An Alternative to a Double Oven when Cooking for a Crowd

Counter-Top Roaster Ovens - "Very handy to have on hand"

Counter-Top Oven Roasters are a Practical and Affordable Solution

If you don't own a double oven it can be tricky to cook for a large crowd. 

For most of our life our homes have had one oven. Our family is quite large and cooking for family events, particularly Thanksgiving and Christmas, takes creative planning.

It's certainly possible to plan a large dinner with one oven, but having an extra oven makes the job so much easier. 

For 20 years or more we've owned a counter-top roaster oven. It's stored away for most of the year, but come the Fall the oven gets hauled out and used.

I Didn't Want One!

Not being one for a lot of kitchen appliance clutter, I was against getting another kitchen gadget. Clutter is not my thing.

However, I was absolutely wrong.

Our counter-top oven roaster has been one of the best choices in kitchenware we've ever made. Big family meals would be impossible for me without it now! Don't take my oven-roaster away.

The Brand We Use is 'Nesco'

I've featured a few 18 quart Nesco oven roasters below.

An 18 quart oven roaster typically fits a turkey up to 22 pounds. The non-stick cookwell is also removable which makes it easy to clean. If you use it to cook a large chilli for a party, put the entire oven on the table and keep the temperature on low. You can also remove the cookwell and bring it to the table.

In terms of the temperature gage, it operates like a standard oven. As an example, for our Turkeys, I start cooking the Turkey at 400 and then after about an hour turn it down to 350 to 375.

I'll also put oil and butter on the top of the Turkey and it does brown enough for our taste. However, if the top isn't brown enough for you, just lift the cookwell out and place it in the oven to broil the top to the color you like. The roaster also comes with a rack with handles allowing you to safely remove your Turkey.

It's over 20 years later, and I'm still using our Nesco Oven Roaster. Come to think of it, we've never had one single problem with it. That's rare. Hopefully the newer models last as long as my older model has. As far as my own experience, 'reviewed and recommended'.

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

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Review of the Holiday National Name Your Car Day

Source: Pixabay

October 2nd is 'National Name Your Car Day'.  There is no real origin or reason why October 2nd was chosen, but it's the perfect day to give your favorite car a name if it doesn't already have one.  We spend a lot of time in our cars, and caring for them, so they deserve a name.    Just remember, cars have feelings – so don't give your 'ride' an embarrassing name!

Guys with 'muscle cars' or sports cars should go with strong names that reflect the car and the owner.  “Chick” cars need sweet names.  Luxury cars probably need a formal or regal-sounding name. 

Some Famous Movie Car Names

• Herbie, the Love Bug
• Lightning McQueen from Cars
• Kit from Knight Rider
• General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard
• Bandit from Smokey and the Bandit

Our Cars 

(c) Personal Photo

We have had a lot of different cars over the years, but our favorite were the Volkswagen Beetles.  We had a succession of Bugs, one after another, ranging from Bugs to Campers to Vans.  The last ones we had included a Super-Beetle (the blue one in the picture) and our son had the Orange one.  The Orange VW was the only car with a real name.  We called it ~ appropriately ~ 'The Pumpkin'.

Do you have a name for your car(s)?  Come tell me what kind of car and what you call it. 

Happy 'National Name-Your-Car Day'

For More Holiday Articles, check out

ReviewThisReviews: Holidays

(c) Wednesday Elf.  Article originally written on 10/01/2013 for another site and updated for Review This!

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Inexpensive Disposable Rain Ponchos Reviewed

Rain Ponchos can save the day!  When you are at an outdoor event and it starts to rain, would you pay $1.75 to stay dry and continue enjoying the outing?  Most of us would be happy to give a very small fee to anyone selling a rain cover for our hair, clothing, totes, and cameras. 

