When choosing kitchen cookware and small appliances, it’s important to try to choose items that can be used for multiple purposes if possible. Let’s face it, most of us have limited cabinet and counter top space in our kitchens, so it pays to buy tools that will be useful in different capacities and give us more bang for our money. And when it comes to gadgets and small appliances, it’s easy to succumb to the latest and greatest before really thinking through how often we’ll really use that ice cream maker or bread machine. But homemade goodies still taste best, so if you think your family would love homemade ice cream or bread, then go for it!  One of my favorite cookware items is our Rachael Ray Enamel Cast Iron Reversible Griddle which we use for everything from grilled sandwiches and burgers to eggs, pancakes, bacon, and more.

This cool stove top reversible griddle is not only sturdy and useful, but very attractive in either a blue or orange enamel finish. The pan is already pre-seasoned and ready to use and has comfortable loop handles making it easy to move around on the stove top. I’ve had my pan for quite some time and absolutely love it. Since then, both of my sisters have bought one for their house too. We all like the Rachael Ray cookware line since the pots and pans are very well-made and look great too!

I really love cooking and while I don’t often have time to cook big meals during the week, I like to make big family meals on the weekend.  Coming up with different menu ideas can be a real challenge sometimes. For one thing, we have a vegetarian in the family, so whenever I make a meal that includes meat, I have to make sure there are some good side dishes for her or make an additional vegetarian entree that I’m sure she’ll enjoy. Plus we have food allergies to deal with, so that means avoiding foods with eggs and baking without eggs, which can be pretty tricky.

As challenging as cooking this way can be sometimes, we’ve found ways to be creative with our food and make everyone happy. The hardest part I’ve had to overcome is believing that a meal needs to be based on a meat entree. But I’ve found some great cookbooks and recipes online that have helped me make many great meals that don’t revolve around a meat dish.  However, there are some nights when it seems like everyone is eating a completely different meal, but that’s okay.  I don’t mind the cooking as long as someone else does the dishes!

We are deep into the coldest time of the year and across the country the weather is looking very frigid, except perhaps in Florida where my niece just spent New Year’s Eve watching fireworks at the beach in shorts and a tee shirt. I just read on the web today about a town in New York buried in 55 inches of snow with more still coming. Now while some of us do love playing in the snow, I think that 55 inches of snow steadily coming down for 9 days is a tad too much! But all of this cold makes me want to turn on the oven and cook lots of big hot meals and bake cookies and cakes. If you like baking cakes, you’ll love this Nonstick Heart Shaped Cake Pan from Kaiser bakeware - it’s perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Many people celebrate Valentine’s Day by enjoying a romantic dinner in a nice restaurants. We’ve done that in the past but sometimes it can be so crowded and expensive that sometimes over the years we’ve chosen to dine in with a special meal made at home. Or even take-out from one of our favorite restaurants if we don’t feel like cooking. I find baking a scrumptious chocolate dessert is always fun and having great nonstick cake pans to use makes the job so much easier. So whether you’re on a tight budget or just don’t feel like dealing with a crowd, why not enjoy Valentine’s in the comfort of your home.

I guess there is no escaping the holiday rush now. With the big Thanksgiving feast just around the corner, seems it’s time to start working on the menu and watching the ads for some good holiday food sales. Trying to make sure everyone will be able to enjoy their favorite dishes and desserts can be tricky too, can’t it? But it’s a lot of fun to sit down to a big meal together, especially if you have family coming that lives far away. And it’s wonderful to see the cousins play together too. Some of my most versatile dishes that I use a lot at this time of year is my Pyrex bakeware. This Pyrex Glass 19 Piece Bakeware Set contains some of my favorite Pyrex pieces.

Pyrex Glass Cookware is wonderful for many reasons. For one thing, you can cook, bake, and microwave in it. Then you can easily store your leftovers in the dishes in the fridge or the freezer. Plus, the glassware cleans up so easily in the dishwasher. The glass is quite sturdy too since I’ve dropped quite a few pieces over the years and only manage to chip a handle or two, which is pretty amazing. If you’re buying cookware, it always pays to own pieces that can be used for multiple purposes.

