Regular readers have probably guessed that I’ve added Chicago Metallic Lift and Serve Bakeware to my every growing wish list… especially the pan pictured, here. (The singles square pan.)

Cheesecake lovers, take note. There is also a round Metallic Lift and Serve available, PERFECT for yummy mini bites of cheesy sweet goodness. Bring on the blueberries!

Both of these pieces of bakeware will work for SO many things. However, it is recommended that you forego recipes which incorporate of some type of thin batter, because there is a chance of leakage via the removable bottoms.

The singles square pan has one dozen individual baking cups. The edge of each is fluted, lending a fancier presentation to your finished baked goods. These pans are constructed of heavy metal and are made to withstand years of serious baking.

Whether you are making quiche, cheesecakes, bar cookies, hors d’oeuvres or even itty bitty meatloaves… using this bakeware will make it that much easier.

Because the surface is non-stick, there is no need to oil these pans. This will cut down just a tad, when it comes the calories that you will be consuming. Every little bit helps, right?

The square Metallic Lift and Serve includes a recipe for quiche, to get you started.

Very seldom do I talk about products created to assist you in cleaning the kitchen, but I recently discovered this hard floor cleaner and really think that it’s worth mentioning to you.

The iRobot Scooba 380, pictured here, is one of several well-known brands of hard floor cleaners. It works wonders on tile, linoleum and sealed hardwood floors so it is perfect for your non-carpeted kitchen.

A single battery charge will allow the Scooba to clean 850 square feet of flooring. That typically translates into three to four average size rooms.

What I think is so cool about this particular model is that it will clean under tables and cabinet edges, while ignoring any rugs and carpet in the immediate area.

Hard floor cleaners, such as this one, would make a wonderful gift for anyone… but especially those who have a difficult time cleaning the kitchen floor, in a traditional manner.

The Scooba employs a four stage cleaning system. It actually preps, washes, scrubs and dries your floor in just a few minutes. Its cleaning pattern covers the entire surface an average of five times, from start to finish.

It uses either a water and vinegar or fresh scent (Clorox based) cleaning solution. It comes with battery, charging base, two virtual walls and storage mat.

If you do a bit of research, you will find that there are several brands of small deep fryers on the market, today. They are perfect for one or two person households, when small portions are ‘just enough’.

The Deni Mini Deep Fryer is one such model. Pictured here, it is one of those small appliances that you will probably want to keep on you countertop. It can be used to prepare a wide variety of quick meals and snacks, without taking up a great deal of space.

This little fryer will fry the same foods that a larger unit will. Chicken, donuts, french fries, poppers, cheese curds, fish, small pies and a wide variety of veggies are all fair game.

A one quart oil capacity means that you won’t have to spend a bundle, on cooking oil. If you get in the habit of straining the oil, after every use, you will save even more money.

This small deep fryer has a cool touch handle and an odor eliminating filter in the lid, which I feel are VERY beneficial features. The lid has a nifty viewing window, as well. This allows you to keep an eye on things, greatly reducing the possibility of getting burned.

There are SO many really nifty BBQ accessories out there. These Curved Shish Kabob Skewers definitely fit into that category… don’t you think?

If you have or know someone who uses a smaller (round) charcoal grill, these skewers would be perfect for them.

If you take the time to read the reviews, on this product, you will see that they work well with the ever popular ‘Weber Q’ model. It can actually accommodate eight skewers at a time.

If you host a lot of summertime get-togethers, these are a must! As you can see by the picture, these particular curved shish kabob skewers, look quite festive on a plate. Pretty classy, indeed!

They measure eight inches in diameter, meaning they can hold a large quantity of meats, seafood and veggies. Shish kabobs are a fun food because you can get so creative with them. You can even incorporate you favorite fruit, if the spirit moves you. I don’t know about you but I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

They are available in sets of four. Their non-stick feature makes cleanup a breeze.

While you are in the BBQ mood, I invite you to read my recent post about this meatball grill basket. You can grill twelve yummy meatballs at a time, almost as easy as 1, 2, 3!

A few days ago, I wrote about Play and Freeze Ice Cream Balls. I think these are SO neat, a great summertime activity for the kids.

After doing a bit more research, I stumbled upon the following information which I found quite helpful.

If you have smaller children who will be using the ice cream ball, you might want to go with the pint sized version. Why? The small ball weighs 7 pounds, when full. The mega (quart) size ball can weigh up to 10 pounds, when full.

It’s very important to remember that you need to leave at least an inch of ‘free space’ in the ball to allow for expansion.

You can use almost any type of cream in this ice cream ball. Lighter varieties, such as half and half, will take a few minutes longer to freeze and will produce a lighter ice cream.

For those of you who have never purchased rock salt, it is inexpensive and easy to find. I buy mine at grocery store. It is usually located in the spice and seasonings aisle.

The basic vanilla ice cream recipe, for the pint sized ice cream ball, is as follows:

• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1 ½ t. vanilla
• 1/3 cup plus 2 T. sugar

That’s all there is to it. What could be easier? You can, of course, add in whatever extras you’d like.

