Showing posts with label Product Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Product Reviews. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Wing Recipe

 My air fryer crispy chicken wing recipe and method reviewed

Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Wing Recipe

Everybody in our family likes crispy chicken wings. I have never quite mastered crispy wings until I made them in our Ninja Foodi Grill and Air Fryer. So, if you like your chicken wings crispy this is the way to do it.

We had a crowd the day we made these so I used a 5-pound bag of chicken wings. Normally I would do about 2-pounds.

How I prepared the chicken wings:

one gallon zip lock bags
2 tablespoons olive oil per bag
3 to 4 tablespoons baking powder per bag


Seasoning:

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar

All of the above ingredients are per one bag of 15 or 20 wings. The first thing I did was, rinse the wings with cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel.

You can really use any already made chicken seasoning, just add a generous amount to each bag. Place the wings in a zip lock bag, add all the ingredients and mix well. Set the bags in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

I sprayed the air fry pan with non-stick cooking spray. Then, I set the air fry temperature to 390 degrees and the timer for 22 minutes. When the air fryer was preheated I added the wings, fitting about 12 to 15 wings in the pan. After 11 minutes I turned the wings over for the remaining 11 minutes.

Preparing the hot sauce:

1 stick of butter (melted)

Mix this together well in a large bowl. If you really like your wings hot add a dash of cayenne pepper. For me, the hot wing sauce is hot enough. Toss the crispy wings in the sauce and enjoy.

Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Wings

These crispy wings are perfect anytime for a snack or party. Your family and friends will love these air fryer wings.


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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Wednesday, April 13, 2022

The Best Large, Sturdy, Adjustable, Over-the-Sink Dish Drying Rack

If you hand wash a lot of dishes, nonstick cookware, etc. or have a small kitchen with limited counter space, a large, over-the-sink dish drying rack with two or three tiers can be a great solution.

I recently purchased a large, sturdy, adjustable over-the-sink dish drying rack that easily spans our nearly 33-inch wide double sink. The over sink dish rack we chose easily accommodates our nonstick pots, pans and bakeware, measuring cups and spoons, dishes, mixing bowls, cups, glasses, cutlery, kitchen utensils, and even our large salad spinner and cake carrier. It also gets our bottle and dish brushes, sponges and dish soap off the counter, freeing up valuable kitchen counter space and helping to keep those items neatly organized and easily accessible.

We couldn’t be more thrilled with our new Boosiny stainless steel, 3-tier over sink dish drying rack. Here’s my in-depth product review.

Free Up Valuable Kitchen Counter Space! Over-the-Sink Dish Drying Rack - Adjustable & Customizable

Since my husband and I are the only ones in our household, we only run the dishwasher every few days, when we have a full load, to save energy and water. So, in addition to our handwashing our nonstick cookware and baking pans, cast iron skillet, carbon steel knives, Thermos Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Travel Tumblers, etc. we also hand wash quite a few dishwasher-safe items that we use every day, such as our tall Vitamix blender (for our smoothies), extra-long Vitamix curved silicone scraper spatula, an extra-large cutting board, chef's knife and 5-quart salad spinner for our nightly dinner salads, two tall shaker bottles for our daily electrolyte supplement drinks, 12-inch pizza pans for our countertop oven, and measuring cups and spoons.

With the exception of our cast iron cookware and carbon steel knives, which need to be towel-dried immediately after washing to prevent rust, we prefer to let our hand washed kitchenware items air dry on a rack. Until recently, however, we haven't had a proper dish drying rack. (In fact, I'm embarrassed to admit that for a long time we were using one of our large stainless steel wire cooling racks as a makeshift countertop dish drying rack until we could figure out a better solution.)

Our old, very small kitchen has extremely limited counter space. The usable surface of those small counters is even smaller, because our Ninja CE251 programmable coffee maker, microwave, food processor, Vitamix blender, KitchenAid mixer and Instant Pot pressure cooker are lined up along the far edge. (We use most of these every day and the built-in kitchen cabinets are too full to store them when they aren't actively in use.) Finding a dish rack with the capacity to handle all our hand washed kitchen items that wouldn't take up any more of our limited counter space than necessary proved challenging.

