I was making dinner last night and I made a giant mess. This is basically the norm except I was using a new recipe so I was extra sensitive to any missteps. Needless to say, when I broke an entire egg onto the counter I was less than pleased. You people think I’m kidding when I go on and on about kitchen gadgets that make life easier, but I need all the help I can get.
Less mess is always preferred, which is why the Cut & Collect Chopping Board (Latest Buy, $33.95) is a cooking enthusiast’s dream. I tend to cut up all my veggies for the meal at once, which is a great tactic except there’s never enough space to do that. I end up with carrots spilling out onto the counter next to dirty onion skins and it just drives me crazy. This cutting board features an integrated drawer, so you can slice and dice, then slide the pieces into the drawer for safe keeping. If you prefer, you can also use the drawer as a waste bin and save yourself multiple trips to the trash can. The drawer pulls right out so anything you put in there is easily emptied at any time. The cutting board itself is dishwasher safe (my fave) and has non-slip feet so it won’t slide around while you’re chopping (also a plus).
You know how Rachel Ray uses a trash bowl while she cooks? Rachel Ray ain’t got nothing on me.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11.8″ x 8.6″ x 1.4″
-Cutting board with integrated drawer
-Slide food directly into drawer
-Removable drawer for emptying
-Non slip feet
-Available in green or white
-Dishwasher safe
I was off yesterday so I decided that it would be a good day to cook something a little more involved than my traditionally half-assed dinner creations. And since it was bitterly cold out, I thought stew would be the perfect meal for such an occasion. I got out all my ingredients and started with the potatoes. In no time flat, I had turned my kitchen into a trash receptacle. There were potato peelings all over the counter, the floor, even myself. Sure, I could have dragged my trash can to where I was and peeled the potato hovering over it, but I’ve lost many a potato that way.
The Counter Edge Cutting Board with Collapsible Scrap Bin (Amazon, $24.99) allows you to go about your cooking preparations without turning your kitchen into a compost heap. The cutting board itself features an L-shaped design that easily fits over sinks or counters and has non-skid feet to ensure that it stays put. The removable scrap bin attaches to the edge of the cutting board with a seal between the two so that even liquid rich foods won’t leak out onto the floor. The bin’s four cup capacity is more than enough for most cooking preparations and the set is designed to collapse for snug storage. You might have to get accustomed to standing a little further back from your vegetables, but at least clean up will be a breeze!
In case you were wondering, my dinner was stew-licious.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 11.5″ x 15.5″ x 1.8″
-Integrated bin collects scraps
-Board fits over sink and counter
-Bin attaches to board
-Bin has 4 cup capacity
-Collapses for easy storage
-Dishwasher safe
-Patent pending design
I’m trying to be good about eating breakfast every morning because when I don’t I just get grumpy and I don’t want to do anything. I like a no muss no fuss breakfast, so I usually go with cereal. Or at least you would think that was the easy way out, but how am I supposed to deal with the soggy cereal epidemic we have on our hands? I can’t let my cereal sit for two seconds before it’s rendered inedible by it lactose counterpart. Something has to be done, for the good of breakfast cereals everywhere.
An answer to my plight at last! The EatMeCrunchy Cereal Bowl (Latest Buy, $13.95) lets you have your cereal and eat it too! The secret to this bowl’s plan is a hidden removable shelf within the bowl that separates milk from cereal until you’re ready to mix the two. Only a small part of the bowl lets the milk and cereal mix, until then you keep your cereal dry on higher ground. When you’re ready to eat a bit, just slide some cereal into the lower portion. Amazeballs!
Don’t even tell me you’ve managed to eat a whole bowl of corn flakes without a serious case of the soggies because that’s just nonsense.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 6.7″ x 2.4″ x 5.7″
-Keeps cereal from getting soggy
-Removable shelf inside bowl
-Dishwasher safe
As I get older, holidays get a little less special for me. One thing I can always count on to lift my spirits around the holidays is dessert. Oh man, the desserts are so worth it. My favorite has always been cookies because you can snack on them throughout the day (they make an excellent breakfast) and they’re pretty much single servings. The only problem I can see with holiday cookies is that they aren’t around in between holidays. I’m not saying I want to be eating Christmas cookies year round, but a little festivity never hurt anyone.
The Letter Pressed Cookie Cutters (Perpetual Kid, $17.99) bring a bit of sparkle to an otherwise normal looking cookie. Each cookie cutter is double-sided so you can cut out the cookie shape with one side and press the letter shape into the cookie with the other. There are 26 letter cookie cutters as well as an ampersand and exclamation point. Now, I know what you’re thinking – ransom notes. Sure, it would probably decrease the seriousness of your point, but it would also probably put the recipient in a fantastically good mood and therefore more likely to comply with your demands.
Ransom notes: Not just for hostage situations anymore.
4 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Set of 26 letters plus ampersand & exclamation point
-Double sided cookie cutters
-Punch out shapes on one side
-Imprint letters on other side
-Packed in reusable plastic storage trays
-Hand wash only
-Made of durable food safe plastic
I know I talk a lot about how accident-prone I am, but I just want to clarify that that doesn’t mean I’m messy. In fact, I’m quite a neat person (not in an obsessive-compulsive way, just a not living in filth way). Still, from time to time I have been known to wear my lunch on my clothes. I’m not proud of it, but it occasionally happens to us all. That being said, anything that makes my life (and laundry days) easier is a plus.
Maybe it’s because I eat lunch at my desk pretty much every day, but I think the Soup & Crackers Mugs (Vat19, $9.99) are the cat’s meow when it comes to dishware. First off, you’re getting two bowls for a super steal of a price so that’s pretty awesome. Each bowl has a space for soup and a space for crackers, separated so your soup stays hot while the crackers stay dry. Sure, you could do the same thing by carrying a sleeve of crackers, but for us clumsy people this is a godsend. And if soup and crackers isn’t your thing, just think of all the other stuff you could put in here: ice cream and toppings, chips and dip, or any liquid/dry combo you can think of.
If you were a real caffeine freak, you could use these mugs for coffee but I think that’s just a tad too much java for one person to handle at any given time.
5 out of 5 stars.
Specs:
-Dimensions: 7.5″ x 4.25″ x 2.5″
-Capacity: 16 oz
-Set of 2 bowls
-Holds soup and crackers separately
-Dishwasher and microwave safe
-Made of ceramics
