I was packing up my kitchen this afternoon and I got to thinking.
I got to thinking about my box grater… which is totally weird.
As if thinking at length about my box grater weren’t odd enough… I’m now going to shovel my box grater thoughts onto your lap.
There’s butter. There’s cheese. There’s roots and veggies. All the drama and intrigue you could want from one little box grater.
aaaand… seriously… thanks for playing along. I realize I’m ridiculous.
First things first: carrots.
These are Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Frosting. These are best when unwrapped and shoved into your face.
Cheese. Just say yes.
Homemade pizza and a movie rental with your honey… just the best night ever. Take note.
Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits. Because biscuits are the answer to every problem.
Grated greens and roots for Zucchini Sweet Potato Bread. It’s the goodness.
While we have the zucchini out. Pancakes. Zucchini Pancakes.
Take frozen butter to the box grater. It’s a wonder in pie and scone dough. It’s a secret weapon from me to you.
This No Roll Pie Crust recipe I came up with… it’s dang amazing!
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Hi… been following ur blog for a long time now and i simply love all ur recipes and posts!. I dont know what i would do without my box grater… Will feel totally handicapped!. The carrot cup cakes with dulche de leche frosting is an absolute treat. The oatmeal rasberry scone looks absoluely adorable.
How is the packing doing? Maybe, like it happened to me, this will be your chance to find something you had long given up for lost in the kitchen…
XXX
Carrot cake pancakes?!? Girl, you’re on fire! Must. Try. Now.
Umm. I was half-assedly looking for my box grater tonight (for cheese), but ended up using a different kind that wasn’t hiding. Then I randomly thought about those scones a few hours later.
Now I feel like a psychic for the weird and ridiculous! I’ll also take it as a sign to make those scones soon. Yum.
lol you do make me laugh!! Hope the move goes well
joy, dont move to downtown LA, move up to Berkeley and live with me! stay for free (if you count being chained to the oven free :-P)!!
I adore my box grater. Could not live without it. Could Not.
There’s nothing like homemade pizza. All those dishes look amazing. Can’t imagine what carrot pancakes are like – will have to try.
Oh my box grater and I are bosom buddies. I wouldn’t know what to do without him. But I never even thought to grate cold butter. You are a genius.
I love my box grater too – it has seen so much cheese in it’s day.
I want to try each and every one of those recipes!
Thanks a million for your wonderful blog, Joy.
Again your post made me laugh. Its nice to take some time out to contemplate the wonders of kitchen utensils. I like spatulas too. They come in handy all the time in baking.
Hope the packing is going well.
Ps carrot pancakes look sooo good. *drool*
Wow, so many great choices. I’ll take one of each!
u always find a way to make me laugh!!!
and CHOCOLATE! Grate chocolate…please. All over cakes or hot chocolate that has a huge dollop of freshly whipped cream. *happysigh*
I also adore my box grater. I use it most for carrots to make ginger carrots, for apples to make applesauce, and for cheese of all kinds. It also cuts down on cook time when I want simple vegetables in the evening after a long day.
these are such wonderfully delicious recipes, it is not crazy or ridiculous to think of your box grater and its glory!
Tear. You brought a tear to my eye. I miss my box grater! Oh, the things we did together! My husband walked in one day with a shiny, new mandolin and said goodbye to the box. The problem is, it’s intimidating. They have been known to take fingers off, right? And, so when I need something grated, I have to wait for said hubby to come home. *sigh*
~kristin
I haven’t shown my box grater enough love lately, thanks for bringing it to my attention!!! Hmmmm what should I use it for though?
They need to coin a new phrase for you Joy, “thinking inside the box (grater)”
Confession. I didn’t know my cheese grater was called a box grater. And I’m HOW old??????? And the idea about freezing butter and grating it w/my b.g.? I’ll just be returning to my planet now….
they need to coin a new phrase just for you Joy,
“thinking inside the box(grater)~” !
I never realized the whole grated frozen butter trick! Thanks Joy!
frozen butter + grater = BRILLIANT IDEA. totally doing this the next time i make a pie crust.
wow, on on the exact same night i noticed my box grater is rusting. Makes me want to take it to some special kitchen gadget doctor and get it all fixed up…
i totally never thought of grating butter before but the moment you mentioned it, wow. you are like the wheel inventing cavemen, but with much prettier hair.
I also love my box grater. It makes my pie crust delectable.
The box grater I have is the same one I used growing up. When I was out on my own, I never got around to buying myself a box grater. How did I survive without one?? One weekend I was at my parents house and noticed my mother had two. I asked if I could have the old one. It is one of my most treasured (and used) kitchen gadget.
