I know it’s a little early to be thinking about Halloween, but realistically you’ve only got a couple of months to get together a kickass costume. That’s not a lot of time if you’re going to go the totally awesome (and only acceptable) route and make your own costume. And if you’re going to throw a Halloween party, you’d better start planning your shindig because scary spooktaculars don’t throw themselves.
When preparing for a Halloween extravaganza, the important thing to remember is to really run with the theme. Anything and everything that can be Halloweenized should be, including yourself. The Spooky X-Ray Skeleton Bones Apron (Plasticland, $29.00) is a great way to get into the holiday spirit when making dirt or shrunken apple heads. For one thing, you won’t get fake blood and other tasty delights all over your killer crazy costume. Alternatively, if you’re the type of total lameoid who doesn’t dress up for Halloween, you can at least pretend to be in the spirit with this apron. Bonus: it doesn’t have to be All Hallow’s Eve to wear this skeletal garment.
If you’re looking for theme-appropriate cuisine to serve at your party, check out this blog for super easy yet incredibly impressive ideas.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 34″ long
-Screen printed skeleton bones graphic
-Adjustable neck strap
-Waist tie
-Available in pink pop, licorice black, or acid green
-Made of 100% cotton
-Machine wash
If you like to cook like I do, then you know that the secret to a truly tasty dish is quality spices (and lots of them). Having a well-rounded spice selection can certainly take your meal from bland to grand, but it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number you’ll manage to accumulate. I mean, where are you supposed to put all these tiny bottles in your modest kitchen? I’ve tried shoving them all in a cabinet, only to pull every last bottle out in order to find my spice of choice hidden way in the back. That’s no way to cook!
A much more sane way to cook is to use the Spice Stack (Taylor Gifts, $29.98) to organize your seasonings. Fitting in most cabinets, this spice organizer holds up to 24 full-size or 48 half-size spice containers in a three-tier plastic unit. If that’s not enough space to hold your spice fortress, you can always buy two and stack them on top of each other (hence the name). Each shelf slides out and tilts down so you can easily see which spice you’re looking for. But how do you know which spices are where without opening all the drawers? Easy! Just use the preprinted spice labels to affix the appropriate spice name on its spice slot, and you’re all set. Now instead of spending your time taking all your spices out of the cabinet while desperately searching for one in particular and then having to shove the whole mess back in the cabinet again, you can simply pluck out the one you want. Perfection!
Note: Having a spice organizer does not mean you automatically possess cooking skills.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11″ x 11″ x 8″
-Capacity: 24 full size or 48 half size bottles
-Three tier spice organizer
-Drawers pull out and flip down to reveal spices
-Preprinted spice labels affix easily to drawers
-Space saving
-Made of plastic
Have you ever gotten lemon juice in your eye? It’s not pleasant. You would think that a surefire way to avoid this sort of catastrophe would be to just boycott lemons, but what’s to stop your friends and acquaintances from accidentally squirting you with some citrus? The key here is containment.
In an effort to enjoy all your favorite lemony goodness without fear of its acids burning your eyes, why not try the Lekue Lemon Squeezer (Amazon, $9.99)? This set of two lemon squeezers allows you to not only squeeze lemon juice without worrying about splatters or squirting, but they also prevent seeds from falling into your food/drink. You control how much or how little lemon juice you want by squeezing the contraption and then replacing the attached cap. Best of all, you can even store partially used lemons inside the squeezer as it self-seals around the lemon after insertion.
I suppose you could forgo this little device and just use your hand to squeeze a lemon, but what are we, cavemen?
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 3.3″ x 3.3″ x 2.5″
-Easily squeeze lemons
-Protects lemon halves and maximizes freshness
-Squeeze free of seeds
-No risk of splatters
-Set of 2
-Dishwasher safe
When cooking, it seems there’s nothing worse than ruining the food in question. Whether you’ve cooked it too long, added too much spice, or even some mysterious catastrophe that ends with your food becoming inedible. What most people don’t think about as a very real possibility is ruining their cookware during a kitchen mishap. Sure, it’s annoying to have to start a dish all over from scratch after putting a lot of time and effort into it, but it’s nowhere near as maddening as accidentally destroying a $50 pot because you’ve scraped the nonstick coating completely off the bottom. True story.
The best way to avoid rendering your cookware unusable is to stock your kitchen with plenty of non-scratch utensils. Or, you could just invest in the Spoon Tongs (Vat19, $10.95) and call it a day. This gadget has the ability to easily switch between a spoon and tongs, allowing you to grab, scoop, and serve all with the same utensil. Heat resistant up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, you can be sure that it won’t melt into your dish and since it’s made from plastic and silicone it’s safe for all types of cookware. The spring-loaded handle locks for comfortable storage. Heck, it’s even dishwasher safe!
The only caveat here is that the spoon isn’t suitable for water or thin sauces, so you will have to keep at least one traditional spoon on hand. I know, CRAZY.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 12″ x 3″ x 1″
-Switch between spoon and tongs easily
-Perfect for grabbing, scooping, and serving
-Heat resistant to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
-Safe on all cookware surfaces
-Spring loaded handle
-Locks for easy storage
-Dishwasher safe
-Made of silicone and plastic
Anyone who’s ever cooked knows the importance of properly measuring your ingredients. Just a pinch more or a heap less of salt and your dish can be ruined. Once you get past the initial intimidation of the multitude of measurements and their respective abbreviations (I have a friend who still can’t tell the difference between tsp and tbsp – I don’t let him cook anything), it’s just a matter of having the necessary tools on hand.
Instead of stocking your kitchen with at least a dozen little measuring spoons, why not just use one? The Nuscup Adjustable Measuring Cup and Scoop (Vat19, $11.95-13.95) takes all those tools and combines them into one incredibly convenient kitchen gadget. Available in two different sizes that cover most common measurements, this adjustable measuring cup and scoop lets you measure a multitude of both liquid and dry ingredients without dirtying all of your dishware. Simply pull back the slider to the desired measurement (listed in both English and Metric on the top and sides of the device) and fill. The rubber seal along the edge of the measuring flaps keeps ingredients from slipping out and the ergonomic grip allows you to hold the measurement tool comfortably. You can even measure the desired amount then pull back on the slider to ensure you don’t spill a drop (or a morsel, depending on what you’re measuring). And not only are you saving precious kitchen storage space because you’re using one measuring cup instead of many, but this gadget also sticks to the side of your fridge via a magnet affixed to the base. Genius!
Are you ready to hear the downside? You probably have to *gasp* rinse the scoop in between ingredient measurements. Say it ain’t so!
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Adjustable measuring cup and scoop
-Adjustable flap with air tight seal
-Pull back slider after measuring to avoid spillage
-Measurements listed in English and Metric
-Measures both liquid and dry ingredients
-Available in mini (1/8 tsp to 2 tbsp) or standard (2 tbsp to 1/2 cup)
-Magnet for side of fridge storage
-Ergonomic grip
-Comes apart for easy cleaning
-Top rack dishwasher safe