We recently went to an outdoor arts and crafts fair. We had planned our attendance for over a month and I was pretty excited when the day finally arrived.  I enjoy walking around, looking at all of the new crafts talented people have made and are willing to sell.  I admit, I don't always buy a lot, but I still love going.  Plus, pronto pups seem to call me from miles away.  In our region, there is always a pronto pup stand (or two) at every outdoor event. 

What I don't like, is to get caught in the rain unprepared.  A wonderful day outdoors can quickly become a horrible experience that includes mass numbers of fleeing bodies, followed by ridiculous traffic jams of cars filled with wet humans anxious to get home and get dry.  However, armed with a handy disposable rain poncho, I can cover myself quickly, then stand back and watch the attendees desert an event, leaving me and the few other prepared attendees, enjoying a much less crowded function.

Why I Carry Disposable Rain Ponchos to Outdoor Events

 Clear Rain Ponchos for Adults Disposable - Premium (12 Pack) 50% Thicker - Waterproof Plastic Survival Emergency Rain Poncho with Hood and SleevesLet me use the arts and crafts fair as an example.  The tents are set up and tables are filled with wonderful handmade creations and art.  These types of events cannot be postponed due to a little rain.  Toss a few thousand people in and you have crowded streets.  Everyone is laughing and having fun, but it is hard to see all of the tables.  Some of the most popular tables are completely surrounded by people who are taller than me.  Then it happens!  The promised rain comes and people start leaving in droves, some actually jogging to their cars.  

Within 30 minutes, the crafts fair and 100+ tables covered with wonderful things, belongs to me and a hundred or so prepared festival attendees.  It becomes extremely easy to visit each table and really thoroughly peruse the merchandise.  Even when the rain stops, few people return to the event.

Oh, and with the rain ponchos, my hands are free to eat, drink & shop!

Recommended Disposable Rain Ponchos   

I prefer the disposable rain ponchos for several reasons.

1. Easily carry a prepackaged rain poncho in jeans back pockets, purses, vests, backpacks, etc. and pull it out if needed.
2. Toss a wet rain poncho directly in the trash, even before getting in the car.  Thereby avoiding getting seats and automobile interior wet.
3. Rain Ponchos cover my hair, clothes, and everything I have around my neck (like my camera) or that I may be carrying.
4. Featured Rain Ponchos have drawstrings in the hood for fit 
5. Easily keep 3 or 4 in the glove compartment of the car to be handy when needed.

One Note:  If you purchase the featured ponchos, be sure you tie a knot in the ends of the strings in the hood.  Otherwise, they will come right out and the hood will be hard to keep up.

Where to Use a Disposable Rain Poncho

 Clear Harbour Emergency Disposable Rain Poncho Pack for Adults | Women and Men's Rain Ponchos in Bulk | Extra Thick, Waterproof Reusable .03mm PE Plastic Material for Travel, Survival, and Fun.

• Any Outdoor Festival or Event
• Outdoor Sports Events
• Fairs, Amusement Parks, Disneyworld  (great for water rides!)
• Outdoor Concerts
• Camping
• Hiking
• Zoos 
• Botanical Gardens 
• School Field Trips
• Vacations when packing limits apparel
• Protect Halloween Costumes when Trick-or-Treating
• Even indoor events when you just need to get to your car without getting wet!

If you pay an admission fee, do you really want to leave simply because of rain?

Additional Rain Ponchos Available - Choose Your Favorite!

 Clear Harbour Emergency Disposable Poncho Family PackCheck Price 4Happi Rain Poncho with Drawstring Hood, 12 Pack for EmergencyCheck Price Clear Harbour Emergency Disposable Rain Poncho PackCheck Price Sara Glove Emergency Blue Rain Ponchos - Lightweight & Disposable 10 Pack…Check Price

 

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Inexpensive Disposable Rain Ponchos Reviewed  written by:

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Explore St Louis-The Gateway Arch

Gateway to the West

I have lived in the St. Louis area for most of my life and I never get tired of telling people about my home town.  There are so many wonderful landmarks in the area and over the next few months I hope to share several of them with the Review This readers through my photographs. 

