Thomas and I at one time moved every year for ten years. From that experience, I learned that my must have appliances were the computer with internet, a refrigerator, and a microwave. I love my microwave. It’s so convenient! We cook with it, reheat leftovers, warm milk for the kids, every thing! In moving here, I knew I would miss my kitchen friend. We have no microwave here at our house. So I had to make some changes with my cooking.

1. I try to cook just enough so we have no left overs ( no leftovers mean nothing needs to be warmed up!). That is a hard skill to practice for me. In my family we always over cook. If we have guests we have to have more than enough food otherwise the guests think we’re too poor or stingy (it’s a cultural thing)
2. I learned to reheat food in different ways:
–cook it again in oil but this isn’t the best option. Sometimes I just add water and it boils off. Usually it doesn’t affect the flavor too much.
–Warm pasta by dunking in hot water for a couple minutes.
–Put food in a bowl and the bowl on a boiling pot. The steam warms up the bowl which warms up the food-not the fastest method.
3. Put the food way in the back of the fridge. Wait until it gets bad and then compost it:)
4. Soup! Put everything in a pot and make soup! Isn’t that how “soup of the day” came about? Because “leftovers from yesterday that doesn’t taste as good” doesn’t sound as nice.
5. Tell the kids the food’s supposed to be that way! Didn’t they read the recipe? (too bad if they can’t read)
6. Eat it cold. Get use to it!
7. Make it into a salad. Cold pasta salad. Cold veggie salad. Cold pizza salad. You get the idea.
8.I really should get a dog to eat my leftovers:) or will chickens do?

Oh, and we don’t have a toaster either. Anyone have any other suggestions?

What are your must-have appliances?