Types of Dish Drying Racks to Consider

When I started researching dish drying racks, I found four types worth considering for our kitchen.

Traditional Countertop Dish Drainers with Drainboards

Traditional dish drying racks sit on the counter right next to the sink. They are placed over a rimmed rubber drainboard with a lip, where the water collects and drains into the sink. These are very popular and work well for many households. Unfortunately, this type was neither spacious or sturdy enough for our needs, and we didn't have space in the kitchen to store it when not in use to free up that counter space.

Roll-Up Dish Drying Racks

Roll-up over-the-sink dish drying racks can be a great choice if counter space is at a premium or if you like your kitchen counters to look clean and uncluttered. The biggest advantage of this type of drying rack is that it can be rolled up compactly (similar to a bamboo sushi rolling mat) and stored in a kitchen drawer or under the sink when not in use.

One that I considered is the Ahyuan roll up dish drying rack, which is made from high quality 304 stainless steel rods held together on either end with food-grade silicone strips. It comes in several sizes, including one large enough to span the front and back lip of our kitchen sink surround. However, since the base of our kitchen faucet fixture is very close to the edge of the sink, only half of the dish rack could rest on the lip of the surround, while the other half would have to lay on the counter. Also, even the largest size (20.5" x 19.6") would not have enough room to dry all our hand washed dishes, pots, pans, cooking and eating utensils, blender jar, food processor bowl and accessories, etc.

2-Tier or 3-Tier Countertop Dish Drying Racks

Tiered countertop dish drying racks have become increasingly popular in recent years. The very attractive 3-tiered X-cosrack black stainless steel dish drying rack would be fantastic for someone who has enough space for a rack that lives on the countertop. This well designed, adjustable dish rack is large and sturdy enough to accommodate plenty of hand washed dishes, cookware, etc., yet has a fairly compact footprint (15.7" long x 11.2" wide x 22.8" tall). I love that it comes with a utensil holder basket and removable plastic drainboards for each of the three wire shelf baskets. Each shelf basket can be removed and put back quickly easily to adjust them to your preferred height or for cleaning.

This excellent, well made dish rack has nearly 1,000 rave reviews on Amazon. I was sorely tempted to order one, but since we don't have enough counter space to leave it out all the time and it would prevent access to the blender and food processor that would live behind it, I knew it wasn't the right solution for our needs.

2-Tier or 3-Tier Over-the-Sink Dish Drying Racks

These are very similar to the tiered countertop dish drying racks, but they have the advantage of taking up only about an inch of counter space on either side of the kitchen sink and draining directly into it. Unlike roll-up dish racks, they also do not interfere with access to or use of the sink or faucet while your dishes, glasses, pots, pans, etc. are drying.

During my research I read numerous product reviews of highly rated tiered over-the-sink dish drying racks on Amazon. It quickly became apparent that there are significant differences in design, materials and manufacturing quality as well as adjustability, dimensions and capacity between brands and models.

Many models could not be adjusted to span our nearly 33-inch wide double sink. Some did not seem deep or sturdy enough to accommodate a large, heavy casserole dish or Dutch oven, for example. Some were harder to assemble and adjust, and some were more prone to rusting.

Fortunately, I found one that ticked all the boxes for us.

Boosiny 3-tier stainless steel adjustable over sink dish drying rack
Our stainless steel 3-tier over-the-sink dish drying rack doesn't block the view out our kitchen window, even when we pile it high with hand washed dishes, mixing bowls, storage containers, etc.

Reclaim Valuable Kitchen Counter Space With an Over-The-Sink Dish Drying Rack

Given both our limited storage and counter space and the eclectic nature and varying sizes, shapes and weights of the dishes, glasses, pots, pans, cooking and eating utensils, etc., we typically wash by hand, we decided to go with one of the tiered over sink dish racks.

The one we ultimately chose is the Boosiny stainless steel, 3-tier over sink dish drying rack, which I recommend highly.;

Here's why we love it.

