During all of my travels through Cyberspace, I have never encountered the Joyce Chen 4 in 1 Microwave Rice Steamer. After reading all of the rave reviews, it’s definitely on my ‘gotta have it’ list.

I seldom make regular rice at home, due in part to the fact that I’m never altogether pleased with the way it turns out. However, this steamer seems like it might be the answer to my problems.

Not only does this steam any variety of rice, you can also use it for many kinds of veggies (including potatoes), pasta, meat and even popcorn. How nifty is that?

The set includes: 2 quart steamer bowl, locking outer lid, popcorn lid, steaming insert, steam recirculating inner lid and rice paddle.

Steamer and lids are dishwasher safe or can be washed by hand, whichever method you prefer.
If you are interested in Chinese cooking and cuisine, Joyce Chen offers many additional items that are sure to help you in the kitchen. Cooking for the public, since opening her first eatery in 1958, she developed her line of products and ease of use in mind?

If you have used any of Ms. Chen’s other products, I’d love to hear what you think about the line, as I’m sure would everyone else who stops by.

I think this tea set is SO cool! It would be the PERFECT gift for the gardener who loves tea or the tea lover who enjoys gardening. I, myself, have never been much of a tea lover. However, with a set like this I think I could be easily swayed.

The Breville Primula Flowering Tea Set contains the following: a 40 ounce glass (borosilicate) tea pot and canister of 12 assorted green tea flowers.

The pot is dishwasher safe and guaranteed not to stain. The flower pods come in sealed foil packets and have a 2.5 YEAR shelf life, although I doubt you would be able to resist them for that long.

Preparing flowering tea is easy. Place one pod in the pot. Bring water to a rolling boil and pour over pod, filling pot. Allow tea to steep at least two minutes (or longer depending on strength desired).

Each tea flower can actually be used up to three times, in a 24 hour period. So that translates into one canister of twelve pods yielding over 250 cups of tea.

The flower pictured is a red carnation and takes roughly four minutes to open. (In regard to speed, each pod will be a little different and become more beautiful throughout the brewing day.)

When I was growing up, my grandparents maintained a compost pile. My grandma had one of those small scrap containers that had the little teeny plastic bags that fit in it. Every night, after dinner, my grandpa would empty the contents of that day’s bag, into the pile. Boy, would they have loved the RSVP 3.35 Quart Compost Pail!

It is available in a variety of finishes, to match almost any kitchen décor. These include Bamboo (as shown), stainless steel and glossy black stoneware.

The inside liner of the pail is easily removable and dishwasher safe, as well. It does require charcoal filters, which are sold separately in packages of 2 sets. Each set lasts 4-6 months and are simple to replace, in the lid of the pail.

The overall size of this product is 8 x 11. So, it won’t take up a lot of your valuable counter space and will look a heck of a lot better than a teeny tiny plastic scrap bag.

Composting is a very ‘green’ thing to do. If you don’t already make a practice of it, there are many great books out there that will help you get started. Remember, it’s never too late to help save the planet!

It’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas dinner and just how you will be serving it. If you will be including a tasty salad, as part of the meal, have I got the bowl and matching servers for you!

(Of course, this Spode Christmas tree salad bowl set can be used for other dishes, as well… everything from mashed potatoes to dinner rolls to holiday candies. Since it’s quite deep, the possibilities are almost endless and only limited to your cooking ability.)

It complements the dinnerware set of the same pattern. There are many other serving pieces available, as well… including: a gravy boat, large serving platter, crudités tray, highball glasses and covered veggie dish.

The salad bowl, itself, is 9-1/2 inches in diameter. It is microwave and dishwasher safe and will arrive nestled in its own gift box. (Call me crazy, but it just sounds right to say ‘nestled’ since I’m talking about Christmas related stuff.)

Both wooden serving utensils are 12 inches in length and are finished in rosewood, with painted holiday accents on the handles. They are to be hand washed, only.

There is no better time to start a holiday tradition than now. Consider purchasing this great salad set, along with a few other pieces, to use this year and for years to come.

I have a Magic Bullet that I use on a daily basis… almost. I love it, but have been thinking about getting something a little more powerful, as well.

From what I’ve read, it seems like the Cuisinart DLC-2AR Mini Prep Plus Food Processor just might fit the bill.

If you take the time to read the feedback, which has been written about this nifty little processor, you will soon learn that it is quite powerful. In fact, some say, too powerful. To rectify this, it has been suggested that you tread rather lightly, on the pulse button.

The Mini Prep Plus is equipped with an auto reversing smart blade that actually makes it easier to process hard and soft foods, alike. It chops and grinds, at the touch of a button and switches back and forth between the two with ease.

The processor bowl has a 3 cup capacity, which means it’s perfect for those smaller tasks when a traditional size processor is just too much trouble to drag out of the cupboard.

With 220 watts of power, this little baby is definitely capable of whipping up some tasty dips and yummy sauces. Have a recipe you’d care to share? Please post it below.

