Last Friday, ALL three can openers in my house decided to die within a five minute time span. They consisted of one electric and two of the ‘old fashioned’ models.

Normally, it would not have been a huge deal, but since I had to cook for an open house that was being held on Saturday I was a bit perturbed. Thank goodness for ‘open all night’ discount chains.

I’ve decided to invest in the Black & Decker Under Cabinet Can Opener, pictured here. Due to my lack of counter space, I think it will feel right at home. It is part of their Spacemaker collection that has been available for years.

It is currently only available in black, which means this under cabinet can opener will match other black and/or stainless steel appliances that are so popular, today. It is covered under a one year warranty.

This particular model features a bottle opener, knife sharpener and a bag cutter, as well. Think of it as the Swiss army knife of can openers.

Under cabinet appliances are so appreciated by those of us who have been cursed with a small kitchen. I’m still waiting patiently for an under cabinet sandwich machine and waffle maker combo!

Every season is grill season with the Sanyo 17×12 Nonstick Smokeless Indoor Electric Grill. The reviews on this product speak for themselves. Although it’s not an outdoor grill, it certainly seems to be the next best thing.

This particular model packs 1300 watts of power and has a 200 square inch cooking surface. Smoke-free cooking is made possible because of the removable drip pan, which can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher. This also means healthier cooking.

Those who have purchased the grill suggest adding a bit of water to the drip pan and spraying the grill grate with nonstick cooking spray, before using.

If you love freshly grilled vegetables, the grate is small enough to allow you to prepare smaller veggies without them falling through… or worse yet getting stuck in between.

Another great feature that you might not expect, on an indoor electric grill this affordable, is an adjustable temperature control. Honestly, I’m more than a little impressed!

If you have never done much indoor grilling, there’s no better time to start than now. It’s a very healthy way to prepare meals and you’ll never run out of new recipes to try.

If you prefer an outdoor grill, please consider reading my review about this nifty portable gas grill, as well.

I am sad to report that my toaster is on its last legs. It is unfortunate, because I love the toast it produces. It is almost identical to the toast my grandma’s toaster used to make.

Even after all these years, I can close my eyes, while taking a bite, to be magically transported back to her kitchen. If only I could stay there.

After my toaster goes to ‘toaster heaven’, I’m seriously considering replacing it with one of these Egg and Muffin Toasters. Honestly, I can see myself eating more eggs, simply because of the convenience factor.

The egg and muffin toaster, pictured here, gets good reviews and is affordably priced. Those who have purchased it say that it lives up to its claims and makes yummy poached eggs and equally tasty toast, English muffins, bagels, etc. What more could we ask for?

If you said the ability to warm pre-cooked meats and prepare both soft and hard boiled eggs, look no further. This toaster can handle those tasks, as well. In fact, you can boil up to eight eggs at a time.

If you happen to be a fast food breakfast sandwich junkie, this egg and muffin toaster is for you. It really could save you a bit of money in the long run. Don’t you think?

It’s not too late to plan your Fourth of July menu. Thanks to zillions of online recipes, you don’t even have to open a cookbook… unless of course you want to.

In the year that I have been writing for Chefshopper, I have written several recipe related posts. Many would be suitable for a Fourth of July celebration. I hope you take the time to read some of my favorites.

Bacon Explosion – this recipe was literally an overnight success, last January. I realize it isn’t a healthy recipe, but if you only eat it once a year it isn’t that bad. If you’re looking for something to replace traditional Fourth of July hamburgers, this is it.

Deep-Fried Deviled Eggs - deviled eggs are another traditional Fourth of July food. This recipe takes the incredible, edible, egg one step further. It comes to you compliments of Pat and Gina Neely, of Food Network fame. (Again, I suggest only eating these occasionally.)

This recipe for Pineapple Ice Cream is both easy and delicious. I’ve made it several times with great success. It is light and satisfying, a perfect holiday BBQ dessert.

Do you have a quick and easy Fourth of July recipe you’d like to share? If so, I’d love to learn more about it.

Photo by: Ginny

This garlic peeler tube is probably one of the niftiest gadgets I’ve seen in a while. As a true lover of garlic, I’ve added it to my list of kitchen must haves… that just keeps getting longer and longer.

You simply insert whole garlic cloves into the flexible tube, press down and roll back and forth between your fingers. When you hear the skins break away, the cloves are good to go.

They will slide out of the tube, leaving the skins behind. Clean up is a breeze, just a quick rinse of the tube is all it takes. This looks to be SO much easier to use than a traditional garlic peeler, don’t you think? It really makes me wish that I had planted garlic, in my garden, this year.

I add garlic to every dish that I can possibly can. It’s one of my favorite seasonings and, let’s face it, nothing else beats the flavor of fresh. Honestly, I only use garlic powder as a backup.

If you are a garlic lover, like I am, feel free to share your favorite garlic related tip or recipe. More importantly, remember this. There is no such thing as TOO much garlic!

If you don’t own one of Anne Byrn’s Cake Doctor cookbooks, you don’t know what you’re missing. The original version was published more than 10 years ago and is still just as popular as it was back then.

Creating more involved dessert recipes from a boxed cake mix is something that I’ve found quite enjoyable. With the help of one of Anne’s books, I think you will too.