Note: We purchased the regular stainless steel version. There is also a less expensive stainless steel model with a gray coating that is slightly different in size, design, and number and style of accessories (for example, it has only six hooks instead of 10).

Sturdy, Stable and Roomy

  • This well made Boosiny stainless steel rack is roomy, stable and solidly built. In fact, it can hold up to 180 lbs. of dishes, pots, pans and other kitchenware and dishwashing supplies!
    • Even when our hand washing load is large and includes one of my heavy vintage ceramic Corningware French White casserole dishes or my enameled cast iron Le Creuset stockpot, this heavy-duty 3-tier dish drying rack can handle it with ease.
  • Some days, my husband and I end up using only part of its generous capacity. Other days, especially if I am baking or cooking something that involves a lot of prep (or measuring cups and spoons), we fill up every inch.

Useful Accessories

The Boosiny 3-tier over-the-sink dish drying rack comes with several accessories that clip onto or hook into the frame:

  • A utensil holder basket with a removable plastic bottom for easy cleaning.
  • A slotted knife holder, also with a removable plastic bottom.
  • A clip-on cutting board holder (we love this thoughtful feature!)
  • A handy small basket compartment for sponges, dish rags, steel wool pads, etc. (which the manufacturer refers to as a "detergent holder")
  • A cup rack that clips onto the side of one of the main shelf baskets
  • A set of 10 long clip-on hooks
    • We use some of ours to hold dish and bottle brushes, and use the rest to hang measuring cups, measuring spoons, cooking utensils with loops or holes, and our stainless steel mesh scrubbing "cloth" for cleaning cast iron pans.

Note: We are planning to bend the arms on the cup rack at a more acute angle, since some of our drinking glasses won't stay on them as is.

Adjustable and Customizable

  • The width of the frame is adjustable from a minimum of 25.6" to a maximum of 33.5" to fit most sinks.
  • The two main racks baskets also slide telescope-fashion to match the desired frame width.
  • Hooks, baskets and other attachments are also completely configurable as desired and can be changed quickly and easily without tools.

Extremely Easy to Assemble and Adjust to Your Liking

  • Minimal assembly required. You can fully assemble and customize the rack to your preferences in about 10 minutes!
  • Start by using the included hex key to connect the horizontal bars to the upright posts and use the small wrench to attach the feet. There are also suction cups for the two back feet for added stability.
  • Next, adjust width of the frame by sliding the horizontal bars and turning the knobs to tighten and stabilize the frame at the desired width.
  • Extend or collapse the two main wire shelves (baskets) to match the width of the frame and hook the tabs into the slotted frame posts at your desired height.
  • Attach the accessories wherever you wish by clipping the utensil holder, slotted knife holder, cutting board holder, sponge/soap holder, cup rack and hooks to the frame or the main wire shelf baskets.
  • You can also rearrange them quickly and easily to find the perfect configuration for your needs.

Easy-to-Clean, Rust-Resistant and Scratch-Resistant Stainless Steel

  • This heavy-duty dish rack is made from high-quality grade 304 stainless steel and is rust- and corrosion-resistant. According to the many glowing product reviews on Amazon, it holds up well over time without rusting issues.
    • Per the manufacturer, this unit passed a 24-hour salt test, an excellent predictor of its resistance to rust and corrosion.
  • Since the wire shelves and accessories attach with tabs or hooks, they are easy to remove and replace, as needed, for periodic cleaning, if desired.

Doesn't Obstruct the View

We are lucky enough to live on a pretty, tree-lined street. One of our concerns when we purchased this 3-tier over-the-sink dish drying rack was that it would be an eyesore and block or partially obstruct the view out our large, counter-to-ceiling kitchen windows. As you can see from my photo, even when the rack is loaded up with dishes, bowls, cookware and even a huge, opaque plastic cake storage box, we can still enjoy the view.

Need a Smaller Dish Rack?

