The 5 Best Things You Should Buy From a Restaurant Supply Store — Shopping Guides from The Kitchn

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Some might find restaurant supply stores unattractive and utilitarian, but I can’t pass by one without going in. Sure, there aren’t any items with pretty packaging or cutesy gadgets vying for my attention, but I just love wandering down the aisles and seeing what restaurants use to efficiently get food out to their guests.

There are so many things to choose from in restaurant supply stores, and usually at such great prices. So what’s worth getting there for the home kitchen, especially if you’re on a budget? Here are my five top picks of the best values from restaurant supply stores (and online restaurant suppliers).

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Shrimp Scampi

Do you have a favorite meal for those need-something-quick-and-don’t-want-to-have-to-plan-or-work-too-hard days? I keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer just for those times when I’m too busy to plan, but want a quick and easy meal.

I’ll put some frozen shrimp in a bowl of ice water, and if I’m serving them with pasta, by the time the pasta water has come to a boil the shrimp are defrosted enough to cook.

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red bean and green grain taco bowl

red bean and green grain taco bowl

I swear, this wholesome-looking meal isn’t penance for anything. It’s not a budget-friendly apology for the frenetic unplanned redecorating project or atonement for the fact that I’ve basically only wanted to eat chocolate, peanut butter, bread and pasta for the last 22 weeks. It’s not compensation for the frosting that didn’t make it onto the cake and was eaten instead with a spoon, or the impulsive meringues last weekend. It’s only ever-so-quietly a warning that the next thing coming on this site is so decadent, you might wish to advance yourself some greens, grains and beans.

red beans
wheat berries, onion, garlic, poblano and the devil's herb

It is, however, something of a compromise. Just about the only vaguely nutritious thing I’ve consistently craved since our newest family member started making its presence known are things we could put on, in, or near a tortilla for dinner. I’ve made ground beef tacos, scrambled eggs on soft tortillas, chicken fajitas and charred cauliflower quesadillas and I’ve tried to branch out (look, pork chops! And hey, it’s a salad!) but I always come back to the fact that if didn’t contain avocado, pickled onions, hot sauce, and an unholy amount of ground cumin, it was always second choice.

blending green sauce

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The Lazy Person’s Guide to Organizing the Kitchen — How To Be a Grown-Up

Last week Cambria shared The Kitchn’s (almost) A-Z guide for organizing your kitchen. The fearsomely organized kitchens in that roundup represented a great deal of hard work, ingenuity, and probably power drill expertise on the part of their owners.

But what if you’re kinda lazy and don’t have a power drill? What if you’re in a rental? What if you just want to appear organized, or need a quick and budget-friendly way to keep your kitchen gear in check? Well, lazy friends, this is the guide for you.

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Do Bananas Really Ripen More Slowly When They’re Separated? — Putting Tips to the Test in the Kitchen

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How do you store your bananas? Do you keep them together in a bunch? Do you separate them as soon as you get home from the grocery store?

Some people insist that when bananas are separated, they last longer than when they’re kept as a bunch. I also found a tip that takes it one step further. So of course, I had to put this to the test to see if it actually works.

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