Photo by: Francis Bourgouin

I just baked a yummy loaf of bread in my Zojirushi bread machine. My house smells WONDERFUL and my dog is looking at me like I baked it just for him.

While I was putting the ingredients into the bread pan, I realized that I’ve never tried one of the many Bread Machine Mixes available today. I honestly can’t tell you why. They certainly are convenient.

Mixes like this are pretty much ‘dump and bake’. Dump in the mix, dump in the liquid, turn on the machine and you are go to go.

The variety pack, pictured here, would make a great gift. Don’t you think? Especially if the recipient is new to bread machine baking.

Mixes include: honey wheat bread, New England herb bread, Idaho potato white bread and country farm white bread. Each mix makes a large loaf.

I also ran across a fruity sample pack that includes the mix to make one loaf each of knobby apple cinnamon bread, prairie sunflower bread, California raisin bread and cranberry nut bread.

These bread machine mixes all get rave reviews. They are convenient to keep on hand and so easy to prepare. You’ll consider yourself lucky if it isn’t all gobbled up, before it gets cool.

When I look at an Ice Cream Ball, one of the first things I say to myself is ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ It’s a neat product that your kids will love. I can almost guarantee it.

This ice cream ball is great to take to the beach, on camping trips and on picnics. You can even use it right in your own backyard. Making ice cream, in this manner, is a nifty way to get a bit of exercise and have fun doing it.

The ball comes in two sizes… pint and quart capacity. You place rock salt in one side of the ball and ice cream ingredients in the other. Then you pass, lightly kick or toss the ball around, for 30 minutes. It’s as easy as that!

You can use virtually any ice cream recipe in an ice cream ball. If you purchase a few smaller size balls, you’ll find that it really won’t take much extra effort to make two or three kinds, in a single ‘exercise session’.

If you are interested in making ice cream in a more traditional manner, please read my post on the Cuisinart ICE-45 Ice Cream Maker. It makes soft serve ice cream, sherbet and yogurt. All I can say is… YUM!

There are several companies that make old fashioned Apple Peeler Corer Slicers, like the one pictured here. Honestly, looking at it makes me feel a bit old, since my mom and grandma both owned one. That being said, it really is a nifty contraption to have on hand… especially during apple season.

As the name implies, this appliance peels, cores and slices apples (and potatoes). Believe me; the kids will LOVE to help you with this once tedious task. They’ll probably eat more apples, as well.

This particular apple peeler, brought to you by Back to Basics, is constructed out of cast iron and should last for years. It either attaches to the edge of your countertop or table or ‘suction cups’ to the top of a flat surface.

(Yes, I just made up and used the term ‘suction cups’. What can I say except that it’s been a strange week.)

The peeler also features a thumb screw that allows you to choose a thin or thicker peel option.

If you prefer an electric apple peeler that doesn’t slice or core, feel free to read my post about the Rotato Express Electric Peeler. Although this one looks like its more fun to use, don’t you think?

In a previous post, I talked about the many benefits of owning an Aerogarden. But for those who don’t want to invest that much, when it comes to growing their own parsley and such, I think Herb Garden Kits are the next best thing. They are available in many different varieties and price ranges and are just plain fun to use.

It you live in a cold winter climate, like I do, indoor herb gardens come in SO handy during that time. This is especially true if you are an avid cook.

The herb garden kit, pictured here, would make a great gift. It’s larger than some and provides an excellent variety of herbs to choose from including: thyme, parsley, dill, basil, cilantro, oregano, chives, sweet marjoram, savory, sage, garlic chives and mustard. Honestly, who could ask for more?

You might say that this herb garden kit is ‘the king of all kits’. It gets really good reviews and is very sturdy. There are even enough seeds and soil plugs (starter pellets) to do a second planting.

Herb gardening is a wonderful, not to mention educational, project for children of all ages. It’s suitable for scout troops, homeschooling families and future farmers alike.

I’ve been feeling a bit nostalgic this week. I’ve also had quite a craving for popcorn… ‘old-fashioned’ non microwaved popcorn.

I’m happy to report that my problems are almost over. I just ordered a Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper.

This one is a slightly revamped version of the popcorn maker my Mom used, when I was growing up. Talk about yummy memories!

Let’s face it; the Stir Crazy Popcorn Popper makes popping just plain fun. It is capable of making both theater style popcorn and kettle corn. The motorized stirring rod is the key to popcorn perfection.

Preparing it this way is SO much easier than making it on the stovetop. The best part is there are almost NO un-popped kernels. In fact, the Stir Crazy Popper successfully pops approximately 25 percent more popcorn than other machines using the same amount of kernels.

I always loved the built in butter well and the fact that you just flip the popped corn into the cover that magically turns into a bowl… well, maybe not magically…

It has a heat resistant base and handles. The power cord is removable, for easy storage, as well.

Popcorn, minus the butter, is a very healthy treat. One cup of air popped popcorn contains only 31 calories. All I can say is GET POPPIN’!