Burning $25, what should I get?

[JustJoel]

Through an embarrassing circumstance that doesn’t bear recounting, I have in my possession a $25 Amazon gift card. Rather than spending it, I’d rather have the twenty five bucks in cash - that’s not gonna happen. And I suppose I could try and sell it on Craig’s List, but I wouldn’t be able to sell for its face value. And I can’t use it for gas or groceries, just for Amazon purchases.

So, what do you think I should get? So far, I’m considering:
Silicone ice cube trays
Silicone roasting rack
Baking trays
Sherry vinegar
Some ebooks for Kindle (cook books of course! Suggestions welcomed)
A DVD/Blu-Ray (Mary Poppins Returns is the first that comes to mind

What would you get? What’ll give me the most bang for my buck? Help me blow $25!

 

[roadfix]

instant read meat thermometer

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

They have a large selection of Hawaiian shirts in that price range. I LOVE Hawaiian shirts!

If you want a kitchen gadget, the George Foreman 4-Serving Removable Plate Grill and Panini Press is just under $25.00

 

[Andy M.]

Go to the website and browse the "Today's Deals" section.

 

[medtran49]

You can't use it for groceries at Whole Foods? I know they are expensive but at least you'd get some food out of it. Alternatively, use it for pantry items or household items at Amazon. A lot of things have free shipping even if you aren't a Prime member. Just mark that option in the search parameters on the left. Also, they apparently will let you try Prime free for a limited time so you might want to look into that.



There are sites you can sell or swap cards that might help you out. I think a swap is pretty much dollar for dollar on them. It's been years since I looked and the only reason I did back then was because Craig's boss at the time got everybody an assortment of gift cards that I'm sure he bought off a similar site instead of paying cash for Christmas bonuses.

 

[Aunt Bea]

If the goal is to convert it to cash I would buy some non-perishable items that you normally buy locally to restock the pantry and then take the $25.00 out of the household budget.

If the goal is to spend the money then I would buy books, books, and more books.

Good luck!

 

[jennyema]

Books, of course.

 

[roadfix]

I have a $25 Starbucks card that someone gave me for X'mas which I've been carrying in my wallet, unused. I'm a coffee drinker but am not crazy about going to Starbucks and standing in line for a cup of coffee.

 

[GotGarlic]

I have a $25 Starbucks card that someone gave me for X'mas which I've been carrying in my wallet, unused. I'm a coffee drinker but am not crazy about going to Starbucks and standing in line for a cup of coffee.

Go to the drive-through

Or buy some Starbucks ground coffee and make it at home.

 

[roadfix]

Or buy some Starbucks ground coffee and make it at home.

Good idea. I can get a couple of bags of coffee beans. I can try out my brand new Cuisinart grinder which I got last week. Awesome.

 

[JustJoel]

RoadFix wrote

instant read meat thermometer

I’ve got about 3 of those already, lol.

 

[JustJoel]

Books, of course.

Any suggestions? I’d rather have an encyclopedic cook book than something like “20 thirty minute weeknight meals.”

More like The Joy of Cooking. More info and even stories than a simple compilation of recipes.

 

[Kayelle]

Joel, you should get those silicone roasting racks since it's not the first time you've mentioned wanting them. I love mine.

 

[GotGarlic]

This isn't exactly encyclopedic, but it's one of my favorite cookbooks; I think cooks of most skill levels can learn something from this book: "Ruhlman's Twenty: 20 Techniques 100 Recipes A Cook's Manifesto," by Michael Ruhlman. He describes the basics, including mise en place and thinking through what you want to achieve,and other techniques and details you need to be a more-than-good cook.

From https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/09/cook-the-book-ruhlmans-twenty.html

Quote:

The first technique that Michael Ruhlman introduces in his latest cookbook, "Ruhlman's Twenty" is simply titled "Think," because in his words, "Thinking in the kitchen is underrated." Ruhlman wants us to stop blindly following recipes, in an A plus B equals C, kitchen robot kind of way, and start thinking about the hows and whys that make recipe work.

In order to better understand these hows and whys, Ruhlman has introduced 20 fundamental techniques for today's kitchen in his latest volume—Think, Salt, Water, Onion, Acid, Egg, Butter, Dough, Batter, Sugar, Sauce, Vinaigrette, Soup, Sauté, Roast, Braise, Poach, Grill, Fry, Chill—all of which are not only tackled in typical Ruhlman straight-talk, everyman science but illustrated with a set of recipes that puts each technique into action.

And it's also illustrated with gorgeous, mouth-watering photos of cooking in progress and finished dishes. Love it

The e-book is a little less, and I got it on a special sale for $3 or so, but the photos are so beautiful, I ended up buying the hardcover, too.

https://www.amazon.com/Ruhlmans-Twenty-Techniques-Recipes-Manifesto/dp/0811876438

 

[JustJoel]

This isn't exactly encyclopedic, but it's one of my favorite cookbooks; I think cooks of most skill levels can learn something from this book: "Ruhlman's Twenty: 20 Techniques 100 Recipes A Cook's Manifesto," by Michael Ruhlman. He describes the basics, including mise en place and thinking through what you want to achieve,and other techniques and details you need to be a more-than-good cook.

From https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/09/cook-the-book-ruhlmans-twenty.html

Quote:


And it's also illustrated with gorgeous, mouth-watering photos of cooking in progress and finished dishes. Love it

The e-book is a little less, and I got it on a special sale for $3 or so, but the photos are so beautiful, I ended up buying the hardcover, too.

https://www.amazon.com/Ruhlmans-Twenty-Techniques-Recipes-Manifesto/dp/0811876438

That sounds encyclopedic to me, GG! Does the e-version have photos as well?

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

JJ, I agree with others to use that $25
to re-stock your pantry.
OR
Food items that you can't find in Vegas.
I have a heck of a time finding
a lot of my "Asian" ingredients,
and order some things from Amazon.

 

[GotGarlic]

That sounds encyclopedic to me, GG! Does the e-version have photos as well?

Yes, it does. You can download a sample to take a look at it.

 

[Rascal]

Through an embarrassing circumstance that doesn’t bear recounting, I have in my possession a $25 Amazon gift card. Rather than spending it, I’d rather have the twenty five bucks in cash - that’s not gonna happen. And I suppose I could try and sell it on Craig’s List, but I wouldn’t be able to sell for its face value. And I can’t use it for gas or groceries, just for Amazon purchases.

So, what do you think I should get? So far, I’m considering:
Silicone ice cube trays
Silicone roasting rack
Baking trays
Sherry vinegar
Some ebooks for Kindle (cook books of course! Suggestions welcomed)
A DVD/Blu-Ray (Mary Poppins Returns is the first that comes to mind



What would you get? What’ll give me the most bang for my buck? Help me blow $25!

Alcohol, alcohol and more alcohol.

Russ

 

[Rascal]

They have a large selection of Hawaiian shirts in that price range. I LOVE Hawaiian shirts!

If you want a kitchen gadget, the George Foreman 4-Serving Removable Plate Grill and Panini Press is just under $25.00

Yu
A couple of mates and I have these shirts, we wear them in the winter. It's raining here so I'm wearing mine tonight to the pub.

Russ

 

[caseydog]

That sounds encyclopedic to me, GG! Does the e-version have photos as well?

I have to agree with a Michael Ruhlman book. I have Ruhlman's Twenty, as well as his Charcuterie book. He really gets into the "Hows and the Whys" in his cooking books.

CD