Reviewing The Gateway Arch

The most well known landmark in St. Louis is the Gateway Arch.  The arch was built during my high school years and I still remember hearing about the construction.  The arch was built as a monument to the "Westward Expansion" of the United States.

Construction on the arch began on February 12, 1963 and was completed on October 28, 1965.  It was located on the site of the founding of St. Louis on the west bank of the Mississippi river.  The arch stands at 630 feet tall.  It has a museum below the arch that tells of the history of the area and the westward expansion.

I have been to the top of the arch several times and it is always thrilling (and a bit scary) to ride the jerky little elevator to the top and then look out over St. Louis through the little windows.

See small windows at top of Arch

Over the years the arch has become the iconic symbol of St. Louis.  Whenever I travel whether by plane or car and I am returning home when I see the arch it brings a smile to my face.

Photographing the Arch

Over the years the arch has been photographed over and over.  It is always a challenge for a photographer to get a unique photo of the arch.  It has been photographed from every angle and most July 4th's you will see wonderful photographs of fireworks framed by the arch.  They are set off on a barge in the river and people gather on the arch grounds to watch the spectacle.  

In early September my husband and I went to a Cardinal ballgame one afternoon and before the game we walked the several blocks over to the arch grounds to photograph the arch.  It was a beautiful sunny day with some fluffy clouds in the sky.  The two photographs above are ones that I took that morning.  The first photograph was taken from the top of the steps of the Old Courthouse just across the street from the arch grounds.

That trip got me excited to take more photos of the arch and I decided I would love to capture it in the early morning light just before sunrise.  A couple of weeks later my friend and I got up early and took a drive downtown.  Here are a few of the photographs I got that morning.

Once the sun came up it was too bright to photograph the arch from the front.  I had heard that they had added a reflecting pond during a recent renovation of the arch grounds so we took a walk to look for the best angle to capture the arch and it's reflection.  Here is my favorite shot.

My Arch Photos on Zazzle

Here is a poster I made on Zazzle the includes several of my St. Louis photos.  You can find more of my work by clicking on the link below the poster or going to www.zazzle.com/mbgphoto.

St Louis Landmarks Poster

by mbgphoto 

I also have several other items showing the arch on Zazzle.

Dawn at Gateway Arch Metal Print
by mbgphoto

Sunrise at the Arch Card
by mbgphoto

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

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The Weird Sisters Book Review

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown, A Book Review

Most of us are aware of at least some of the personality traits that come with birth order. The oldest often assumes more responsibility as a child, the middle often feels like they need more attention, the youngest often seems to be more doted upon. The Weird Sisters embraces, among other topics, the topic of birth order as it shares the life of three sisters in small town Barnwell, Ohio.

Eleanor Brown’s first novel's title does not reference weird as you and I might think when we first see the book. As a matter of fact, the sisters are not weird at all.  Brown’s meaning is as in wyrd from old English. Fate or fated. Destined, which sort of suits the book given the presence of William Shakespeare’s books throughout the story line though that difference was not obvious to me when I picked up the book.

The oldest sister in the trio is the stereotypical eldest sibling. She is a reliable, predictable woman who held a caretaker role over her sisters when they were all children and, though now a successful math professor, never left their hometown and never gave up her role as family caretaker.

The middle sister is a woman who wants to impress, throwing herself into everything she does with gusto in an attempt to stand out and be noticed. Sound familiar? She has a successful career in New York City but is fast-living and promiscuous and, underneath all of her expensive veneer, is ashamed of who she has become. Her failed attempts to maintain her lifestyle has her packing her designer goods and heading for home.

The youngest sister, the stereotypical spoiled younger sibling, is a real vagabond. She floats from experience to experience, town to town, job to job and cannot figure out what she wants to do with her life. Events in her world have her grabbing her backpack and heading for home, too.

