"foreman grill" news and stories

We might knock 'em, but there's a reason that infomercials have stuck around, whether they're trying to sop up big spills, give us perfect-looking skin, or help us cook. Some of it might look terrible, but some of it looks downright irresistible, making many consumers fall for the snappy catchphrases hook, line, and sinker.

I remember sitting at my grandparents house in the '80s, watching a commercial for Mr. Mixer, the immersion blender with changeable blades that could whip mayo just as easy as peanut butter, ice, and everything else. Our eyes glazed over in awe, and soon there was a order for two placed to the infomercial gods -- and I got the first kitchen tool I could call my very own.

These days, the blade of choice seems to be the Magic Bullet, which Diablo Cody just raved about over on her blog. But I want to know your infomercial weaknesses, Slashfoodies! Do you own a Foreman Grill? Do you have an old-school Mr. Mixer? The Magic Bullet? Share below!

As Joni Mitchell so eloquently put it, "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."

I think she was talking about my stove.

You see, earlier this week, the gas line to my stove developed a leak. The good news? The gas company responded promptly to my frantic phone call, and switched off the gas. The bad news? Until my landlord returns from the country to inspect the site (long story), I'm stuck without a working stove.

My point in telling you all of this? I've become a slave to my Foreman grill. Salads and hummus-on-cold-tortillas only get you so far before you're craving decent, warm food.

In case any of you are ever stuck in a similar predicament, I've decided to list some of the conclusions I have come to during The Week Without A Stove:

• You can successfully cook the following vegetarian-friendly foods on a Foreman grill: tofu, polenta, onions/zucchini/eggplant, veggie patties and virtually any type of imitation meat product, toasted sandwiches
• It is impossible to cook decent pasta in a microwave
  
• The following food/imitation food products have started to appeal to me solely for their ability to heat quickly without the use of a stove/oven: Easy Mac; toaster pastries; those soups in cardboard containers; individual, microwavable oatmeal packets; 90-second rice
  

Depending upon where you live, it is quite likely to be the middle of winter at this moment and when it's cold, dark and icy outside, it's not the sort of weather that inspires you to drag your grill out of the garage. But if, like me, you love to grill, the Wall Street Journal went to the effort of rating indoor grills so we don't have to brave the elements to cook up a burger.

They rated the grills, looking for an electric version that could deliver the smoky flavor and great sear of a real barbeque. To get right to the point, they rated the Sanyo Smokeless Indoor Electric Grill from Cooking.com as the best overall performer and the best value compared to all the other grills they tested. The Sanyo grill had gaps in the surface - like a real grill - to let fat drip away from the meat, as well as being large enough to cook food for the whole family at once.

I've personally been disappointed with the results from my current electric grill, which is the type endorsed by a professional boxer. It never seems to brown the meat and, other than constantly opening it, I have yet to find a reliable method of testing for doneness as it cooks.