Because a decent meal ain't gonna cook itself, apparently.
June 1, 2011 2:44 PM Subscribe
Help me learn to love cooking in my tiny kitchen!
I desperately need to learn to enjoy cooking. My husband and I eat out way too often and it is killing our budget, and not doing our health any favors either. We're both diabetic and overweight, and I need to start making healthy, South Beach Diet/Mediterranean Diet style food at home on a daily basis.
I’ve never liked cooking very much, though I am reasonably good at it. But trying to cook in the small kitchen I have now is frustrating and very unenjoyable. It feels like there is no room to work, no place to set anything down, no place to put dirty pots and pans, or fill plates, etc. I dread going in there to do anything more complicated than dumping a few ingredients in the crockpot. (And I'm sick of the stuff I make in the crockpot, quite frankly.)
The particulars:
It’s a small galley kitchen with the sink on one side and stove on the other. I have two spots of clear counter space maybe 18 inches square that I can stand in front of, and another bit about the same size I can set things on. I do have a few appliances taking up space on the counter, but these are things I use daily (blender, toaster, coffee maker, can opener) and it would be a pain in the ass to get them out and put them away every day (if I even could find somewhere to put them.)
I have an over-the-sink cutting board that works well enough as a place to do food prep, but using it gets in the way of a) getting water to cook with and b) rinsing dirty dishes as I use them. The place is always a complete wreck when I'm done because I haven't been able to clean things up as I go.
I have a dishwasher, and I sometimes use the top rack to set things on while I cook. It isn't useful for anything hot or heavy but I can throw a loaf of bread or some vegetables on there while they wait their turn on the cutting board.
Nothing can be hung from the ceiling in my kitchen. Whatever it is made out of cannot be penetrated by hammer or drill. The one bit of wall space is already being used to hang pictures and a clock (and it wouldn’t be useful for shelves or hanging pots anyway, as anything thicker than a picture would block the cabinet doors from opening fully.)
Storage space in the kitchen and pantry is very limited, but I do have a spare room that I could store lesser-used items in.
My refrigerator is small and is usually jam-packed, which makes finding things in it, and trying to find room to put leftovers, incredibly annoying. Part of the problem is an assortment of bottles of condiments, sauces and salad dressings... some of which I don’t use very often but were expensive enough that I hesitate to throw them away before the expiration date.
Please share your tips for cooking happily in a small kitchen. Do you have a special method of working your way around your kitchen as you cook? A super-efficient storage system, a clever way of managing your space, or even tips on grocery shopping/menu planning that makes dealing with your tiny kitchen less of a hassle?
Bonus question: I really hate to chop vegetables. Are there any good gadgets out there that actually work and are not too expensive?
I desperately need to learn to enjoy cooking. My husband and I eat out way too often and it is killing our budget, and not doing our health any favors either. We're both diabetic and overweight, and I need to start making healthy, South Beach Diet/Mediterranean Diet style food at home on a daily basis.
I’ve never liked cooking very much, though I am reasonably good at it. But trying to cook in the small kitchen I have now is frustrating and very unenjoyable. It feels like there is no room to work, no place to set anything down, no place to put dirty pots and pans, or fill plates, etc. I dread going in there to do anything more complicated than dumping a few ingredients in the crockpot. (And I'm sick of the stuff I make in the crockpot, quite frankly.)
The particulars:
It’s a small galley kitchen with the sink on one side and stove on the other. I have two spots of clear counter space maybe 18 inches square that I can stand in front of, and another bit about the same size I can set things on. I do have a few appliances taking up space on the counter, but these are things I use daily (blender, toaster, coffee maker, can opener) and it would be a pain in the ass to get them out and put them away every day (if I even could find somewhere to put them.)
I have an over-the-sink cutting board that works well enough as a place to do food prep, but using it gets in the way of a) getting water to cook with and b) rinsing dirty dishes as I use them. The place is always a complete wreck when I'm done because I haven't been able to clean things up as I go.
I have a dishwasher, and I sometimes use the top rack to set things on while I cook. It isn't useful for anything hot or heavy but I can throw a loaf of bread or some vegetables on there while they wait their turn on the cutting board.
Nothing can be hung from the ceiling in my kitchen. Whatever it is made out of cannot be penetrated by hammer or drill. The one bit of wall space is already being used to hang pictures and a clock (and it wouldn’t be useful for shelves or hanging pots anyway, as anything thicker than a picture would block the cabinet doors from opening fully.)
Storage space in the kitchen and pantry is very limited, but I do have a spare room that I could store lesser-used items in.
My refrigerator is small and is usually jam-packed, which makes finding things in it, and trying to find room to put leftovers, incredibly annoying. Part of the problem is an assortment of bottles of condiments, sauces and salad dressings... some of which I don’t use very often but were expensive enough that I hesitate to throw them away before the expiration date.
Please share your tips for cooking happily in a small kitchen. Do you have a special method of working your way around your kitchen as you cook? A super-efficient storage system, a clever way of managing your space, or even tips on grocery shopping/menu planning that makes dealing with your tiny kitchen less of a hassle?
Bonus question: I really hate to chop vegetables. Are there any good gadgets out there that actually work and are not too expensive?
If there's room on your wall, install a magnetic strip; you can use this as a knife rack, or buy a bunch of little stainless steel canisters and keep your spices on display there instead. The more visible and easily accessible they are, the more you'll use them.
