Adventures In The Kitchen

Stainless Steel Water Bottle

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:40:00 +0000

This week, I blogged about replacing your plastic with Pyrex and also about water filters that removed pharmaceuticals from your drinking water. Well this next item fits in nicely with both of those. If you stop drinking from plastic water bottles and you have a great water filter at home then you'll need a way to bring that water with you when you go out. A stainless steel water bottle is a great way to do just that.

The Eco Vessel Stainless Steel Water Bottle is my water bottle of choice lately. I used to have Sigg water bottles but they recently admitted to selling water bottles with BPA in the liner. They removed the BPA in their latest bottles but they kept quiet when everyone was recommending their water bottles as a "BPA-Free" alternative to plastic. But you can make your own decision about them. I'm very happy with my stainless steel water bottles made by Eco Vessel.

Refrigerator Water Filter

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:04:00 +0000

If you have a Whirlpool, Kenmore, Kitchen Aid, Maytag, Amana or Jenn-Air refrigerator with a water dispenser then this is the filter you've been looking for. The PUR Refrigerator Water Filter is much cheaper than the replacement filters that I've been buying at Sears and it even works better.

Not only does this water filter remove or reduce the lead, cysts, benzene and other usual contaminants that are found in tap water but it also removes up to 99% of the pharmaceutical compounds that are floating around in there too. If you didn't know that you had to be worried about pharmaceutical compounds in your drinking water it's probably because it's a relatively new thing to worry about. In March 2008, the Associated Press published a report that found pharmaceutical compounds in the water supplies of over 24 major metro areas across the United States. It seems that the water treatment plants were never designed to remove pharmaceuticals from our water.

Before buying one of these Refrigerator Water Filters make sure that it's the right one for your fridge. If you're like me and you have one of those quarter turn filters mounted in the grill of your fridge you should be fine with this model from Pur. But check with your manufacturer if you're not sure.

I'll take my water without a side of drugs please and that means that I'm going to continue buying these Pur Refrigerator Water Filters.

Hot Air Popcorn Maker

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:52:00 +0000

We just can't catch a break lately. Apparently, the EPA is now investigating the safety of microwave popcorn. It seems that the vapors that are released into your kitchen when you open a bag of popped microwave popcorn could be linked to lung cancer. Well, since I'm a scaredy cat, that means no more microwave popcorn for my family. And that means we'll have to come up with another way to pop our corn.

The Presto Hot Air Popcorn Maker solved that problem pretty fast. We used to have a hot air popper like this when I was growing up and I'm glad that they still make them. All you have to do is put some kernals into this thing and plug it in. The hot air circulates around the kernels and pretty much leaves no kernel unpopped.

You can even use the little container on top of the unit to melt better if you want. But since you're making popcorn without any oil (the hot air popper doesn't need it) why not serve the popcorn healthy style without butter. It's actually very good.

From now on were going to enjoy our popcorn without the chemicals and without the microwave. A hot air popcorn maker does the job nicely and its even fun to watch.

Heated Ice Cream Scoops

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:06:00 +0000

You know there's one thing that I hate and it's scooping ice cream out of the package. It always gets all over your hands or the scoop flies off of the scoop or the spoon that I'm using and goes across the room. Not fun.

You could always microwave the ice cream for a couple of seconds to get it soft before you scoop it but I have some issues with spoiled milk and microwaving ice cream bothers me. I'm sure it's fine but I don't like the idea of heating and cooling and heating and cool anything that's related to milk.

Well the answer that I've been looking for is heated ice cream scoops.

The Deni 5111 Electric Ice Cream Scoop is like the Cadillac of heated ice cream scoops. You just plug it in and you're ready to go. The heated scoop really cuts through even the most freezer burnt ice cream with no problem.

Now if you don't want to wait while your heated ice cream scoop heats up, then you could always try the Norpro Nonstick Anti-Freeze Ice Cream Scoop. It has defrosting fluid sealed inside of it which just sucks the cold out of the ice cream and cuts right through just as easily. It's pretty neat.