I have always loved Halloween. As a child I used to love to get a good scare. Sure, I’d jump and scream and want to run away, but I’d always come back for more. Of course I loved the trick-or-treating too. Dressing up in a costume and going to the neighbors to get a treat, what’s not to love? My costumes were always simple and homemade, nothing like the variety of cool costumes you see today. And we still got things like candy apples and pennies for a treat, not tons of chocolate and candy bars like my kids enjoy- though I always limit their intake.  Since this year Halloween falls on a Saturday, we’re having a little nieghborhood party for the kids to enjoy during the day - something simple but fun!

I found a bunch of special crafts, games and treat ideas on the web. For one things, you can have a mummy wrap relay race - you divide the kids (or adults) into small groups and see who can wrap someone in their group in a roll of toilet paper the fastest. Another fun idea is to fill a plastic pumpkin with strips of paper saying either trick or treat - every time they pull a strip they’ll either have to perform a trick or get a special treat. There are lots more games to be found as well as wonderful treat recipes too. It’s a great excuse to get out and have some fun with the kids.

Yum, it’s the season for baking delicious dessert breads, like my personal favorites - pumpkin, banana walnut, gingerbread, and cinnamon apple. The scents of baked bread smells wonderful in the house, and when the breads are done they’re ready to be enjoyed for breakfast or for snacking. To me, there’s nothing better on a cool day than enjoying a warm slice of fresh-baked banana walnut bread with cream cheese and a cup of fresh, hot coffee. I like to make multiple small breads so you can freeze some or give them as small gifts to teachers and others. I have a couple of sets of the Kaiser Nonstick Mini-Loaf Pans that I use quite a lot.

These are sturdy little bread pans that withstand use and abuse but still look good as new because Kaiser Bakeware makes such quality items. Not only can you make your favorite dessert pans in these stainless steel pans, but they’re also perfect for baking wonderful little dinner breads too. You can really set a festive dinner table by setting the breads around the table on separate plates for each guest. These versatile little pans also make a great housewarming or holiday gift!

Since i’ve used Romertopf for years, I often forget there are many people who aren’t aware that Clay Cookware even exists. This is a great type of cookware worth adding to any cook’s current kitchen collection. The clay pots produce incredibly moist and delicious dishes with minimal effort. The tricky part is to remember that the pots are meant for oven use only, not for the stove top and that the oven must not be pre-heated when placing the filled dish in the oven. The pros far out-weigh the cons and once you start using a clay baker you’re likely to become quite attached to the cookware like the rest of us. And your friends and family will end up wanting one or two pieces of their own too.It’s a great item to add to any cook’s gift list and it makes a very unique housewarming gift too.

There is nothing cheap about owning a home, is there? While plenty of people choose to rent instead of own, many of us take pleasure in owning our own place. Choosing a home is a big decision - starting with the location. How good is the neighborhood and how are the schools? What will the commute be like for work? Are there favorite conveniences nearby? Then there’s the house itself - how big is the property and is the house the right size? What is the condition of the home and the rooms, especially the kitchen and bathrooms. Luckily our home is in excellent shape, though some expensive items like our kitchen appliances are nearly due to be replaced.

I like to search through Consumer Reports before I make big purchases, especially for cars and appliances. Even if you don’t have a subscription to the magazine, you can find a lot of information on the web or review the books for free at your local library. For us it has saved us a lot of headaches, helping us to make better choices in our purchases. Kitchen appliances aren’t cheap, so it’s worth taking the time to buy the best one for our budget that will last us a good long time and save on energy bills too.

I think many of us have either owned or used Corelle dishes sometime over the years. I remember my sister receiving a set of Corelle at her bridal shower years ago and she has some of the pieces to this day. They still make many wonderful Corelle pieces and many have clean, modern lines that look great in any home. Plus you can mix and match different pieces as needed. I really like this Corelle Simple Lines 16 Piece Dinnerware Set.

