My name is Merry and I’m a hot cocoa junkie… I’ve been told that admitting it is half the battle. So, boy do I ever feel better.

With winter far from over, in many parts of the country, there is still plenty of time to give these adorable Bonjour Snowman Mugs with Mini Frother when you are faced with your next gift giving occasion. (You can even tuck them away for Christmas 2009.)

This is a set that includes four large mugs, four ‘top hat’ mug lids and battery operated frother. Fill each mug with the hot cocoa recipe of your choice, cover mug with lid and start frothing. Within a matter of a few seconds, you’ll have cocoa so rich and creamy you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

I am not knocking commercial hot cocoa mixes. There are some really yummy brands out there. But my personal preference is ‘made from scratch’ hot cocoa. There ain’t nothin’ like the real thing, baby. The best part is… it’s quite simple to prepare.

What’s your favorite hot cocoa recipe? If you’re willing to share it here, you can be quite certain that chocolate lovers from around the world will salute you.

All I can say is if this cookbook would have been in existence when my son was in grade school, I would have had a MUCH better chance of being named ‘Homeroom Mother of the Year’.

Hello Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make is the collaborative effort of authors Alan Richardson and Karen Tack. Go Alan! Go Ka-ren!

Thanks to this cookbook, you don’t have to be related to ‘the Martha’ to make creative cupcakes… to die for. It features detailed instructions, along with large photos that even the most novice baker will clearly understand.

When it comes to the actual recipes, they are divided into two categories… quick cupcakes that you prepare using a box mix and made from scratch cupcakes.

Masterpieces include: TV dinner (”peas & carrots”, “drumsticks”, & “mashed potato” cupcakes!), sunflower cupcakes, the big top, alien cupcakes, Easter egg cupcakes, snowman cupcakes, fat cat cupcakes, bowling ball and pins cupcakes and SO much more.

There are also tons of great hints to assist you in creating the best cupcakes you can possibly make. Learn the easiest way to pour batter and frost finished cakes. Learn how to draw bugs and faces with melted chocolate… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg (or should I say icing?)

This cookbook has been added to my growing list of ‘kitchen gotta haves’. Need I say, YUM?

As I have mentioned before, writing for ChefShopper has been as expensive endeavor. Why? I want everything that I write about! The Bosch Tassimo Single-Serve Coffee Brewer is no exception… and I’m not even all that fond of coffee.

But, lucky for me this machine brews SO much more than coffee, including: cappuccino, tea, hot chocolate and lattes. YUM!

The discs (T-Discs) the Tassimo utilizes are available in 12 well-known brands. They include (but are not limited to): Starbucks, Seattle’s Best Coffee, Gevalia Kaffe, Maxwell House, Twinings and Suchard.

You simply insert a T-Disc into the machine. Regardless of the type of drink you choose, the brewer reads the barcode on the container and carefully calculates amount of necessary water, brewing time and optimum brewing temperature. Ain’t technology grand?

It’s easy to adjust the size and strength of your beverage. The brewing cycle can be stopped at anytime, to make these adjustments. There is no measuring or mess, whatsoever.

The water tank is a large one, weighing in at 67 ounces. This means that you can prepare several drinks, before you have to worry about re-filling the Tassimo.

Other features include: a LED control panel, a flow through water heater that enables faster brewing and an automatic cleaning and de-scaling function. Coffee, anyone?

OK, how many times have you scorched boiled eggs because you got busy and momentarily forgot that they were on the stove? I’ll admit that I’m guilty as charged.

If you share my guilt AND boil more than a couple of eggs a week, the Cuisinart CEC-7 Egg Cooker might be just the thing you’ve been looking for.

Take a minute or two to read the reviews and you will see that the cooker is more than worth the small investment. No more timers or shells cracking in the pan. Don’t you just hate that?

It makes both soft and hard boiled eggs. Poached egg lovers, rejoice! This nifty appliance works for those, as well. It can easily handle 7 boiled or 3 poached eggs. The choice is yours.

Features include: audible tone to let you know that eggs are finished, automatic shutoff to eliminate the possibility of overcooking, non-stick coating for easy cleanup and egg holders that keep eggs in place when serving.

Its small size is an added bonus, for those with little storage space. It measures only 6 ¼ x 8.

What is your favorite way to incorporate boiled eggs into your recipes? Remember, there is SO much you can do with the incredible, edible egg!

If you are trying to decide what to do with all of the gift cards you received, for Christmas, you might want to consider this affordable Sharp R-820BK .9 cu. ft. Countertop 850 Watt Convection Microwave Oven. (Try to say THAT three times, fast!)

If you are dealing with limited counter space, like I am, this dual purpose oven is definitely the way to go. Why limit yourself to just the convenience of a microwave when you can enjoy convection cooking, as well?

Convection/Microwave combos really have gone down in price over the last couple of years. There’s no better time to purchase than NOW!

This appliance defrosts, microwaves, bakes and grills… using less electricity than your traditional oven. It’s the wisest choice, on a hot summer day.

One of the neatest features about the oven is its computerized cooking pre-sets. If you aren’t sure about correct defrosting or baking times, the oven will figure it out for you.

Everything from pizza to brownies to roasts to fish to casseroles to homemade bread will turn out perfect every time… providing, of course, that you adequately follow your recipe.

If you have experience with a convection oven, please don’t hesitate to share your feedback. Inquiring shoppers want to know!