If you like the features of the Boosiny stainless steel, 3-tier over sink dish drying rack but prefer something smaller and more affordable that sits on your counter, this manufacturer also makes several excellent 2-tier dish drying racks, including the Boosiny 304 Stainless Steel 2 Tier Large Dish Rack and Drainboard Set with Utensil Holder, Cup Holder and Dish Drainer.

The Best Large, Sturdy, Adjustable, Over-the-Sink Dish Drying Rack Cards by Margaret Schindel


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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, April 11, 2022

Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Wifi Review

No sprinkler system? Sprinkler system envy this year? If you have to water a large area of land or just regularly water a garden bed then a wifi controlled hose timer may be for you. Newly planted landscaping definitely need attentive watering and a hose timer can be a great time saver to expedite watering.

wifi hose timer

After a large revamp of the garden beds this year it was clear the area needed frequent watering and it was also clear the location of the outdoor water faucets did not correspond with the area needing watering. Many hoses and hose extensions would be required along with constant monitoring and moving of the sprinklers.

I researched quite a few remote controlled or Wifi controlled hose timers in order to expedite the watering of the garden beds. Of course remote controlled hoses do not spare the gardener from moving the hoses! Pro Tip: End the watering by leaving the hose/hose timer in the area that needs the most water, then you can remotely start watering that area the next day.

Orbit B-hyve Smart Hose Wifi

Pros Of The B-Hyve

  • Easy to setup
  • Wifi "hub" is a plug in unit
  • Phone App
  • Easy to water manually via app
  • Available in one, two or four zones
  • Alexa compatible


Cons of The B-Hyve

  • This is not necessarily a con, but the app contains alot of bells and whistles to customize a watering schedule.
  • Wifi "hub" is a plug in unit so if you lose electricity and/Wifi the timer will not work
  • When the remaining battery life is 30% the timer cannot be engaged via app

Recommendation
The B-Hyve Smart Hose Timer has worked flawlessly for this home. The unit has 4.5/5.0  stars with over 4,000 reviews on Amazon and the reviewers were accurate. I chose the one zone unit and never had any issues with its' performance. 
This would be a great gift for the gardener! One of those I always wanted, but have never bought... purchases!



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Sunday, April 10, 2022

How to Fix a Gap at the Bottom of a Door - A Review



Our laundry room door opens to the garage. We recently noticed that time created a gap at the bottom that allowed light, and gawd knows what else to come through!

I did a lot of reading and research to decide which product my husband should use to repair this problem.

Things We Had to Consider:
  • It's a metal door and being a door to the garage, it's a fire door.
  • Products we could DIY
  • However, feel free to double-check and get a professional opinion on the best products to use with a fire door. We're happy with the product we selected.
  • Affordability
  • Easy to install

Information We Needed Before We Decided on the Best Product:

  • The depth and width of the door
  • A close measurement of how big the open gap is at the bottom of the door (between the floor and the door)
  • To choose a fire-rated product
  • Something that was affordable and that we could do ourselves

Allow Me To Save You Some Time:

I researched for hours to find what we thought would be the best product to solve our problem. 

The biggest problem was the endless number of products to choose from!

We chose two products for our exterior door:
  1. U-Shaped Door Bottom with Drip Cap (To fit a 1(3/4)" door width)
  2. Door Draft Stopper for Exterior/Interior Doors - Weather Stripping Door Sweep. Here's the one we purchased from Amazon Canada. Here's a similar product on Amazon USA - It's not the exact same, but very close.

1. The U-Shaped Door Bottom:

This product also comes with a door sweep on it. The benefit for us is that it helped fill in the gap at the bottom of the door. 



It also has a "drip cap." We really didn't need a drip cap since our door is in the garage and not exposed to the elements; however, I preferred the extra coverage the drip cap provided. Plus, it looks nice.

This product slides onto the bottom of the door but needs to be secured with the enclosed screws. You'll need a drill for that.

Our door depth measured 1(3/4)," and the u-shaped door bottom slid on perfectly. 

Our door is 30" wide, and the product comes as one whole piece measuring 36" wide. 

