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Cooking Little is a kitchen shopping and tips blog for urban dwellers and anyone who cooks in a small kitchen. Beyond the kitchen, we feature diversions such as culinary travel spots, classes and tasting events. |
Recently in Versatile Category Delicious, Healthy, and Helpful Foods In my world, I can look around at any social gathering and see a variety of takes on being a vegetarian, some specialized approaches on healthy eating, the unapologetic carnivores, two or three allergy considerations, a couple of "doctor's orders" and a smattering of lovable picky eaters. Typically, I juggle these specs pretty well, barring anyone switching sides without notice, and I am happy to accommodate. Even so, I was thrilled to discover Organicville Foods -- condiments made from agave nectar, my go-to sweetener, and also gluten-free. The Herbes de Provence salad dressing had a well balanced flavor and made a quick warm green bean and potato salad. Next it was used to marinate chicken breast for broiling. The Sesame Teriyaki, with a generous amount of whole sesame seeds, worked well for stir fries, quick saucing and dipping. Though fairly low in sodium, I diluted it with a mix of citrus juice to bring down the sodium content for some folks. And the pineapple salsa went very fast -- first with chips, then it was tossed into a mixed grain salad -- bulgur, quinoa and black rice -- with minced red onion and jicama and cucumber. The pineapple salsa is tangy and mild, but the Organicville line has other salsas if you like more kick. The best part about opening the bottles and jars and tasting the Organicville treats is that is real food. There are plenty of good stories behind brands big and small, but the folks behind Organicville have been living the organic life for three generations and are committed to making it easier and less of a novelty for the rest of us. You can find their products in a variety of health food and organic shops, but look for Organicville Foods in Pathmark and Costco. Score! And as of this month, the salsas will be available at Whole Foods. If there is no store near you, the Organicville online store sells individual products and bulk. Everything Organicville is very summer-ready! $3.99 and up AT ORGANICVILLE FOODS Versatile
 It's a mere 5 by 5 inch square and three quarters of an inch deep. Why bother?, you ask. Well, the more uses for this petite pre-seasoned cast iron pan that we find, the more we get with the name. A stack of four takes up very little space on a shelf or when on the job. Extra handy for searing meat or fish on the stove and finishing in the oven. Individual pans work for satisfying "rare" and "well done" differences. The energy-frugal can take advantage of a heated oven by sliding a skillet loaded up with olive oil and garlic on to an unused space on the oven shelf while cooking something else. In a small kitchen a small pan makes a complicated dish do-able. Grab it when it's time to toast nuts, seeds and spices. Their cast iron chicness goes from oven to table for tapas and appetizers. Use two Lodge Wonder Skillets for grilling sandwiches. Place the second pan as a lid with a quarter turn. For thin sandwiches it's a mini cast iron oven. For thick sandwiches it's a press. Next? Baking low-profile corn bread! Target.com sells the Lodge Wonder Skillet at the best price, but there is no free shipping deal at this time. Amazon.com prices these higher but they qualify for free standard shipping for orders over $25. Yep, this little cutie works.
$9.99 AT TARGET.COM Versatile
 Joseph & Joseph design for small spaces. A measuring spoon and prep bowl set nest together ready to work when you are. In white or multi-colored. Also available in the UK via Amazon. More… $59.00 AT THE CONRAN SHOP Versatile
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 The Five Senses Collection by Kahla wins our devotion. Every inch offers elegant utility. Our space conscious favorite is the baking dish with accessories. The platter is also a trivet or a lid for the baking dish. The raised grid insert works for fish, meat or veggies with the platter or dish for cooking or serving. Sigh. Available in S-M-L. See more of the whole Five Senses collection... $27.00 and up AT LEKKERHOME Versatile
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 Together they make your daily coffee habit less routine. Independently, they can serve up snacks, sweets or nuts. Switch out the trio to hold salad dressing and all the tasty bits that go on the side. Available in clear or multi-colored, the best prices are currently at Finnishgifts.com, but the iittala trio is also available at Amazon. $68.00 AT FINNISH GIFTS Versatile
 Made with 100% ginger root, you can break open a tea bag and use the contents as a substitute for fresh ginger in recipes. A strong brewed batch of Triple Leaf Ginger Tea is a quick soup broth starter, particularly for carrot soup. Combine the tea with other flavors such as garlic, onion then with miso, chicken or veggie stock. Attempts to do the same with other ginger tea have been disastrous. For drinking, it’s a year-round drink hot or cold and as a natural ginger ale with soda water and honey or agave nectar syrup. $3.23 AT AMAZON Versatile
 Inspired by her father’s BBQ sauce recipe, the Sauce Goddess makes a line of rubs and grilling glazes for people who like their food sticky. Our tasters were more partial to the rubs than the glazes, but the Sweet & Spicy glaze has received some award attention. The Moroccan Twist and the Latin Heat Rubrubs are terrific small-batch blends to use in cooking or as intended as a meat or vegetable rub. $6.00 AT SAUCE GODDESS Versatile