Pyrex Storage

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:22:00 +0000

Have you heard all the hubbub about plastic containers and water bottles lately? It seems that researchers are split about how safe it is to use a food storage container that is made with BPA. BPA is also known as bisphenol a and it's a chemical that may or may not cause health issues. Canada has already banned the stuff but the FDA doesn't think it's a problem. You know when something like this happens, I think it's just better to avoid the item in question until everyone is sure.

So how do you stop using plastic storage containers? Well it's pretty hard to do actually. We had so many Tupperware and chinese food containers in our house that I recovered an entire kitchen cabinet when I threw them all out. And we use them for everything from leftovers to freezing homemade tomato sauces, chili, soups and really just about everything. I decided to go with Pyrex.

You probably already have a Pryex measuring cup in your kitchen but did you know they also make storage containers. They're actually very nice. You can buy a Pyrex Storage 10-Piece Set, Clear with Blue Lids for about $15 and that's not a bad deal.

Let the experts debate what's safe and what isn't when it comes to BPA and plastics. I'll stick with my new Pyrex storage containers until they figure it all out.

Presto Deep Fryer

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:10:00 +0000

Hey if you're interested in a deep fryer for you home you should check out the Presto CoolDaddy Electric Deep Fryer. And really, how doesn't want perfect french fries and homemade doughnuts in the comforts of their own home?

For only about $40, you can fry everything you'll need to with this "cool touch" appliance. If you're looking to deep fry a turkey for Thanksgiving, then you really need to look elsewhere but this small unit is perfect for home cooking. The temperature goes up to 375 and it also has a built in charcoal air filter so that your house doesn't smell like a greasy spoon diner when you're done. Definitely not a bad choice for a home appliance.

Glass Creamers

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 13:20:00 +0000

I have a confession to make. I have lots of cool kitchen gadgets and toys but every time have people over for coffee I remember that I broke my milk creamers a long time ago. I never seem to remember that fact when I'm browsing around Bed, Bath & Beyond or when I'm looking for something cheap to add to my Amazon shopping cart to qualify for free shipping. Not having a Glass Creamer is embarrassing.

Since we're a family of four and buy milk by the gallon, we can't just put the milk carton on the table to use as a creamer. Besides being tacky, I don't think my 90 year old grandmother would be that steady adding a splash to her coffee. Sometimes I'll fill up a Pyrex measuring cup up with milk but that looks pretty bad too.

No if you want to have people over for coffee you really need a milk creamer. So I made a conscious effort to not only buy one but also pick out a great looking one. And I think I did pretty good.

This is one of the glass creamers made by Fred & Friends. They make a lot of neat kitchen gadgets so it was only natural that I checked out their offerings first. This creamer actually looks like a one pint milk carton. It's made of dishwasher-safe tempered glass. Awesome!

Pros:

Looks like a milk carton
Dishwasher Safe
Tempered Glass

Cons:

Only holds one pint

It's really a great coffee creamer but my only complaint is that it only holds a pint of milk or cream. That's fine for a couple of people but if you have more coffee drinking guests you'll probably have to refill it a few times. I may look into getting a few of these glass creamers before my next party.

Jalapeno Pepper Roaster

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 04:14:00 +0000

I always wondered how to make stuffed jalapeno peppers without all of the stuffing oozing out in the oven or on the BBQ. And now that I've found this cool Jalapeno Pepper Roaster, I know how it's done.

It's actually very easy to make jalapeno poppers with this roaster. And it even comes with a tool to help you core the peppers. Just slice off the tops (the side with the stem) and use the corer to dig out the seedy insides.

Now all you have to do is stuff it with something. Cheese is always good but why not live it up a little bit and chop up some onions and sausage to go with it. Bacon is another great ingredient for your stuffing mixture.

Once you've got the peppers stuffed, just pop them into the roaster. It's made from stainless steel so it's safe for the grill, the oven or even a smoker. And there's holes for 36 jalapenos, so invite some friends over.

Crunch Berries Are Not A Fruit

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 13:41:00 +0000

Here's one that definitely fits in the frivolous lawsuit category. A California women tried to sue Pepsi (parent company of Quaker Oats) because of the confusing product labeling on Cap'n Crunch Crunch Berries Cereal.

