Do you try the recipes in appliance manuals?

18 years ago

I've been in paring-down mode for awhile and have been working to streamline our kitchen and get things exactly where I want them. It's taken me the two years we've lived here to figure out how I use everything, as strange as that may sound.

In going through cookbooks, I realized that I always throw my small appliance manuals (e.g. stand mixer, food processor, etc.) in a drawer and never try the recipes.

Do you do the same? Am I missing out on some fabulous dishes?

Sue

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Comments (12)

jimster
18 years ago
I haven't used them so much for recipes as for methods, especially when getting accustomed to a new appliance such as a microwave oven or slow cooker. After a few tries I seldom referred to the books. There is so much info available on the Internet that the books aren't essential except for operating instructions. They might be worth saving for that, because those will vary from model to model.

Jim
grainlady_ks
18 years ago
They say it takes three years to "fit" into a new home, and I really believe that (2 years here).

If the large stacks of appliance cookbooks at thrift stores is an indicator, I'd say many people don't keep them.

I tend to file all those booklets, manuals, cookbooks away in one file and if I get rid of the appliance, I also have the information with it.

One user manual you'll see requested over and over on this board is for specific bread machines. Since each brand of machine loads differently and has different requirements, the user-manual is an important part of the bread machine.

I've used an awful lot of the recipes that came with my Sharp Microwave/Convection oven. Never would I have figured I could bake a loaf of bread in 20-minutes WITHOUT preheating in a million years. Lots of great recipes in that manual.

I also follow the recipes in my Yogourmet Yogurt Maker, information for my dehydrator, and a few other infrequently used kitchen "toys".

-Grainlady
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bbstx- Great information has already been shared, but I'll steer you in a little different direction for low-sodium bread recipes. I recently added the cookbook, "Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day" by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D., & Joe Francois (also authors of "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day"), to my collection. In traditional bread recipes salt controls the yeast action, and when you decrease the salt in a standard recipe you need to also lower the amount of yeast used. As a general rule-of-thumb if you reduce the salt by 50%, then you also need to reduce the yeast by 50%. But just as these "Artisan Bread in 5-Minutes" recipes defy bread-making "norms", they give this information about adding salt to their recipes: "Because our dough is slack in the first place, and is stored for so long, we don't detect differences in dough strength between high- and low-salt versions of our breads. In our recipes, salt makes its appearance mostly for flavor, so adjust it to suit your palate." Therefore, I'd suggest checking out a copy of these books from the library, or check their web site (lots of information there - see link below), and this would give you some really great, easy-to-make, recipes you could adapt to low-sodium choices. Great for beginner, or busy, bread bakers. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day
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I don't try any recipes that call for a long list of "yarbs and spices." I am mostly a salt & pepper cook, just like my DM was. I remember her saying she didn't use recipes because they called for too many ingredients. :-) We had good solid, tasteful meals; mostly meat, potatoes and green vegetables. Deserts were mostly fruit pies/cobblers. My DH grew up in the country and ate pretty much like my family did, so cooking for him and our children was easy. I did learn and enjoyed making cakes and cookies. Not so much now, though. Being alone now for so long, cooking has become a necessary chore, and I've found a few things that I tend to make often. Also Bear Den Soups are good, especially the Broccoli Cheese, the Darn Good Chili and the Potato. The only frozen meal I like is Stouffers Lasagna. I have printed off and used these KT recipes: Little Chicken, but failed to include the poster's name. Hummingbird Banana Bread/Muffins, Marilyn Sue. Here is a recipe from my Vegetarian DD. I make it and add chicken or some other meat to it. Last night I topped a baked potato with it. Circles & Squares Vegetable-Pasta Soup 1 32 oz box vegetable broth 1 cup medium size pasta 2 cup frozen diced hash brown potatoes w/onions and peppers 2 cup frozen peas and carrots 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies In large covered saucepan bring broth to boiling. Add pasta, potatoes, peas and carrots, and undrained tomatoes. Return to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer,covered, for 10-15 minutes or until pasta is tender. I cook it down to more of a stew, than soup. I so empathize with CS. I'm not a big eater, so that helps. Sue
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I was googling to find Heart-Healthy recipes and ran across your post. I would like to request the Healthy Eatin' Recipes Vol. 1 if it is still available. Perhaps you've made Vol 2 by now?! Our family has a terrible heart history and I have high cholesterol. Thanks! drake6234@gmail.com
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Jannie! Did you try that recipe?
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Terri_PacNW
18 years ago
I do use a few from a few booklets..and I have half a cabinet full of manuals. LOL
lindac
18 years ago
I keep all manuals that come with everything in one drawer....last winter I needed a repair on an appliance and the repair guy asked if I had the manual!...And I did!!
And at that time I took the time to go through the drawer and toss out the booklets for toaster ovens hair dryers, clocks, grills etc that I no longer have.
Recipes? Nope...I can think of one for chocolate sauce that came with my first Oster blender 44 years ago...but I lost that. And I did try a recipe fo 2 from the Cuisinart when I first got it...but I have better recipes for waffles than came with my waffle iron...
But maybe some day I will try all those recipes in Chinese that came with the wok!
Linda C
teresa_nc7
18 years ago
The recipes I have used have come from my Kitchen Aid mixer manual, my Rival crock pot manual, and my Presto pressure cooker manual. I think I've made a couple of bread recipes from the KA booklet, several from the crock pot, and I mostly refer to the pressure cooker book for timing. Oh, and the Cuisinart Toaster Oven book for rack placement only.
donnar57
18 years ago
My favorite appliance cookbooks:

Rival Crock pot - though I no longer own a Rival, I still use some of the recipes!

Presto Cookie Press - I have two or three favorite cookies, but I can't make them very often because of their fat content!

Bread machine - I have one favorite bread recipe from that one.

DonnaR/CA
wizardnm
18 years ago
I've got many of the old books that came with small appliances. Mostly read through them, made a few of the recipes then moved on... Can't say I ever really thought any were wonderful, but they did help to get used to using the new appliance.

Hey Jessy, got any good recipes in your special tool box?.... :))

Nancy
goldgirl
Original Author
18 years ago
Ooooh I want to hear about Jessy's recipes too!!!!

Sue
jimster
18 years ago
I can see how Annie will need the manual for her new toaster. The controls look like the cockpit of an airliner.

Jim
annie1992
18 years ago
LOL, Jim, I read the manual. I had to, to figure out which side of the bagel was supposed to face "out" so that only the cut side would toast. Now why I only want the cut side toasted, I'm sure I don't know, but I do have that option. (grin)

Other than that, I never use the manuals and seldom use recipes in the manuals. I've tried a handful and although they're never horrible they are never spectacular either. Unlike many others here, I have no idea where the manuals to most things are, I keep them for the obligatory 90 day warranty period or 1 year warranty period or whatever, then I toss 'em.

Annie
jimster
18 years ago
"LOL, Jim, I read the manual."

That's good, Annie. Now will you read the manual for my new camera and explain it to me. It's baffling.

Jim
annie1992
18 years ago
Good luck to you, Jim. I read the manual to my new camera too, and finally gave up reading and just started playing with the darned thing.

Some things (like assembling that $69 gas grill I bought) require me to read the instructions. Other things I just fumble through. (grin) Like the camera. Plus, although the manual looks like it's in English, when you read it carefully it's clearly written in a foreign language that I don't speak. Translations aren't always the best, LOL.

Annie

Do you try the recipes in appliance manuals?

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Do you try the recipes in appliance manuals?

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