Do you have cupboards over your counter? Install a row of hooks on the underside and use them to hang mugs from - or a second magnetic strip for spices, or a rack for wine glasses.
Cutting-wise, look into a mandoline - but I've found that even using the right sort of knife and finding a chopping technique that works for you can make a world of difference.
posted by sophistrie at 3:00 PM on June 1, 2011
Do you have cupboards over your counter? Install a row of hooks on the underside and use them to hang mugs from - or a second magnetic strip for spices, or a rack for wine glasses.
Cutting-wise, look into a mandoline - but I've found that even using the right sort of knife and finding a chopping technique that works for you can make a world of difference.
posted by sophistrie at 3:00 PM on June 1, 2011
(Further to Greg Nog's suggestion - if you're willing to take down your picture or clock but you don't want to hammer a bunch of hooks into the wall, paint a bit of pegboard to match your decor and hang it there instead. All the utensil-hanging hooks you could ever want!)
posted by sophistrie at 3:04 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by sophistrie at 3:04 PM on June 1, 2011
One thing that strikes me is that you could be putting dishes in the dishwasher as you use them, rather than rinsing and draining. Then they wouldn't take up counter space or sink space. I sometimes put hot pans and trays on or in the sink when I take them off the stove or out of the oven (it's one of the few places in my kitchen that is heatproof), so having dishes in there would be annoying to me.
Even if the dirties are things you wouldn't want to put through the dishwasher, you can leave them in there until you are ready to wash up.
posted by lollusc at 3:15 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Even if the dirties are things you wouldn't want to put through the dishwasher, you can leave them in there until you are ready to wash up.
posted by lollusc at 3:15 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I buy the pre-chopped stuff from Trader Joe's (onions, mirepoix, etc.) Life's too short and the price works out about the same.
Cooking for two of you really shouldn't end up with leftovers unless you really want them. I try not to do so, as we just don't want to eat the stuff again. I usually give extra away to my single male neighbor.
Mise en place is swell if you have a lot of counter space, but more trouble (and dishes) than its worth, I think. I clean up as I go and am religious about it. My husband, the chef, doesn't bother, because he's use to having a lot of other people to do it. I put dirty stuff right into the dishwasher (most need far less rinsing than you'd think.)
I would hang stuff, and see if you've got room for a flat surface that could be folded up on the wall when not in use.
posted by Ideefixe at 3:18 PM on June 1, 2011
Cooking for two of you really shouldn't end up with leftovers unless you really want them. I try not to do so, as we just don't want to eat the stuff again. I usually give extra away to my single male neighbor.
Mise en place is swell if you have a lot of counter space, but more trouble (and dishes) than its worth, I think. I clean up as I go and am religious about it. My husband, the chef, doesn't bother, because he's use to having a lot of other people to do it. I put dirty stuff right into the dishwasher (most need far less rinsing than you'd think.)
I would hang stuff, and see if you've got room for a flat surface that could be folded up on the wall when not in use.
posted by Ideefixe at 3:18 PM on June 1, 2011
Best answer: Ugh, you have my sympathies. I've lived in NYC for over a decade, and so I've been forced to learn with all kinds of shitty kitchen setups and teeny tiny refrigerators.
Mercilessly clear out your refrigerator. The money you'll save by being able to use it to store fresh food is more than the money you'll "loose" from that half-bottle of salad dressing you don't really like very much.
Make use of your freezer to store things like bread, to keep it fresh for longer and out of your way.
Clean dishes as you work, to help keep the counters clear and the sink empty.
Try and plan at least a few meals at the beginning of the week, and shop for them specifically. Try to keep from filling your fridge with anything extraneous -- only buy the groceries you know you're going to use.
If you have any extra floorspace, maybe in front of the window or at the end of a counter, consider buying a freestanding workspace -- I have a butcher block table/pot rack that I bought from Ikea for about $200 that pretty much saved my life.
Consider doing at least some of your prep outside of the kitchen -- I often use the table we eat our meals at as a workspace while I'm cooking.
If there are appliances on your counter that you don't use every single day, store them someplace else.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 3:19 PM on June 1, 2011 [5 favorites]
Mercilessly clear out your refrigerator. The money you'll save by being able to use it to store fresh food is more than the money you'll "loose" from that half-bottle of salad dressing you don't really like very much.
Make use of your freezer to store things like bread, to keep it fresh for longer and out of your way.
Clean dishes as you work, to help keep the counters clear and the sink empty.
Try and plan at least a few meals at the beginning of the week, and shop for them specifically. Try to keep from filling your fridge with anything extraneous -- only buy the groceries you know you're going to use.
If you have any extra floorspace, maybe in front of the window or at the end of a counter, consider buying a freestanding workspace -- I have a butcher block table/pot rack that I bought from Ikea for about $200 that pretty much saved my life.
Consider doing at least some of your prep outside of the kitchen -- I often use the table we eat our meals at as a workspace while I'm cooking.
If there are appliances on your counter that you don't use every single day, store them someplace else.
posted by Narrative Priorities at 3:19 PM on June 1, 2011 [5 favorites]
Seconding mise en place. Take the time to set up properly and you'll remove some of the frustration of working in your tight space, and will be less likely to turn out poorly (under/over) cooked food.
