More than just waffles.
(Credit: Amazon)Buying a waffle iron is a commitment. The relationship-ready have to be prepared to do what it takes to make a lasting relationship work. This of course means compromise. When it comes to waffle irons, this means choosing a device that is usually capable of only one thing: making waffles. It's hard to make room on our cluttered kitchen counters for devices that only do one thing. Luckily, it doesn't have to be this way.
The Wolfgang Puck Rotating Grill-and-Bake Waffle Iron extends its usefulness beyond simply making waffles. Featuring removable plates, the appliance doubles as an indoor grill. When used as a grill, fat drips down through the vertical system, and collects into a drip tray positioned at the bottom. All the grill plates have a nonstick coating, and additional plates are available for making omelettes or Danish aebleskivers.
It's nice to find a kitchen appliance that is there for you all day long. You can have deep-pocketed Belgian waffles for breakfast and use the same appliance to make grilled chicken for dinner. The versatility offered by this one machine makes it easy to clear that kitchen counter clutter. Perfect for those who like to play around (in the kitchen).
Too tempting to stay inside.
(Credit: Amazon)Grilling season is never officially over. Unlike team sports or the weather, the grill doesn't cycle through calendar months, ticking off days, perpetually preparing for next season. While the use of the grill may be directly linked to sports and weather patterns, the fact remains that grilling trumps all. Two degrees above freezing in hockey season is still cause enough to bust out the grill, especially when there are new toys to play with.
For those who can stand the cold and wish for the fire, here is the Grilling Basket and Tray With Lidded Shaker Set available on Amazon. Grilling utensils fashioned into mesh baskets are always a popular item; one can grill small veggies or delicate foods such as fish without worry of losing contents to the fire. Complete with a nonstick coating, the grill baskets form a trifecta of easy-to-handle, easy-to-clean, and tempting-to-use cookware for the grill.
The variety of the three grill baskets brings diversity to the grill, but the standout is the Lidded Shaker (which can be purchased separately). Grilled hot potatoes or home fries can have seasoning added to them throughout the cooking process; a quick flip with the wrist and salt and spices become incorporated with no threat of any delicious morsels falling into the fire. Cold weather grillers should appreciate the affinity of this cookware for potatoes. The classic comfort food should supply enough energy to get through any weather.
Ice cream is a staple of my diet. And with five kids in the house, we serve up a fair amount of the good stuff 'round these parts. But even with a lot of practice, I've never been good at packing ice cream into a cone. I often wind up smushing the cone, which leads to many tears and much whining. And then the kids start complaining!
But seriously, folks, this ice cream scoop and stack tool from Cuispro is a neat little kitchen gadget that lets you create an attractive presentation with very little effort. Its simple twist-and-lift action can cut through even the hardest ice cream, and the push-button release drops your cylindrical block of ice cream right into your cone--no smushing required.
You can also plate your ice cream for easy decorating and classier styling. Each scoop holds 3.75oz of ice cream, and the scoop is top-rack dishwasher safe. It costs about $15, and you can choose the color that best complements your favorite flavor.
All-night delivery.
(Credit: Euroflues)It doesn't get much more comfortable than sitting around a warm fire on a cool evening. However bad the elements are outside, the inside is heated with the warming glow emanating from the fireplace. Usually, the fireplace is in the living room, which makes sense; the living room is the central location of the house.
But there's another room that serves as a gathering spot, one that usually features a different type of heated comfort in the form of a stove. Make that stove a wood-burning stove and add a pizza oven in the mix, and suddenly the kitchen is the new living room.
While it's quite possible that pizza is the most comforting food on the planet, coupled with a wood burning stove the combination is pure comfort overload. The Huemfire Pallas Back achieves just that. In addition to the baking compartment, the top of the unit features three cooking plates, which could be used for other great comfort foods such as soup.
Combustion is controlled via an outside hookup, with air control being handled via a lever on the front. An optional built-in drawer on the bottom of the unit is designed for storing wood. The stove heats up to 1,625 square feet, and uses a patented heat retention system capable of storing heat for up to nine hours after the last fire has been lit. It doesn't get much more comfortable than that.
As awesome as the kitchen is, sometimes you have to leave it. And if you've invested in a great home coffeemaker, you've got a cup of great coffee ready to go with you--but perhaps your hands are too full to carry your joe. What do you do?
Whip out your Beverage CADDi, of course, and off you go. The CADDi is a fun new gadget that does one thing really well: it lets you hold onto a drink with one finger.
Here's how it works: instead of the thick cardboard sleeve the coffee shop places on your cup to let you carry it without scalding your hand, the CADDi is a sleeve made from soft vinyl, with nylon strings secured to it. You slip the sleeve onto any tapered coffee cup, all the way up to the rim, and slip the strings over your finger, as shown.
Choose from 10 designs, and snag one for just $5.50.
The best of both worlds.
(Credit: Chef's Catalog)Choosing between a toaster and a toaster oven can be difficult. Toaster ovens are incredibly versatile, convenient for warming up leftovers or even cooking entire meals. On the other hand, regular toasters are usually very good at what they are designed to do: the toasting of bread. However, that's pretty much all they do, so our kitchen counters are usually furnished with toaster ovens. However, some people may miss that good old-fashioned toast popping action, so for them, it's not an easy decision.
