Peabo Envy
With all the love I’ve been throwing around for kitchen appliances lately, I thought we needed some balance. You knew I had to find something new to complain about now that I have a blender that I want to spoon with every night for the rest of my life.
I do not throw the word “hate” around lightly, but I HATE my refrigerator.
I’d rather share a bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on top with Sarah Palin and the Smoke Monster than deal with my “stainless” steel demon box. I say “stainless” with great hesitation, because it is a rare moment in time, like a lunar eclipse, a Haley’s comet sighting or Britney Spears wearing a bra, when there is actually NOT a stain on my refrigerator.
If I give you no other advice on this blog for the rest of its mediocre existence, it is to NEVER buy stainless steel appliances, especially if you have children…or husbands…or want to actually get water from or store food in your refrigerator. Now I know that they make finger-print proof stainless steel, but that was not presented to us as an option when we built our home. Our builder was type that would call and say, “The painter is going to be there in five minutes, what shade of paint do you want?” Pre-daddy Pea Daddy would then get me on the phone and read paint colors to me like “Egg Shell,” “Fuzzy Sheep,” and “Almond Essence” and I would end up with stark, cold white walls instead of warm, soft beige that envelops my soul. This also explains why my carpet is not stain-resistant but is actually made of Brawny paper towels designed to absorb all juice, cat vomit and urine.
As if the splatter from the water in the door and “Lulu Peanut Butter Hands McGillicuddy” wasn’t enough, last week the refrigerator started crying. I think it might have to do with appliance envy of “Peabo” (named for Peabo Bryson, the greatest singer who ever lived), but inexplicably, tears started streaming from the base of the water in the door tray. I was dang close to calling in a priest to perform an exorcism, and had Gigi started spewing pea soup, we definitely would have called Ghostbusters.
You may know that we are hosting Gigi’s fifth birthday party at our house on Sunday. Among the obstacles of how to wring out super-absorbent carpet and where to seat forty people if it rains and my two year-old is cocooned in any viable furniture we have,
is how to get that blasted refrigerator clean. Rest easy, my friends, I have found a solution: Bar Keeper’s Friend (I have not been paid by Bar Keeper’s Friend to promote their product, and in fact, they would probably rather not be associated with sites that talk about urine and cat vomit).
This container was about $2. Per the directions, I made a paste.
Please disregard that my children eat peanut butter and hummus out of these little bowls. Let’s hope my dishwasher isn’t also pissed about Peabo.
I applied the paste to the fiendish fridge.
I aggressively buffed. And it was good.
At the risk of triggering another fridge door crying attack, I did some more buffing up, and fired up Peabo for an ice cream sundae for breakfast. That fridge had put me through hell, people!
Protein Banana Soft Serve Sundae
(a buffed-up take on Gena’s classic)
- 1 banana, frozen and cut into chunks
- 1/2 c. ice
- 1/2 t. xanthan gum
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used Sun Warrior)
- 1/2 c. non-dairy milk
- 1 T. cocoa powder
- stevia
- 2 T. water (out of the tap…don’t go near the fridge!)
Combine banana, ice, xanthan gum, protein powder and milk in a blender and blend until smooth.
In a small dish, combine cocoa, stevia and water and mix until a syrup is formed, adding more water, if necessary. Pour over protein soft serve.
Serve, and forget all about the demons of your past.
Now I just have to bake three dozen cupcakes, shampoo the carpet and somehow keep four hungry Peas away from the refrigerator for the next 28 hours.
Who wants a stick of gum and some tap water?!
Amen. I freaking HATE my stainless steel refrigerator, and I have no IDEA why everyone wants stainless steel. It is a total bitch to keep my clean. Its saving grace has been Stainless Steel Magic – the miracle cleaner I discovered at Home Depot 2 years ago. LOVE that stuff! I have Bar Keepers Friend for the sink and shower, but never tried it on the fridge. However, the Stainless Steel Magic works wonders. Spray on, wipe with towel and then wipe/buff with another towel. So easy.
As much as I love stainless appliances, I’ve heard nothing but terrible things about keeping them clean!! Adam and I will probably go with black ones when we can finally afford them… and thanks for the reminder to put the last banana in the freezer
DITTO! I am constantly cleaning it and I don’t even have kids, just a husband and a dog and its dirty enough. SHEESH!
stainless look mama, stainless look.
our fridge is a costco right now. 800ish bucks, doesn’t show fingerprints, annnnd the front holds magnets (not just the sides)
you can raise money to buy it by charging people to visit the miraculous crying refrigerator. just use lulus hand to smudge in jesus’s face or something.