As for the fridge, you should consider reducing the variety of pre-prepared things you buy; if you take stock you will find that some of the items you buy are really just conveniences, and instead of buying them you can just make them. Especially salad dressing: Russian dressing is basically just ketchup and mayonnaise, add pickles and you have thousand island. Vinaigrettes are the simplest things in the world to make, and they'll taste better too. You might also find it useful to buy and prepare smaller quantities at a time, so as to reduce the need for storing leftovers.
For the cleaning, try to pick recipes that don't require dirtying every pot and pan you own to make. Simple food doesn't have to be bad food. And make your husband do the dishes. It's only fair if you made the meal.
posted by axiom at 3:21 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
As for the fridge, you should consider reducing the variety of pre-prepared things you buy; if you take stock you will find that some of the items you buy are really just conveniences, and instead of buying them you can just make them. Especially salad dressing: Russian dressing is basically just ketchup and mayonnaise, add pickles and you have thousand island. Vinaigrettes are the simplest things in the world to make, and they'll taste better too. You might also find it useful to buy and prepare smaller quantities at a time, so as to reduce the need for storing leftovers.
For the cleaning, try to pick recipes that don't require dirtying every pot and pan you own to make. Simple food doesn't have to be bad food. And make your husband do the dishes. It's only fair if you made the meal.
posted by axiom at 3:21 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Unless you cannot use a manual can opener for physical reasons, I would get rid of the can opener - every inch counts! There are manual can openers that are ergonomically designed. Can you put some kind of box onto the counter (open side out towards you), and then put the appliances on top of that, so there is another bit of horizontal surface you could put stuff you are prepping?
Unload the dishwasher before you start cooking. Every time I think I can't be bothered, I end up with stuff everywhere. Then put stuff in it as you go. Get a stainless steel bowl and put scraps and rubbish in it (steel, so you can sit it on the stovetop without it being damaged by heat). This stops me getting vegetable scraps all over the place.
I give you permission to throw away the things in the fridge that were expensive but which you don't use. You have already spent the money, whether you use them or not. Also, assess whether they all need to really be stored in the fridge. I mean, I know lots of things say they should be, but I have never stored ketchup in the fridge (for example). I hate throwing things away, but I feel better when I do!
If you have any space nearby at all, a kitchen trolley is a lifesaver. My kitchen wouldn't work without it - it gives me more storage and some more space to put things down. If the kitchen has a door, you can get fairly slim racks that hold stuff like bottles or jars that you could attach (or these may fit onto the inside of the pantry door?).
As far as chopping vegetables goes, do you have a good knife? I have often noticed that when people say that they hate cutting everything up to cook, it is because they don't have a very good knife, so it is a lot more work than it should be.
posted by AnnaRat at 3:25 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Unload the dishwasher before you start cooking. Every time I think I can't be bothered, I end up with stuff everywhere. Then put stuff in it as you go. Get a stainless steel bowl and put scraps and rubbish in it (steel, so you can sit it on the stovetop without it being damaged by heat). This stops me getting vegetable scraps all over the place.
I give you permission to throw away the things in the fridge that were expensive but which you don't use. You have already spent the money, whether you use them or not. Also, assess whether they all need to really be stored in the fridge. I mean, I know lots of things say they should be, but I have never stored ketchup in the fridge (for example). I hate throwing things away, but I feel better when I do!
If you have any space nearby at all, a kitchen trolley is a lifesaver. My kitchen wouldn't work without it - it gives me more storage and some more space to put things down. If the kitchen has a door, you can get fairly slim racks that hold stuff like bottles or jars that you could attach (or these may fit onto the inside of the pantry door?).
As far as chopping vegetables goes, do you have a good knife? I have often noticed that when people say that they hate cutting everything up to cook, it is because they don't have a very good knife, so it is a lot more work than it should be.
posted by AnnaRat at 3:25 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
This might be counter-productive seeing as you have limited space anyway - but if you're trying to make more room in your fridge, make sure that everything that's in there actually needs to be in there. A lot of the stuff people automatically chuck into the fridge does just as well or better at room temperature - bread, various fruits, eggs,* etc. This is doubly so if you're living in a place where you can shop small, fresh, and often.
*As far as I understand it, the egg rule is 'store them the way you bought them'. Meaning that if you bought them refrigerated, into the fridge they go, but if you bought them at room temperature, then they'll be just fine if kept that way.
posted by sophistrie at 3:32 PM on June 1, 2011
*As far as I understand it, the egg rule is 'store them the way you bought them'. Meaning that if you bought them refrigerated, into the fridge they go, but if you bought them at room temperature, then they'll be just fine if kept that way.
posted by sophistrie at 3:32 PM on June 1, 2011
I have a small board just the size of my sink that i put over the top to create extra counter space.
posted by prefpara at 3:51 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by prefpara at 3:51 PM on June 1, 2011
Best answer: nthing Nadawi's suggestion of doing all work up front -- it is far less stressful to have everything ready, and everything clean, when you start. Then you're not OMG must chop garlic, etc.
Then, clean as you go as much as humanly possible. If you're done with a pan, rinse with cold water, quick wash, and then into the strainer, or rinse, and into the dishwasher, but once you're set, keep it moving.
This again, lowers stress.
As far as not liking to cook, I think I'd pick some arbitrary number of ingredients, like three, and other than spices or fat, don't use more at a time. Like spinach, tomatoes, and pasta. Or eggs, greens, cheese. Or fish, spinach, rice. Or pasta and beans. Just something so you don't find yourself making a chef salad, a rice pilaf, and braised chicken thighs with olives at the same time.
