Sometimes I stay up late watching TV and I end up falling asleep on the couch. When I wake up, it’s in the wee hours of the morning and there’s nothing on but awful infomercials. Of course, I could always turn the TV off and go to bed, but I almost never do that. I get sucked into the terrible product sales pitches and how ridiculous it all is. One of the things I’ll never understand is why people buy super expensive knife sets when you can get by with something on the cheap.
I’m not saying that you should get your knives from the Dollar Store because that’s just stupid – trust me, they break in half almost immediately. However, you can buy a decently priced knife set and make it last with something like the Kitchen Magician Knife Sharpener (Plasticland, $16.00). It’s hella easy to sharpen a knife and why wouldn’t you want to? It makes your knives like new and as long as you don’t let them go too long without sharpening, one set of knives should last you a long time. So if you’re gonna go the knife sharpening route, why not get one that looks like you’re a magician? It’s pretty much a no-brainer.
Tips for knife purchasing: Make sure your knife has a plastic handle (wood traps germs) and at least two tongs in the handle for maximum stability. I prefer a serrated edge, but to each their own.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
- -Dimensions: 8.5″ x 2.25″ x 2.5″
- -Sharpens dull knives
- -Made of plastic
My kitchen utensils are so boring. I mean, I have more than enough gadgets to get by, but they’re just not any fun. Wouldn’t you rather use a peeler that looks like a beehive hairdo than that generic one you got from the dollar store? My thoughts exactly.
Sure, I could buy a trillion basic toothpicks, but where’s the fun in that? Also, they’re disposable so you’re pretty much committing yourself to killing the Earth. If you’re a friend of Mother Nature’s and/or a geek, then you’ll appreciate the Foodfighters Party Picks (ThinkGeek, $9.99) as an exciting alternative to banal kitchen accessories. The set comes with twelve army men, six green and six grey, in a variety of poses with two toothpick feet attached to the bottom of each one. You don’t have to be a kid to enjoy concocting elaborate battle scenes with your food!
May the best man win!
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
- -Set of 12 army men toothpicks
- -Includes 6 green and 6 grey
- -Handwash recommended
- -Made of plastic
Sometimes I feel like I take entertaining a bit too seriously. I mean, I’m the type of person who goes all out for theme parties, making sure that every snack served pertains to event or else it has no business being there at all. Needless to say, I’ve become somewhat of a snack connoisseur and yes, I am judging your snack selection.
Just because you go through all the trouble of making sure you have a wide selection of tasty treats, doesn’t mean that your sustenance will be a success. For that to happen, you not only need to make sure you have enough food but that it stays in optimal condition for the duration of your get together. What you need is the Electric Heated Dip and Chip Snack Tray (Kegworks, $39.95). What good is your homemade queso dip if it congeals into a cold clump halfway through your party? With its removable ceramic dip bowl and heating base with inline power switch, your dips and spreads will stay hot all night long. Sure, you could break out a mini crock pot and a separate chip bowl but why go through all that trouble when you this duo does the same thing all in one convenient location? And if you’re not all about hot dips all the time, you can use this snack tray without the heating base to serve cold dips as well.
I have another chips ‘n’ dip tray that looks just like this one, only it plays “La Cucaracha” every time you open the dip bowl.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 14″ x 3.25″ x 14″
-Capacity: 21oz (dip bowl)
-Electrical: 120VAC, 60Hz, 0.22A
-Keeps dips tasty and warm
-Heating base with attached inline power switch
-Retro 1950s design
-Removable ceramic dip bowl
-Plastic melamine chip tray
-Use without heating base for cold dips
Fad diets don’t work. Sure, you might instantly lose a few pounds by doing some “master cleanse” but as soon as you resume eating solid foods, you’re just gonna gain it all back. And seriously, why in the world would you want to punish yourself by drinking nothing but some nasty tasting concoction for a week? I’m not even gonna mention what’s going on south of the border when you drink those things…
The only surefire way to lose weight and stay fit is portion control and exercise. Hey, if you aren’t down with the whole working out thing, you can at least cut back on those super-size American portions. It might seem like you’re denying yourself at first, but you’d be surprised how little you’ll miss those gigantic plates of food. Besides, wouldn’t you much rather eat a little bit of something delicious than a lot of cardboard? The Pasta Basket (Amazon, $11.31) is actually three pieces of cookware in one: measuring cup, strainer, and cooking basket. To measure the perfect portion of pasta for one person, simply fill the cup to the serving line (or use handle for longer pastas). To cook the pasta, place the basket in a pot of boiling water with the handle resting on the edge of the pot. Draining your pasta is easy because all you have to do is lift the basket out of the water. You can even cook four different kinds of pasta all in one pot if you were so inclined (or if you have a family of finicky eaters).
Like most people I know, I’m seemingly incapable of measuring the right amount of pasta to cook. Without fail, I always make too much. I’m thinking about seeking pasta therapy.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 6.8″ x 5.1″ x 1.3″
-Measuring cup, strainer, and cooking basket in one
-Measures one serving of pasta
-Cook up to four different pastas in one pot
-Collapsible silicone basket
-Top rack dishwasher safe
I tend to drink a lot of tea and/or coffee throughout the day. Perhaps it’s not the best idea because that’s a lot of caffeine for one person to consume in a short period of time, but that’s not the issue here. My problem has to do with spoons. Spoons, innocent though they may seem, are quite the troublemakers. See, I try to use one spoon per day because otherwise I end up with a massive spoon shortage (totally not cool). The problem with using one spoon per day is that I either have to use it and then leave it on the counter between stirrings (which leaves a bit of a mess) or I have to keep it in my cup the whole time (which means a spoon hits me in the face every time I take a sip).
The Quirky MugStir (Gizoo, £12.95) doesn’t mess around. Committed to saving face, literally, this spoon set is designed to hang from the side of your cup or mug. Its rubber-coated handle keeps the spoon from sliding around so you can safely sip your beverage of choice without taking a spoon to the eye. Because you can now keep your drink accessory of choice inside your cup at all times, you no longer have to clean up messes on the counter or kill the environment by using a zillion disposable stirrers every day. Everybody wins!
If you or someone you love has been affected by spoon issues, don’t suffer in silence. Get help today.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Spoon hangs on your mug
-Eco friendly alternative to disposable stirrers
-Spoon doesn’t slide while drinking
-Pack of 3
-Includes one of each color: purple, blue, and magenta
-Rubber coated handle