My husband cut the metal piece to fit our door using a Dremel Tool with a cutting disk. Hubby said you could also use a hacksaw. 

His tip is to be sure to measure the width correctly (double-check it) before you begin cutting.

Here's what a Dremel tool looks like:




Here's a close-up of the cutting disks:




2. Door Draft Stopper for Exterior/Interior Doors

This product is pretty easy to put on the door. My hubby's tip is to ensure the door is clean before putting it on. The product sticks on, so it only makes sense that you'll want to have a good clean surface. 

You'll have to cut it to fit your door. 

Here are the easy instructions indicated on the box that came with our product:


Here are a few photos of our actual door - which badly needs painting!


This is the Metal Slide On Door Sweep - View from the Outside of the Door


This is the weather guard on the inside of the door





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Friday, April 8, 2022

Cobbler Aprons with Pockets & Snap Front Closure Reviewed

cobbler apron
Anyone who cooks knows the value of a great apron, but you may not be familiar with the snap front cobbler apron.

For as long as I can remember, my mother has preferred the cobbler apron style which resembles a lightweight vest with pockets. Because she has several, all of my siblings and relatives (men included) have been seen sporting one of her fabulous aprons. 

I must confess, I like to wear them to cover my clothing when I am eating spaghetti or soup. Certain meals tend to "find" their way to my blouses regardless of how careful I am.  My mom's cobbler aprons have saved a lot of beautiful blouses and shirts over the years.

Cobbler aprons are easy to slip on and snap closed, plus they have pockets for cell phones, jewelry you may need to slip off while cooking, or recipe cards.  Because they are lightweight, they don't make you hot while cooking and there are no ties that come untied or hinder you when moving around the kitchen.

In the past, the lightweight cobbler aprons my mom prefers, were very hard to find. However, thanks to online shopping, they have become much easier to acquire.

Even though my mom is small, we buy the aprons in the large size which truly allows anyone in our family to wear them when needed. Mom and I have found them to be fabulous when crafting too!


Cobbler Aprons with Pockets & Snap Front Closure

AmeriMark Easy-Care Snap Front Cobbler Aprons Vest with Two Patch PocketsAmeriMark Easy-Care Snap Front Cobbler Aprons Vest with Two Patch PocketsCheck PriceCobbler aprons are available in a variety of fabric patterns that include flowers, animals, birds, butterflies, nautical, holiday, and even abstract art designs are options.

If you have trouble tying apron ties, or keeping them tied, you will love the cobbler apron which simply snaps in the front.

Because they are made of a cotton-blend material, they can be machine washed and dried often.  

Like my mom, the cobbler apron could easily become your favorite apron to grab when working in the kitchen, for light gardening, or crafting. The pockets really do make them more universal in appeal and practical use.


 AmeriMark Easy-Care Snap Front Cobbler Aprons Vest with Two Patch Pockets Black Patchwork LargeCheck Price AmeriMark Easy-Care Snap Front Cobbler Aprons Vest with Two Patch Pockets Hibiscus LargeCheck Price AmeriMark Easy-Care Snap Front Cobbler Aprons Vest with Two Patch Pockets Lilac Fruit LargeCheck Price AmeriMark Easy-Care Snap Front Cobbler Aprons Vest with Two Patch Pockets Teal Cats LargeCheck Price AmeriMark Easy-Care Snap Front Cobbler Aprons Vest with Two Patch Pockets Purple Dogs LargeCheck Price

 



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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, April 4, 2022

Reviewing Two Gardening Planner Visual Aids That Helped Me Get Started

Not counting tomatoes and squash, I have not been a successful gardener. And I would dearly love to have a productive vegetable garden. However, I am especially bad at starting my own seeds. I am also really bad at putting plants out too late in the season. Until this year!  This year I have had the help of two seed-starting guides. Today I am reviewing the Clyde's Garden Planner and my local Extension Service Garden Calendar. I haven't yet transplanted my seedlings outside but already am seeing much better results!

