So I broke down.
I think it was the moldy water in the bottom of our current dishwasher. Realizing we had to get rid of it, and then deal with a big hole in the kitchen. A hole I could fill with...what?
With money, for the most part. The floor underneath is subfloor, so whatever I did I would have to cover that. Trash? A cabinet to hide trash? Just plain cabinets of some kind? None of them sounded right. Or cheap, frankly.
A dishwasher isn't cheap either, especially not the way we decided to go. But I envisioned 6 months from now still trying to find cabinets that matched or at least blended in with the ones we had (which I have painted, of course). Dealing with the cabinet under the sink and its dark spookiness. Handling it all.
I looked at my dining room and decided life was hard enough for the house, for me, for us. Plus...I will admit that while handwashing dishes feels both noble and satisfying, I am the only person doing it. Jake will load and unload a dishwasher. But he never, ever, ever, ever washes a dish by hand. Never. Neh-vah. No way, no how. He doesn't even see the dishes when they're waiting in the sink. So I could see into the future. I go back to work and...
So we bought a dishwasher. It gets delivered, and installed, and the old one hauled away, tomorrow. It is stainless steel on the inside and the outside and I think we will be very happy together.
Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kitchen. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
39. One Month
It's been just over a month without a dishwasher.
The guy at Best Buy, where Jake went to look at features, not to buy, told him I wouldn't make it 2 weeks.
Yeah, it's kind of a bummer to get up from dinner and head over to the sink to wash dishes. But I used to load the dishwasher anyway so I'm not sure if it's that much more time for an average meal.
Lisa posted over on her blog that on a weekend day, her family regularly does 3-5 loads in a dishwasher, which made my mouth drop open. I guess if my pans were dishwasher-safe, or if I put plastic in the dishwasher, maybe it would add up, but never that much. That's more than a good sized dinner party over here, actually.
I'm thinking that besides the rare party or get-together that uses plates, I'm simply not going to miss it. Too many times I unloaded the dishes and then found myself rewashing something. Too many times. And when I find a dish that I've handwashed that isn't all the way clean, I simply put it back into the soapy water. I used to get kind of ticked off at the machine that wasn't doing its job.
So I'm not going back. I warned Jake that when I go back to work, I might be changing my mind (life will, in general, get more expensive when I go back to work). But we'll see how it goes.
Right now my only irritation is with the space it takes up. I keep thinking if there would be something I'd want more in that space, and what keeps coming to mind is a pull-out drawer for trash to keep it away instead of in a can over by the fridge. Hmm.
The guy at Best Buy, where Jake went to look at features, not to buy, told him I wouldn't make it 2 weeks.
Yeah, it's kind of a bummer to get up from dinner and head over to the sink to wash dishes. But I used to load the dishwasher anyway so I'm not sure if it's that much more time for an average meal.
Lisa posted over on her blog that on a weekend day, her family regularly does 3-5 loads in a dishwasher, which made my mouth drop open. I guess if my pans were dishwasher-safe, or if I put plastic in the dishwasher, maybe it would add up, but never that much. That's more than a good sized dinner party over here, actually.
I'm thinking that besides the rare party or get-together that uses plates, I'm simply not going to miss it. Too many times I unloaded the dishes and then found myself rewashing something. Too many times. And when I find a dish that I've handwashed that isn't all the way clean, I simply put it back into the soapy water. I used to get kind of ticked off at the machine that wasn't doing its job.
So I'm not going back. I warned Jake that when I go back to work, I might be changing my mind (life will, in general, get more expensive when I go back to work). But we'll see how it goes.
Right now my only irritation is with the space it takes up. I keep thinking if there would be something I'd want more in that space, and what keeps coming to mind is a pull-out drawer for trash to keep it away instead of in a can over by the fridge. Hmm.
Monday, March 14, 2011
28. Happy Pi Day
Pi Day: March 13 (3/14, or 3.14).
I made a pie for Pi Day, of course. I have pretty often in the past as well. I went with something new: a cooked custard pie. Since Sophia is a fan of chocolate pie and few other desserts that are not ice cream (which she gave up for Lent), I gave that a whirl. Note, in these photos? My stove top is gross. That is the disadvantage of having a stove top that is a drawer--I can push it in and forget it until next time. I do this more than I want to admit. But I do clean it. Really I do.
First, into a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 c sugar, 1/4 c cornstarch, 1/4 t salt, and 3 cups of milk.
Warm it over medium heat, stirring. While it warms, separate 3 eggs--you keep the yolks and not the whites, but get rid of as much white as possible. Put this bowl to the side.
Then add a cup of chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate) to the milk and sugar mixture as it warms up. Stir this in and let it come to a boil eventually and stir it for 2 minutes while it bubbles.
Drop a quarter cup or so of the thickening milk mixture into your egg yolks to accustom them to the temperature (I assume?). Then dump the egg mixture into the saucepan and stir while it combines fully and thickens up.
Off the heat it comes, and stir in 2 T butter. Once that is incorporated/melted, dump it all into a pre-cooked pie shell. Chill for 3 hours. Top with whipped cream or cool whip if you're too lazy (I was tonight)
It is awesome. Next time I will work more diligently to pull out the yolks completely, because egg whites in a custard create lumps. Not too many lumps, but Sophia was totally turned off by the lumps and had only a few bites. More pie for me. Maeve and Leo didn't seem to notice (but you can see a few there on the slice I photographed).
