TWO New Kitchen Items!

Ok, It has been a busy and warm week for us in NW Washington. Into the 90's. I have been canning beans and making pickles and relish, my favorite thing to do.

We kind of got hooked on "Chopped" and the Food Network when we were in Seattle at the NICU for 5 months, as it was pretty much the only thing on at the "home' at the time of night that we got back.

I have been watching with enthusiasum  all winter as these chefs slice away on this cool mandolin. But never really thought I "needed" one. BUT with the arrival of the garden vegetables it became obvious to me, I really did NEED one! It finally arrived and I went right to work making perfect size pickles and homemade potato chips and thin sliced zucchini to use instead of noodles in lasagna.  

The mandolin actually brought about TWO new items to the CHOPPED  Rinehart Kitchen. First was the Mandolin.

Things were going great, but I had a hard time using the little "holder" that came with it. It kept poking holes in my veggies and they would fall off. I had seen the Chopped Champions use it without the guard MILLIONS of times, and good grief, I am 3 TIMES their age! (but NOT the memory, apparently) I can handle this. I will just be REALLY careful to not chop all the way to the end of the cucumber. 

NOT.

You know how you feel the minute you do something really bad to you finger... I grabbed it and ran for the bathroom, put a towel on the bloody stump, OK, pretty nice deep slice. It neatly sliced the tip of my finger right off! Not much, not enough to stop the show canning, and I did not look at it, AT ALL. Just taped it up good, and went back to work, I would undo everything and take a look tomorrow. I knew I had to keep it DRY, so I found ONE surgical glove and bought rubber gloves for doing dishes. As canning involves a LOT of water. 

Which brings us to our SECOND new piece of kitchen equipment. 

My husband came home and saw THIS on the table...

I kind of explained to him what happened and promised to use the guard... But the next day he came home from the workplace with THESE!!!

They are KEVLAR gloves for folks who work where they might get CUT! They are perfect! I just put one on the "cutting hand" and be really careful. It allows me to make these:

I call them zucchini noodles and use them as lasagna noodles. 

And these nice hamburger dill pickles!

SO I am back in business and feel blessed that my husband is looking out for me! 

I have a pair in the mail to Bobby Flay, I will let you know what he thinks!! 

Stay Cool!