<p>OXO makes some new sealing containgers that come in all sizes. There is a putton on the top that you press, which releases the pressure, then the lid just comes right off. To reseal it you just need to press down on the button to reseal. </p>
<p>I got mine @ amazon, but my sister-in-law found them much cheaper through JCPenney.</p>
<p>I also find a good set of locking tongs to flip and serve food to be indispensable.</p>
<p>I agree…and just one set wasn’t enough for me. I have 2, but am going to get another. </p>
<p>I also like all the silicone spoons, spatulas, and other stuff…including mitts.</p>
<p>*My most recent “stroke of genius” (haha, they happen only rarely) was mixing fresh salsa 50:50 with Caesar dressing to make a “sauce” for the fish tacos – major hit!!
*</p>
<p>Very good idea. A local Mexican restaurant does something similar with ranch dressing, but I’m sure Caesar works well, too! And…you’re right about having a “good” Caesar dressing…makes such a difference. </p>
<p>I love that Ginger salad dressing that those Hibachi-style Japanese restaurants put on their salads. I haven’t been able to find a good store version. However, one of the restaurants will sell us some when we eat there.</p>
<p>Newman’s Own has a good ginger dressing.</p>
<p>Good to know…I’ll try it!</p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That’s what I do, too, because I haven’t found any in the grocery store that come close to the same flavor.</p>
<p>Makoto Ginger Dressing comes pretty close to the restaurant dressings. I get it at our local Publix. I particularly like the Ginger Honey dressing. It’s in the refrigerated section by the veggies. It very fresh and consequently, has a short shelf life and must be refrigerated at all times but it’s very good.</p>
<p>[Makoto</a> Dressings, Dips and Sauces](<a href=“http://www.makotogingerdressing.com/makoto-salad-dressing-products.html]Makoto”>http://www.makotogingerdressing.com/makoto-salad-dressing-products.html)</p>
<p>I’ve seen that one and will try it. :)</p>
<p>I just remembered a convenience item that I couldn’t live without…</p>
<p>One of the phones that have several extensions that just need to be plugged into wall sockets. This allows me to have phones in the laundry room, bathrooms, the backyard patio, and the garage.</p>
<p>Frozen peas, frozen mixed veggies (for soup), and frozen brown rice. Trader Joe’s also makes precooked brown rice in a vacuum pac. No need to plan 45 minutes ahead to cook brown rice!!!</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>coquimom-
Rice cookers are not permitted in the dorm rooms.
Unauthorized appliances like rice cookers, coffee makers, popcorn poppers cannot be kept in their dorm rooms.
They can only be kept/used it in the common kitchen of his floor/dorm.
Fire hazard.
What is allowed will be in the dorm rules.</p>
<p>Toaster oven – it’s the hardest working member of my household.</p>
<p>MiamiDAP, making a good salad is a lot of work, as is making a good sandwich. these foods are underappreciated in terms of the effort it takes to make a good meal out of those things.</p>
<p>I feed so many people, that bagged lettuce just doesn’t cut it for me. I buy the big Costco bags of Romaine. I rinse, soak a head or two for a few minutes, rinse again, shake and get as much water off as possible and then finely chop it. Into a huge glass punch bowl it goes and then I layer things in the middle of the lettuce. A big favorite is sliced hearts of palms that is available in big jars at Costco. That with some chopped tomato, green onions and shaved cucumbers (use a regular old grater instead of slicing) and maybe a shaved carrot (same way) makes a very pretty salad. If you want to add protein, so sliced deli ham and turkey in thin even strips is nice, or left over chopped chicken or cubed extra firm tofu, roughly grated, or crumbled or sliced cheese, thawed cooked shrimp in a bag (if you very quickly sear this in a bit of olive oil with a drop of sesame oil, the taste difference goes up immensely), Another cheap and easy protein is obtained from egg, if you make an omelette and slice it into strips. The trick is to make it all very pretty and colorful. A big complete salad with a loaf of ciabatta bread heated in the oven makes a great meal.</p>
<p>Cpt - Have you ever thought about buying one of those salad spinners? I have a friend who loves hers but I am not sure if it would just be a space hog. </p>
<p>I also agree that a salad can be a meal. I add artichokes, chickpeas, quickly seared tempeh.</p>
<p>
YES!!! Sometimes when discussing dinner, H will say he wants “just something quick and easy, like a grilled chicken salad.” It SEEMS quick and easy to the person who doesn’t have to make it, but it’s really not! :)</p>
<p>my2sunz–that reminds me of my husband sitting in the chair at Thanksgiving while I was working in the kitchen. He was musing about how easy Thanksgiving dinner is when many people bring something. I said that it is really easy when all you have to do is show up and eat–like he does.</p>
<p>“rice cookers are not allowed in the dorms”</p>
<p>Oh! Thanks for the heads up!</p>
<p>Regarding the toaster oven –</p>
<p>I’ve had one for years and years. Recently I had an opportunity to use a regular two-slice toaster – you know, put the pieces of bread in the two slots, press the lever, and wait for it to pop up. What a difference! The two-slice toaster made much better toast – the inside soft, the outside nicely toasted and browned. The toaster oven just kind of crisps the bread but in my experience doesn’t make toast – just warm bread. Next time, I may spring for the toaster, not the toaster oven.</p>
<p>yes, we ditched the toaster oven some time ago. I think we used the toaster oven much more pre-microwave (I was a late-ish adopter). Now, the taster is for toast and bagels; it has a bagel stetting so it only toasts the cut side. Microwave for warming and some cooking. The Foreman grill instead of trying to “broil” in the toaster oven. And the oven/broiler for normal oven/broiling functions. The only thing time I might miss having a toaster oven is when I want to, say, melt some cheese on top of toast and the oven broiler seems like over kill.</p>
<p>I have one of those microwaves with “ultima cook”-- can bake a potato in 10 minutes!</p>
<p>my microwave is a genius at cooking vegetables! Put the prepared vegetables in a covered container, tell the appliance that the vegetables are fresh, choose between soft (green beans, broccoli, etc) or hard (carrots, winter squash), push START, and…perfection!</p>
<p>So, yes, this appliance has changed how I cook.</p>