Their father is a famed Shakespearean professor who cannot keep his head out of a book for a minute and their mom is equally obsessed with and distracted by books. Growing up, the family did not own a television. Instead, reading was their source of entertainment. Everyone in the family embraced the love of books and became avid readers though as adults some of them did not want the world to know that fact. Brown’s interwoven references to and quotes from William Shakespeare are interesting but will not in any way take away from your enjoyment of this book if you are not a fan of his writings.

Coincidentally, the sisters return home at a time when their mother is suffering through a cancer diagnosis and the resultant treatments. While helping to look after her, there is a whole lot of learning and growth done by all three. They learn who they are and who they want to be as well as to trust in themselves and in each other. You will have to read the book if you want to find out whether or not they stay at home or pursue lives outside of Barnwell.

Obviously, one of the strong themes in this book is that of birth order. The New York Times says the book seems drawn from a Sociology of the Family textbook, which made me smile because yes, I thought that when I was reading the book. It does include some of the stereotypes of birth order. Other themes include coming of age, boomerang children, family conflict and love.

There is no violence and minimal foul language in this book. There is however, sex and adultery as well as drug and alcohol use though I believe that they are presented in a manner that is not offensive. They are an important part of the story of these women who are trying to find themselves.

The Weird Sisters is an entertaining novel and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by me. It is my first book by Eleanor Brown, a New York Times, national and international bestselling author and it will not be my last. You can buy your copy or read more about it on Amazon by clicking right here.

Be sure to let us know if you have read it or if you will be reading it and, of course, what you thought of it.

See you
At the book store!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy your copy of The Weird Sisters on Amazon.

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Pumpkin Carving Kit Reviewed

Carve A Pumpkin Like A Pro

Carved Pumpkins image courtesy of Pixabay.com

It is just about time to start our pumpkin carving for Halloween this year. Did you know that there are kits that will help you carve like a pro? Let's review an option that is available to help us go from a lame looking jack-o-lantern to a creation that will make the jaws of our little trick or treating visitors drop in wonder.

Over the year's I have tried to be creative in my pumpkin carving endeavors. There has not been many times that I could exclaim, "Nailed It!" In fact, most years I am afraid that it was more of an occasion to bow my head in shame with a sincere "Fail". 

I know that in year's past the problem has been that I didn't have the proper tools to accomplish my goal. It really takes more than a hope to carve something cool. Honestly, it takes more than a couple of carving knives from the kitchen to do it, also. So, this year I plan to try a pumpkin carving kit. 

First, I am going to ask my sweet hubby to sketch a neat design. He is a pretty good artist so I will leave that part to him. The kit includes a tool that I can then use to poke little holes around the design. That should help me use the special carving blades to cut around the design. There are blades that have larger teeth for the heaving cutting and blades that are finer that can be used for the detail work and the smaller areas of his design. 

Of course there is that messy part of scooping out all of the insides of the pumpkin. Yuk! The kit also has a large scraper and scooping tool that should make that job much easier. 

Once the pumpkin carving is complete and I have cleaned up all of the tools; I will have a nice little bag to store all of the supplies in for the next year. Hopefully, I can have a jack-o-lantern on my front porch to be proud of and I can say that we did it ourselves. 

Pumpkin Carving Kit

What do you think? Does a kit to carve your pumpkins for Halloween seem like a wise choice or are you one of those gifted people who can do it with the tools you already have?

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

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Reviewing Mrs. Meyer's Soap

Reviewing Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day products.

My son and daughter-in-law use Mrs. Meyer's soaps and cleaning products. It has been during visits to their home that I've used Mrs. Meyer's products. I like the soaps and have ordered my own. Mrs. Meyer's is a line of cleaning products and hand soaps that are made with essential oils rather than harsh chemicals. I like products with essential oils - and try to avoid chemicals if I can.

Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day

Mrs. Meyer is a real person, not just a brand name/gimmick. Her site lists her as an Iowa homemaker and mother of NINE. The story goes that her daughter was shopping household cleaners and wanted something that "cleaned like the dickens" and smelled good. Oh boy, I can relate to that. I want clean, but why does the chemical stench have to come along with the clean?  Good news, it doesn't.