 


I have never had much success at starting vegetable seeds for gardens. I also have never had much success outside of growing tomatoes and squash. It always caused me to wonder - why could I grow enough tomatoes and squash to feed a small army but nothing else. Over the past couple of seasons I have learned that successful seed starting has to do with two main things; timing related to last frost and growing conditions. Here I am reviewing two things I am depending on this year with seed starting that relates to timing related to frost dates.

My Past Garden Failures - Not Understanding Frost Dates and Growing Seasons

My gardening style had historically been to buy all of the different vegetable plants I wanted, when they are available in the store, and stick them in the ground (or containers when I lived in the apartment) at the same time. Most - if not all - of those plants died.

Because I am a procrastinator, I often planted late in the spring. I now realize that it was warm enough then for the tomatoes and squash to be happy. But the cool weather plants withered away. And the plants that needed a longer growing season never had the length of time they needed to produce their vegetable.

When I did start seeds, I would start tomatoes indoors and they sprouted despite my ineptitude. If I was lucky enough (rather than skilled enough) to place them in a south-facing window, I ended up with excellent tomato plants. Otherwise, I ended up with super tall, super thin plants that died (I know now that this is called "leggy" and it's from lack of adequate light). I found that I could start squash plants outside by putting seeds in the ground by the time I got around to it (very late spring/early summer). But plants such as watermelon, cantaloupe, and pumpkin would grow vines but no vegetable. They didn't have enough time.

I have since learned that vegetable seeds need to be started in related to frost dates. Which means the "last frost date" which is the projected last day in the spring that your area could receive frost and the "first frost date" which is the projected first day in the fall when the temperatures are lowering and frost could appear. 

Last Frost Date and Counting Backward

Somewhere along the way, I learned that seed packets give directions about starting seeds. For example, my Amish Paste Tomato seed packets read "Start indoors 6-10 weeks before last frost."  That's very helpful. 

It is easy to do an internet search for your expected last frost date for that year. This year, mine is May 5th. But then it was a matter of using a calendar and counting back however many weeks for each thing I wanted to plant. I am not an organized type of person and this making lists from calendars and counting back was sheer madness for me.

Then I discovered Clyde's Garden Planner. Absolute relief. 

Clyde's Garden Planter was the best $7 I have ever spent. It is a simple sleeve of super thick card stock folder over, holding another piece of card stock that slides back and forth. You locate your average last frost date in the spring, slide the red line indicating the last frost to that date, and voila! You can easily and quickly see the recommended planting dates (and whether it is to "seed indoors" or "outdoor planting") of 21 different plants!



Easy as that!

I cannot adequately describe how helpful this one little visual tool has been.

More advanced gardeners will appreciate that at each end of the slide there is a wealth of information such as 

  • how many ounces of seeds for a 10' row
  • planting depth
  • distance between rows
  • distance between plants
  • approximate produce yields per 10' row
  • natural plant companions
Finally, turn the card over and you have the chart for summer and fall planting related to the first frost date expected in the fall. 

2022 Garden Calendar - WV Extension Service


The other visual aid that I was thrilled to find just a couple of weeks ago was this wonderful calendar. I received my free copy from a local family-owned nursery.

In this calendar, the pages are full of information about when to plant or harvest plants, reminders for gardening schedules (such as fertilizing, propagating, and watching for garden pests). 

As each area is very different, I will not go into more detail about this calendar. And while I knew that in the United States, we have the Extension Offices that we can contact if we have questions about things such as invasive insects. But I did not know that there was information such as this calendar available. At least at my local Extension Office.

If you are not aware of what your local Extension Office offers, it would be worth giving them a call or checking out their website. 

Related Links:

If you'd like to see a video of my Tomato and Pepper seedlings, click here. I am not an official "YouTuber". I started posting videos to show family and friends my progress on my land. Now that I've moved into my new home I have had a bit more to share and a bit more people interested in looking. 

I previously reviewed The First-Time Gardener Growing Vegetables by Jessica Sowards which has been an extremely helpful and encouraging book about gardening. 