Just so you have limits. Rules are really great for this stuff, or at least, I find it calming.
The garbage bowl -- a place where you throw everything from onion skins to empty tuna cans, is really helpful so you're not wasting movement flicking stuff into the garbage over and over. Just having it accessible, in a predictable place, is helpful.
In essence it's an operations/engineering problem, and it might be more interesting if you approach it from that standpoint.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:58 PM on June 1, 2011
Then, clean as you go as much as humanly possible. If you're done with a pan, rinse with cold water, quick wash, and then into the strainer, or rinse, and into the dishwasher, but once you're set, keep it moving.
This again, lowers stress.
As far as not liking to cook, I think I'd pick some arbitrary number of ingredients, like three, and other than spices or fat, don't use more at a time. Like spinach, tomatoes, and pasta. Or eggs, greens, cheese. Or fish, spinach, rice. Or pasta and beans. Just something so you don't find yourself making a chef salad, a rice pilaf, and braised chicken thighs with olives at the same time.
Just so you have limits. Rules are really great for this stuff, or at least, I find it calming.
The garbage bowl -- a place where you throw everything from onion skins to empty tuna cans, is really helpful so you're not wasting movement flicking stuff into the garbage over and over. Just having it accessible, in a predictable place, is helpful.
In essence it's an operations/engineering problem, and it might be more interesting if you approach it from that standpoint.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:58 PM on June 1, 2011
Is it possible to keep some of those appliances on a cart just outside of the kitchen? As long as there is an outlet nearby, this should work. The cart also can double as a little extra counter space. When we were had a small kitchen, I kept the toaster on the middle shelf of it and the coffeemaker on top. Even when I'm using a blender daily, I don't store it on the counter. It's so easy to shove into the cupboard (if you have the space). It's like putting away dishes!
Our wee fridge would be a pain if I didn't have these small japanese plastic storage containers that seem to have been designed for that sized fridge. That and reusable plastic bags. The other thing I do is prep stuff the day I bring it home. For me that means washing all of the csa veggies and greens. I then store them in bags in the fridge. I find I'm less enthused about doing this before cooking dinner.
For times when I'm seriously not in the mood to chop stuff, I bust out my tiny cuisinart food processor. It has a few different blades. But the thing is, I gotta clean it if I use it. Have you watched a few internet vids on chopping veggies? A good knife and decent technique can make a huge difference.
If you have a door or enough wallspace nearby, this set of shelves is awesome
One thing I liked about my tiny kitchen was that I could basically reach everything at once.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 4:24 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Our wee fridge would be a pain if I didn't have these small japanese plastic storage containers that seem to have been designed for that sized fridge. That and reusable plastic bags. The other thing I do is prep stuff the day I bring it home. For me that means washing all of the csa veggies and greens. I then store them in bags in the fridge. I find I'm less enthused about doing this before cooking dinner.
For times when I'm seriously not in the mood to chop stuff, I bust out my tiny cuisinart food processor. It has a few different blades. But the thing is, I gotta clean it if I use it. Have you watched a few internet vids on chopping veggies? A good knife and decent technique can make a huge difference.
If you have a door or enough wallspace nearby, this set of shelves is awesome
One thing I liked about my tiny kitchen was that I could basically reach everything at once.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 4:24 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Enjoying cooking is going to be a lot easier if you aren't rushed and hungry and tired. And the space problem may be easier to solve if you take over space for cooking that you can't afford to take over all the time (e.g. by temporarily evicting those appliances that you use regularly, taking over the kitchen table, unfolding / rolling in an extra table or trolley, etc.).
So rather than trying to do a bunch more cooking throughout your week, I suggest trying to batch it up into a bigger / less-frequent cooking effort on the weekend (or whatever works for you). At eating-time you can have less of the stressful on-the-spot cooking work rather than more, and instead just grab something good that's already done or almost-done.
Shop for the ingredients the same day so they don't have to occupy the fridge. The finished product(s) will need space in the fridge/freezer but should be much more compact. Re-organize and take over extra space for the cooking, and then give it back when you're done.
Don't know if this approach works for your particular lifestyle / schedule / personality, but I thought I'd throw it out there as a different option.
posted by madmethods at 4:35 PM on June 1, 2011
So rather than trying to do a bunch more cooking throughout your week, I suggest trying to batch it up into a bigger / less-frequent cooking effort on the weekend (or whatever works for you). At eating-time you can have less of the stressful on-the-spot cooking work rather than more, and instead just grab something good that's already done or almost-done.
Shop for the ingredients the same day so they don't have to occupy the fridge. The finished product(s) will need space in the fridge/freezer but should be much more compact. Re-organize and take over extra space for the cooking, and then give it back when you're done.
Don't know if this approach works for your particular lifestyle / schedule / personality, but I thought I'd throw it out there as a different option.
posted by madmethods at 4:35 PM on June 1, 2011
I thought this book had a lot of good tips for coping with a tiny kitchen. (FWIW, there's a tasty crustless quiche recipe.) I checked it out from the library; at the time I couldn't find a copy online or anywhere else, but it looks like there's several copies available used right now.
posted by epersonae at 4:35 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by epersonae at 4:35 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Nadawi, FTW. Despite everything else I had to learn while learning how to cook, doing a thorough job of mise en place is the one thing that's changed my cooking the most.
