MetroKitchen Blog

Breville Countertop Convection Oven

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I love my Breville Countertop Convection Oven. I had bought this as a Christmas present for my boyfriend because he searching for a good toaster oven. Needless to say, he got something that goes beyond your basic toaster oven.

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Now you can toast just about anything perfectly like your morning bread or bagel. But have you ever heard of a toaster oven making fresh baked pizza or cookies? Or how about a small roast? Granted you can do most if not all of these things in a regular oven but not in such a portable and convenient oven like this.

Beyond Toast

Say you were making dinner or a meal either for a large family or a dinner party, and your oven is being taken up by a roast, having this convection oven does come in handy. I ran into that issue on Easter. I roasted a ham that took up most of the room in my regular oven, but I also had sweet potatoes that I wanted to bake as a side. Then I remembered that our Breville Countertop Convection Oven has a bake feature! I was able to get the potatoes done at the same time as the ham.

Broiling Seafood

Breville countertop convection oven

I took advantage of the oven when to broil salmon for dinner because the oven was occupied baking gem potatoes. The salmon came out perfectly cooked, and everything was perfectly timed. The mini convection oven includes a rack height for broiling.

I have yet to make cookies or pizza in it just again, but this Breville Countertop Oven does include a 13-inch non-stick pizza pan, 12-inch square enamel baking pan, and a 12-inch square enamel broil rack. It also has an easy to clean pull out crumb tray!

It also comes with a one year warranty from Breville with regular use and proper care. I have had no issues with the oven at all. Overall, this versatile oven was a fantastic investment!

Scanpan Classic 11 inch Nonstick Fry Pan Review

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Who doesn’t enjoy a good date night in with a loved one with some perfectly cooked juicy steaks? I knowSteak in Scanpan Classic Nonstick Frypan I do, I also know the perfect fry pan to make those steaks in. That pan is the Scanpan Classic Nonstick Fry Pan! This pan is one of the best nonstick fry pans I have ever used. I have never had one thing stick to this fry pan, I do add oil or butter for flavor but it is so easy to clean. The residue comes right off of the pan either hand washing or in the dishwasher. It also heats up evenly and fairly quickly as well, cooking any food you may be making evenly.

The other great things that I love about this fry pan is that you can use metal utensils and it will not ruin the pan at all — you will be spooning the juices over the steak and using a metal spoon because it’s 100% safe. This pan is also oven safe up to 500° F, so popping it in the oven will be safe as well for any other foods you may cook in this pan.

bc6a6288-ab47-4085-9851-c62cba4dcf53This recipe is one of the best steaks I have ever had, as you can also see we did a side of roasted asparagus as well (any side that you wish to have with it will work) and it was a great date night at home with restaurant quality food. So if you ever want to have a night in with a loved one or even yourself with an amazing dinner I recommend this recipe and this pan to cook it.

Scanpan Nonstick cookware is made in Denmark and come with a limited lifetime guarantee.

Blueberry Crumble in Staub cast iron mini cocottes

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Blueberry Crumble

Easter is almost around the corner and I have a great dessert that would be perfect to make. This recipe is easy and the clean up is no hassle at all. What the recipe is for is a simple Blueberry Crumble. What I used for this are the Staub cast iron mini cocottes. These are perfect for single servings if you are going to have company over and you can take them right out of the oven and just scoop some ice cream on top and serve them right to your guests. One of the things I love about these cocottes is that they are really cute and can be pretty decorative for the table. These desserts were a hit last time I made them and cleanup is super easy. These are dishwasher safe, so once you are done you can just rinse them out and put them right in the dish washer. You can even put them on the bottom rack and they come out clean with no damage to them.

Blueberry Crumble
Finished product!

Fast meals in All-Clad Slow Cooker

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all clad 4 qt slow cooker

The one thing I love about slow cookers is that you have the ability to cook dinner while you go to work, do errands or do upkeep of the house. The All-Clad 4 Qt. Electric Slow Cooker w/ Black Ceramic Insert is a great little slow cooker.

There are just 2 of us at home, so this size is perfect for up to 4 people. It is really easy to use and the cleanup is a snap as well! Without a doubt, the slow cooker makes it easier on you if you have a busy lifestyle. One of my favorite dishes is a Spicy Chicken Salsa Soup. I can just add in all the ingredients after a long day at work and set it for 2-3 hours and leave it alone while I clean the apartment or sit down and relax or do a favorite hobby to unwind. As I said cleanup is also easy as pie! Just lift the insert out of the slow cooker, put the leftovers away either in the fridge or freezer for a later time . The insert IS dishwasher safe but my personal preference is to hand wash it and let it dry. I have not had anything stick to the inside of the insert either, everything just slides right off. I highly recommend this slow cooker from All-Clad.

Here’s my recipe for Spicy Chicken Salsa Soup:

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 2 jars of salsa
  • 1 box chicken broth or stock
  • 1 or 2 cups cut fresh green beans
  • 1 cup canned corn
  • 1 or 2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • Any hot sauce to taste (Depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 5 shakes of red pepper flakes (or more if you want)
  • Optional: Pasta, rice (cook separately), shredded cheese, sour cream

Directions:

  1. Put the chicken breasts in the crock pot.
  2. Cover with the salsa.
  3. Cook on high for 2-3 hours until chicken is cooked and shreddable.
  4. Start chopping pepper and green beans.
  5. Shred the chicken.
  6. Pour in broth.
  7. Put in veggies and beans.
  8. Let cook an hour or until veggies are soft to your liking.

Chef’s Knives vs. Santoku Knives!

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Wusthof Classic 8 inch Chef's Knife
Wusthof Classic 8 inch Chef’s Knife

This is one of the most asked questions of the MetroKitchen.com customer service team.  “What is the difference between a chef’s knife and a santoku knife?”     Here’s a quick summary of some basic differences between the shapes of a chef’s knife and a santoku knife so you can more easily choose the right one for your kitchen cutting and slicing tasks. [Read more…] about Chef’s Knives vs. Santoku Knives!

About All-Clad Seconds or Irregulars

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All-Clad pans

Seconds are fairly common, especially when the food is really good and you’re really hungry.  But All-Clad “Seconds” are quite different.   They are second quality products.  At MetroKitchen we only sell first quality All-Clad that is shipped to us directly from the All-Clad factory in Pennsylvania.

All-Clad itself does sell “seconds” or “irregulars.” What are All-Clad seconds? Seconds are items that are flawed or don’t meet All-Clad’s standards.  For example, the bottom may have a slight warp or the rim of the pan has a cut or rough edge.  These seconds are marked on the handles with either an “s” or a a triangular mark.   And, you’ll find this cookware at discount stores, usually at lower prices than the top quality, direct from the All-Clad factory that MetroKitchen offers. [Read more…] about About All-Clad Seconds or Irregulars