I think the style of these dishes is pretty timeless, and I especially like the squared plates and bowls. They look very nice on the table, quite different than the usual round plates most of us use regularly. This type of dinnerware set not only makes a great bridal shower gift, but it’s a great housewarming gift too, especially for someone moving into their first place.

I was surprised to read today that The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a research report that found organic produce not significantly better for us than conventionally grown veggies and fruits. As someone who tries to buy organic whenever possible, I just found it hard to believe. How could pesticides and other chemicals used by conventional produce growers not be found to be harmful? It only seems logical that they would be inherent in the food and how could that be a healthy choice for us? You can read the summary here if you’re interested.

I’ve been reading a lot lately about microwaving and how it negatively affects your foods. According to some recent research, microwaving actually alters the composition of your food, not only making it less nutritious but also making it harder for your body to digest it.  If that’s the case, it makes me wonder how much we should be microwaving our foods? I find it very convenient for quickly heating up left-overs, but maybe when it comes to cooking my vegetables and other foods it might be better to use something like this Oster Mechanical Food Steamer.

It’s the kind of small kitchen appliance that I know I’d get a lot of use out of. This two tier steamer is perfect for steaming so many healthy dishes plus it has a large bowl that you can cook up to ten cups of rice in it, and another tray that you can make hard or soft-boiled eggs in. It’s super easy to take apart and clean when you’re done too.

Somehow it’s been over a month since I’ve been on the blog. I honestly don’t know where  the time has gone, but then I think most of us feel that way. One day you’re planning a small vacation or a special gathering and the next it’s a month later and the vacation has come and gone, the event has passed. And now that summer is full upon us now, the kids are home from school for vacation and the temperatures are sizzling. For me, the tricky part of this season can be figuring out what to make for dinner that won’t make the kitchen hotter than necessary.

So what to cook? Well of course, like many people, we do a lot of bbq. Most times it’s simple like hotdogs, hamburgers and corn on the cob. Other times we mix it up and bake fish, like tuna fillets or flounder, or we make variations of kebobs like chicken and pepper kebobs or vegetarian versions. Another convenient cooking method for summer cooking is the slow cooker. While many of us use it during the winter for stews and soups, this great kitchen appliance is perfect for the hot seasons as well. I confess that I still use the oven now and again during the heat,  but usually it’s easy to find work arounds with a little bit of creativity and flexiblity. And hey, there’s nothing wrong with some delivery pizza now and again!

For anyone who enjoys baking, you really can’t get by without some sort of electric mixer in your kitchen. Sure, there are some simple cake mixes and pancake batters that you can whip together with a bowl and a whisk. But for most batters, especially those made from scratch, you really need the power of an electric mixer to get the job done right. Some people prefer a big stand mixer while others need the convenience of a smaller hand mixer. That’s the beauty of the Sunbeam Mixmaster Hand & Stand Mixer.

This versatile mixer from Sunbeam solves the problem of deciding whether to buy a hand or stand mixer since it offers you both options. The lightweight, 6 speed mixer easily converts from a stand mixer to a stand mixer. It’s powerful 200 watt motor has a comfortable handle and controls conveniently placed at your thumb tips. It includes a 3.25 quart glass mixing bowl and handy pastry hooks as well. You can’t go wrong with a quality name like Sunbeam.

From Mom to Mom, I wish you  a very very Happy Mother’s Day!  May you have a pleasant, fun-filled, restful, thoughtful and special Mother’s Day filled with memories to treasure always.  As a mom you give a lot of yourself throughout the year and so it’s always nice to be appreciated on your special day.

I wish you flowers and dinner (that you don’t have to cook!) and a day to sleep in late with breakfast served in bed. Wouldn’t that be lovely? We don’t need oodles of expensive gifts (but we wouldn’t turn them down of course). Just the returned love of our family is much appreciated.

As someone who had never used clay cookware before, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I used my Romertopf Clay Baker for the first time. First I should tell you that the clay bakeware is beautiful,, more than you can even tell from the photos. There is something quite timeless, elegant and special about the quality of the baker. The clay cookware nicely complements my shiny metal cookware that I love so much. Of course the clay is breakable so I always handle it with care.