Oh, yeah - and deli containers. If you have a restaurant supply place open to the public where you live, go buy a several sleeves of 1 cup, 1 pint, and 1 quart plastic containers - like, 2 of each size - and their lids. They cost a teensy amount of those ones from the grocery store, but theres only One. Size. Lid. (fuck you, Glad, and your multisized lids!). You can freeze in 'em, refrigerate 'em, give 'em away. I love the damned things.
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 4:36 PM on June 1, 2011
Oh, yeah - and deli containers. If you have a restaurant supply place open to the public where you live, go buy a several sleeves of 1 cup, 1 pint, and 1 quart plastic containers - like, 2 of each size - and their lids. They cost a teensy amount of those ones from the grocery store, but theres only One. Size. Lid. (fuck you, Glad, and your multisized lids!). You can freeze in 'em, refrigerate 'em, give 'em away. I love the damned things.
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 4:36 PM on June 1, 2011
Can you get away with not peeling your carrots? (scrub them a little and you're good to go)
nthing getting a good knife, I got a job as a kitchen hand (I started in the cafe side of things, but ended up in the kitchen and was a kitchen hand for at least 3 years!) and man, there are some simple skills you can learn, paired with the right equipment (a chopping board and a SHARP knife. as the sign in my work says: sharper knives are safer than blunt ones, because a blunt knife will slip and CUT YOU.) that make chopping veggies so much nicer!
Cut the veggie so it's got a flat side and won't roll- taking my friend carrots, cut the ends off the carrot, then cut the carrot in half, then slice each half right down the middle. Now put two half circles side by side flat side down, and chop!
Use frozen veg- peas and corn aren't at all bad- and require little prep.
Use the condiments from your fridge to experiment and make things different- ketchup, soy sauce, honey, salt, pepper, sweet chilli, etc etc to make a glaze for chicken thighs (roast) YUM. No really, just grab what you have and use it! Blend weird condiments with others to get better flavours. If you use something up, rejoice and remove it from your fridge.
posted by titanium_geek at 5:00 PM on June 1, 2011
nthing getting a good knife, I got a job as a kitchen hand (I started in the cafe side of things, but ended up in the kitchen and was a kitchen hand for at least 3 years!) and man, there are some simple skills you can learn, paired with the right equipment (a chopping board and a SHARP knife. as the sign in my work says: sharper knives are safer than blunt ones, because a blunt knife will slip and CUT YOU.) that make chopping veggies so much nicer!
Cut the veggie so it's got a flat side and won't roll- taking my friend carrots, cut the ends off the carrot, then cut the carrot in half, then slice each half right down the middle. Now put two half circles side by side flat side down, and chop!
Use frozen veg- peas and corn aren't at all bad- and require little prep.
Use the condiments from your fridge to experiment and make things different- ketchup, soy sauce, honey, salt, pepper, sweet chilli, etc etc to make a glaze for chicken thighs (roast) YUM. No really, just grab what you have and use it! Blend weird condiments with others to get better flavours. If you use something up, rejoice and remove it from your fridge.
posted by titanium_geek at 5:00 PM on June 1, 2011
oh! and left overs are good if you can do some small prep to make a slightly different meal for lunch.
Ex: roast for dinner, roast sandwiches for lunch. Then you don't have to be slaving away more than for dinner. Or something different the next night.
People knock left overs, but really, you don't have to eat the same thing (even though there is NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS - sorry- off my soap box now :) ) mix it up a little. Use those crazy condiments to make it different. Flavours mingle when it's got a chance to sit. :) Make stuff in advance and have "left overs" - except you didn't have any 1st go!
(sorry, I'm not clued into the appropriate Mediterranean/SouthBeach equivalent would be)
posted by titanium_geek at 5:06 PM on June 1, 2011
Ex: roast for dinner, roast sandwiches for lunch. Then you don't have to be slaving away more than for dinner. Or something different the next night.
People knock left overs, but really, you don't have to eat the same thing (even though there is NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS - sorry- off my soap box now :) ) mix it up a little. Use those crazy condiments to make it different. Flavours mingle when it's got a chance to sit. :) Make stuff in advance and have "left overs" - except you didn't have any 1st go!
(sorry, I'm not clued into the appropriate Mediterranean/SouthBeach equivalent would be)
posted by titanium_geek at 5:06 PM on June 1, 2011
Best answer: You have to start by ruthlessly purging everything. Clean out the fridge, pantries, and cabinets. Only keep things that you will actually use. Put back whatever is left using helpful things like bins, lazy-susans, wall-mounted racks and hooks, etc. (I do not have pictures in my kitchen. I have utensil hooks, magnetic tin spice racks and one of those rod things with storage hanging off it from Ikea.) If you have room at all for a rolling cart, get one. They are awesome for extra counter space. (Honestly mine is the only counter space I have. I have cooked Thanksgiving dinner on it.) A tall, narrow shelf-tower (in the kitchen, or placed in a nearby room) can pack a lot of stuff into a small footprint. (I got mine at Lowe's, but I've seen them at Ikea and Container Store, too.) Now you have to maintain this control: Plan all of your meals for the week, and buy only the things you will need for that week. Resist the urge to 'stock up and save'. The more stuff there is, the harder it is to find things. Leading to the cycle of frustration that results in eating meals out.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 5:49 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 5:49 PM on June 1, 2011
Nthing the suggestions above to cook a bunch of stuff on the weekend. You can clear the appliances off your counters for an afternoon and make things like: roasted vegetables, baked yams or potatoes or sweet potatoes, pasta and sauce (store separately in fridge until you are going to eat), big batches of soups or stews or chili and a pot of rice to go with it, frittata. All of these keep well and most can also be frozen, and you can double up the chopping ie chop onions, vegetables, etc for soup and tomato sauce at the same time. Some salads will also keep well such as cabbage and fennel slaw (squeeze a lemon over it, add some salt and pepper, and toss with an interesting oil), grated carrots with raisins and a mayonnaise-y dressing. Best of luck!