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Friday, April 1, 2022

12" Baking Pans & Casserole Dish that Fit Calphalon Countertop Ovens

Countertop Oven Cookware
Last year I purchased a new Calphalon Performance Cool Touch Countertop Oven, which I still love and use often.  The biggest challenge I had when I purchased my countertop oven was finding baking dishes that were large enough for meals, but small enough to fit inside the oven.  

The interior rack is approximately 13" x 11" which is misleading because it sounds like most standard baking pans would fit, however most do not fit due to handles or depth size.  Therefore, I needed new cake pans, pizza pans and a casserole dish that didn't slant at the top or have handles.  Surprisingly, the casserole dish was not easy to find.

Most cookware is measured at the bottom.  A standard cake pan bottom will be 12" x 8½", but the top measurement is closer to 15" x 10" and will not fit in a 13" (interior measurement) countertop oven.

In addition to handles, casserole dishes often have rolled edges or "lips", which means the lovely top of the casserole dish ends up making that dish to big for a countertop oven.  Needless to say, when I found a plain, flat sided 12½" casserole dish, I was thrilled. 


My 12½" White Casserole Dish that Fits My Countertop Oven

 HIC Oblong Rectangular Baking Dish Roasting Lasagna Pan,
Fine White Porcelain
Check Price
During my search, I found I had to rely on customer reviews by individuals who actually measured the cookware.  Ironically, in most cases, they were complaining that the dish was slightly smaller than advertised.  For me, that half-inch made all the difference.  I assume the seller measured the outside of the box instead of the actual dish, which is actually a pretty common mistake when writing a listing online. 

Not only does this awesome casserole dish fit my countertop oven, it is also dishwasher safe

I have used this casserole dish for lasagna, lemon chicken, pork chop casserole and more.  All of these dinners easily fit inside the dish and cook splendidly. I have not cooked a cake yet, but other reviews indicate that it is also great for a cake or brownies. 

This is a must-have casserole dish for 13" (interior) countertop ovens!


12" Pizza Pans & Other Bakeware

 Pizza Baking Pan Pizza Tray - Deedro 12 inch Stainless Steel Pizza Pan Round Pizza Baking Sheet Oven Tray Pizza Crisper Pan, Healthy Pizza Cooking Pan for Oven, 2 PackCheck PricePizza pans were another challenge.  I had never considered the size of a pizza pan before.  It simply isn't an issue in a regular oven.  However, all of my pizza pans have handle grips and are over 14" wide, which is too large for the countertop oven.  Therefore, the pizza pan search began and it was just as hard as the casserole dish.

My Calphalon Countertop Oven included one pizza pan.  Since my husband and I do not like the same toppings, I always prepare two pizzas for dinner.  Therefore, I needed a second pizza pan.

I was very excited to find the pizza pans featured on the right.  They come in a set of two, which is actually great.  That means I now have 3 pizza pans that will fit in my countertop oven.  That is pretty awesome when our son is here for dinner too.

I have also used these pizza pans as baking trays under pies.

In addition to the casserole dish and pizza pans above, I bought a set of small baking trays & pans for cookies, toast, cobblers, etc. A separate bread pan is not necessary since loaf pans already fit the countertop oven.

My Countertop Oven Bakeware

 HIC Oblong Rectangular Baking Dish Roasting Lasagna PanCheck Price Deedro Pizza Baking Pan Pizza Tray 12 inch Stainless SteelCheck Price Wilton Non-Stick Diamond-Infused Navy Blue Toaster Oven Baking Set, 4-PieceCheck Price E-far Stainless Steel Baking Pan with Lid, 12⅓ x 9¾ x 2Check Price

 





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Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, March 28, 2022

Tiny Showcase Review

Tuesday is tiny artist day on the Tiny Showcase! The tiny showcase is a fabulous showcase for the independent artist offering small scale and affordable art for all.  

tiny showcase


The About page eloquently and accurately captures the vibe of Tiny Showcase "We remain a quiet island" and can't we all appreciate a quiet island! What a wondrous resource the online gallery of the tiny showcase. I find it so refreshing and just darn fun to browse the current art as well as the archives from prior years.
 

