Hi, my, name is Sheila and I am a "JUNKIE"......

Dear readers, this is the first meeting of a new support group:  KGA....kitchen gadget junkies....

I wish, sometimes, I could find a nice, big, empty building.  I would remodel it.  It would have a decent size bedroom and decent size bathroom.  The rest would be my KITCHEN.

When Jim was still alive, I had all the major, counter top appliances.  Toaster, toaster oven, microwave, griddle, waffle iron and BIG heavy duty blender.  This is not counting a bread maker, deep fryer, indoor and outdoor grill and crock pot.  Gave the toaster oven to someone, as loved him to death, but Jim couldn't use anything but the microwave.

In the last year or so, I have been trying to down-size.  Got a George Foreman Evolve Grill......it has the normal grill plates, waffle plates and a deep dish baking pan.  So, I gave away the old George, the waffle maker and the griddle.  The waffle iron grids are great.  Makes nice big ones.  The grill does steak, kabobs, fish, just about anything you would do on a normal grill - just no charcoal and you do it on the counter top.  Then there is the deep dish baking pan.  I have made French Toast, Grilled Sausage with potato pancakes, pancakes and believe it or not, deep dish pizza.  Oh my gosh!!

Replaced the big blender with a smaller one.  A Ninja Master Prep.  Really nice.  Comes in handy, for my morning smoothies.  Has two bowls/containers.  One is 2 cups the other is 6 (which I haven't used yet).  Only thing I don't like is, sometimes, I have a hard time getting the yogurt in, without getting it all over.  Does a good job on ice.  Haven't had any big chunks to deal with.

Got a new toaster oven.  Black and Decker convection oven.  I don't use it a lot, but it does great with frozen fries, biscuits and cookies.  It has a "keep warm" setting which is nice.

One of my new toys is my Food Saver Vacuum Sealer.  I probably use it every weekend on something.  I liked mine so much, I bought one for my daughter and one for my "other daughter" - she is who got all my stuff, I got rid of.  Case in point; found Rib Eyes on sale this week.  Cut them in half and now I have 3 more steak dinners.  I have sealed, ready to go waffles, made with the George.  When I find fruits and or veggies on sale, I buy them, blanch them, pre-freeze and seal. 

The sealer is just so versatile.  Above, are pictures of soup and SOS that I made, and sealed.  Yes you can do liquid "stuff".  I put in the bag, set in freezer for a few hours, then sealed them.  There are also some pics of applesauce and banana bread.  Cooled them on a rake, sliced them up, bagged them, froze for a couple of hours then sealed.  Now all I have to do, is reach in the freezer, grab one, and warm it up a little in the microwave.  If any of you, ever have left over jarred spaghetti sauce or left over tomato sauce, I came up with an idea (not an original idea, but at the time, didn't know others did the same thing)......take a cupcake/muffin pan, pour your leftover sauce in the tins and freeze, then bag.  For some leftover tomato sauce, I used an ice cube tray, then finished off like I did with the muffin tin trick.  I could go on and on about the sealer, but I won't. 

See my smoothie fruit?  Yep, that's half a banana. 

One more thing I bought, was a microwave steamer.  As some of you know, I don't do a lot of fried foods - I cheated the other day, had corn dogs and fries.  I like it, because it's easy to use.  The picture is of steamed tilapia and shrimp.  I have also added some broccoli.  They all cook about the same time.....one dish to clean up and healthy for you.

Who's next?  Just introduce yourself and tell us why you are a KGA.

Till next time dear readers, hugs and sloppy nose kisses, from me and the Cos.  PEACE!!