Oooh, it looks so nice in the “after” pic!!
Our refrigerator is so freakin’ old school– it’s avocado green! But I kind of love it.
Well, I feel about it like I do about the rest of my beauty regime…it’s a hell of a lot of work but worth the outcome in the end.
I also HATE wiping down the smudges that my dirty co-inhabitants (um that would be my hubs) makes. But to be fair, even my dainty princess hands contribute to the problem. I use a product called Weimen. They used to have wipes, but now it’s just a spray.
Love your Sarah Palin analogy. I thought you might want to go hunting with her too. That could be nothin but fun
Yes, I’ve seen many a weeping stainless steel fridge in my days. What wussys!
Although I have just an old simple generic fridge, it’s never yet shed a tear on me. And I can use magnets to display my little sprouts gorgeous artwork
great. every last appliance in the new house is stainless steel. oh well, at least they came with the house…
We’ve had experience with 2 of those “stainless” steel fridges in our past 2 houses. My biggest complaint with them was that magnets didn’t stick to the front. Whose brilliant idea was that? Obviously someone that thought fingerprints are more decorative than grocery lists and GYN reminders.
I want a banana soft serve protein sundae. YUM
Jenn
I can NOT wait to see the recap from tomorrow’s birthday party!!! Are you making just vegan food? You should then let everyone know after they consume it…tee hee..suckers.
We are just having snacks and cupcakes (the party is late afternoon) but yes, everything will be vegan!
Yeah, we just replaced our nice sink with a stainless steel one and am really not a fan. I can’t imagine a whole fridge made from it…we have some white wood doors on our massive fridge, it is pretty ridiculous though how big it is. So excited for the bday recap!
I’m sure my mother feels your pain! I leave finger prints/yogurt trails on the handle of the fridge ALL THE TIME. It doesn’t bug me if it’s not actually dripping dirty and a health threat, but she can’t stand a fingerprint
I know exactly what you mean! I use to live with a roommate who had a beautiful Stainless Steel Fridge and I HATED IT!!!!!!!!!! Ugh, finger prints all the time, and it was only 2 girls. I can’t imagine what kids would do.
“I’d rather share a bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on top with Sarah Palin and the Smoke Monster than deal with my “stainless” steel demon box.” HAHA! That made my day.
Note taken, I will not be buying stainless steel!!
Bar keeper’s friend is amazing! Not only does it clean stainless steel, but it does a beautiful job on stovetops, and corian countertops/sinks. Like stainless steel, corian is beautiful, but not fun to keep clean!
Good luck at the party, I cried when my daughter turned 5, and just last week she turned 6, where does the time go?
Good luck at the party tomorrow, and happy birthday to your little girl!!!
I have had about 10 houses in 10 years..move much? And we’re moving again in 2 weeks! but…they’ve all had stainless fridges and some stainless TRULY is easier to keep clean than others. Some is what I’d call smudge resistant, and then some…well, you so much as breathe and it’s a mess.
Great job on the sundaes. I made sundaes last week with what i thought was vegan cool whip. And tru whip, it aint vegan. Just a tip for you. Trace dairy. Not that you probably care, I surely didnt..it’s like a 10th ingredient, but for some reason I am babbling and pointing this out to you…
LOL that was a lot of hate energy in this post! I think you’ve thoroughly convinced me to never buy stainless steel fridge. Ever!
Our stainless steel fridge does the same thing!! There are constanty water spots and weird drippy looking stains… so irritating. I actually have some Barkeeper’s in my cabinet that my mom gave me that I have been too lazy to use haha… maybe I should give it a shot!
I love reading your blog, you honestly make me laugh out loud!!
And as an early childhood education major I love hearing all about your fun days with your girls, Thanks and good luck with the birthday!
Aw, now I’m feeling grateful for my traditional white fridge. I’ve never really taken the time to appreciate it before.
We also have hard water spots on the black parts of our stainless steel refrigerator where the ice and water drip. I have tried EVERYTHING to try and get the yucky white stains off. Do you think Bar Keepers Friend would work on that? Did you get it at Target?
