Salads Made Easier

Joe and I eat salads for dinner every evening. I keep the romaine or other leafy greens in a large Tupperware with damp paper towels so that I can just tear the greens directly into a bowl for each of us. Usually, I then slice or chop onions, mushrooms, carrots, olives, cucumber, bell peppers, and feta cheese to top off our salads.

Since I sliced a finger awhile back, I have been wanting to find a safer mandolin. Today I used three items I recently purchased from Pampered Chef (PC) including a new mandolin.

My biggest challenge with the mandolin was figuring out how it stores. Joe tried to follow the directions and told me it just didn't fit. After he went back outside to work in the yard, I sat down with the instructions and had it figured out in less than two minutes. Once I show Joe he will be impressed. My mechanical skills are zero. His are phenomenal.

I used the mandolin to slice/dice up enough veggies for three days of salads. I still have to figure out all of the setting possibilities. The second new PC item I used was the store and serve. This was where I store all of my sliced/diced veggies. I can store up to six different veggies in three containers that fit in a tray. The tray has two cooling inserts that keep the food cold if you leave the food out for two to four hours (refrigerated inserts = 2 hours; frozen inserts - 4 hours). I don’t plan to leave food out, but I can see where they will be handy to use on the table on taco night!

The third item I used was a gift with purchase, a PC paring knife. I forgot how much I loved PC's paring knife. I chose the paring knife instead of my usual favorite knife to trim carrot ends and prepare the bell pepper for the mandolin to slice. It cut through the veggies like butter. 

I get excited when kitchen gadgets make food prep and cooking easier. I got so excited, I have booked an online Pampered Chef party in the coming week.