Wine connoisseurs take note! The Skybar WP1000 Wine Chilling, Pouring and Preserving System is just for you. Now it’s never been easier to host a mini wine tasting party, without leaving the comfort of home.

Okay, I confess I really don’t care for wine. But if I did I would definitely save my pennies, nickels and quarters to purchase one of these systems. (I wonder if it works with two liter bottles of soda?)

This, state of the art, appliance features three separate chambers each designed to hold a 1 ½ liter bottle of wine. These chambers are, each, temperature controlled by one of nine temperature presets that will actually assist you in choosing the proper temperature. (No more guesswork.)

You can also manually set the temperatures, in each chamber, if you happen to like your wine colder or a little less chilly. The choice is totally up to you.

When the wine is chilled, it is flawlessly dispensed at the touch of a button… similar to a self-serve drink machine, at a fast food restaurant. Thanks to a patented vacuum system, open bottles stay fresh for up to 10 days.

Other features include interior lighting that shows off fancy wine bottles and a digital temperature display.

Although I’m not much of a wine fanatic, I love to hear a bit about your favorites. There might be one out there that I would really enjoy.

I already own an Edge Brownie Pan and am very impressed with it. But, I must say that I’m intrigued with this particular pan, as well.

Technically speaking is just a different kind of ‘edge pan’, which would certainly come in handy during the upcoming holiday baking season.

This particular piece of bakeware is the 11 x 7 Inch Precut Brownie Pan Set, my Slice Solutions. It includes: brownie base with removable center, cutting grid and lifting rack.

It allows you to make 18 brownies, bar type cookies, quick breads and even Rice Krispies treats, all of equal size, with just a pop of the pan. (I’m thinking you might even be brave enough to try baking something like macaroni and cheese, in the pan, depending on the durability of the cutting grid.)

I think one of the neatest things about this pan is that you can make a variety of different brownies, at the same time. You can easily add-in extras like candy bar pieces, mint chips, M & M’s, nuts and caramel chunks, to each separate square.

The pan is non-stick and dishwasher safe, which makes clean up a breeze. If you LOVE brownies, this nifty pan is definitely for you.

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely LOVE S’mores. Yes, I know its October and well past campfire season, at least here in Michigan. But, I am happy to report that all is not lost! Enter the Hershey’s S’mores Maker. No mosquitoes required. How nifty is that?

The unit consists of a ceramic burner and tray. In regard to storage, it takes up very little space. This s’mores maker requires the use of a prepackaged, 2.6 ounce, can of chafing fuel, which is sold separately.

The tray, itself, features built-in holders for graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate.

Hint: you are not limited to using plain chocolate bars, when making s’mores. You can use any type of chocolate candy that melts… peanut butter cups, Snickers, Mounds… the list goes on.

You could probably experiment with using thin cookies in place of the graham crackers, as well.

The burner holder features a snuffer to extinguish the roasting flame and a heat resistant handle. The roaster element is crafted of durable stainless steel.

I would love to hear about your unique s’mores recipes. Please feel free to post them, below. I’m sure chocolate lovers, around the globe, will appreciate them just as much as I do.

It’s never too early to teach your kids to cook. The sooner they feel comfortable in the kitchen, the better! Who knows this comfort may even lead to a lucrative career.

As the former owner of an Easy Bake Oven, I can tell you how much I enjoyed being a junior cook. It’s a ‘hobby’ I still can’t get enough of.

This Color Coded Cooking System for Kids, brought to you by Kids in the Kitchen, would make a great gift this holiday season. (Remember, education toys are always a sure bet!)

The set, which was created by a Mom, includes a chef’s hat, apron, mixing bowl and spoon, 8 color coded measuring spoons and cups, stickers and a recipe book featuring fifteen no bake recipes. (Minimal supervision is required.)

This is really a nifty starter set for the five and under crowd. The stickers are a nice addition because; after all, what young chef doesn’t like stickers? (There are stickers that match most of the ingredients in the recipe book, stickers to rate the recipes and stickers that indicate they did the ‘cooking’.

As you might guess, because they are no bake, most of the recipes are dessert oriented… confetti cake and peanut butter marshmallow fudge, anyone?

These are so cool! I’ve already added them to my Christmas list. (After all, you can never have too many measuring utensils, especially if you do a lot of baking, right?)

I’m relatively short, in stature. So, it’s never really been a big deal when I’ve had to bend down to check the fill mark on the cup I’m using. But, my guess is that the taller you are the more you will appreciate these.

Since the patented design allows you to monitor measurements from above, it eliminates the need to ‘become eye-level with the cup’. If you are one of those people who typically has to fill and check two or three times, to properly measure ingredients, these cups are for you!

The OXO Angled Measuring Cups are available in several different sizes. They are made of extremely durable plastic and are easy to clean. All sizes are dishwasher safe and feature a soft, easy-grip, handle.

I’m thinking I would probably use them more to measure liquids as opposed to things like flour and sugar. (I still prefer to measure dry ingredients by filling the appropriate size cup and scraping off the excess, with a knife.)

These would make great stocking stuffers or a little ‘extra something’, for the bride-to-be.