Some new finds

[veg-o-matic]

I don't want Pete to think he's the only one who finds cool stuff!

At first, I was going to repaint this Crock Pot, but the avocado is kind of growing on me. It's hard to clean because the crock doesn't come out, but I've started using those new liners, which are great.

Made Crock Pot Mac 'n Cheese in it yesterday. We'll be having it tonight for dinner.

 

[veg-o-matic]

This is the Sunbeam knife I got because I liked versatronic's so much. Comes in an interesting diamond-shaped box which is quite eye-catching, but must have been murder to merchandise.
(And vers, you're right--it should come with an afterburner!)

The GE Toast-R-Oven behind it is another new acquisition (5 bucks at the Salvation Army). It was nice and clean and I couldn't pass it up. It's older than the other one I have; I believe it might be the original.

 

[veg-o-matic]

My namesake!

Don't know why it took me so long to get one, other than the fact that on ebay, they go for a bunch of money. This one was $2.50 at the Goodwill. I used it Saturday to make a batch of pickled cucumber salad and it worked great.

 

[veg-o-matic]

And finally...

The Presto Rock 'N Mix! I've wanted one of these for years. Interesting concept--instead of a revolving bowl, you swing the beaters through the mixture. Betcha you could make a huge mess if you're not careful!
This came with the instruction manual, the beaters, the drink mixer, and the knife sharpener attachment. The mixer itself is remarkably quiet.

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Cool Stuff

Well, too bad for Secret Santa, you scored the CP with removable heat control. I'm stunned to know that you've just now acquired your namesake and that it's a II to boot! That is the original GE T O. I think they're the best. Never have seen a Presto Rock-n-mix!

 

[Brneyedgrl80]

Wow! I've never seen a Presto Rock 'N Mix before! It looks like its fun to use.

Great finds Veg!

You kind of made me laugh when you said that it "must have been murder to merchandise" when you were talking about the electric knife. lol

 

[foraloysius]

Cool!!!

That Presto Rock 'N Mix really is an awesome mixer!! I have never seen such a thing before. I bet you can make a mess with it, but who cares!

So a Veg-o-matic is a non-electric appliance? What has this website come to? LOL

 

[veg-o-matic]

Auuuuggggghhhh! I never thought of that! Dang. I hope Robert doesn't revoke my membership for slipping a non-electric appliance into the mix!

My only excuse is that I'm completely out of my mind.

veg

 

[petek]

Well the Presto Rock'n Mix is a new one on me as well. Definitely a keeper. We have the same GE Toaster Oven Broiler although it never gets used for broiling because it's way too difficult to get inside and clean it. To me it's the quintessential toaster oven on which all others pale by comparison, just the right size, works well, and the pop open/up door (like a mini Flair) is cool. I'm guessing you didn't get the broiler pan insert with it though, no loss if you're not going to broil in it.
I was wondering, can't you submerse or put that crockpot in the dishwasher seeing as it has a remoevable probe?

 

[brisnat81]

Baby Poo Yellow Crockpot

Hi Veg,

My mum has that exact crockpot, except its a bright yellowy green colour.

In Australia they were marketed by a company called Monier, who made Roofing tiles amongst other things.

Under what brand were they marketed in the US?

Regards

Nathan

 

[veg-o-matic]

Lessee. Crock Pots were (and are) marketed by Rival. Everyone else has to call theirs a "slow cooker". Mine is a genuine Crock Pot!

Pete, the Toast-R-Oven says in several places NOT to broil meat. Guess it'd be a fire hazard, but the cleanup would be just plain not worth it. Hadn't thought about the Flair connection. So now I'll pretend that it's a Flairette. The pan that's inside is just a plain baking pan.

Nope, can't submerge the CP. The control is removable, the the heating elements are still inside there and not sealed. It's not that big a deal now that they have the Crock Pot liners.

veg, who's off to make mountains of julienne fries

 

[gansky1]

I didn't know you previously didn't own a genuine Veg-O-Matic! I see them at sales all the time and would have grabbed one for you. In fact, I saw what must have been an original one on Saturday, the lady in line behind me bought it.

That Rock-n-Mix is awesome! I also have never seen anything like it before, the fun never ends here!

 

[Kevinpreston3]

The Presto Rock 'N Mix....

is wonderful. That needs to be displayed, love the design. I agree with Pete's comments on the toaster oven. We had a similar one during my teen years at home once our Toastmaster was retired. Not sure what happened to it, but I liked it.

 

[bostonwash]

Nice collection!

That toaster oven IS tops. It looks like new. either someone spent quite a while cleaning or it hasn't had much use.

excellent

 

[kenwashesmonday]

My mom had the same crock pot, I can almost smell the pot roast!

Ken D.

 

[petek]

Veg.. doesn't the toaster oven say Toastr Oven Broiler right on the glass front? Are you sure they don't mean to broil without using the proper broiler pan. Very confusing. Maybe it's a different model but it looks the same?

 

[maytagbear]

The Presto Rock-N-Mix

was introduced around 1967. CR liked the mixer itself, but not the bowl. I believe they called the bowl things like "awkward" and "messy," but they rated the mixer itself fairly highly.

If I remember, broiling capable Toast-R-Oven's were not marketed until around 1973-5.

Great finds, Veg!

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[DADoES]

My grandmother had a Toast-R-Oven like that. Mom had a newer one, with the Start button atop the panel (I'm guessing that'd be newer).