Cooking in it is actually a breeze. You simply soak the baker in water prior use, put your food in, and then place it in a cold oven before setting the temperature according to your recipe. The meal always turns out very tasty and extremely moist and juicy. You just clean your Romertopf with some water and a mild scrubber like a nylon scrubbing pad and your done. I’ve since bought more pieces for myself and gifts for friends over the years.

As the Easter Holiday draws near, I am torn on what to serve for dinner. For years many in our family have wanted ham or lamb for dinner, neither of which I am a big fan of now, though I did enjoy the sweetness of glazed ham when I was younger. But as time passes I have become less and less of a meat eater. When it comes to red meat I do enjoy a good juicy steak now and then, or a big grilled hamburger. And we also eat a fair amount of chicken and turkey.

But back to the holiday dinner. I find that I’m not enjoying meat as much as I used to, as if I’m losing my taste for it. Now I don’t know that I’m ready to be a vegetarian, but I have come to realize that I would like to start having more vegetarian centered dinner dishes rather than meat-based ones. So the tricky part is whether to come up with a completely different holiday dinner menu or to compromise with the meat-lovers by serving a little of both. Knowing me it will be both, so now I need to come up with some dishes that will taste great together and be special enough for a holiday meal.

We use placemats a lot in our home, mostly in the kitchen, but sometimes in the dining room too. I have a few different sets that I like to switch out depending on the ocassion or the time of year. We enjoy our small family meals together and our big family gatherings too - and I like having little extra things that add fun extra style to the table. I especially love these handmade batik fabric placemats for their bright colors and their unique flair. 

The handmade placemats are made of 100% cotton and are sold as a set of 4. You can choose from 10 cool colors and patterns. They’re handcrafted in the USA and are naturally colored using flowers, veggies, and berries. They’re not just a great gift for your own home, but would really make quite a thoughtful housewarming gift for someone special. Because these custom kitchen accessories are sure to add a special touch to any table setting.

I honestly hadn’t been thinking of Easter right now. Yes I see the displays in the store and our online store of course - but at a personal level I am mostly just trying tackle one week at a time. So thinking of anything going on in April seems far away indeed. But the family calls have begun to discuss who will be traveling where for the holiday and suddenly the holiday seems to be around the corner. The funny thing is I haven’t a clue what I’ll be cooking this weekend but I’m already planning an April menu.

I really love our family get-togethers Sure there’s the usual craziness that goes on and a relative or two that might drive me a bit insane, but it rarely gets to me like it used to. Now I simply appreciate the precious time together and try to appreciate each person’s individual “quirkiness” instead. I find I am a lot less stressed that way & really get to enjoy the day. I truly hope the same is true for you!

I just love cookware, I can’t help myself. And I probably have more pots and pans than I need right now. Well maybe that’s not quite true because you never know what new cool pot might be just around the corner. So off course now I am in love with this Rachael Ray Green Enamel Cookware Set! Not just because it’s beautiful, but it’s fantastic cookware too.

I would love brighten my kitchen with these great pots. The set has all of the basics covered and then some, plus I really like that the pots have glass lids so I can keep an eye on my food while it’s cooking.  Even if I don’t buy the whole set right now, I think I will treat myself to one or two of the pieces, perhaps the big 12 inch skillet since I can actually use another big skillet.  But if you’re someone who is in the market for a new kitchen cookware set, I highly recommend you check out this popular quality cookware line for yourself.

The biggest romantic holiday of the year is nearly here and it’s time to make plans if you haven’t already! I confess we actually haven’t made our plans yet and aren’t quite sure still what we’d like to do. Restaurants can get so busy for this holiday and that can sometimes get a little crazy for us. Though I do wonder with everyone’s money woes plastered all over the news right now how the restaurants will fare this year.

We are leaning towards a nice romantic dinner at home. Something scrumptious we don’t often eat, like a tasty sirloin or tuna steaks. I love cooking so it’s fun to plan the menu. Though I think I will buy a special dessert for the occasion, something rich and chocolate. We’ll put on some soft music, light the candles, open the wine, and have a lovely romantic dinner in the comfort of our home.