Tuesday is Tiny Day!

Every Tuesday limited editions of tiny art by one artist is released. Prospective customers or browsers can sign up for the email notification as a gentle reminder. I love viewing the selections each week. Some may be my taste, some may challenge my taste or some may be a perfect gift. 

Each art piece can be customized on the order form according to your preference. The selections include unframed, framed with mat, framed in maple. Art pieces from prior years (if not sold out) are also available in the archive shop. It is always great to find a new artist then discover the artist may just be new to you and then find prior pieces you may be interested in purchasing or viewing via the archive shop.

 

Does Tiny Showcase Only Feature Art?

For years I have followed and purchased art from Tiny Showcase. The products have expanded in recent years from tiny art to also include: stationary, cards, puzzles, toys, textiles and wearable art. Diversity is wise and the theme of affordable independent art continues whether the purchase is art or art on a card!

Gift cards are also offered to help keep Tiny Showcase a tiny showcase for online curated independent art.





Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Friday, March 25, 2022

Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix with Chocolate Chips in the Mix Reviewed

Brown Mix
I recently tried Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix made with a special ingredient and loved it!  

My sister, sister-in-law and I went shopping together before Christmas.  When I spotted the Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix, I commented that I would like to try it because it included the chocolate chips.  While I rarely use baking mixes, I thought using the mix might make the Christmas baking a little easier.

The sales associate of the kitchen shoppe offered to make a batch of her brownies so we could taste them.  She had a special ingredient she added that she thought we would want to try.  I am so glad we accepted her offer.  They were the best brownies I have ever eaten.  

Needless to say, we left the shoppe with several gift bags that included the brownie mix and the shoppe's special ingredient, blood orange olive oil.

 

Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix

 Ghirardelli Brownie Mix, Dark Chocolate, 20 ozCheck Price The #1 reason I wanted to try the Ghirardelli mix is because it included chocolate chips and required only 1 egg, water and olive oil to make.  Those are ingredients that are always in my kitchen.

Using the newly discovered blood orange olive oil gives these delicious brownies an extra punch with a slight taste of orange. Everyone in my family loves them!  I definitely look forward to using the blood orange olive oil in additional recipes.

We don't all agree on whether brownies should be iced or not, so I make a small recipe of icing.  Those who want the icing don't agree on whether it should have nuts or not, so I divide the icing in half and mix walnuts or pecans in half of the icing.  Therefore, one batch of brownies makes 3 different treats.  Add a scoop of ice cream and you have the perfect dessert.

 

Easy Brownie Frosting Recipe

Brownies
*Baking Products are Linked in recipe so you can see recommended product packaging. 
However, prices are based on shipped products. 
Most likely, the items will be much less expensive in your local grocery store.
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, stir powdered sugar and cocoa together.  
  2. Heat butter & milk together in a small saucepan to melt the butter.  
  3. Gradually beat (with a hand mixer) the butter & milk into the cocoa/sugar mixture until smooth.  
  4. Stir in pecans or walnuts, if desired.


Brownies
Pampered Chef Brownie Pan for Perfectly Shaped Brownies

 

A Note about the Specialty Shoppe We Visited

As far as I know, the Bazaar Orange Olive Oil that we purchased is only sold at the Bazaar store in Collierville, Tn, located in the historic Collierville Town Square.  Sadly, I couldn't find an online resource. 

If you love to cook and are ever in Collierville, Tn, you should definitely plan to spend a few hours in this store.  It isn't a big store, but it is packed with fabulous unique kitchen items, including their specialty oils and vinegars.  I love this kitchen specialty store and their extremely helpful sales associates! 


 Ghirardelli Premium Chocolate Brownie Mix VarietyCheck Price GHIRARDELLI Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix, 20 OzCheck Price GHIRARDELLI Dark Chocolate Brownie MixCheck Price Ghirardelli Chocolate Lovers Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix - Pack of 3Check Price

 


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Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix with Chocolate Chips in the Mix Reviewed Written by:
House of Sylvestermouse





© 2021 Cynthia Sylvestermouse
 



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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