 

[Versatronic]

Congrats Veg

Glad to see you picked up the Sunbeam knife. That really is a overengineered marvel. Definitely TOL.

The Presto and the Ronco stuff, well, they're just the opposite. Those companies were/are all about marketing. I have a Sunbeam electric griddle and I can barely lift it. If you hit someone in the head with it, you'd kill them instantly. I have a Presto electric griddle, and if you hit someone over the head with it, the person would say "What? What'd I do?"

I do have a Ronco slicer kit. It comes with a nut chopper and a slicer. I couldn't resist since it came in glorious turquoise. But it really is cheap plastic junk. I bet old Ron sold a million of them. How old do you think he is? He's the Dick Clark of marketing. I immortalized Ronco in a song once. Mentioned the veg-o-matic and the pocket fisherman. Both classics.

Gotta go. My salad shooter just ran amok.

 

[kenmore1978]

Ronco, Presto, & GE

Ronco stuff is sort of cheap. Presto stuff is at least as good as the other small appliance makers.

There was a generation of GE Toaster Ovens BEFORE these. They were rounded in stylelike older toasters, and the bread went into a slot in top like a conventional toaster, but there was a little oven in the front

 

[kenmore1978]

Slow cooker liners

Is this a new product? I've never seen slow cooker liners before.

 

[chachp]

Crock Pot Mac'n'cheese?

That sounds good (and easy). My recipe is good but a lot of work and a TON of cheese. It's really something I make only when I have the time. Would you be willing to share that Crock pot recipe? My BF loves him some Mac'n'cheese, and it would be great if I could do it in the crock pot and just let it cook all day. I just can't do the stuff out of the box. He doesn't mind it, but the "Make everything from scratch Italian" in me just won't allow it!!

 

[maytagbear]

Slow Cooker Liners are a new product

put out, I think, by Reynolds Metal. I think they are a wonderful idea, especially for cookers with fixed-in-place crocks.

As for Presto, I respectfully disagree, Vers. At least with my older Presto items. My older Presto items are at least as well made as Sunbeam of the same vintage.

It is only fairly recently that Presto quality has gone down.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[foraloysius]

Does somebody have a picture of a slow cooker liner?

 

[chachp]

This was on the Reynolds Web site...

Looks like it could work. I actually dumped my old crock pot for a new one with a removeable liner for the very reason the old one was too hard to clean. I didn't realize these existed.

 

[foraloysius]

Thanks for posting that. Excuse me for asking perhaps a silly question, but I'm on the other side of the big pond and slow cookers are very rare here. Are those plastic bags?

 

[veg-o-matic]

I think those liners are pretty new--I've seen a bunch of coupons for them. Basically, all they are are those bags that you cook turkeys in. You know--the kind that explode in the oven...

Chach', I'll share the recipe, but the book is at home. The good part is that you put the macaroni in raw. The bad part is that the dish comes out a little funky. It was good, no doubt about that, but I found it to be somewhat sweet, oddly enough. Definitely needed more salt. I'm thinking it might have come out better with (heaven help me) Velveeta rather than real cheese. The recipe makes a big deal about not overcooking it because the edges will burn. I'm thinking, "okay the problem with that is...?"

As for Presto appliances. Well, today they're definitely crap. Come on--Pizza Pizzazz? Remember the Tater Twister? The Hot Topper? But let me introduce you to my Cook 'n Serv electric frying pan, aka The Enforcer. That is one heavyass pan.

Pete, the toaster oven is a Deluxe Toast-R-Oven, but it's definitely not a broiler. Not sure what's so "Deluxe" about it, but who am I to argue?

veg

 

[chachp]

Louis, I use my slow cooker frequently. It's nice to get home to a meal that is ready to eat. About the bags, I recently bought a crock pot with a removable pot so I could throw it in the dishwasher. I actually have two older style crock pots in the pantry that I don't use because I don't want to clean the damn things. I didn't know these bags even existed although it makes a lot of sense. Do you guys use anything like it that is more popular?

Veg, in a pinch I make Mac and Cheese with Velveeta and Milk. It comes out nice and creamy and tastes OK to most, but to me it has kind of a fake cheese taste. What I like about Velveeta is the consistency. That's hard to match with real cheese, not impossable but difficult. I suspect real cheese in the crock pot all day equals some kind of separation and mess.

Still, I am eager to try it in the Crock Pot so I appreciate you passing it along. My tradtional recipe has sugar in it which I find a little sweet so I generally leave it out.

Thanks again!

Chach

 

[petek]

What a waste of money and resources,, disposable liners, that's just as bad as Reynolds disposable cutting sheets.

I'll have you know Veg, I have a Presto Pizza Pizzazz, bought it at a liuqidation place and you know what, it actually works very well. I've used it a number of times for home made pizza or for cooking cooking frozen pizza's. It bakes a pizza very fast,usually about 11 minutes, without preheating an oven and you can control the top or bottom heat elements with the switch to get a crispier crust or more well done top. And best of all is the fun value. I would recommend it for anyone that does eat pizza a lot, plus you can do it outside in the summer and save heating up the stove and the house.

 

[foraloysius]

Thanks! I actually have two slow cookers (Haden, they look like the ones made by Toastmaster). I don't use them very often. I use the small one for making a recipe that I found on the internet named "Bachelor Stew", which is a stew made with ketchup and coke. The larger one is mainly used for a whole chicken. I have made a Mac and Cheese in the small one in the past, but that's quite a while ago.