posted by lulu68 at 6:59 PM on June 1, 2011
posted by lulu68 at 6:59 PM on June 1, 2011
I agree bulk cooking is good. I prepare most of my vegetables once during the week (cooking them or just chopping them or whatever if they're the kind I eat raw), then pack them up in serving-size containers so that I have a bunch of tubs of healthy delicious sides, ready to go. I do this with beans and grains (e.g. brown rice, wheat berries) too, only those I usually put in the freezer.
I only have a rolling cart for counter space, and this is actually MORE counter space than I had in my previous apartment. I agree with all those who say to get rid of anything you don't use. I have two fry/saute pans, a tiny saucepan, and a smallish stockpot. It seems like it shouldn't be enough to make dinner with, but it always works.
Oh, and to add to other people's advice about the mise - keep your ingredients and your tools WHERE YOU USE THEM as much as possible. My little pan collection hangs from hooks (the 3M removable kind) right next to the stove. Colanders hang near the sink. Coffee, tea, electric kettle and french press sit in a little cluster on another rolling cart (it's too low to use for a counter, but I can make coffee on it). You get the idea. Anyway, that works for me!
posted by mskyle at 7:08 PM on June 1, 2011
I only have a rolling cart for counter space, and this is actually MORE counter space than I had in my previous apartment. I agree with all those who say to get rid of anything you don't use. I have two fry/saute pans, a tiny saucepan, and a smallish stockpot. It seems like it shouldn't be enough to make dinner with, but it always works.
Oh, and to add to other people's advice about the mise - keep your ingredients and your tools WHERE YOU USE THEM as much as possible. My little pan collection hangs from hooks (the 3M removable kind) right next to the stove. Colanders hang near the sink. Coffee, tea, electric kettle and french press sit in a little cluster on another rolling cart (it's too low to use for a counter, but I can make coffee on it). You get the idea. Anyway, that works for me!
posted by mskyle at 7:08 PM on June 1, 2011
Best answer: I have a pretty small kitchen--it seems fairly luxurious compared to pictures I've seen of New York City kitchens but for an avid cook it's insane, to the point where I just refer to it as Tiny Kitchen.
My thoughts are as follows:
--Consider getting a handyman in to assess your ceiling situation and the possibility of installing a pot rack, on which you could hang not just pots, but also various utensils. Mine is way oversized for the space as far as aesthetics are concerned but in terms of functionality, I actually wish it were bigger (but then I wouldn't be able to open my cabinets, so I'm probably just fine).
--Think vertically. Are there places way up high that shelves can be installed, are there cabinet tops for storage, space above your fridge? I have a nice tall stepladder that I can use to access things easily, but that folds very flat and does not get in the way when I'm not using it. It's nothing beautiful or expensive, it just came from Home Depot or whatever.
--Tiny Kitchen doesn't have time to be beautified with pictures. Tiny Kitchen requires the wall space for magnetic strips on which all my knives and measuring utensils and such are stored. Tiny Kitchen don't care. Tiny Kitchen don't give a shit.
--Cabinets hold the minimum amount of pantry supplies. I found somewhere else to store overstock. This varies by season, I've noticed--in the winter, I need things like stock and canned tomatoes at my fingertips more often, but in the summer I'm not making as much soup or spaghetti sauce and those ingredients can migrate somewhere less convenient. I have come to accept that I can no longer buy a fifty pound bag of flour or huge sacks of rice. That is the tax that Tiny Kitchen exacts.
--Big pots and pans double as storage when not in use. The roasting pan is full of little bags of lentils and beans. The stock pot is full of pasta. There is no unused space in my cabinets.
--With regard to the crock pot: consider trading for a model that has an insert that can be used on the stove top, which can simplify meals like stews where meat or onions should be browned for best flavor. Expand your slow-cooker horizons with books like Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker or Lora Brody's Slow Cooker Cooking.
--A mezzaluna can make chopping so much simpler. I have an Ulu bowl and chopper and it's often the only knife and board I need to prepare a dinner party's worth of food--one side is concave, the other side flat for traditional cutting.
--Most of my cookbooks are actually shelved in another room, but my favorites are on the wall, on invisible bookshelves carefully placed just above head-bonk height but still reachable, and just shy of getting whacked by an open cabinet.
Things I don't have immediate space for, I've found other places in the house to hide them. I try to plan meals well enough that I can double up on the effort of dragging out a certain tool or dish.
--Manual can opener. I make toast in the oven. We happen to have a really weird little spot where a coffee pot is the ONLY possible thing that makes sense to put there, but if not I'd consider other options--French press, Moka pot, old-school percolator, individual drip filter.
posted by padraigin at 7:08 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
My thoughts are as follows:
--Consider getting a handyman in to assess your ceiling situation and the possibility of installing a pot rack, on which you could hang not just pots, but also various utensils. Mine is way oversized for the space as far as aesthetics are concerned but in terms of functionality, I actually wish it were bigger (but then I wouldn't be able to open my cabinets, so I'm probably just fine).
