Category — Pans

Electric roaster ovens are certainly convenient for roasting your Thanksgiving turkey.  Not only do they cook quickly, and retain moisture, but they also free up space in your oven for whipping all your other Thanksgiving recipes.

But, did you know you can use electric roasters for more than just your Thanksgiving bird?  Roasting ovens can actually double as a large slow cooker when you’re cooking for a crowd, or as a big soup pot for making chili or chowder. Some electric roaster ovens come with a divided insert that will allow you to warm and serve 3 separate dishes buffet style.

The Nesco roaster oven above has an 18 quart capacity, which is enough room to cook a 22 pound Thanksgiving turkey.  It has a nonstick finish, and heating elements in the sides of the roaster, for even cooking.  I found the Nesco roaster at More Kitchen Appliances for $89.99.

With Halloween merely a memory, it’s likely that Thanksgiving is now on your mind.  We still have a few weeks, but it’s never too early to start thinking about your Thanksgiving meal.  Here are just a few tips to help you get started with planning Thanksgiving dinner.

How Many? The sooner you know how many guests you’ll be entertaining, the better.  Then you can plan the menu, and how much of everything you’ll need.  Give everyone a call, and start a list.

Menu? My family always does a large carry-in Thanksgiving dinner so that no one has to prepare everything.  If you don’t want to make it all yourself, assign someone to bring a pie, and others to bring all the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes.

Equipment? Even if you do have a carry-in dinner, as the host or hostess, you’ll still have plenty to do, including roasting a turkey.  Do you have a roasting pan, large serving dishes, and plenty of silverware?  If not, now is the time to start shopping for the things you need.

The turkey roaster above is made by Sante .  It has a non-stick surface, and includes a moisture infusion tube for placing inside the bird, which reduces cooking time.  The roasting pan is available at Cabela’s.

A well-designed set of pots and pans will last most cooks nearly a lifetime.  When selecting cookware, think of it as an investment in the quality of food you will serve your family and friends for many years.  Here are a few tips for choosing new cookware.

Conductivity:  This term simply refers to how well the cookware conducts heat to create an evenly heated cooking surface.  Copper-bottom pots and pans provides excellent conductivity, but can be rather expensive.  Another option for optimum conductivity is stainless steel pots and pans.  Some stainless cookware sets have an inner aluminum core on the bottom for conducting heat.

Handles:  I cannot say enough here.  When selecting cookware, pay close attention to the quality of handle.  Avoid plastic.  Look for sturdy, metal handles that are riveted or welded to the pan.

Avoid Trends:  As I mentioned above, cookware is something you’ll have for awhile.  So, that lime green cookware set that looks so shiny and cool right now might not give you the same thrill in 6 or 7 years.  Choose carefully!

The 12-piece Farberware cookware set above includes 2 sauce pans, 2 skillets, a stockpot, lids, and utensils.  I like the riveted stainless steel handles on this set.  The Farberware Millennium Soft Touch cookware set is available at Zappos for $160.

If there’s one thing I couldn’t live without in my kitchen, it’s my electric skillet.  From pancakes to Hawaiian pork, I’ve used mine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I think it’s important to mention that electric skillets have come a long way in the last decade.  In the past, they were hard to clean, and non-immersible (meaning you couldn’t put them in a sink dish water).  These days, electric skillets have much better heat distribution, temperature control, and many of them are even dishwasher safe.

The Rival electric skillet shown above has a 12X16 inch cooking surface, and a built-in digital timer.  It includes a glass lid, a feature which proves handy for keeping an eye on dinner without repeatedly lifting the lid.  The non-stick pan portion of this electric skillet, available at Unbeatable Sale.Com, removes for washing in the sink or placing in the dishwasher.

Here’s an big list of one skillet recipes for putting your electric skillet to work.