For instance, there is something intensely satisfying about cutting butter into flour with my pastry blender, or pulverizing some garbanzo beans into a delightful hummus in my food processor. At some point, I’d like to get an immersion blender, and maybe a meat grinder for my KitchenAid (imagine: homemade sausage!).
So, it should come as no surprise that for a gift recently, my sister-in-law (right) decided it would be a fantastic idea to get me a potato ricer. She was brimming with excitement as she gave me this awkwardly wrapped package, and she (and the family) couldn’t wait to see what I would make with it.

So what, exactly, does one look like? Like, a big, gigantic garlic press:

What differentiates this from a masher are the little holes that provide a more consistent texture. However, the holes are large enough that there is more variety in texture than when using a food mill. You don’t have to use it for just potatoes, either — try it out with parsnips, sweet potatoes, carrots, or even a rutabaga.

I’m still trying to figure out all the fantastic uses for this kitchen contraption. However, I can attest that it makes a makes a mean batch of roasted red pepper mashed potatoes (my take, here). One thing it does not do, however, is mash raw garlic — you better stick to real garlic press for that.

I’ll let you in on a little secret: just like the tortoise beat the hare, slow and steady is the key to preparing the perfect egg. Be patient and don’t use too much heat and you’ll be enjoying delicious eggs in no time. Here are my hints for preparing two classic preparations:

Scrambled

Set a couple of eggs out on the counter for about 10 minutes to bring them up in temperature. Pre-heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat; add a little butter or a spritz of oil to the pan, if you wish.

In a bowl, crack the eggs, add a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper and splash of milk. Whisk them together, then pour into the pre-heated skillet. Then, walk away.

No, I’m serious. Go wash your hands, walk up the stairs and back, just get away for a few minutes to let the pan start to work. You don’t want to be gone too long, but you need to resist the temptation to touch the eggs right after you put them on the heat.

Once you start to see the eggs firming up, use a rubber spatula to fold everything toward the center. Do this a few more times until the eggs are set, but still a little glistening. Don’t go too long, or you’ll end up with dry, rubbery yellow something that isn’t good eggs. If you heed my advice, you’ll have delicious yellow pillows to compliment some delicious biscuits and some breakfast meat.

Hard Boiled

In a small sauce pan (1 1/2 quarts), place no more than four raw eggs. Cover with cold water, just enough to keep the eggs submerged. Bring the water just to a boil (even a vigorous simmer would be better, but it’s a fine line), then cover and remove from the heat.

This time, I want you to walk around the block. Come back 10-12 minutes later, and transfer the eggs to cold water. When you can handle them comfortably, use a spoon to break the shell and remove eggs.

You can serve these as a compliment to a salad, or scoop out the yolks for deviled eggs. Either way, follow my tips and you’ll have perfect hard-boiled eggs, done just right and without an icky green ring around the yolk.

I’ve just barely scratched the surface, but the cooking methods are endless: there’s poaching, frying, souffle-ing… Any number of uses and preparations for this versatile, and, honestly, not so scary common ingredient.

Eggs provided courtesy of Zyada.

• onion sandwiches
• banana and pineapple
• bacon, tomato, and sugar (BST).

S, he wanted to expand his palate and present it as a challenge for a t-shirt. I entered because, well, what self-respecting food blogger wouldn’t? And, then, I thought, as a new contributer to The Cook’s Kitchen, it seemed a fitting first post. Not too difficult, and something rather tasty to set the tone for all future posts. So, dear reader, I present to you:

Entry 52 (aka, Prosciutto and Pear Sandwiches)

Ingredients:

• 1 crusty roll
• 2 thin slices of prosciutto or deli-ham
• 1 thin slice of pear, seeds removed
• brie, rind removed
• coarsely ground mustard

Procedure

Split the roll in half and spread a thin layer of mustard over both halves. Layer the ham on the bottom half, then top with the pear slice. Finally, spread the brie over the mustard on the top half of the roll. Combine both halves, and enjoy.

Some observations: when I envisioned this sandwich, I wanted the roll to have a sturdy crust and a light inside. My comment was “[a]n English muffin, but with a slightly firmer crust, comes to mind.” However, in the middle of South Central Indiana, a good crusty roll is hard to find at 7 p.m. on a Sunday. My grocer did have some Vienna Rolls, so that’s what I went with. For this sandwich, it actually turned out very well, so I think this is an appropriate choice.

Additionally, tonight prosciutto was a little expensive for my wallet, so I opted for regular ham. I did not skimp on the brie; you can, just choose a soft, spreadable cheese. Mild cream cheese or neufchatel with a bit of pepper could suffice.

Furthermore, my wife does not like ham, and until tonight, did not like pears. It seems that her only memory of pears is from a can — I can’t blame her, because, most of the time, that mushy stuff has no place on my plate. So, this sandwich would not work for her. She does, however, like turkey; and, you can get pre-made cranberry relish year-round (I looked desperately for fresh cranberries, but, again, this is South Central Indiana on a Sunday night ). Thus, to satisfy another palate, simply exchange the ham for turkey, the pear for warm whole-berry cranberry relish, and omit the mustard. I might also suggest that you use a softer bread, such as a croissant. These sandwiches are delightful departures from a regular ham and cheese or a plain old PB and J.