Cooking w/Anna M (new blog).

[theologygeek]

The Maxwells like high-end kitchen appliances and high-end computers. But in their defense (off to the prayer closet, I know), when you are cooking for a large family, you have to have appliances that can take the volume and frequency to feed everyone. It's ridiculous not to have quality appliances. Even with my family of 4, I've been through my fair share of "cheap" appliances, and it is frustrating.

I'm not a fan of appliances. I cook and bake by eye and mix with either a spoon or my hands. Just give me a can opener, toaster, and blender to liquify smoothies, and I'm good to go.

[Arete]

The food they eat seems fine to me, aside from the hot dogs. Hot dogs are actively bad for you, and I don't think adults should eat them once a month, let alone several times a week. I love hot dogs, and I limit myself to about 3 a year.

I've got no issue with their food as stand alone nutrition. I'm just amazed at how joyless they can make their nourishment. If I remember correctly, Teri grinds her own wheat to make flour to make their bread. Now, I have nothing but respect for bread bakers. It is an art and a science I dearly love and have never been able to gain competence in. So much wonderful bread to bake in the world. But I remember a Dad's Corner of Steve's where he discussed the bread baking. It was done to save money, and that is legitimate. But he also discussed how the kids were initially not crazy about the whole grain loaves, and how basically they got no choice and eventually accepted that this was the way bread was going to be. No thought of trying different recipes, or getting their input on what they thought might improve the loaf, nothing. We make one loaf, we always make it this way, end of story. I mean come on, for something like bread where you have so many different possibilities, wouldn't you at least try to experiment to find something they liked better? At least make the effort? Why does even bread have to be a lesson in obedience?

[WonderingInWA]

I'm not a fan of appliances. I cook and bake by eye and mix with either a spoon or my hands. Just give me a can opener, toaster, and blender to liquify smoothies, and I'm good to go.

I'm not a fan of specialty appliances (like a quesadilla maker or and omelet pan or any of the other redundant appliances), but I do love my bread machine (because I'm a failure with anything yeast) and my Kitchenaid mixer and my stick blender. And if I were making food 3 times a day for 10 people, I would love them even more.

[Coconut Flan]

As far as kitchen appliances go, the bread maker is my favorite.

So true about the changeover to whole wheat bread. You can mix in some whole wheat flour and gradually increase it over a period of time and for sure try a few different recipes. Who knows Steve might like a different recipe better.

[theologygeek]

I'm not a fan of specialty appliances (like a quesadilla maker or and omelet pan or any of the other redundant appliances), but I do love my bread machine (because I'm a failure with anything yeast) and my Kitchenaid mixer and my stick blender. And if I were making food 3 times a day for 10 people, I would love them even more.

Don't feel bad. I can't make steak to save my life. No matter what cut I get, or how I make it, it comes out bad. I have gone so far as to stand there and stare at it while it was cooking, never leaving it's side, analyzing every sizzle, and I still ruin it. One of the kids has to make it. I've given up trying.

[ladyamylynn]

Kitchen appliances I love:

Kichenaid mixer

Cuisinart food processor

a powerful blender

immersion blender

Atlas pasta queen hand-crank pasta roller

I *could* do without these, but why would you?

[YPestis]

The Maxwells' kitchen appliances are pretty nice, but they have a rather large family so it's probably a good investment to have high quality appliances to help with the heavy duty cooking. Besides, the Maxwells don't eat out often, and when they do, it's often only lunch, so they probably do a fair bit of cooking at home. I'm actually impressed by their kitchen. It's large and modern and (IMHO) quite beautiful. Given their closest lifestyle, it's probably a good thing the Maxwells built such a lovely kitchen. The women probably spend a great deal of their lives in there, might as well make it nice, right?

EDIT: Has anyone else noticed how the Maxwells only eat out for lunch? The only time they eat out for dinner is when they're on the road. I know part of it is expense, but you can go out for dinner on the cheap too. I think Steve must think everyone should be at home in the evening so as to stay on schedule for the family's two hour family Bible time. Heaven forbid if the family goes out for dinner at the Olive Garden and linger there an extra 20 minutes! The horrors! :o

[sparkles]

I was thinking about all of the Maxwells' high-end appliances and tech when Teri mentioned how frugal she is in her post about the cell phone case. There seemed to be a disconnect between her purported frugality and their rather spendy acquisitions. But thinking about it, she's (partially) right. I do consider spending a lot of money on high-quality products to be frugal and financially prudent because it really does save money in the long run. Buying quality is why I still have my 35-year-old Hobart-era KitchenAid mixer, why my original Cuisinart food processor lasted over 20 years with heavy use (it finally gave up the ghost and has been replaced by a Breville), why my Vitamix is going strong and so on. I've bought cheap on occasion and always regretted it. (One thing my dad taught me is to always buy a little better than the best you can afford.) So when I look at their Assistent (not a typo) dough mixer--at minimum a $700 purchase, and worth every penny (I paid for half of mine with Amazon rewards points YAY!)--I can appreciate the frugality because it will last forever. But Teri, it's NOT frugal to agonize over a cell phone case (or to think it's a sin to want one). It's just CHEAP (and fucked up).

I love checking out the Maxwell "stuff." I'm a confirmed gadget geek, especially when it come to kitchen stuff. I love to cook and I studied bread baking and if there's a new gizmo, I'm there. In fact, when my daughter moved out, I turned her room into a giant pantry/kitchen storage area--she sleeps among the flour bins and whatnot when she comes over. As LadyAmyLynn said, you COULD do without out these things but if you like them and they help make things easier and more f*n, why would you? :mrgreen: It's definitely one of those "your mileage may vary" things and it very much depends on what your interests are.