Apparently she though that Crunch Berries were real fruit and that's why she regularly bought the product for four years.

This is just sad that not only this women but also her lawyers would try to get this case in court.

But if you're like me, then finding out about this news will not only anger you, it'll also make you hungry for some Crunch Berries. I have tons of childhood memories of breakfast with the Cap'n.

Source

Power Blender

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:48:00 +0000

I always thought that the L'Equip R.P.M. Blender was the meanest, blendiest, blender in town until one day when I was watching Top Gear.

The guys at Top Gear, which by the way is a show about automobiles, decided to hook up a blender to a Corvette engine. And their first test with this new blender was a big pile of raw meat.

These types of stunts usually include a "Do not try this at home" disclaimer but in this case they didn't need it. Who would want to make a meat milkshake? Yuck!

Top Gear Creates a V8 Blender | Wheels | SPIKE.com

Happy Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaI'd like to take a moment and wish everyone a Happy Halloween. Trick or Treating is great fun for the kids but don't forget to try out some great pumpkin recipes too.

Pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread are a great addition to any Halloween Party.

Latte Art Pics

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:07:00 +0000

Latte Art Pics
In this world where there's a Starbucks on every corner, I'm sure that most people have drank a few lattes at some point. But, I wonder how many people have ever seen cool latte art like these.

Here a video that shows some pretty neat latte art pics. The music is a little odd, but maybe that's what they normally play in non-US based coffee shops.

And if you'd like to see how they make these drinkable works of art, then check out this video where the barista makes a latte bear.

Eggplant Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 02:57:00 +0000

Did you know that Food Network had it's own YouTube Channel? Well I just learned about it and I'm psyched. Now it's really easy to grab your laptop and watch a cooking show in the kitchen. And best of all, you can stop, rewind or skip ahead. Maybe you already have a TV and Tivo in your kitchen but I don't, so this is a big deal for me.

In this video Bobby Flay is in the middle of an Eggplant Parmesan Throwdown. One thing that I didn't like about his recipe was that he left the skin on the eggplant. Yuck! Even when you add 3 cheeses, fontina, romano and mozzarella it's still going to taste like eggplant skin. Double yuck!

And the one tip that I loved in this video was before the challenger layered his eggplant, he dipped it into a pot of sauce. What a great idea!

Bobby Flay Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Thu, 29 May 2008 11:42:00 +0000

Yesterday, I posted about the Hellman's Real Food Summer School Sweepstakes and how Bobby Flay was going to teach some of America's worst cooks how to become great backyard BBQ chefs. Well, in this next video he actually starts giving them some useful cooking tips.

They're grilling chicken this time and after a few minutes of laughing at how clueless they are, Bobby Flay jumps in there and teaches them what they're doing wrong.

Now this was actually entertaining and it also had some good cooking tips in it. It was almost like watching a mini Food Network show. If they keep this up, it could actually become something that I'd watch regularly. Hey Hellman's how about sponsoring a Bobby Flay Food Podcast?

Hellman's Real Food Summer School Sweepstakes

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 28 May 2008 01:57:00 +0000

Here's another chance for me to cook somewhere other than in my avocado green outdated kitchen. If you haven't noticed yet, I try to enter all of these remodeling or kitchen makeover sweepstakes. This contest is from Hellman's and the grand prize is the $20,000 Ultimate Backyard BBQ. Hey, it'll do nothing to improve the looks of my kitchen but I wouldn't mind cooking outside all year long if I won.

Hellman's has teamed up with Bobby Flay and Yahoo in sort of a online reality cooking show. The idea is that they're going to turn the worst cooks in the country into great summertime chefs. Below is one of the videos (the rest can be found here) where Bobby Flay is making potato salad with one of the contestants.

Besides the online cooking contest there's also a sweepstakes that requires no videos or cooking. Just fill out your information and you could win prizes like a Weber Grill or grill accessories. You can enter the sweepstakes here. There are daily and weekly prizes too so be sure to enter everyday.

