QuiltnLady1

I am going through my kitchen stuff and will be putting it out on Easter and invite the adult kids to take what they want/can use and will donate the rest. I still have boxes of kitchen stuff to unpack so I need to have space and some of this stuff I will never use again (used to make cakes for church functions so I have a collection of 9x13 pans, have too many knives, and have too many dishes that I collected over the years). When we down sized we marked what we wanted to keep and the kids came and grabbed more stuff than I thought they would -- didn't even have enough for a garage sale. I did not have the energy to go through the kitchen stuff, but am doing it now. I can't find what I need because I have too much stuff I don't use.

moonrise

I went through and donated a BUNCH of kitchen stuff a few years ago, but I still have several things I don't really use. A brand new food processor, still in the sealed box. A NuWave oven that I like, but it takes up waaay too much room. A punch bowl with oodles of cups that's been used once in 30 years. A food dehydrator. A vacuum-sealer. A panini press that's only been used a handful of times. A blender. A doo-hickey for making flour tortilla shells (the only thing I could make with it was a mess!). A mortar and pestle. A set of fine china that my mom bought me. It's pretty, but it has to be washed by hand. As crazy as things are around here, I'm lucky to find time to load the dishwasher!

I do have quite a few things that have earned their counter space, though. A KitchenAid mixer, toaster oven, microwave oven, coffee pot (used for both tea and coffee), and three CrockPots (large, small, and a rectangle one that's awesome for making lasagna). I had a Vidalia Chop Wizard for years until it finally broke. Loved that thing. I need to buy another one! It was a huge time-saver. I also have a bread machine that I use more for mixing biscuit and pizza dough than I do for making bread. LOL!

GramE

is it electric or for stovetop use? Everyone around me has new electric ones but I've stuck with my stove top model. Ribs, chicken, pot roast (fork tender in 50-60 minutes), round steak unbelievably tender.

I have been using my pressure cooker for 46+ years. We might have starved without it. Practice using it with veggies like carrots or beets. Short, quick cooking times That might build your confidence. Carrots in 1/2-1" slices takes 5-6 minutes @ 10 # of pressure.

Plainpat mentioned she got rid of a hamburger press. My hamburger press is two teacup saucers & 2 pieces of waxed paper!

moonrise

Pressure cookers scare me, too! As a kid, I remember my grandmother's pressure cooker sounding like it was going to explode! I'd try to stay far, far away from her kitchen when she was using it.

KerryK

I love gadgets, but the older I get, the less I really want/use. I think we accumulate so much "stuff" it just becomes a bit overwhelming.