Waffle irons are among the many appliances that can be picked up on the cheap at yard sales.  I bought two George Foreman grills for two bucks each at a church rummage sale.  We then invited a gaggle of visiting Danish relatives over for a panini party.  Everyone selected their own combo of cold cuts, cheese, veggies, and dressings for a custom-made grilled sandwich.  Everyone loved it – especially the little kids.  And I didn’t have to do any cooking – always a plus for my lazy-ass self.

Houses in Los Angeles are not insulated, so our rooms are cold and drafty.  If I turn on the central heating system, it reaches jungle temperature after ten minutes and when I turn it off, it’s chilly again right away.  I solved this dilemma by picking up small space heaters for a few bucks at thrift shops.  They warm the room I’m in without blasting wasteful heat through the rest of the house.  Climate control is not an issue for my Danish husband, Benni.  He has the interior thermostat of a lizard and never seems to need heat or air-conditioning.  Lucky guy!

On those rare occasions when I do some serious cooking, I use my food processor which was purchased at an estate sale for five dollars several years ago.  

I’m still on the lookout for an espresso machine for family visits.  My Danish relatives are caffeine fiends and require at least five cups of joe every day.