--Think vertically. Are there places way up high that shelves can be installed, are there cabinet tops for storage, space above your fridge? I have a nice tall stepladder that I can use to access things easily, but that folds very flat and does not get in the way when I'm not using it. It's nothing beautiful or expensive, it just came from Home Depot or whatever.
--Tiny Kitchen doesn't have time to be beautified with pictures. Tiny Kitchen requires the wall space for magnetic strips on which all my knives and measuring utensils and such are stored. Tiny Kitchen don't care. Tiny Kitchen don't give a shit.
--Cabinets hold the minimum amount of pantry supplies. I found somewhere else to store overstock. This varies by season, I've noticed--in the winter, I need things like stock and canned tomatoes at my fingertips more often, but in the summer I'm not making as much soup or spaghetti sauce and those ingredients can migrate somewhere less convenient. I have come to accept that I can no longer buy a fifty pound bag of flour or huge sacks of rice. That is the tax that Tiny Kitchen exacts.
--Big pots and pans double as storage when not in use. The roasting pan is full of little bags of lentils and beans. The stock pot is full of pasta. There is no unused space in my cabinets.
--With regard to the crock pot: consider trading for a model that has an insert that can be used on the stove top, which can simplify meals like stews where meat or onions should be browned for best flavor. Expand your slow-cooker horizons with books like Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker or Lora Brody's Slow Cooker Cooking.
--A mezzaluna can make chopping so much simpler. I have an Ulu bowl and chopper and it's often the only knife and board I need to prepare a dinner party's worth of food--one side is concave, the other side flat for traditional cutting.
--Most of my cookbooks are actually shelved in another room, but my favorites are on the wall, on invisible bookshelves carefully placed just above head-bonk height but still reachable, and just shy of getting whacked by an open cabinet.
Things I don't have immediate space for, I've found other places in the house to hide them. I try to plan meals well enough that I can double up on the effort of dragging out a certain tool or dish.
--Manual can opener. I make toast in the oven. We happen to have a really weird little spot where a coffee pot is the ONLY possible thing that makes sense to put there, but if not I'd consider other options--French press, Moka pot, old-school percolator, individual drip filter.
posted by padraigin at 7:08 PM on June 1, 2011 [1 favorite]
I moved from a 5 butt kitchen to a 3 butt kitchen, back to my paren't s 5 butt kitchen, to a 2 butt kitchen, and now a 1 butt kitchen.
Picked up a cheap-assed wooden stand for the microwave/coffee maker/coffee grinder; that's around the corner from the kitchen.
No dishwasher/drying rack space; made my own dryer rack from wire for the space available.
Lack of general space - yeah, fuck. It sucks. Stages - and rotate stuff into the fridge or the coffee table.
It really sucks doing pastries (puff, pizza, wraps, dumplings, &c) - it sucks not having the space.
Spent the extra time; first batch frozen --> bagged. Next batch gets on the aluminium tray in the freezer.
posted by porpoise at 8:06 PM on June 1, 2011
Picked up a cheap-assed wooden stand for the microwave/coffee maker/coffee grinder; that's around the corner from the kitchen.
No dishwasher/drying rack space; made my own dryer rack from wire for the space available.
Lack of general space - yeah, fuck. It sucks. Stages - and rotate stuff into the fridge or the coffee table.
It really sucks doing pastries (puff, pizza, wraps, dumplings, &c) - it sucks not having the space.
Spent the extra time; first batch frozen --> bagged. Next batch gets on the aluminium tray in the freezer.
posted by porpoise at 8:06 PM on June 1, 2011
I normally don't like speciality kitchen gadgets, but I love this vegetable chopper. It can handle halved onions, big broccoli florets, etc. It has really made a difference in how often I make some of my favourite dishes that require a lot of chopping (especially salads).
posted by neushoorn at 1:34 AM on June 2, 2011
posted by neushoorn at 1:34 AM on June 2, 2011
I don't know how your kitchen fits into the rest of your living space, but I'm on my second smallish galley-style kitchen now. The best thing I've got in terms of space is a low wooden table (about 15"x28") that I saved from the garbage and that tucks neatly into the corner just outside the kitchen. I use it like an extension of the counters, but one that's exclusively for storage: it holds my microwave, a toaster oven stacked on top, and used to have the coffeemaker too. They're easily accessible and feel like they're still in the "kitchen," but they aren't taking up actual counter space anymore and I'm free to use the real counters for prep.
posted by josyphine at 3:49 AM on June 2, 2011
posted by josyphine at 3:49 AM on June 2, 2011
Nthing the suggestion for a magnetic knife strip. Takes up virtually no space, and is super handy.
Also, get some decent knives to put on it! I don't like chopping veggies either, but it's *so* much easier and faster if you've got the right knife and a bit of practice.
There are also veggies that require very little chopping. If I'm stir frying Broccoli, it's pretty easy to break the stalks apart by hand. Kale and bok choi are both delicious, and don't really need much preparation before going into the pan. (That all said, onions are delicious, and do need lots of chopping. It's worth it.)
I'm not sure how your diet feels about grains, but I love my rice cooker. It's completely changed the way that I eat and cook. I know it's another appliance, which is something you should probably avoid, although you could probably stick it in your dining room or someplace else out of the way. Pour water and rice in, and delicious perfectly-cooked rice comes out every time. It's stupidly easy, and there are plenty of variations on what you can prepare in it. Lately, I've been using it to cook Quinoa, which I find to be healthier/tastier than rice.
posted by schmod at 8:29 AM on June 2, 2011
Also, get some decent knives to put on it! I don't like chopping veggies either, but it's *so* much easier and faster if you've got the right knife and a bit of practice.
