Ok I admit it; I am more than a little envious of the creators of the now famous Bacon Explosion recipe that is currently causing an Internet media frenzy.

BBQ buddies, Aaron Chronister and Jason Day, came up with this recipe as a result of a challenge they received on their BBQ Addict website.

The Bacon Explosion calls for just four ingredients… bacon, Italian sausage, BBQ sauce and BBQ rub. (They suggest that you use your favorite brands.)

In a nutshell, two pounds of sausage is patted onto bacon that has been ‘woven’ into a basket weave pattern and generously sprinkled with rub.

Cooked bacon goes on top of the sausage and then everything is rolled up in jelly roll fashion. The whole thing is then encased in another “bacon weave’, sprinkled with more rub and coated with BBQ sauce.

This yummy creation is then smoked in the smoker of your choice, for roughly 2.5 hours. Aaron and Jason suggest you serve slices of their Bacon Explosion between two halves of a large biscuit. In this case… a little goes a long way.

Rumor has it that these two inventive guys, from Kansas City, have already been offered a cookbook deal.

All the frenzy just goes to so you what can happen when you combine a unique recipe with the power of the Internet!

If you’ve never experienced the taste of Toblerone chocolate, you don’t know what you’re missing. Yes, it’s pricier than the Hershey bar you can pick up at the corner store… but well worth the extra investment.

It all began, in 1867, when Jean Tobler opened a specialty chocolate shop in Bern Switzerland. Due to overwhelming demand for his delicious creations, he opened a factory in 1899… and the rest you might say is history.

The Toblerone chocolate bar is quite unique in the fact that its segments are triangular in shape and is flavored with honey and almond nougat. These triangles represent the Matterhorn, in the Swiss Alps. The weight of the chocolate bar dictates the number of ‘peaks’ it contains.

The logo has changed several times, but the taste of Toblerone chocolate has always remained constant. Only the best ingredients are used in the manufacture of this decadent treat.

Through the years, additional varieties have been produced. They include white chocolate bars, bittersweet chocolate bars and Toblerone minis. (Because of regional preferences, not all varieties are available in all countries.)

With Valentine’s Day looming near, there is no better time to consider purchasing some Toblerone chocolate for your sweetie! The variety pack is an excellent choice for those who deserve to have it all.

I’ve mentioned in numerous posts that I’m a kitchen gadget and small appliance junkie, which should be apparent when you look at the tag cloud on the right.

I’ve recently written about a peanut butter mixer, a fondue pot, a soymilk maker, adjustable measuring cups and a partridge in a pear tree. (Just kidding about the partridge.)

This particular post is a short survey, of sorts. No need to panic, it’s only one question in length. I would LOVE to know, as would the entire ChefShopper readership, more about your all-time favorite kitchen gadget or small appliance.

I couldn’t live without my trusty sandwich maker. In fact, I’ve retired three of them. I would also be lost without my bread machine. Homemade bread is definitely a comfort food, in the Strong household.

Due in part to my participation, here, I have a wish list that seems close to a mile long. (Shhhhh… don’t tell my husband. You should see the look on his face when the UPS truck pulls into our driveway.)

The information I gather from your responses will be very helpful to me, in regard to planning my future purchases.

So… don’t waste another second. There is no better time to tell us all about your favorite kitchen gadget.

I’m not sure why, but I’ve never attempted to make homemade ravioli. Recently, I’ve run across SO many tantalizing ravioli recipes I think I see the Villaware Ravioli Maker in my future. (My apologies to Chef Boy-R-Dee.)

It seems to be just the ticket when it comes to making your own ravioli, without a great deal of difficulty. You can fill, cut and seal one dozen squares at a time with this handy little product.

A second plate is included, which aids in forming the most perfect dough pocket possible.

This ravioli maker is the recipient of rave reviews… all the more reason that I want one. Folks that have used it recommend that you can save even more time by using a small, ice cream squeeze type, scoop to measure out your ravioli filling.

You can easily mix up your dough in a food processor and roll it out using a pasta attachment… although neither are an absolute necessity. You can mix the dough by hand and roll it out with the ‘old fashioned’ wooden rolling pin that is included, as well.

I hope you take a moment to post your favorite ravioli filling recipe. I want to have several on hand to choose from, before I place my order.

I feel I can, from the safety of my own home office, admit to the fact that I’m NOT a big football enthusiast. (Please, no hate email.)

Because of this, there will be no humongous Super Bowl party at the Strong house this year.

But, I AM thinking about picking up this groovy cake pan and creating a mini stadium, for the occasion. It will be interesting to find out how well cake goes with pizza and beer. (I’ll eat the pizza and leave the beer for my dear hubby!)

This Stadium Bundt Cake Pan is manufactured by none other than Nordic Ware. I may have mentioned this before… I absolutely LOVE Nordic Ware pans! I would honestly own more of them, if I had the storage space.

The intricate details of a cake baked in this pan are sure to please any football lover. This is a baking project that you can really get creative with.

The stadium pan measures 9-1/2 x 12 and is non-stick for easy cleanup. It has a ten cup capacity. (When reading the reviews on this product, a few folks suggested that you use a bit less than an entire boxed mix. This will prevent the cake from escaping from the pan, while baking.)

