Over the years I have learned that having a helpful kitchen appliance or gadget, can make frugal living fun! It started when I got a small, 3 quart crock pot for my wedding shower. Then I learned from my mother in law about bread machines, (a must have in my book), and then the cast iron skillet (thank you dad), and I could keep going. I'm going to show you my favorite appliances, cookware, and gadgets that will spark a creative, cooking, saving feeling inside of you :) The Crock Pot Love love LOVE the crock pot! There are so many soups, dinners, sides, desserts and stocks to make in your crock pot. and so easy to clean up! There are some that are super cheap and some that are super stupid expensive...I got the middle quality ones because I'd rather buy an appliance once if I can manage it. This one is my smaller crock pot. It's a 3 quart and I also have a 6 quart. The 3 quart is perfect for two people. I have made many soups and sauces in this guy and it's a gem. The 6 quart is perfect for roasts and stock. Sometimes I make mac n cheese in it and that makes a huge batch to freeze. Definitely get these guys either used at a goodwill or a garage sale, or new on Amazon because they will save you a lot of money in the long run! Bread Machine I could go on for days talking about my bread machine...I love it. It has made my life SO much easier with making pizza dough, french breads, raisin bread, dinner rolls, sweet rolls, sub rolls, the list goes on! So this is my second bread machine. The 1st one I had was a wedding present and it bit the dust 5 years ago...probably worked him to death. So I had to replace it with this guy who works great too! I bought him on Amazon and it was around 60 bucks new. It makes up to a 2 lb loaf and it's by Kenmore. You can find these used at Good Wills, garage sales, but make sure it's in good condition and not on its last leg or you will be replacing it again in no time. It has a lot of fancy settings but honestly, I just use the dough cycle. Most recipes, you only need to use the dough cycle but they come with user manuals with recipes so you could really have fun with it if you wanted :) Mines been through 4 moves, so it's in rough shape on the outside but it still works like a charm! Cast Iron Cookware I loved my 9'' cast iron skillet so much that I bought 2. They are super durable and every time I cook on one, they make my fries crisper, my chicken have a more flavorful glaze and char to it, and you can even bake pies in them since they are oven safe. They also retain heat the most efficiently compared to any other cookware, so you use less energy when you cook! I bought mine new for $20 at Gander Mountain, I believe it is Lodge brand. They are pretty low maintenance too after you follow the manufacturers directions on seasoning them. After I cook in one, I wipe it out with a paper towel as best as I can, then I use a tiny amount of dish soap and water to clean the gunk off of it. Then hand towel dry completely and immediately spray the areas you just dried with cooking spray to keep it from rusting. Done. They say they last for years and so far, both of mine have! Just one warning, don't heat up your cast iron skillet on too high heat for too long, or they may crack, and that's no fun :( Ceramic Coated Cast Iron Dutch Oven This is another wonderful cooking item I own that I highly recommend. I like the ceramic coating because it doesn't rust as easily as the just cast iron dutch ovens do, and it looks pretty. They are lower maintenance and they can tolerate soap better than the cast iron ones. I use mine for making sauces over the wood stove ( if you have a wood stove that you can cook directly on the top, this is so handy!) and for cooking soups and roasts. They can cost from $30 to $80 depending on the brand. I went with the $30.00 since there are no motors or batteries to worry about...so why not go with the best deal? Click here for the exact one. Canning Set If you've always wanted to preserve your own peaches, tomatoes, peppers, etc., then canning is a good place to start. You will save so much money canning your own food and it costs basically nothing if you are canning your garden. If you don't have a garden, or didn't yield enough of something that year, you can still can and it will still save you money. I go to farmers markets and roadside stands when I didn't plant something that year or didn't have enough of the produce to can. You can buy the whole set (minus the jars) brand new for around $50, here. Or you can buy everything separately. I was given most of my canning jars, but there are always canning jars for sale in the penny saver, craigslist, garage sales, just to name a few. I've even seen some free on the side of the road! Just make sure they don't have nicks and breaks or they will be useless. Of course you can buy them brand new too, like I did at Tractor Supply or Walmart too when they are on sale. The most common sizes are Pints and Quarts. The lids and bands are dirt cheap too. I found mine at Big Lots believe it or not, on sale. The citric acid is a must when canning tomato based recipes. The tongs are super helpful and cheap. And the funnel I bought on sale at Tractor Supply, and that helps make the process easier too. The most important item to buy besides the canning jars, is the stock pot that comes with the canning rack. It is designed for canning and not so expensive for an item that lasts forever, Mine was $40, at you guessed it...Tractor Supply but they are sold at other farm stores and department stores. After you have all the items, all that's left is buying the delicious fruits and vegetables to can and a handy recipe!
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