There are also veggies that require very little chopping. If I'm stir frying Broccoli, it's pretty easy to break the stalks apart by hand. Kale and bok choi are both delicious, and don't really need much preparation before going into the pan. (That all said, onions are delicious, and do need lots of chopping. It's worth it.)
I'm not sure how your diet feels about grains, but I love my rice cooker. It's completely changed the way that I eat and cook. I know it's another appliance, which is something you should probably avoid, although you could probably stick it in your dining room or someplace else out of the way. Pour water and rice in, and delicious perfectly-cooked rice comes out every time. It's stupidly easy, and there are plenty of variations on what you can prepare in it. Lately, I've been using it to cook Quinoa, which I find to be healthier/tastier than rice.
posted by schmod at 8:29 AM on June 2, 2011
Response by poster: Last night I cooked dinner my normal chaotic way, and I realized that mise en place combined with planning out my cooking steps would have made a HUGE difference in cutting down on aggravation.
I chopped my raw chicken into chunks first, because it needed to go in the pan first; but then I had to chop my veggies in a hurry because they needed to go in soon after, and since I didn't have time to wash the cutting board I had to drag out another one. I got stips of cucumber peel stuck to the wall above the trash can because I didn't have a scrap bowl ready to go, and I couldn't put them in the sink because the cutting board was in the way. Etc, etc.
A ruthless purge of fridge and pantry is also in order, and then I will see what other ideas I can use to optimize my space and process.
I'm feeling better about this already. Thanks so much for the ideas!
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 10:35 AM on June 2, 2011
I chopped my raw chicken into chunks first, because it needed to go in the pan first; but then I had to chop my veggies in a hurry because they needed to go in soon after, and since I didn't have time to wash the cutting board I had to drag out another one. I got stips of cucumber peel stuck to the wall above the trash can because I didn't have a scrap bowl ready to go, and I couldn't put them in the sink because the cutting board was in the way. Etc, etc.
A ruthless purge of fridge and pantry is also in order, and then I will see what other ideas I can use to optimize my space and process.
I'm feeling better about this already. Thanks so much for the ideas!
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 10:35 AM on June 2, 2011
Hi! For the past seven years I've had a tiny kitchen with less counter space than the average bathroom. I don't have a dishwasher. I get a CSA box every week and spend vast chunks of my life chopping vegetables.
Some sort of scrap receptacle is crucial. Also, the people advocating magnetic knife strips are absolutely right, but mount it diagonally for more coverage if your knives are heavy, or use two together.
I hardly ever do anything involving flour. It's just too messy for the space.
As you're finding out, prep timing is crucial.
I have about four cutting boards the size of a sheet of paper, and about four small colanders which I use for washing, draining, and putting aside vegetables. I have a lot of Pyrex that works for cooking, storing, and serving food. I rarely use more than 1-2 burners of the stove at a time, so the rest of the stove area serves as prep space.
I roast a lot of vegetables in big batches; once they're done, they stay in that Pyrex till they're finished.
I'm moving out next month. It'll be interesting to see which of my habits change.
posted by tangerine at 12:38 PM on June 2, 2011
Some sort of scrap receptacle is crucial. Also, the people advocating magnetic knife strips are absolutely right, but mount it diagonally for more coverage if your knives are heavy, or use two together.
I hardly ever do anything involving flour. It's just too messy for the space.
As you're finding out, prep timing is crucial.
I have about four cutting boards the size of a sheet of paper, and about four small colanders which I use for washing, draining, and putting aside vegetables. I have a lot of Pyrex that works for cooking, storing, and serving food. I rarely use more than 1-2 burners of the stove at a time, so the rest of the stove area serves as prep space.
I roast a lot of vegetables in big batches; once they're done, they stay in that Pyrex till they're finished.
I'm moving out next month. It'll be interesting to see which of my habits change.
posted by tangerine at 12:38 PM on June 2, 2011
I started eating a lot more salads for lunch in the last few months and like you, I have a tiny kitchen. I used to hate chopping veggies. I now use the Vidalia Chop Wizard (also found in Target stores) for about $20 and I love it, love it, love it. It takes me about half an hour to prepare a week's worth of salads and I use the chop wizard to perfectly dice cucumbers, bell peppers, strawberries, mushrooms, etc. Does not work with tomatoes well, though, it might be the skin.
posted by HeyAllie at 3:54 PM on June 2, 2011
posted by HeyAllie at 3:54 PM on June 2, 2011
Popping back in to say that bulk cooking for two people with limited storage doesn't actually seem to be a solution to this problem.
posted by Ideefixe at 5:07 PM on June 3, 2011
posted by Ideefixe at 5:07 PM on June 3, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
since you will be doing all the prep first, you can even load the dishwasher of all the things you used for that (knives, cutting boards, etc). then the dishes from the mise en place get put in with the dinner dishes. it helps separate the mess into a few. manageable parts.
cooking stays cleaner, moves faster, and i burn way less things. i also go in love with timers. i set timers for stirring, for flipping, for starting the next section. it just helps me move things along.
posted by nadawi at 2:55 PM on June 1, 2011 [2 favorites]