Are you ready for some football… cake?

When I first started writing this post, it was in reference to another donut maker who shall remain nameless. It looked quite intriguing to say the least. Unfortunately, the reviews weren’t what I expected.

So, in effort to provide you with positive reviews, let me introduce you to the BlinQ Donut Factory… and YES I want one. (What else is new, I hear you asking.)

This donut maker is relatively small in size and from the outside looks a bit like a round sandwich maker or George Foreman grill. But, upon opening it you will start to envision homemade donuts.

The unit actually makes six yummy donuts at a time. Since these are of the baked variety, they are much healthier than their fried counterpart. The best news is they bake in only three minutes. How’s that for instant gratification?

(Some folks suggest that the three minute bake cycle might actually be too long and recommend that these yummy little nuggets be baked for 2-2 1/2 minutes instead. It really just depends on how golden you want them.)

There are recipes included. However, it should be fairly easy to adapt recipes found on the Internet or from your favorite cookbook.

If you have a tasty recipe that you feel would work with this machine, please take a minute to post it here.

If you listen closely, you can hear the hum of the upcoming Super Bowl in the air. That being said there is no better time to start planning your party or game day menu. (Remember, you don’t have to throw a party in order to eat like a king.)

Let’s face it; hot wings are a Super Bowl tradition. They are relatively inexpensive to make, when compared to other dishes and can be prepared in countless ways. The secret is in the sauce!

This year, my husband wants to try Smokin’ Joe Jones Hot Wing BBQ Sauce. Needless to say, he likes it HOT.

This particular brand of sauce is a 60 year old family secret. It’s loaded with tasty ingredients including tomatoes, garlic, wild honey, onions and carefully selected herbs and spices.

The hot variety (shown in picture) contains additional cayenne and black peppers, for that extra fiery zing. It can be used as a basted-on BBQ sauce, dipping sauce, tenderizer or marinade.

Smokin’ Joe Jones hot sauce is very versatile, delicious on pork, chicken, steak and even fish.

You will be happy to note that it contains no fat, cholesterol or MSG. It is low sodium and gluten free, as well.

I have been an AVID coupon user for years and am proud to say that I have saved thousands of dollars because of it. Yes, I said THOUSANDS!

One of the most important things to remember, especially if you are just starting out, is to stay organized. The more organized you are, the more money you’ll save. That’s where the Pro Deluxe Coupon Organizer IV comes in. (Coupons not included.)

I currently use a large cloth binder and clear plastic trading card sleeves to keep track of my coupon stash. But, when it finally wears out, I plan on replacing it with this one.

This particular organizer is very large and has the capability of holding thousands of coupons, which can be filed in over 120 different categories. Measuring 22 x 9 x 3-1/2, it is lightweight and portable.

It also has room for your keys, checkbook, credit cards, etc. So, there is no need to lug your purse with you, when you go shopping.

Once you start using coupons, you will wonder how you ever got along without them. Contrary to what some people believe, you CAN get something for nothing or next to nothing when you take advantage of manufacturer’s coupons.

What are you waiting for? Follow my example and start using coupons, today. I promise you won’t regret it.

I think the Witmer Company Peanut Butter Mixer would be the perfect gift for the peanut butter lover who has everything. Alternatively, if you eat a lot of natural peanut butter you might want to consider making the purchase for yourself.

(If you’ve never eaten natural, non-hydrogenated, peanut butter you may wonder why this mixer was invented. The answer is simple; natural peanut butter always separates in the jar… peanut oil on top and ground peanuts on the bottom.)

Reviewers have given the mixer a thumbs up. No more mixing and mixing and MIXING with a butter knife. Not only is that method messy it can be a pain in the… arm.

This nifty little gadget usually gets the job done in just a few minutes. Believe it or not it’s self cleaning, as well. How cool is that?

After the peanut butter has been thoroughly mixed it can be stored in the refrigerator to prevent future separation.

The Witmer Peanut Butter Mixer is available in two convenient sizes. The one you purchase should be dependent on the jar size you normally purchase.

Remember, there really is no such thing as owning too many kitchen gadgets, especially when they save you time and effort, in the kitchen.

I am ashamed to say that I don’t have a whole lot of experience with silicone bakeware. But, in view of the fact that I recently wrote about the cookbook ‘Hello Cupcake!’, I thought it might be a good time to mention this nifty Kaiser Bakeware Silicone Baking Cup Set. It seems to me that they go hand in hand.

This particular offering is a set of six. So, if you do a lot of baking I suggest that you purchase three sets, which is my personal game plan.

Aside from being incredibly non-stick, one of the things I think is so cool about these is the fact that you don’t need to use a muffin pan unless you REALLY want to.

Silicone bakeware, of any type, does not absorb food odors (such as fruit juices). Whether you prefer baking cupcakes of muffins, each of these baking cups can be used 1000 times. That translates into a mountain of baked goods, doesn’t it?

Telling you they are unbreakable is probably obvious. These baking cups are heat resistant to 500 degrees and cold resistant to -40 degrees. They are dishwasher safe and take up very little storage space… you can stack them inside each other.

What is your opinion of silicone bakeware? Feel free to share your experience with all of us.