Welcome to the latest edition of Where Bloggers Live. It’s kind of like HGTV’s “Celebrities at Home,” but…Bloggers! Who doesn’t like to peek behind the scenes and see inside people’s homes and lives.
Today’s post is “Favorite Kitchen Tools/Appliances”. Now anyone who knows me well knows I hate to cook. I fed kids and DH for a lot of years and they could all really eat! I could do it, but I didn’t have to like it.
I have a DIL who is a gourmet cook – she “loves to cook”. She lives next door to me and feeds me regularly 🙂 and my sons and daughter are no slouchs in the kitchen. They did not get that gene from me.
So, what ARE my favorite appliances? Well, actually I do have a couple of things that make the kitchen easier – number 1 is of course the microwave!!! I can reheat things quickly and the new veggie packs at the grocery store work great in the microwave. I’ve had to replace my old one a few months ago. It was my first red one (from son & DIL) and served me well for several years. So I, of course, had to replace it with another red one.
But I have to tell you about my very first microwave. It was a Christmas gift from my MIL sometime around 1970. They had just come out to the public and were extremely expensive at the time. It was HUGE, weighed a ton and had a definite learning curve. But once I got it figured out, I was hooked. That thing wasn’t replaced until the early ’80s. There are been a couple since then then – had to have a red one this time – as my kitchen is decorated with red accessories.
On to more red – my toaster was a gift from #1 son & DIL a few years ago. It’s a 4 slot one – must have 4 slots because when many people are here it’s essential. I do really like my small toaster oven. It’s great for heating up something that doesn’t work well in the microwave.
Of course there are the essentials – dishwasher, oven, fridge, mixer, etc.
Then there’s my cooktop – it is definitely NOT a favorite, and there’s a story there. I had a smooth top electric cooktop that we had moved around to several housese because I liked it so much. THE easiest cooktop in the world to clean. Well, I’d had it since 1984 and it started to die so had to replace it. Now, this happened not long after we’d had an ice storm that shut down out electricity for about 4 days. Everything I had was electric. I had to go to my neighbor’s in the morning for coffee, they had a gas stove. Remember from the beginning of this post I said I don’t like cooking – well…… I like it even less on a gas cooktop. HOWEVER, in the event I lose electricity I can make coffee. I have a gas cooktop and a french press – I can survive.
My choice for coffee though is – my “red” keurig
Thanks for stopping by. Now don’t forget to check out my partners in this little adventure. I’m sure they have many more goodies in their kitchens to show you.
Bettye (our fearless leader) at Fashion Schlub
Daenel at Living Outside the Stacks
Em at Dust and Doghair
Jodie at Jodie’s Touch of Style
Leslie at Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After
Sally at Within a World of My Own
Goodness, I am so late with my blog reading. But how I love all the red. We have similar tastes in red appliances and a love of elephants. My gas stove runs very hot. Even the low setting is more like a medium flame. But it gets everything done in a hurry which is a plus. I have a similar red toaster oven that is also a toaster. That red crockpot takes the cake!! When my black one gives up the ghost, I will definitely need a red one.
Better late than never – I run behind reading almost all the time. About red accessories in the kitchen – I think I’ve enjoyed them more than any others I’ve ever had. Of course now you can buy different colors. All the years I was having to cook, everything was black. Love my red.
Iris
Hi Iris: Your microwave story reminded me of our first microwave-a wedding gift when we married in 1983. It was also huge and I had no idea how to really use it at the time. My husband thought it was useless! I laugh because now, I couldn’t live without a microwave in the kitchen. We use ours multiple times per day! Love your red appliances.
Oh I hear you about the microwave. It would be really difficult to have to live without one. I remember about the first thing I tried to cook in mine – biscuits. Not a good choice to begin with. You could have used them as rocks – cause they certainly weren’t eatible.
Iris
Gosh, I remember our family’s first microwave…. It was so complex and I think my mom and I went to a cooking class for it. Of course, we hadn’t realized at the time that it really wasn’t great at “cooking” per se. Just reheating. Although it does make a mean, fluffy scrambled egg. LOVE all the red! We have a red crockpot and the color just makes things fun. I am so with you on the stove…priority one is “easy to clean.” Our recently tossed stove was gas on glass and even handled boil-overs very well. I can see why… Read more »
Yeah, I remember the first thing I tried to “cook” in the microwave (without reading any instructions or have any idea what I was dealing with). I ‘baked’ some biscuits. HA! They could have been used as rocks in a buidling project.
I’m fortunate with my gas stove. Everyone in my family loves gas and hats electric – SO, they’re much happier about cooking when they visit.
Iris
Ooh, your red appliances are so fun, Iris!
I don’t think I had a microwave until 1990 when we reno’d the kitchen in our first house. It was a nice big over-stove, under-cabinet-mount one with an exhaust fan. After waiting so many years for one, I was really pleased with it. I’ve only had smaller, counter-top, someone-else’s-leftovers since then and have NOT been so pleased. But it’s still better than heating things on the stove 🙂
Bettye
Oh yeah – I don’t really ‘cook’ in my microwave, but it’s a life saver than you have to ‘warm something up”. A number of years ago I decided my kitchen needed a make-over. That’s when the red accessories became a topic. Since the kitchen doesn’t have really good vibes for me – it still adds that needed pick-me-up.
Iris
Your red appliances are so great – I love them! I have to admit that I don’t know how to use a French press. I really enjoyed the MIL microwave story. 1970 is really early to have your first microwave!
Thanks Sally, I love the red also. Gives me a ‘boost’ when I see all the bright color. I’d never make it with some of the new “all white” rooms. I don’t use the french press very often, but it’s a life saver with no electricity (as long as you can create hot water). I hardly ever use mine – but it’s great in an emergency.
Iris
It’s so funny how you and Em included a microwave. I just call that part of the kitchen, hahahaha.
The best part is that you love red appliances!! Now that’s a bold woman.
BTW, my blog model, Lesley feels the exact same way about cooking,
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Ha Jodie, I consider it part of the kitchen now and I can tell you I wouldn’t want to have to do with out it. But, remember I’m old – so I had a lot of kitchen years before microwaves were even thought of. It was so wonderful and one of the best gifts I’ve had – maybe I’ll write a post of that one of these days.
I love my red appliances and accessories. I’m glad to knoiw Lesley and I are in the same club. 🙂
Iris