Food Network's Ultimate BBQ Sweepstakes

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Tue, 06 May 2008 23:21:00 +0000

Holy cow, I almost missed the Food Network's Ultimate BBQ Sweepstakes. I really haven't seen anything about it on TV and I watch a lot of the Food Network. Even my kids know who Alton Brown, Giada and Bobby Flay are but I actually found out about this contest because this blog is getting some search engine traffic from people looking for information about the contest. I guess I blogged about it last year.

And as you can see from the rinky dink grill in the picture, I did not win last year.

So off to the Food Network website I went and I got the information that these searchers are looking for. Here's the deal on this contest:

The 2008 contest runs from May 1st to June 2nd and you can win $65,000 in cash to create the backyard kitchen of your dreams. Plus you can also win Bobby Flay Grillware, Kohls gift cards and Kitchen Aid Appliances.

And 10 first prize winners will get a copy of Bobby Flay's Grill It!.

$65,000 could definitely create the Ultimate BBQ setup. I'm thinking, flagstone BBQ Island with granite counter tops and built in sink and fridge. Then a really nice smoker and a wood fired pizza oven. Then rest could go towards a pergola with outdoor ceiling fans and sun sails to keep my guests cool. Yes, I think this Food Network sweepstakes is going to make someone very, very happy. Hopefully me.

Enter the Food Network's Ultimate BBQ Sweepstakes here.

IKEA Kitchen Organization

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 12:05:00 +0000

Here's another one of those videos from the IKEA Channel on YouTube. Organizing the kitchen cabinets is definitely something I need to do. Our pantry has no room for mops and brooms either because it's all shelves and they're all full of food. But these slide out shelves from IKEA are still pretty cool.

IKEA Kitchen Lighting

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 04:09:00 +0000

Did you know that IKEA had it's own channel on YouTube? Neither did I. Most of the IKEA videos look very much like commercials. Nothing special, just the same old stuff that you'd see on TV.

This commercial is about how to light your kitchen. Lighting is important so I thought they'd talk about work light, mood light, ambient lighting or something like that. But nope, it's just some sillyness set in an IKEA Kitchen. But that doesn't stop me from wanting a brand new IKEA kitchen in my house. Still a strong believer in their brand, even if they have odd commercials on YouTube.

Peeling Hard Boiled Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 03:59:00 +0000

This is a neat way to peel an egg. I usually roll my hard boiled eggs to get the shell off but that method will sometimes leave some shell on the egg. Then you have to dig it off with your finger nails and that just makes a big mess.

I'm definitely going to try this next time I have a hard boiled egg. Too bad Easter has already passed.

Pancakes In Your Face

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 08:01:00 +0000

This video is very well done. The whole stop motion thing reminds me of watching Sesame Street as a kid.

I think even without the humor of having that guy eat all the pancakes, this would be a cool way to do a weekly internet cooking show.

Collapsible Colander

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:56:00 +0000

Have you ever seen those articles about where the most expensive real estate in the world is? Well those articles are wrong because I would pay anything to have some more room in my kitchen.

Seriously, my cabinets and drawers are all filled to the rim. Getting something out of the cabinets creates a musical symphony of pots and pans clanging together that would make a sound fx engineer proud.

So when I saw, these Collapsible Colanders on Amazon, I knew I had to have one. It's made from that silicon that all new kitchen stuff is being made out of lately. But the neat thing is that it folds almost flat for easy storage. What a great idea. A regular colander takes up a lot of space that I don't have.

They also make Collapsible Bowls too. Why with a few of these to replace my regular colander and some bowls too, I'll have enough room to go out and buy some more kitchen stuff.

Kitchen Makeover

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:05:00 +0000

When I started this blog I was hoping to be able to document my kitchen makeover. You know, show before and after, put up posts about the appliances that we're buying and talk about the whole decision making process. Well, my kitchen remodel hasn't happened. We opted for a outdoor hardscape and pool remodel instead and our home equity loan is still bleeding from the experience.