"Lets make cleaners that smell nice, like my mom's garden, but still work like the dickens on daily dirt and grime." - from Mrs. Meyers - Our Story

While visiting, I used Mrs. Meyers hand soap (sunflower) and the Lemon Verbena dish soap. I liked both very much and have since ordered my own. The dish soap worked well with degreasing. And the hand soap did not dry my hands. And like many essential oil products, the scent is "nature" and does not trigger my migraines.

radish

My daughter-in-law has since added "radish" to her collection and lists that as her favorite. Because she has such good taste in cleaning products, I've ordered radish dish soap for myself. 

I prefer natural products for not only my health, but also for the environment. When camping, my used water is thrown out onto the ground. While I am slowly making the transition to more chemical-free products in my apartment, I use natural products almost exclusively when camping. I am thrilled to add Mrs. Meyer's soaps to my supplies.

Important note: You can order your Mrs. Meyer's soaps directly from their website or from Amazon. I ordered from both sites. I do want to recommend that you check out the prices on both sites, as I saved several dollars ordering from Amazon.  I saved $3 with the coupon and $6 on shipping with Amazon Prime. 

Related Links:

My preference for soaps made of essential oils began long ago with my love of Dr. Bronner's Castile peppermint soap. For my review of that soap (I most often use it for bathing, camping chores, and migraine relief) click here. 

Our Louanne is our Arbonne essential oils expert. Maybe you are farther along in the essential oils and aromatherapy journey than I am and need a regular supply of essential oils. If that is the case, check out Louanne's Essential Oil Holiday Set article or scroll down through her list of articles to find information about specific oils or a variety of uses for the oils. 

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

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Song Lists to Help Find the Best Songs for Family Dedications and Special Occasions

Song Lists for Families

Finding songs for special occasions, to fit a mood or to tell a story is a passion of mine.

Searching for the right song can soak up countless hours online, and unless you like listening to the lyrics of mountains of songs, it can cost you several days to find the right one.

Sure, there are a lot of topic based song lists online, however I've discovered that a lot of these lists repeat the same songs from one search to another.

I've taken it many steps forward and actually listened to every word of every song to determine if it works for a person, event or mood. You will find some of the songs I recommend mentioned on other lists online, but that's only because I've listened to it and determined it belongs there.

Many of the song lists provided by others online, in my opinion, include songs that either shouldn't be on the list and rarely include newly found gems.

That's where I come in.

I've spent countless hours listening to songs and categorizing them as per their message and what event they would be suitable for. Much of that work can be found on my country music website, Drageda.com.

However, I wanted to introduce you to another place where I compile song lists: On HubPages.

Below is summary of several of my additional song lists to help you find the right song for your needs. I'm always adding new songs, so be sure to check back there from time to time.

When you visit the page listed below, you'll see a list of suggested songs, a short review of it, and a video to watch it.

Mother and Son Songs

If you need a song for a mother-son wedding dance or to celebrate another mother son special occasion, be sure to check out these 14 recommended songs.

Father and Son Songs

Here you'll find 12 suggested songs. The twelve songs are selected based on a variety of different types of relationships that can be had between father and son. Not all relationships are good, and you'll even find a song for that.

Father and Daughter Songs

This list features 10 choice songs. Again, they'll fit multiple types of relationships and occasions. However there's one song you absolutely have to listen to regarding a broken relationship between father and daughter; it's gut wrenching.

Mother and Daughter Songs

We've all heard that a mother and daughter can have a complicated relationship, however in my experience most I know have been good. The songs featured here reflect the positive side, however there's one song about a mother, sung by a famous American Idol contestant, that will make you cry.

Grandparent Songs

These ten songs range from topics of aging, loss, and living life to the fullest. If you need a song to celebrate grandma or grandpa, be sure to check out this list. There's a beautiful song by Ed Sheeran wrote for his grandmother that you'll want to hear.

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

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