We do a lot of snacking in our home, especially when the kids have their friends over. Some weeks we seem to go through tons of mini-pizzas and sandwiches, chips and dip, juices, sodas, burgers, it’s endless. Then there are the gatherings for sports events or special movie nights. One of our favorite and easy snacks for movie night is homemade popcorn. We used to buy the boxes of packaged microwave popcorn, but that was before we received our Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper as a gift last Christmas.

We love this new popper and have ended up using it quite a lot already. The machine makes popcorn that is hot and delicious without a lot of unpopped kernels or any burning occurring like we ran into with the microwaveable popcorns. It’s pretty neat looking too, and you can just pour the popcorn into the cover and use it for a serving bowl. It’s easy for all of the kids to use too, and simple to clean up. Now it’s become one of our favorite cool kitchen gadgets.

It seems the colder it gets the more I think about food. Not the best way to start the New Year, being obsessed by foods when it’s probably time to start thinking about eating healthy. Before you know it Spring will be here and I’ll wish I had eaten less! But I guess the cold brings it out in me.  Right now I find myself particularly yearning for some warm, delicious soup, preferably homemade. Somehow it always makes me feel better, and not over-stuffed like some food does. Warm and soothing.

My favorite soup this month is a creamy tomato basil. I find it’s just right for my tastes with a touch of spice and sweetness. It’s even better when I make a fresh loaf of bread to dip into it.  When I serve it with a small balsamic salad on the side, I am all set for a warm and healthy (well, relatively healthy) lunch or light dinner. Perfect for these gray winter days.

In our home we do our best to make healthy choices when it comes to the food we eat. Whole grain breads, whole wheat pasta, fresh fruits and vegetable, high fiber cereals. Our philosophy is as long as we mostly eat the good stuff then it’s okay to have some of the more sinful foods and treats now and again. I’m very big on salads, preferring the pre-packed bags of mixed greens for convenience. But I was making a big mistake when it came to eating the greens by not washing them first! I took it for granted they were already cleaned but have since read that these packaged lettuces should all be washed prior eating, even if the bag states “triple washed”.  I find cleaning the lettuce a bit of a hassle, so that’s why I love the ECKO Salad Spinner.

 This salad spinner is a great size for our family and it even doubles as a fruit bowl on our counter sometimes. It certainly makes cleaning lettuce so much easier and it’s comforting to know we’re eating healthier because of it.  I highly recommend this kitchen gadget for anyone who enjoys salads in their home and wants to make a healthier choice for their family too.

In the mood to try some new cookie recipes for the holidays? You should check out the yummy holiday cookies on the Food Network site! They have some beautiful cookie ideas that I’d like to try this year. Though I wonder if mine will come close to looking as good as theirs!

There’s also other great holiday recipes and ideas worth trying too! Every kind of baked good your can imagine as well as slow cooker recipes, Christmas candies, holiday fudge, and much more. I found a great slow cooker recipe that I plan on making for one of our family gatherings. I’d also like to try their Holiday Cheesecake recipe. Everything looks so tempting, I wish I could try them all!

Well, there it goes, Thanksgiving has come and gone already. And now it’s December. This time of year is like a runaway train between the gatherings, the shopping, the decorating, the cooking, the  holiday cards - I’m exhausted just thinking about it. One of my favorite parts of this season is baking all of the goodies for my family and friends. That’s why I just love this 31 Piece Bakeware Set from Baker’s Secret.

It really has it all! I won’t name all of the great baking tools that it includes, but here are just some of the pans in the set: 2 round cake pans, 2 pie pans, 2 cookie sheets, a square cake pan, 2 loaf pans, 2 muffin pans, and more! Plus it has some handy ECKO gadgets too, like an EKCO dough blender, a cooling rack, a pastry brush, wooden mixing spoons, and few other great tools. With this amount of kitchen bakeware in your home, you’re sure to get all of your holiday baking done in a snap!