I am not fond of kitchen gadgets. However, my friends think that   kitchen gadgets would be the ideal gift to give me because of my love for cooking. I was given a rolling pin that came with a plastic sheet that has various  pie sizes marked on it. So if the recipe calls for 9 inch pie base, you can roll it on the plastic base and get the exact size. But I already have a rolling pin and a marble base that I  have been using for the past 20 years. The marble base doesn’t give the exact 9 inch, but to me, it really doesn’t matter..any excess base is trimmed and I use it to decorate the top of the pie. Recently I was given a garlic press. It takes me less than a minute to peel a garlic, smash it with the cleaver adn chop it to fine pieces. ( Actually the smashing part is very therapeutic, especially when I am angry !)..imagine having to peel a garlic clove, then find the garlic press from the utensil holder, wash both the garlic and the press and then gently place the garlic in the slot and then press both ends..and then wash the various pieces that are part of the garlic press and the knife you used to peel the garlic..Why would I want to do all that when I can chop it much quicker ?

To make my childrens life easier, every year when they ask what I ‘really’ want for Christmas, I always ask ‘buy me something for the kitchen’. When they were little, they gave me a teapot, kitchen towels etc. When Yaya was in grade 5, she saved money for a full year and bought me a spice rack as Christmas gift. ( It is my most cherished Christmas gift) And since then the bar of Mom’s Christmas gift has been raised..and it was with great trepidation I opened their gift last Christmas. They decided to buy me a slow cooker. They also gave me a slow cooker recipe book.

Honestly, what was I going to do with a slow cooker? I am a fast cook and can whip up  a decent meal in less than 30 minutes. Slow cooker isn’t meant for my cooking style. But my kids were eagerly waiting for me to use the gift they bought with so much love and consideration. I had no choice but to use it. So,I made  vindaloo sauce and chucked the meat and sauce in the slow cooker and left it to do what it is supposed to do one Sunday morning. ( I also made pizza base for that just in case scenario, because being the smart one, I knew the slow cooker isn’t going to work and is a waste of time and money). I went on to do my chores. By evening, there was the best vindaloo curry in the slow cooker. It smelled amazing and the kids said the meat was very tender and full of flavour.

And now, before leaving home each morning, I chuck the dinner in to the slow cooker and when my kids get back from school in the evening, there is always something hot for them to eat.

Slow cooker saved my life. ( I never thought I would say that !)