Handy Ideas for a Remodeled Kitchen

Since we are renovating the kitchen and dining room (we’ve completely gutted the rooms down to the studs and subflooring), I have the opportunity to build a new one from scratch. Of course, I am restricted by a few things: we have only one exterior wall, so the stove must go against that wall if I want to have a range hood venting outside; I will have a space heater on another wall, so the fridge cannot be in that vicinity; etc. It’s taken a good deal of planning to make sure that everything will be *finally* efficient and economical, like car insurance haha. I wish I could spend more time planning it, actually. There is just SO MUCH to plan all at once, but I just can’t have the walls gutted forever. I’m “winging it” here, hoping that the decisions I’m making are both affordable and will work to make the kitchen MORE pleasant and efficient, and not less.

Anyway, one thing we are working toward is a “beverage center.” The kids love their teas, and we adults love our coffees…. and it was kind of cramped in the Old Kitchen to try to cook and move around in the kitchen when people were in the corner, making tea or coffee. So I decided to separate the area away from the main cooking area. And to emphasize the separation, I am going to be installing a small refrigerator in the beverage area, too. This will hold the creamers, the snack items, the orange juice, etc. The fridge will take up valuable cabinet space, to be sure, but I think it will enhance the flow of the kitchen– so it’s worth it, in my estimation. I’ve seen those drawer fridge thingies, but they are twice as expensive. I’m going to try to put this new compact fridge up on a shelf, next to the wall cabinets. This will make it so that I do not have to bend over to get things (which is a problem right now with the current refrigerator). I would just LOVE to get a refrigerator without a freezer at all– those freezer on the top /fridge on the bottom models are a royal pain. I have to get on my hands and knees to get to the food in the fridge. Unfortunately, the no-freezer refrigerators are very pricey. So it will have to wait.

Another idea I’m coming up with is ceiling fans for lighting. Lots of modern kitchens have fluorescent lighting or recessed lighting. I dislike recessed lighting, because they generate so much heat for so little light (comparatively– after all, recessed lighting is a CAN of light inserted into a hole in the ceiling!). I like a LOT of light, so recessed is not for me. I am opting for ceiling fans with lights. This will help keep the kitchen cooler in the summer (the late afternoon sun blasts into the kitchen during the summer) and warmer throughout the house in the winter; we will have a small gas heater unit in the kitchen, and the fans will help to circulate the heat throughout the room and the house.

So it really pays to try to think ahead. I’m sure there are many more things I am missing. My dread is that I will complete the kitchen, and then have lots of “Oh no! I should have done this!” :S

Bread Machine Woes

My bread machine died. This is my second machine. I have only had this one about a year and a half, and I didn’t even use it for half a year! Today, I filled up the bucket, added all the ingredients, went to start it, and *grind*.

photo credit: Otto Phokus

We got a closer look at the mechanism and see the problem– the (bear with me here, I don’t know the engineering terminology) turning pin at the bottom of the bucket (the pin that holds the paddle in the bucket, and is spun by the motor in the machine itself) has no more grease and is all rusty. And I recall that the last time I made bread with this machine, there was a ton of grease that worked its way up into the bucket and contaminated my dough. :-p Gah!!!

Why do they make bread machines this way?!?! My daughter made the good point: “Why don’t they just make the bread machine with the paddle on the top?”

Yeah. Why don’t they?! It’s rather dumb to have the greased-up paddle on the bottom, because things like this happen. And grease gets in the dough. Not too good. Why don’t they make these things a little more durable, smarter? It’s not like you need Ferrari parts or anything, just have a GOOD design!

Anyone have any ideas? Do you have a better-built bread machine? Do you think I should go with an standing electric mixer to make my bread?? I’m baffled. I really need a dough-making machine now that autumn and winter and coming. I’d sure appreciate any reviews, comments, or advice…