[uber frau]

In Teri's mind there's quite possibly a difference between something that serves the good of the whole family and something that's just for her (selfish, selfish). Besides, Steve probably appreciates quality workmanship what being an ex-engineer and all and I'm sure he's the one that makes those decisions.

[WonderingInWA]

In Teri's mind there's quite possibly a difference between something that serves the good of the whole family and something that's just for her (selfish, selfish). Besides, Steve probably appreciates quality workmanship what being an ex-engineer and all and I'm sure he's the one that makes those decisions.

Exactly. Something straight from corporate America. Everyone pitches in to help the company. Individual goals are not ever encouraged, especially at the sacrifice of the company's success. Teri wanting a phone cover didn't benefit the family, it just benefited her. Selfish, selfish, prayer closet for her.

[Black Aliss]

My husband has spent his life managing engineers and programmers, including 17 years in aerospace--and I've met a full spectrum of engineers/programmers. The engineering department has always had its share of very "tightly wound" individuals who needed consistency, order and control, which they could manage in the confines of their cubical with an assigned task, etc. As I recall, Steve didn't leave corporate work because of the actual work involved, but because something changed in the workplace that required interaction with a woman in the workplace. (per my memory and what I've learned here).

You remember correctly. Steve could not would not work for a woman.

I alsoknow a fair number of aerospace engineers and they are all, to a man, control freaks, even though they aren't religious (thank FSM). I don't see that behaviour quite so much in other engineering fields. Granted there are more than the usual complement of non-neurotypicals, but not the insane amount of control over their family members.

[NellieBell]

Kitchen appliances I love:

Kichenaid mixer

Cuisinart food processor

a powerful blender

immersion blender

Atlas pasta queen hand-crank pasta roller

I *could* do without these, but why would you?[/quote

I love my Atlas pasta queen as well. I think you might be my soul mate! None of my friends understand my devotion to that pasta roller. I've also got the Kitchenaid mixer, Kitchenaid food processor, Vitamix Blender (love, love, love), Viking Professional immersion blender. I really like pricey kitchen toys.

[Shoes Grace]

I have a cheap immersion blender from my in-laws because they referred to it as a "shake blender" and were getting rid of it. I assumed this was its primary and sole purpose and figured, well, free weird kitchen gadget, whatever, maybe we'll make shakes someday. And then I discovered what it really was. You could not convince me to part with it.

I have a stand mixer and should really do more with it, but, like the blender, when you need it, that's what you need and nothing else will do the job as well or as fast.

I'm coming to wish I had a real food processor. I have a little fakey "food chopper" that came free with the toaster, I think. It's too small to chop a significant number of veggies with, but not powerful enough to do all the seriously nifty stuff like make powdered sugar or grind whole spices. I get it out occasionally, pat it on the head and say, "you try hard, I won't send you to Goodwill yet."

I honestly didn't know that about the Maxwells and the bread making. That's pretty amazing, but, yeah, Steveoveh said that there shall be one kind of bread, and ye adult children shall eat of it and like it, for thou shalt not leave the house until the time of thy marriage for I, Steveoveh, do proclaim it shall be so... Sigh.

[mystikchick17]

Steve once wrote a Dad's Corner about how providing the necessary tools to make Teri's life easier (like a high quality mill, I think, for grinding their wheat for bread) was part of being a good helpmeet. So I think that's how the justifications go for the high quality gadgetry.

[WonderingInWA]

Steve once wrote a Dad's Corner about how providing the necessary tools to make Teri's life easier (like a high quality mill, I think, for grinding their wheat for bread) was part of being a good helpmeet. So I think that's how the justifications go for the high quality gadgetry.

I remember that Corner. He mentioned her sewing machine, too.

[already hungover]

What if a Pepsi would make her life better?

[nelliebelle1197]

I've got no issue with their food as stand alone nutrition. I'm just amazed at how joyless they can make their nourishment. If I remember correctly, Teri grinds her own wheat to make flour to make their bread. Now, I have nothing but respect for bread bakers. It is an art and a science I dearly love and have never been able to gain competence in. So much wonderful bread to bake in the world. But I remember a Dad's Corner of Steve's where he discussed the bread baking. It was done to save money, and that is legitimate. But he also discussed how the kids were initially not crazy about the whole grain loaves, and how basically they got no choice and eventually accepted that this was the way bread was going to be. No thought of trying different recipes, or getting their input on what they thought might improve the loaf, nothing. We make one loaf, we always make it this way, end of story. I mean come on, for something like bread where you have so many different possibilities, wouldn't you at least try to experiment to find something they liked better? At least make the effort? Why does even bread have to be a lesson in obedience?

That is really depressing. And Steve's lack of perception on how this really looks and what he is REALLY saying is stunning.

[IReallyAmHopewell]

I guess I'll give them a pass on the food choices. They aren't overweight and don't seem to be physically unhealthy. Many people don't eat a lot of veggies.

Plus she even the "Salad and Fresh Tortialls day" we don't know that she meant just iceberg lettuce for salad. It could have beans or chicken, cheese, eggs etc. It's still better than grabbing Burger King and the like on the road.

Now that said.....I think with the others who say "Anna is Available to cook, clean and procreate."