Her newest cookbook, Cake Mix Doctor Returns, features 160 totally new cake mix recipes. There are 16 cupcake and muffin recipes, 38 Bundt and pound cake recipes, 40 layer cake recipes and much more. Cookies and wedding cake and Whoopie Pies, oh my!

As prices at the grocery store continue to rise, a yummy piece of cake can still be a terrific, inexpensive, pleasure.

(If there was some way to magically extract the calories, it would be the PERFECT dessert. Don’t you think?)

In addition to the initial cookbook and The Cake Doctor Returns, other titles include: The Chocolate Cake Doctor and Cupcakes from the Cake Doctor.

For you cupcake lovers, out there, feel free to read my post on nifty cupcake stands and/or this giant cupcake pan.

Do you own one (or more) of these cookbooks? Please take a minute to tell us what you think of the cake mix recipes, contained within.

Chances are you are reading this post because you Googled the phrase ‘how to make cookies’ or something similar. Am I right? If so, please read on. Have I got a nifty little cookie maker for you!

The Nostalgia Bakery Express would make the perfect gift for anyone interested in whipping up a batch of mini cookies, in just a matter of minutes (without heating up the entire kitchen).

Because of its small size, it would be great to use at birthday parties, fundraiser events, sleep over’s and even in an RV.

The Bakery Express bakes six, 2 inch, cookies per batch. It includes 12 cute cookie cutters and eight cookie molds. The baking tray is constructed of non-stick aluminum for easy clean up. It features a handy temperature control dial, as well.

Nostalgia Electrics is well-known for producing, fun, countertop appliances. I’ve showcased their cotton candy maker and hot dog roller/grill combo, in the past.

The question of how to make cookies is no longer a mystery with this particular cookie maker. Whether you’re hungry for chocolate chip, peanut butter or oatmeal cookies, the Bakery Express has you covered.

If you’ve had the opportunity to use this appliance, feel free to share your comments with cookie lovers everywhere!

If you are looking for a yummy monkey bread recipe, you’ve come to the right place. As you can see, the recipe in this video looks more than a little bit delicious… YUM! Bake it in this groovy monkey bread mold, for added eye appeal.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a huge cinnamon lover. However, I do enjoy monkey bread. It is a fun dessert to make, simple enough for your children to assist you with.

I’m rather ashamed to admit that as many times as I’ve whipped up a monkey bread recipe, it has never occurred to me to use a Ziploc bag (containing cinnamon and sugar) to coat the dough pieces. DUH! What a time saver, huh?

This particular recipe grabbed my attention, I think, because of the addition of raisins. If you are a ‘craisin’ fan, I’m sure they would work just as well.

Honestly, when you think about it there are several other creative add-ins that would jazz up this monkey bread recipe. You are really only limited by your imagination. (How many times have I said THAT?)

I think that monkey bread is rather like meatloaf in the respect that everyone has their own special recipe. Care to share yours?

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely LOVE fresh pineapple. My only issue, with it, has to do with how to cut it up.

It seems I’m not alone. ‘How to cut pineapple’ is one of the most popular Google searches relating to the fruit.

I’m sure that the majority of folks cut it up with their favorite kitchen knife. But, I think I’m going to take the plunge and pick up this Norpro Grip EZ Melon and Pineapple Cutter

It looks like it comes in quite handy and is even available in three nifty colors… green, yellow and tangerine.

(Ok, who else is humming the melody of ‘Green Tangerine, now? Please don’t tell me I’m the only one.)

As the name implies, this particular pineapple cutter would also work wonders for your favorite variety of melon, as well.

If you don’t want to purchase this tool, you can cut a pineapple as follows:

• Cut off the stalk
• Cut off the top & bottom (so pineapple will sit flat)
• Cut the skin off the sides, in strips
• Lay pineapple on it’s side and cut into slices
• Carefully core each slice and enjoy, enjoy, ENJOY!

Now you know how to cut a pineapple, But, don’t eat it all before you read my post on homemade pineapple ice cream.

Calling all pepperhead’s… this post is for you. Today, I want to touch on (but not ACTUALLY touch) the Bhut Jolokia pepper.

This little bundle of pure heat measures a whopping 1,001,304 SHU’s. The ONLY thing hotter is pure capsaicin, the substance that makes peppers hot in the first place.

The term SHU’s refers to Scoville Heat Units, named after Dr. Wilber Scoville. He came up with this testing method, in 1912. On the scale, zero represents no heat whatsoever. So, in a nutshell, that means the higher the number, the hotter the pepper.

This is how some other peppers rate on the scale:

• Habanero – 100,000 to 450,000 SHU’s
• Thai or Pepin – 50,000 to 100,000 SHU’s
• Tabasco or Cayenne – 30,000 to 50,000 SHU’s
• Serrano – 5,000 to 15,000 SHU’s
• Jalapeno – ONLY 2,500 to 5,000 SHU’s
• Green Bell – 0 to 100 SHU’s

When handling the world’s hottest pepper, it is imperative that you wear rubber gloves. This will help to prevent any burning, of the skin.

Merchants that sell Bhut Jolokia peppers recommend that you use a pepper grinder to prepare (dried peppers) and serve them, because such a small amount is needed.

In the event that your skin starts burning, rinsing it with whole milk will help to ease the discomfort.

Photo by: L’eau Bleue @ Flickr.com