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.