It makes me happy. I will perfect this one.
I made a pie for Pi Day, of course. I have pretty often in the past as well. I went with something new: a cooked custard pie. Since Sophia is a fan of chocolate pie and few other desserts that are not ice cream (which she gave up for Lent), I gave that a whirl. Note, in these photos? My stove top is gross. That is the disadvantage of having a stove top that is a drawer--I can push it in and forget it until next time. I do this more than I want to admit. But I do clean it. Really I do.
First, into a medium saucepan, combine 3/4 c sugar, 1/4 c cornstarch, 1/4 t salt, and 3 cups of milk.Warm it over medium heat, stirring. While it warms, separate 3 eggs--you keep the yolks and not the whites, but get rid of as much white as possible. Put this bowl to the side.
Then add a cup of chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate) to the milk and sugar mixture as it warms up. Stir this in and let it come to a boil eventually and stir it for 2 minutes while it bubbles.
Drop a quarter cup or so of the thickening milk mixture into your egg yolks to accustom them to the temperature (I assume?). Then dump the egg mixture into the saucepan and stir while it combines fully and thickens up.
Off the heat it comes, and stir in 2 T butter. Once that is incorporated/melted, dump it all into a pre-cooked pie shell. Chill for 3 hours. Top with whipped cream or cool whip if you're too lazy (I was tonight)
It is awesome. Next time I will work more diligently to pull out the yolks completely, because egg whites in a custard create lumps. Not too many lumps, but Sophia was totally turned off by the lumps and had only a few bites. More pie for me. Maeve and Leo didn't seem to notice (but you can see a few there on the slice I photographed).It makes me happy. I will perfect this one.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
17. Broken Dishes, Broken Dishwasher
In the past three days I've broken a bowl and a glass. Unrelated to washing them--I was picking the glass up to put away, and taking the bowl out of the cabinet. Crash onto the floor. The glass was no big thing, but I like my bowls with cat faces. Ah well.
Less emotional investment in the dishwasher. It is older and it no longer sprays water. It sort of steams the dishes now. Which doesn't work, by the way. I was distressed the morning I found the still-dirty dishes sort of smeared around and grimy. It took a lot of work to clean them, and the dishes in the sink waiting for their turn in the dishwasher.
But since then, things are clean in my kitchen. I wash dishes after breakfast. I wash dishes, tiny bits, throughout the day. I put dishes away while doing other tasks in the kitchen. And then I wash dishes while I cook dinner and after we eat. The kitchen is tidy before bed and the day starts well.
Why do I want a dishwasher, again?
I'm sure I'm using more water this way, but maybe not. It's an older dishwasher and not an Energy Star appliance. I know I'm not using as much electricity, though, even with the hot water I use. The soap is cheaper, too. And my kitchen is clean.
I hate to be the one to say this but I think I might say it. I already always did my good wine glasses by hand, and all of my pots and pans, being anodized aluminum, never ever go in the dishwasher. My Revereware sometimes did (don't tell my aunt Gracemarie) but pyrex dishes rarely came out clean so I did them by hand most times. Same with the crock pot, which I use at least weekly. Bento boxes are done by hand because they're plastic. Same with anything plastic I put in my fridge to store leftovers or pesto, etc.
The dishwasher essentially became a place to store dirty dishes until later. Silverware, every day glasses, plates, and bowls. Which, of course, ARE THE EASIEST THINGS TO HANDWASH.
I think I'll eventually replace the dishwasher. Looks like about $600-$900 for a really good one. And I'll use it for dinner parties and events like that. Right?
Hmm.
Less emotional investment in the dishwasher. It is older and it no longer sprays water. It sort of steams the dishes now. Which doesn't work, by the way. I was distressed the morning I found the still-dirty dishes sort of smeared around and grimy. It took a lot of work to clean them, and the dishes in the sink waiting for their turn in the dishwasher.
But since then, things are clean in my kitchen. I wash dishes after breakfast. I wash dishes, tiny bits, throughout the day. I put dishes away while doing other tasks in the kitchen. And then I wash dishes while I cook dinner and after we eat. The kitchen is tidy before bed and the day starts well.
Why do I want a dishwasher, again?
I'm sure I'm using more water this way, but maybe not. It's an older dishwasher and not an Energy Star appliance. I know I'm not using as much electricity, though, even with the hot water I use. The soap is cheaper, too. And my kitchen is clean.
I hate to be the one to say this but I think I might say it. I already always did my good wine glasses by hand, and all of my pots and pans, being anodized aluminum, never ever go in the dishwasher. My Revereware sometimes did (don't tell my aunt Gracemarie) but pyrex dishes rarely came out clean so I did them by hand most times. Same with the crock pot, which I use at least weekly. Bento boxes are done by hand because they're plastic. Same with anything plastic I put in my fridge to store leftovers or pesto, etc.
The dishwasher essentially became a place to store dirty dishes until later. Silverware, every day glasses, plates, and bowls. Which, of course, ARE THE EASIEST THINGS TO HANDWASH.
I think I'll eventually replace the dishwasher. Looks like about $600-$900 for a really good one. And I'll use it for dinner parties and events like that. Right?
Hmm.
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