Sadly, I still have an outdated kitchen with avocado green kitchen countertops and plates that come out of the cabinets chilled in the winter because there's little or no insulation in the walls. And unfortunately I don't think we'll have enough budget to fix this anytime soon.

Another option would be to do the remodel myself. I'm pretty handy like that and even finished my basement a few years ago so it's possible.

And I just found a great resource for people who want to remodel their kitchens. Kitchen.com's - Ask a Designer is a must see site for anyone looking for ideas on remodeling.

Don't worry, it's not like reading a kitchen redesign book (yawn), there's tons of videos that show you exactly what they're talking about. Topics include, Designing and Decorating, Budgets and Planning, Cabinets, Countertops and more.

Funny, that there doesn't seem to be any videos with avocado green countertops. I'll take that as a sign that it's time to start my own kitchen makeover.

Martha Buys Emeril

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:00:00 +0000

Go Martha! It's your birthday! Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia is buying Emeril Lagasse. I'll hold back my urge to say the word Bam. It's going to be overused in news articles on this story so I'll refrain.

She's paying $45 million in cash and another $5 million in stock for the rights to his cookbooks, TV shows and other products but will not get a piece of his restaurant business.

Nice move in my opinion. Now she can add at least another hour of TV time to market her good without the risk of overexposure. And as a bonus, Emeril is a likeable and marketable guy except for that whole sitcom thing.

So who's next? Does Martha have her eye on Giada? Bobby Flay? How about a small kitchen blog? Go ahead, make an offer. Our lawyers are standing by.

Making Buffalo Wings in New Jersey

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 16:22:00 +0000

In recent years, my sister and I have decided to exchange a couple of small themed gifts with a $25 limit for the holidays instead of the usual barrage of presents. We both have two kids each and Christmas is really for them anyway so the adult gifts aren't as important. We came up with the idea to try to save a little money but it's become one of my favorite gift to buy and receive each Christmas. It's a lot more fun to come up with a creative gift on a budget. This year the theme was where we live. We had to choose gifts that had something to do with where we lived which for me is New Jersey and for her is Buffalo, NY.

Now I hope she enjoys her Sopranos Family Cookbook and that package of Taylor Ham but that bottle of Hot Wing sauce from the Anchor Bar that she bought was one of the tastiest gifts I've ever received.

Wings are a quick and easy meal in my house. We make a marinade of Franks Hot sauce and butter and we either buy wingettes or I'll cut the wings up myself. The butter part of the recipe was something I learned from my brother-in-law. He's a professional New York Giants Tailgater who packs a turkey fryer and a sofa into a truck for every Sunday home game. Apparently butter and the deep fryer are the standard way to make hot wings while in the parking lot of Giants Stadium but I'll pass on the fryer and use the BBQ.

The hot sauce to butter ratio is about 3 or 4 to 1. Let the wings marinate at least an hour. Overnight would be best but who wants to cut up chicken wings before going to sleep at night. I'm lucky if I have time to pack a sandwich for work the next day, getting out the cutting board and some raw chicken usually isn't high on my list of things to things to do after the kids go to bed.

After tasting wings made with Anchor Bar Buffalo Wing Sauce, I may never buy another bottle of Franks hot sauce again. This is what wings are supposed to taste like. We served our authentic New Jersey Buffalo Wings with small bowls of hot sauce and blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Since this year's gifts were so great, maybe next year the theme should be something to do with food. We seem to buy each other food anyway.

DIY Blog Cabin

noreply@blogger.com (Anthony) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 10:32:00 +0000

I'm on a contest kick lately and I've found another one, The DIY Blog Cabin. No pictures of the kitchen yet but with all of these contests from DIY/HGTV/Food Network, you know the kitchen is going to be top notch.

Enter for a chance to win a spectacular vacation retreat in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Prize package includes a fully finished log cabin vacation home complete with winning design elements from our blog cabin vote-in, including cherry oak floors, a magnificent stone hearth, granite counters, a modern slate shower, and much more.

Tune in to Blog Cabin to watch this virtual dream house become a reality—and then enter daily for a chance to win it.

You can enter to win the cabin once each day until October 1st, 2007.