Love these little round-ups. Let’s me know what I’ve been missing, since I tuned in late. Of course, it does leave me cleaning up a puddle of drool afterward. But I’m okay with that.
I recently saw a Microplane box grater when I was traveling, and it was a struggle not to buy it. I knew it wouldn’t fit in my suitcase, but I stood there forever, communing with the box grater! Going out now to find one in my town!
Listen you crazy kids, I don’t even have a box grater since the time I grated my thumb one fateful day many years ago. Some would say it’s irrational, but I feel I’ve developed a healthy fear of box graters. So you go on enjoying your metal death traps, I’ll make do with my fancy new food processor.
Holy moly! Did you say carrot cake PANCAKES….WITH CREAM CHEESE SPREAD?! That is just out of control. Just my speed;) I’ll be making these very soon!
Oh my, grated frozen butter is the secret! And a box grater sounds so much better than my current cheese grater. It moves too much ): potential ouchies!
Ok, here’s the deal. I will go to any length not to use my box grater! I know, it’s just crazy and wrong, but I always seem to grate my fingers along with the cheese. I use a handheld microplane grater or get out my little mini food processor. I am seriously afraid of my box grater. Weird, huh?
i’m with you. i own so many kitchen gadgets, but this is one I threw out years ago. Its dangerous for the knuckles and so hard to clean. You know those cheesy Salad Shooters? That’s what I use. It’s an electric grater. I think butter will work in it. I’m gonna try for sure. :)
Box graters are old school, like my french fry cutter. The have soul in an age when so many utensils are soulless. And to cook, you gotta have soul……You got it Joy.
I visited a cute little breakfast place last month in San Diego that used their box grater as a flower vase. They had 3 of them turned upside down at scattered heights and anchored to the wall, filled with silk gerbera daisies. VERY cute idea!
My mother recently gifted me with my first box grater, and I instantly fell in love with it. Trust me when I say I not only understand why you started thinking about it, but why it’s totally normal (maybe even cool) to do so.
Mmm carrot cake pancakes…just made them last week witha quick cream cheese glaze…amazing. The cupcakes also make me happy. :)
Looks like I need to purchase one of these!
I love this site! Such a breath of fresh air!
I bought a huge bag of carrots just so that I could make your carrot panckaes this weekend, and here they are! I’m SO excited to try them. And yes, box graters – amazing! In fact, I adore mine so much, I bought it a baby sister. This teeny-tiny little box grater just called to me and I had to have it. I love it! I use it for hard cheeses over pasta, for grating carrots onto salads, and for frozen butter grated onto toast.
Those little scone scoops are cute. I want to eat them even though they’re totally raw.
So weird you posted this I just made my own recipe for cheddar black pepper biscuits yesterday…now I want to try your recipe for a delicious side by side comparison!
All of these recipes look good!
yumE looking recipes… i want to make every single one of these! frozen grated butter, genius! love it
Um, yeah, everything in this post looks absolutely delicious. Love, Love your blog. Keep up the yummy work!
Hi Joy, Since you 1st posted your cheddar black pepper biscuits, I have been making double batches almost every weekend while my hubby chats with his mum on his weekly call to UK. I have been using your frozen grated butter tip and this last time I added finely chopped rosemary and thyme and salted the milky tops with kosher salt. SO yummy!! They make great finger protectors for sizzling hot sausage patties too!
Going to try your homemade pizza recipe
*Love!*
I am SO making that quick bread. I am such a sucker for a good quick bread. And I love that you did half whole wheat flour. We’ve really been trying to do that with most of our baked goods.
It’s not weird to have a devotion to a kitchen utensil or ingredient that is so versatile and wonderful! :)
The carrot cake cupcakes are screaming to me, by the way. “Create me….bake me…EAT ME!!”
Oh goodness! I am so happy to have stumbled upon your blog on this Wednesday night. Which led me to your Low Fat Oatmeal Banana bread…which, due to a lack of bananas, turned into a Blackberry/Strawberry Oatmeal bread! Scrumptious!
I look forward to seeing more of your tasty creations.
Happy baking!
As my husband (who’s my official cheese grater) says: “I’ll use a box grater if I want bloody knuckles”.
Hence the grater adapter I received for Christmas 2 years ago for my Kitchenaid mixer which is my new best friend. I still make him grate the cheese! :)
I love the butter idea – GENIUS!!!
I totally agree! Box Graters rule. I have an incredible food processor but it involves so much washing up afterwards, the box grater is so simple and unfancy and has a fine and coarse side too.
Thanks for making me think about it! x
I have to admit, I’m terrified of box graters, so I don’t have one in my kitchen. But I loved this post! :)
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