 A classic design made famous in American diners, these elegant but sturdy, pale cream bowls dress up or down. Soup plates present soups and stews particularly well because all the ingredients are visible. Set of four 9 ½ inch bowls. $40 for 4 bowls AT WILLIAM SONOMA Versatile
 Cook and serve in the same stunning bowl. The design straddles vintage and modern. The Wok bowl by Le Creuset is available in the most recent colors: Kiwi, Caribbean, and Dijon. Measuring 8.2 x 9.5 x 2.2 inches this can be used to serve a side dish or as a grand bowl for each guest. A set of Le Creuset wok bowls in multiple colors mixes well Fiesta pieces. $29.99 AT AMAZON.COM Versatile
 Ubiquitous Urban Shelving On Sale It seems every urbanite has considered or owned Metro Shelving at one time or another. It’s multi-talented, good looking and easy to move. The same piece might triple your counter space in one apartment and trick out your office or the kid’s room in another. Back in the day, though, it never went on sale. Now Metro Shelving is 25% off. 25% off AT THE CONTAINER STORE Versatile
 Breville iKon Hemisphere LCD Blender You love your faithful stick-blender, but how you’ll go on about your Breville LCD Blender, a quiet and feature heavy blender with food processing tendencies. It delivers mince and chop food processing only, but with a 51 oz. jar stacked on a quiet 750 watt motor in a 6.5 x 8.5 inch footprint, that’s plenty. Details follow. price reduced to $195.99 AT AMAZON.COM Versatile
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 If you have 16 inches of floor space to spare this is a neat and truly civilized way to store your cookware or bowls. No wrestling them out of their hiding places. If you happen to have floor space for the rack adjacent to your stove, here’s a tip: store a round cutting board under the pot on the shelf on the rack that is near your arm level. When you move the pot to the stove the cutting board acts as a small staging area. Or maybe it's simply a handy spot for the cook’s wine glass. Freestanding Enclume pot racks come in 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 tier models. $279.95 6-Tier AT COOKING.COM Versatile
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Boiled egg people? They like their eggs simple but precise. Monitor cook times with color coded egg cups that hang on the pots edge, then carry to faucet and table. After breakfast they stack artfully on a shelf. $19.00 set of four AT VESSEL Versatile
 When an elaborate meal requires more pots than available burners, try stacking. Flip the bottom pot lid and set the second pot on the inverted lid. If the lid doesn’t sit steady, a pie plate can be substituted for the inverted lid. SUBMIT YOUR OWN VERTICAL TIP HERE Versatile
 1) Spin greens, 2) use stainless bowl as a salad bowl, 3) Fill with ice, then beer, wine or champagne, 4) Steady ears of corn on the “spin peak” in the bottom to cut kernels from the cob. Thanks for the inspiration, Elise, on that last one. $49.95 AT COOKING.COM Versatile
READ MORE ON 4 Things to do with a Salad Spinner.
 Look for a potato ricer with a basket that separates from the handle press. This way you have a small hand food mill and the basket functions as a minicolander for delicate berries, herbs and if you are lucky, zucchini blossoms. $9.99 AT TARGET Versatile
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 Many fancy restaurant meals start or finish on a lowly pie plate. A home cook can do well to have stacks and stacks of pie plates, one of the most reached for items in a professional kitchen and they reach for it with tongs. $7.95 and up AT SUR LA TABLE Versatile
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Great for outdoor movies and concerts. A durable picnic bag with a flexible design. The big main section has 2 removable bintos -- cooler and dry goods -- which can be used on their own. Mesh pockets and a fold-down work station are smart uses of space. $80.00 AT REI Versatile
 A picnic basket disguised as a messenger bag - the sleek design puts the dinnerware in the pocket & stacks two plastic wine goblets inside the thermal compartment, leaving lots of space for snacks. Swap out the metal utensils and your in-flight meal is on board. $60.00 AT UNCOMMON GOODS Versatile
Lightweight, insulated, collapsible and on wheels. This design is so city-friendly it's a wonder no one came up with it sooner. Go ahead and make one more stop, the groceries will stay cold. Plus it's big enough to roll the whole party to the party spot. $39.99 AT AMAZON.COM Versatile
If you like the idea of a collapsible colander but don’t want to buy a dud; we can relate. Oxo’s take on this ubiquitous item has exceptional functionality.
$29.99 AT AMAZON.COM Versatile
If you own a Le Creuset Multi-pan cherish it. If you don’t, keep a look out. This 2 qt. enameled cast iron saucepan uses an 8 inch non-stick sauté pan as a lid.
Versatile
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These are batter bowls extraordinaire. Pour no-drip pancakes with one hand. Add ingredients to a standing mixer while it runs. Made of stain resistant food-grade silicone in 1 qt.,1.5 qt., and 2 qt. sizes $39.99 AT TARGET.COM Versatile
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This oddly wonderful rubber bowl is probably not what typically comes to mind when you think about a chip bowl. The Wizard bowl by Ego Designs comes in black or white and is definitely snack-friendly. $60 sm, $90 lg AT UNICAHOME.COM |
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