Someone just handed you $50...

[Jewel]

OK, my friends, what do I need? I just opened my Birthday Card from my wonderful parents, and found a $50 gift card from Bed, Bath and Beyond. Do they know me or WHAT?? :p DH says I can't buy FoodSaver bags or anything humdrum like that, I have to buy something cool for the kitchen or bathroom since its a gift. If something comes to over $50 I don't mind putting in for it, but I'm at a loss as to what I need right now?

I don't have a grill pan, but since I have a gas grill right outside on my deck, I never thought I'd use one. I have plenty of pots & pans, just bought my FoodSaver, acquired my new KitchenAid Mixer, and have a good set of Henkel knives. I have new Williams-Sonoma stainless steel mixing bowls, and also just purchased a few gadgets like silicone spatulas and spoonulas.

I'm thinking about an Ice Cream Maker since we're both ice cream fanatics, but I'm worried about freezer space. How big are the canisters? I don't have a separate freezer, only the top freezer on my fridge, and it's usually stuffed with meat and frozen fruit for our breakfast smoothies! :D Do you have to keep the canister in the freezer all the time or just a few hours before you want to use it? How big is it to store once the ice cream is in it? Or do you put the ice cream in a tupperware container THEN freeze?

We've become addicted to Healthy Choice ice creams, but would really love to make our own, especially gelatos and sorbets. Just not sure if our freezer could handle it! Any advice on brands? Seems everyone here is partial to the Cuisinart, but I'm just checking! Thanks for any advice!

[KimKelly]

Jewel, my husband got me a quisinart ice cream maker for my birthday - which is today actually! Only he got it for me early to make ice cream for my son's birthday, which is today also! But... we had the party last week... anyway... We love it! You can make wonderful ice cream that is low in fat. The bowl is really not as big as I thought it would be, actually you could even probably store a baggie of frozen fruit in it to save space. Actually here, let me get my tape measure... Ok, it is about 7 inches wide and 5 inches tall (round obviously). If you do get it, also check out some of the ice cream recipe books, we go the Ben and Jerry's book from Amazon and have been thrilled. Happy shopping to you! - and Happy Birthday!

Kim :D

[cchhbb]

Jewel,

Wow, what a wonderful gift. I think they have you pegged. I've personally decided against the ice cream maker because I know I would eat way too much ice cream since it would be sooo good. I used to have a grill pan when I lived in an apartment and couldn't use a gas grill. Now that I live in a house I never use it. I really never used one in the apartment either. I ended up buying a George Foreman. That never gets used now.

One of the things I would buy is another bowl for your Kitchen Aid. I have one on my list to buy when I see one. I also would consider a pasta maker.

Cheryl

[browneye]

Jewel,
In regards to the freezer space, the bowl for the ice cream maker is about 8-9" tall, about 9" in diameter. You do not have to keep it stored in the freezer, but you definitely want it in there for 24 hours or so before using. I always transfer my ice cream to a Tupperware to freeze.

How are you set for pretty serving dishes, placemats, etc? They have a lot of nice stuff like that. If I had $50, I would probably go buy two very pretty "special occasion" plates with cool goblets or something for romantic dinners with my DH. Something that would be showy for a candlelight dinner, and some pretty placemats or something. But then, that's me, and I currently just own some tired old dishes and a set of Grandmothers old china.
I have about every cooking gadget known to man!!!


:rolleyes:
Anyway, Jewel, Happy Birthday! have fun..

[Beth]

I guess I'm having an out of the kitchen day, because the closest thing to cooking stuff I can think of would be looking at table linens or a new set of everyday glasses (kids are getting older and I'm getting close to letting go of a lot of plastic stuff). My first thought was a nice set of bath towels or maybe a throw for the living room.

[Curleytop]

I am a believer in Pressure Cookers! Used to have Presto, but now I have 2 Fagors, 4 and 6 quarts. Greatest thing in the world! I too have the icecream machine, but you must really measure your space. I have a 2 door side by side GE, and I took out the icemaker bin on the top. We don't use ice much, and that bin always had to emptied, it was useless to me. I turned off the automatic icemaker. Now I have all the extra space on the top. If I want cubes, I make a little tray full. I still have the cold water thru the door.:p

[catharine]

Love your ice cream maker idea - I have one and I like it a lot. But I also have the storage space issue - and since the freezer is usually full I don't use it enough.

I received a $20 BBB card and although I couldn't buy anything big, I had a good time going on a little shopping spree for cool gadgets I wouldn't ordinarily buy. I bought the OXO scrub brush (which is great but leaks), I bought an ice cube tray that makes narrow ice cubes that fit in bottled water, I also picked up a cloth for polishing silver pieces (works great). It was a lot of fun walking around looking for fun, frivilous purchases. But I would understand your not wanting $50 worth of gadgets...then again.....

Happy birthday!

[SusanMac]

I received an ice cream machine as a gift (probably never would have bought one myself) and absolutely love it! The big fear was eating too much ice cream, but we haven't had that problem. It's still some effort, so we find we only use it about once a month or two. It's a wonderful splurge to have around.

[Jewel]

Well, I've about decided on the Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, but I'm still worried about space. I went onto the www.epinions.com site and most of the reviewers like the machine, but they did say that it can take up to 24 hours for the bowl to freeze! With my new FoodSaver I was thinking I was really going to be stocking that freezer with summer produce for the rest of the year, but how can I do that AND freeze an ice cream canister?? With just the two of us, we can't justify a stand-up freezer in the garage either.

I guess where there's a will there's a way. I can make the room for it when I need it, right? Besides, there are too many lowfat ice creams and sorbets out there that I'm missing out on! DH and I are both ice cream fanatics, but we're always feeling cheated when we go to the store and see all these wonderful ice cream flavors they're making now, then we go to the lowfat section and only find Vanilla, Praline, and sometimes Chocolate. We like the Healthy Choice ice cream, especially the Cappucino Chocolate Chunk, but we still feel cheated on flavors! We'd love to be able to make our OWN so we don't have to rely on other's!

Does anyone have any favorite LOWFAT recipes to help motivate me into buying this thing? I'm interested in sorbets as well as lowfat ice creams. I can't remember which CL issue featured all the sorbets and ice creams too? Thanks!

[Zinnia]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEWEL!!
Good luck to you on deciding what to get! With all of the good ideas on here, it would be a hard decision for me also. I hope you had a great birthday and have fun shopping. Good luck, :) Zinnia

[LGBurns]

I got a $100 gift certificate to Marshall Fields for Christmas from my office and just spent part of it a couple weeks ago on a Cuisinart Ice Cream mixer. I've been in summer school hell since and haven't had a chance to use it, but I definitely intend to try it this weekend. I think it's a good choice, although we share basement freezer with our neighbors so I do have a little extra room.