Nope, Jenny, I got it at Fred Meyer (which is Kroger nationally?). But I do think it would work on the hard water stains. We have them too, and I just hate it!
bahaha i love that you named it Peabo!!! my MIL and SIL are looking at me weirdly now because i was just laughing out loud at this post
I love you more each day.
My best friend’s mom has always sworn by Barkeepers Friend. I, personally, only don’t like stainless steel because you can’t attach magnets to it. And the only thing I ever wanted in fridge growing up was a place to brag about myself and all of my “accomplishments.” If I can’t hang my latest Chinese class report card on my fridge, than who will? Exactly. It sucks. So yes, I totally agree. Scrap the fridge, turn it into 17 more Vita-Mix’s and let’s PAR-TAY!
Luckily, I can say that my fridge does NOT produce water of any kind. It has a hard time not turning my Brita pitcher into a giant ice cube, however, so maybe we’re even?
XO,
Erin
Wow, I’m impressed with your stainless steel…I mean those stains on the stainless steel. It’s such an oxymoron
My stainless steel LOOKS like I have children. Its bad.
I had no idea stainless steel was so hard to keep clean. Glad I didn’t get it, we got black when we got new appliances.
Happy Birthday Gigi!!
Hahaha – loved this post, Mamma Pea!
Lulu looks ADORABLE
Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe!
Brazilian XOXO´s,
Gabriela
mama pea. you da best. and i cannot believe gigi is going to kindergarten. please do hide the registration and keep her that young forever. i believe that’s not asking too much.
love the pumpkin smoothie, guacamole and pimped out soft serve. delicious looking as always. and i finally came up with some thoughts on that project i talked to you about – SO WE NEED TO CHAT SOON!
hope gigi’s party went well – can’t wait to see the pics
I hate my refrigerator too. Hate. Never buy LG appliances.
Yum! You know I’m not such a huge fan of BSS in the Vita — it gets too smoothie-ish for me — but that does look amaaaaaaaaaaazing. And extra protein to boot! Good stuff all around.
I hope yall are having a wonderful time at Gigi’s party right now!!
She is such a lucky girl!! 
I hate my fridge too and it’s not even as modern as yours! Ha! You can use straight up white vinegar to clean stainless steel. No, I’m totally serious. Just use a rag dipped in the vinegar and go to town. While I don’t have a stainless fridge I do have a stainless stove, so it works. Promise.
Happy Birthday Gigi! Can’t wait to hear all about it!
Which is worse- your crying stainless steel fridge or my 1970′s yellow “Princess Series” fridge that is rusting on the outside and hums?
Ah, Peabo! Pandora played some of his Disney songs the other day…
The place we’re renting has all stainless in it and I laughed out loud with I saw the stains down the front of yours bc mine looks the same way! It gets the sexy, chalky residue crust that just screams ‘sanitary’… ;P I don’t hate it, but it sure does need a lot of maintinance… I can’t even imagine keeping free of little kiddo hands.
I hate my stainless steel fridge at the condo I lease. Who cares if it’s viking: it isn’t magnetic. what is the point of a fridge if you can’t stick magnets on it!?
I have the same issue with my stainless steel fridge! Although my issue is surely not as bad as yours since there are no little ones (besides my pup) running around the house.
I use Windex on the stainless and Lysol wipes on the handles. Works pretty well for me, but has to be done very often. The part that gets the dirtiest is the inside ridge of the door. Now how does that get dirty?
haha I can only imagine stainless steel appliances and kids don’t really mesh all that well.
I’ll keep this in mind as my first is on the way!
I don’t know if the hard water is getting worse…but the last few months, all of our dishes coming out of the dishwasher are stained white. It’s SOOO gross. Any ideas?
Love your recipes…but dislike your comment about Sarah Palin. I would consider it an honor to have luch with her…just sayin!
Hi there! I just stumbled on your blog and was reading through the birthday fun and got to this post. I have the same problem with our hard water on our fridge. For the past couples years I tried everything and anything to remove the waer spots and stains.. until I found Mrs. Meyers brand. It is environmentally safe and doesn’t have any harsh chemicals like most cleaners and it smells heavenly. I buy the lavendar scent.
Here is a link http://www.mrsmeyers.com/SubCategoryDetail.aspx?CategoryId=0a4d8eda-279f-4e20-8b12-99b90094e921
I dont’ work for them, just a consumer that loves a product.