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The Well Planned Kitchen

Rustic kiitchen deisgn with table and chairs.

Let’s face it, the act of cooking is tricky.

You may know all the right recipes. You may have all the right ingredients. Those are all part of a “plan.” Everyone knows the plan. You share recipes. You go shopping for specific ingredients and tell your friends where to find them. You share your own personal version or the plan, and silently choose one non-stick cooking spray over another. Knowing the plan, and having what the plan requires is the shared experience of cooking.

The execution of this plan, however, is an intensely personal experience. With the plan in hand, you are now left with your utensils, your counter space, your bowls, your small appliances, the peculiarities of your oven, the staging area of your kitchen, and don’t forget your entire family and life swirling around you.

Stay Cool, Calm and Collected

The act of cooking has been compared to juggling flaming chainsaws. Almost every utensil you can have in your hand is capable of hurting someone. Almost every pot and pan you are holding can burn someone if mishandled. That’s just the stuff you’re holding. Ever drop a knife on the kitchen floor? You instinctively bunny-hop backward as if to narrowly avoid a snapping, bear-trap. I walked into an open refrigerator door holding a roasting pan this past Thanksgiving.

The execution of the plan is a twisting, turning “Kitchen Dance” of many steps, excellent technique, impeccable timing, sufficient agility, and the presence of mind to think on your feet and change course when the plan goes sideways. Add to this the fact that you may be dodging pets, keeping one eye and one ear on children – you may as well be hopping on one foot.

There is also something to be said for “countdown cooking.” Knowing that the oven will turn off when the timer runs out provides some level of comfort. Nothing is foolproof. We’ve all burned popcorn in a microwave. But the countdown timer can limit the amount of damage you could do – as opposed to transforming food into coal in your big oven.

Invest in Dependable Appliances

Consider appliances as individuals. It may be more convenient to simply order an entire kitchen from one brand, but is it the best decision for you? A lackluster over-the-range microwave oven in a kitchen suite is a good example. Perhaps a more attractive chimney-style hood and a Sharp Microwave Drawer would serve you better? Consider the cooktop. Smooth electric and induction cooktops are basically “sheets of black glass” regardless of the brand. Choose your cooking technology, and then make the most economical choice – they all match.

When I open the door on my big oven, not only am I bent over, I also completely block the walk-way though the kitchen… usually at the exact moment when everyone needs to get through. When you are doing the delicately choreographed “Kitchen Dance,” with or without a partner, simplicity is key.

The Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven keeps everything at the perfect height. This low-profile oven heats up instantly and has become an everyday oven for me. If you are looking for more than just a toaster oven, this is the answer.

Store More with Less

There is a misconception that to organize your kitchen, you need to completely remodel it. While a kitchen renovation is always an option, there are many cost-effective solutions to organize your kitchen; some of the most common being drawer dividers, labeled glass jars, and a spice rack.

The best way to decluttering and organizing your kitchen is to first decide what you’re most chaotic areas are and work from there. Many DIY solutions do not require installations; in fact, they usually require everyday items you may already have. Consider incorporating pull-out storage into your modern living room and kitchen cabinets as an efficient way to organize and access treats that mysteriously find their way into your kitchen cabinet.

Choose Your Recipes Ahead

When I am entertaining, I try to steer clear of cooking heavy dishes like lasagna, stuffed shells, or any pasta with a creamy sauce because it doesn’t go over well with guests, and I have a sensitivity to dairy products. To keep my kitchen as clean as physically possible while my guests are over, I prep all of the ingredients I will need the night before. This takes a significant amount of stress out of my routine the day of an event.  Discovering recipes that appeal to every guest’s tastebuds is not always easy, especially when you like to experiment with flavors in the kitchen as I do. I always recommend pulling inspiration from your favorite Pinterest board and tweaking to your liking. I’ve included some of my recent favorites below.

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SSC0586DS
Sharp Superheated Steam Countertop Oven (SSC0586DS)

The Sharp(R) Superheated Steam Countertop Oven is the start of a cooking revolution. The innovation is simply that steam can be hotter, cook better, and promote healthy living. The combination of superheated steam and conventional, radiant heat in all cooking modes means that your food will be crispy and browned on the outside, moist and delicious on the inside.

The Sharp(R) Superheated Steam Countertop Oven is a powerful, low-profile, pizzeria-style oven. Roomy enough for a 12″ pizza or 9 slices of toast, the included Broiling Pan and Crisper Tray (12.5″x12.5″) give you more cooking area than a standard quarter-size sheet pan.

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SMD2480CS
24 IN. 1.2 CU. FT. 950W SHARP STAINLESS STEEL EASY WAVE OPEN MICROWAVE DRAWER OVEN (SMD2480CS)

Sharp’s top-of-the-line Microwave DrawerTM features Easy Wave Open for touchless operation. Simply wave up-and-down near the motion sensor and Microwave Drawer will glide open. With the touch of a button or a gentle nudge, our patented Easy Touch Automatic Drawer System smoothly closes the oven to avoid messy spills. And the SMD2480CS Sharp(R) Microwave DrawerTM stays closed when you walk by, so children and pets won’t accidentally open it.

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About Sharp Home Electronics Company of America (SHCA)

SHCA is the US Consumer Products Group of Sharp Electronics Corporation, the US sales subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, a worldwide developer and manufacturer of one-of-a-kind premium technology products.  SHCA includes the manufacturing of premium home appliances in Memphis, TN, together with the sales & marketing, and servicing of home electronics based in Montvale, NJ.  Leading products include Sharp AQUOS™ TVs, Sharp Carousel®, Microwave Drawer™ ovens, SuperSteam+™ ovens, and Plasmacluster® Ion air purifiers.

Sharp Corporation appears on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 2023. Sharp Electronics Corporation received a 2023 award for Best Places to Work in NJ. Learn more at http://www.sharpusa.com/.

Sharp, AQUOS, Carousel, Microwave Drawer, SuperSteam+, Plasmacluster, and all related trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sharp Corporation and/or its affiliated companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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