There can be only one true answer to this conundrum when seeking out a new toasting appliance: get both. The Waring Toaster Oven/Toaster solves this toaster dilemma by combining the two into one. It is perfect for those that have a hard time making a decision, the toaster combines the best of both worlds: the flexibility of a toaster oven with the tradition of a pop-up toaster. But this combo is not only handy for the undecided among us, but also it can help to ease morning toaster congestion. Suddenly, there is room for a slice of bread and a frozen pastry treat. While other combination appliances are generally mash-ups between two totally different devices, the fusing of a toaster and a toaster oven is one that actually makes sense.
The Waring Toaster Oven/Toaster costs about $100 online.
Together at last.
(Credit: Amazon)A bowl of freshly popped popcorn is close to being the perfect snack. Healthy, delicious, and versatile, the fluffy treat can take on any flavor you decide to impart upon it. The same can be said about nuts. Although high in fat, in moderation, nuts are essential eating. Nuts and popcorn together is like a secret combination of the universe. Snack makers long ago discovered the power of the popcorn and nut combination, but that doesn't mean you have to enjoy the mixture on their terms.
Nuts, like popcorn, are best served hot. Easy enough task when it comes to popcorn; there are many ways to make corn pop. From the stovetop to the microwave to the air popper, freshly popped popcorn is rarely more than a few steps away. But what of fresh roasted nuts? That is a bit trickier. With the West Bend Kettle Krazy Popcorn Popper and Nut Roaster you can easily do both.
The combination appliance uses a motorized stir rod and a nonstick temperature-controlled heating plate to keep the nuts from burning as they cook. You won't be able to make both nuts and popcorn at the same time--a simple control knob switches from "nuts" to "popcorn"--but when you are ready, the lid flips over and becomes a 6-quart serving bowl. Just like popcorn and nuts, this all-in-one snack maker makes perfect sense.
Kitchen scale or shelf?
(Credit: Cookware.com)Having a scale in your kitchen gadget repertoire is useful to the point of being essential; just ask any baker. Flour can be one of the most inconsistent ingredients to work with, due to its volume-changing tendencies. A cup of hard-packed flour contains much more actual flour than a cup of sifted flour. So, we use scales to accurately measure our ingredients. With such utility comes options, with designs ranging from the ornate to the sparse. Some even focus on where you store the scale.
The Terraillon Wall Mount Kitchen Scale, as the name suggests, is a kitchen scale for your wall. Measuring 1.5 inches tall, with a width of 10.8 inches and a depth of 8.7 inches, the scale is a convenient way for the home cook to keep a useful gadget always at the ready. Flipping up and out of the way when not in use, the scale also incorporates a clock and timer function. The scale has a load capacity of five pounds, which is perfect for most home uses.
Even if you tend to overlook the scale in your own kitchen, having one on hand is useful. With contemporary design and classic styling, the glass and silver-colored scale will look great in any kitchen--even if you only end up using it as a shelf for houseplants.
A cookbook doesn't seem a likely choice to feature here at the blog, but I'll make an exception for 101 Recipes for Microwave Mug Cakes by Stacey J. Miller because it's got a slightly tech-y angle to it.
Although Miller didn't invent the microwave mug cake (MMC), she really likes them--enough that she spent time creating and testing all the recipes featured in the book. The beauty of the MMC, she says, is that it lets you make a single serving of a snack in under 10 minutes. No leftovers to tempt you, one mixing bowl and one mug to clean--it's all good.
MMCs also offer kids a way to try out their cooking skills--but supervision is critical. Baking in the microwave is not without risk, and Miller cautions readers to pay close attention to her instructions if they'd like to continue using their kitchen appliances.
The variety of flavors in the recipes provided means you'll probably find something you like. If the peanut butter and jelly doesn't excite you, maybe spicy squash, honey walnut, chocolate blueberry, or pizza is more your speed. Check out a sample recipe online, and snag your copy at your favorite online bookseller.
There for you in the morning.
(Credit: Williams-Sonoma)The neverending search for the perfect cup of coffee is a well-traveled quest. Sometimes the journey takes us to the perfectly hot cup of coffee, other times to a place with full-bodied flavor. Perhaps the occasional espresso brewed to perfection makes an appearance. But one thing matters most when that coffee first hits your lips in the morning: you should know what you're getting.
The corner coffee shop may deliver a consistent brew, but for those who cannot wait, a home brewing machine is the only answer. The Krups Power Brew Coffeemaker is a solid alternative to the corner cafe. Featuring 1,400 watts of power, the coffeemaker belts out a pot of coffee fast and hot, delivering it between 195 degrees F and 205 degrees F. A showerhead-type nozzle gives full coverage of the grounds, assuring a brew that is well-rounded with full coffee flavor.
The stylish coffeemaker is decked out in a piano-black finish and features an easy-to-read angled LCD control panel. Programming options exist for weekday and weekend cycles, along with a small-batch setting. The glass carafe holds up to 60 ounces and is easily accessible at any time during the cycle, due to a brew-pause feature that lets you sneak out a cup before brewing is complete. Save yourself a trip to the coffee shop; even though getting there may be half the fun, it is more fun to have a well-brewed cup of coffee waiting for you in the morning.
