Two Christmases ago, my MIL gave us a rotisserie. I don’t know what possessed her to do that, tho she feels obligated to give us appliances almost every year. It’s too big to fit in any of my cabinets, including my pantry, so for the last year, it’s lived on the floor of the hall closet.
The other day, my husband suggested I try it. So we bought a chicken. Last night, I made a rub, and a few minutes ago, I dragged the damned thing out of the closet, figured out how to stick the chicken in, and plugged it in.
It makes noise. Not just the motor noise - that I can ignore, since it’s low and constant. No, for some reason, the rack thingy that holds the chicken clicks twice every rotation. Doesn’t matter which way the rack is installed. Doesn’t matter where on the rack the chicken is located. My husband says “Oh, it won’t hurt anything.” Mechanically, no. But it’s driving me crazy and it’s only been 3 minutes or so.
I like rotisserie chicken. I like certain kitchen gadgets. I already hate this thing. I could tell when I looked at it that it’ll be a bitch to clean. And, like I said, it’s too big to store in the kitchen. And then there’s that clunk.
I wanted so much for it to be broken during the move. It survived. The big ceramic pot I liked so much was broken, but this stupid appliance survived.
Man, I’m such an ungrateful daughter in law. Honestly, I’d rather not get a gift than get one like this. I’m already dreading Christmas this year. And the clicking clunking clicking goes on…
My MiL has lousy taste in gifts, particularly at Christmastime. The last two years, I’ve gotten navy-blue polyester pants of the variety Wal-Mart cashiers wear. I don’t know what possesses her to buy these. I can’t return or exchange them without the original credit card, even if I had the receipt, so these things are somewhere in my bedroom, waiting to be donated to the homeless shelter.
It may be better to give than to receive, but at least make sure the gift is welcome and usable.
I just gave away two useless appliances that were gifts from my MIL. They’ve gone to friends who might actually make use of them, and I’m very pleased to have reclaimed the cupboard and closet space. She lives across the country though, and rarely visits, so I probably won’t have to explain their absence.
Signed,
Podkayne
Another Ungrateful Daughter-in-Law
You may have to test it several times and make adjustments at the start but once you get the bird contained properly the ticking will stop. If you look close while it is turning something is hitting the element causing the tick.
I had it trussed up with the elastic bands that came with it. However, I did find that I didn’t have the bird well centered on the rack thing. I discovered that when I smelled something burning and saw one wing was brushing the elements.
HOWEVER, when I recentered the bird, and started it up again, it still clicked for a while, then it stopped. We could see one end of the rack jerk when it clicked, so something at that end was messed up.
It’s working OK now, I can hear it sizzling. My husband promised to clean it when it’s done - he may regret that promise. But the jury is still out on whether I’ll use it again.
Are you sure? Sometimes you can’t tell for sure whether or not something is broken until you haul it out to the yard and smack it with a large hammer a few times. You might also want to check that it hasn’t become a fire hazard by pouring gasoline on it and starting a fire – just for testing purposes, of course.
MsRobyn - regarding clothing - along with the annual appliance, I get a sweatshirt. And always a size too small. But this year I may make out - I’ve been losing some weight but I didn’t mention it to her. So if she goes for what she thinks will fit, it will! Yay!
QuickSilver - she actually did give me a bread machine quite some time ago, and I used it a lot. But when my daughter went off to college, I sent it with her, thinking I’d get myself another. Hmmmm, maybe MIL *will * give me one of those…
FCM, I am deeply disappointed in your attitude toward that precious gift.
I’ve never understood why individual appliances are needed for things like this, except maybe if your name in Boston Market or somesuch. Don’t you get basically the same effect by throwing the chicken in a roasting pan?
My grandma was a very erratic gift giver. I received: 1) a purple velour housedress/nightgown (I was never sure which) - when I was in my twenties, 2) a t-shirt with beaded fringe at the midriff (I think I was in my thirties by then, but it was sooooo not me), 3) jewelry containing precious crushed gems suspended in plexiglass. On the other hand, I also received a small TV, a suitcase, and the ring Granddad bought her for their 60th anniversary (which is uncharacteristically modest, fit me perfectly and hasn’t left my hand except when I knead dough for 12 years or so).
The worst part is that it always feels bad to give this stuff away. Took me years to give the purple thing away. Can’t remember what I did with the lovely jewelry. The t-shirt served as office decor for a while though, so it provided entertainment.
I sympathize with mother-in-law gifts. My MIL is a part time Avon representative, so without fail, I am always the recipient of a make-up bag no matter the occasion. She sends on average 3 to 4 make-up bags per year. Thing is, I hardly ever wear make-up. The occasional neutral eyeshadow and sheer lip gloss is about as fancy as I get. I have long suspected she’s making a subtle statement about my looks.
I keep the make-up bags, though, and try to put them to whatever use I can find. I have make-up bags that hold hair bands and mini-clips. One bag was just the right size for my tarot cards. Another was just right to hold two decks of regular cards, plus 100 poker chips. Now, if I can find one to hold sex toys and another to hold liquor, I’ll be ready to thank my lovely, Catholic MIL for the gifts. In detail. I’m such a bad girl.
I’ll be happy with anything I get this year as long as it’s NOT scented bath products. My MIL and SIL buy me scented bath products every year for Christmas. Usually the very cutesy pre-packaged gift sets you get at places like Bath and Body. The two I received last Christmas (Santa sleigh/vanilla set and flower pot/lavender set) are still in their original packaging. Needless to say, I will be regifting to ladies on my side of the family this year. My mom and other SIL love this stuff!
You know what tastes kinda like rotisserie chicken but doesn’t have to go all click! click! click! while it’s getting cooked? My world famous Italian crock pot chicken, that’s what!
Take one chicken. Place in crock pot. Pour Italian dressing over chicken. Set the sucker on auto and in three to four hours, nummy chicken goodness!
No need to thank me. Really. The joy you’ll have munching chicken goodness is all the thanks I need. Really. Stop that. It’s just embarrassing! :o
Well, I am chagrined to admit that the chicken was good. And the cleanup wasn’t as nasty as I expected it to be - similar to cleaning up the toaster oven.
But it’s still too damned big - it’s going to live in the garage. And the elastic bands are pretty much worthless - one of them sprung and the others were iffy at best. I guess I need to get some string.
Yeah, so I’m thinking I may do the pork roast next.
Shut up.
It’s still too damned big for my kitchen.
AWW! I love those loud, clunky, silly kitchen gadgets! They’re so much fun. I’m actually a very quiet person, but most loud appliances, no matter how repetitive or annoying they sound to everyone else, bother me not at all.
One day I will have a big kitchen, full of loud appliances, ticking, clicking, beeping, creaking, squeaking, humming, singing, dinging, ringing, thumping, bumping, grinding, whirring, whistling, buzzing…
When I make dinner, it will sound like a Stomp production.
