many stainless steel pots and pans, and cast iron cookware. I have lots of silverware. At least enough for 50 people I'm sure. I have 3 sets of dishes, and lots of glass baking dishes, I have many large serving trays, probably 8-10. I guess I have a lot of stuff! I also have about 1000 canning jars. I have a huge spice drawer, and 4 sets of salt and pepper shakers, because my dining room table is so big it is easier to place them all around the table.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), January 12, 2002.

I have a Pioneer Maid cookstove (it is actually in the LR still). It heats our whole house. I do have a borrowed electric stove. I have my grain mill and a DLX. They are my little handmaidens since God gave us only the one son. I have cast iron skillets and griddles and Revere Ware pans. Lots of wooden spoons. I am the dishwasher!! =) I did just get a toaster oven. No microwave, or electric dishwasher.

-- Mike & Marci (amazinggraze@valkyrie.net), January 12, 2002.

We have old, we have some modern, but what I have just re-discovered and really like using isour very old, previously owned, potato masher. NO more electric mixer for taters, mash and eat 'em with the lumps, they taste so much better, we think. I want a grain mill.

-- Cindy (SE. IN) (atilrthehony@hotmail.com), January 12, 2002.

We are a bit strange here. We have lots of newer kitchen gadgets yet we collect antique kitchen gadgets and hang them on the wall for display. We think they are neat and don't want them ruined and they make good conversation pieces for guest, when they want to know what it is we make them go thru the guessing game. The antiques in this house keep people entertained until they leave.

-- george (bngcrview@aol.com), January 12, 2002.

We have quite a bit - an electric Popeil pasta maker for starters, which was the first Valentine's Day gift from DH! We have a can canner unit, which I have never used, two pressure canners, a Victorio strainer unit, KitchenAid mixer with all the attachments except the juicer (the grain grinder is wonderful), a food processor, a squish and heat tortilla maker that I got this Christmas, and love! More, but those come to mind right now.

-- Katie (homesteader@accessnevada.com), January 12, 2002.

Blender I take down and use once a year... salad shooter I use about twice a year....Electric waffle maker havent used in years...electric skillet use six times a year....food processer I use once a week...Electric griddle used more when the kids were home havent used in several months...espresso maker never used recieved as gift...meat slicer use three or four times a year....vacu sealer use seasonally...crock pot pain in @#$$ to clean would rather slow cook on wood stove....kitchen aid mixer/grinder/ food processer used more when the kids were home havent used in about a year....electric knife used once.....electric roaster used once takes up to much space stored in the bottom of a bedroom closet....dehydrator used once....several electric coffee pots slow drip regular, slow drip with a carafe, electric percolator, thirty cup coffee maker, husbands always buying a new one...little chief smoker use seasonally....turkey fryer oil to expensive...most of these I recieved as gifts people think because I like to cook I would like these things I am just not a gadget person although I would like a good set of knives. Give me cast iron and a few sauce pans and my food processor. Ronda

-- ronda (thejohnsons@localaccess.com), January 13, 2002.

I have an eclectic kitchen-my three generations old cast iron skillet sits next to my cuisinart food processor. I really don't have many gadgets though. I have a large and a small crockpot which I use several times a week. I have an electric skillet-used allmost daily, a rice-cooker/steamer, that gets used at least once weekly, I do have a microwave, but its a very basic model, oh and a blender which I use more in the summer, but I wouldn't give it up. I have an ancient toaster and wafflemaker-which we use regularly-it also makes grilled cheese sandwhiches. No dishwasher, bread machine, garbage disposal. I use a lot of hand tools-I have a great set of knives, a hand operated can-opener, potato masher, whisks lots of wooden spoons. I hve a three piece Rivere-ware pot set, a stainless steel (BIG) soup kettle, several canners-these were all given to me, I have a good set of cast iron skillets and dutch oven. I have a good assortment of glass and potterery bread pans and casserole dishes. On my wish list is a good big stainless collender, and a double boiler, other wise I'm pretty happy with my kitchen gear.

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), January 13, 2002.

Okay, now I don't feel so bad! I have two crock pots 1 qt. and 2 1/2 qt. (used to have three, but father-in-law accidentally set the big one on a hot stove burner and pop! no more crock, just a big mess of pot pie filling all over the kitchen!), two blenders, one regular and one of those hand blenders you stick in whatever you're blending, a mixer, a handi-chopper, toaster, can opener, waffle iron, probably some other things I've forgotten -- all wedding gifts!

I've bought a bread machine and toaster oven (garage sale), and coffee pots (4 cup and 12 cup) - we did get one of these for a gift, but took it back because neither of us drink coffee - I do once in awhile, but Lance NEVER. I then went back and bought these a couple of years apart a few years later, because everyone in Lance's family drinks coffee, and several in mine do also, so it's nice to have for get-togethers.

I guess I'll keep what I have, but it's definitely time to reorganize so I can see what's there! There's probably some duplicated that I can get rid of, also. I haven't even started on the 3 pressure canners I have, or all the other bowls and canning supplies! (most of this I got from my mother when we cleaned out her house - I also got her food mill, which I LOVE for making turkey salad with!)

-- Christine in OK (cljford@mmcable.com), January 14, 2002.