Saturday, August 9, 2014
Emeril by All-Clad E8849764 Chef's Stainless Steel Dishwasher Safe 1-Quart Saucier Cookware, Silver
Monday, March 24, 2014
Pampered Chef Large Round Pizza Stone
I've recently bought the deep dish baker and love baking chicken and pork chops in it. I'm really excited about the new covered baker that I waiting to arrive :) I love Pampered Chef Stoneware.
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I bought one of these stones from a former PC consultant. I use it for everything and it works great. Using it for just pizza is a waste. Try cookies, chicken, fish, biscuits, croissants, appetizers, and so much more. Anything that can go in the oven without it leaking over the side can be cooked or reheated on one of these stones. I heard they were discontinued, but that's okay, since I've had mine for three years and it is still going strong. I like the new one with the handles built into the stone, so that will be my next purchase.Read Best Reviews of Pampered Chef Large Round Pizza Stone Here
I cooked about 10 pizzas at 450F and the stone shattered into pieces under normal circumstances. Don't waste the money.OK-so originally I said the stone I recieved was not the one pictured...Well, once it was opened for Christmas, it was the stone pictured. It was just sealed in a box meant for the one for handles. So, I apologize for saying I recieved the wrong stone, but not smart on your part to put it in a decieving package... I never received an e-mail offering a full refund. Must have went to spam...Saturday, February 1, 2014
G5 Next Grilleration - Red
I had a specific reason for ordering this item. I wanted a multi purpose grill/griddle/waffle iron that would eliminate the need for separate appliances since I currently have too many appliances stashed all over the kitchen.
After reading the instruction book very carefully, I was good to go. This makes excellent steaks, chops, and burgers. I've used it to make grilled cheese sandwiches, grill vegetables, make mini pizzas on the griddle top as well as quesadillas, potato pancakes, crepes, bacon, eggs, sausage, waffles on the waffle iron component, and pretty much anything else someone might normally make. The results have been good to great based on the suggested cooking times.
I have encountered no problems with this unit.
I've owned a couple of other Foreman grills in the lower price ranges and liked them but wasn't as enthused because the units weren't submersible. In this case, cleaning is easy because the multiple plates provided with this unit snap out easily and can go right to the dishwasher. A simple soap and water clean-up is all the exterior of the unit requires.
If you follow the instructions that come with the unit you will probably have good results. I would suggest that you shop around for a better price as these appliances can vary a lot in price between sellers.During our move a year ago we gave up many (most) of our small electric appliances. I purchased this so that I could replace many of them it turns out it is all I need.
I have made waffles on several occasions. They always turn out perfectly, even better than my old waffle maker.
The grill itself has held everything from hamburgers to steaks, and my husband has been pleased with those results.
It acts as a small oven, baking small portions, and it also works nicely as a portable griddle. I have also used it for Paninis. It is the most versatile item I have owned, and I highly recommend the fact that it packs a lot of functions in a very small space.
I have added the George Foreman Omelet Plates for the G5 George Foreman Grill and now use it for pocket sandwiches and omelets. This little plate can make three small pie crusts or even turnovers!
Since I have an electric stove, it takes no longer to warm up than the burner on my stove, and is much more convenient than heating my entire oven for small items.
Were it really shines is that it has a super cookbook on how to use all of these plates, and it is easy to use the time and temperature to adapt the recipes to your own favorites.
Buy G5 Next Grilleration - Red Now
When it got here my wife felt it had already been opened. Sure enough, it was broke and box contents just thrown back into the box.I called the store about the problem, they asked I take a couple pictures and they would ship a new one. Now I ask you , how's that for customer service? Really happy about that.I just picked this product up. It comes with everything as stated in the advertisement, was easy to un-box and prepare for use. I am going to take it for a test ride later this afternoon or evening. More to follow...
Saturday, December 7, 2013
Cuisinart GR-100 Indoor Outdoor Griddler
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Love, love it! Heats up fast and does the job. Glad I purchased it. Easy to clean and light weight to move from garage to back yard.Read Best Reviews of Cuisinart GR-100 Indoor Outdoor Griddler Here
Works fine but takes awhile to warm up. I only gave it 4 stars because of this. Food cooks fine.Want Cuisinart GR-100 Indoor Outdoor Griddler Discount?
Only put "I don't like it" because it was the only way to get to the next step. May be a great griller, but was chosen by error, as I was looking for a grill. Returned it unopened, but after 2 months have not received a refund. Could you look into this problem for me?Thank you, Dan
Monday, October 28, 2013
Factory-Reconditioned Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler
The base of the unit heats up and maintains temperature better than the top. This creates uneven toasting of the Panini or other items. It's not so much of a problem using as a griddle, since one side will simply cook faster than the other.
After a year the nonstick surface has started pealing off of the grill plates. I have never used metal on the nonstick surface and have taken great care to preserve the finish. Perhaps it is in the design or a fate of nonstick coated products in general, but the now I will have to take care not to get pieces of the nonstick surface in my food.
The Griddler comes with interchangeable dishwasher safe griddle and grill plates with a lock and release system that is intuitive to use. The plates easily release with the press of a button for cleaning. To place the plates back on the Griddler, one simply rests the plates in the groves located towards the rear or bottom and snaps the front or top into place. The plates don't consistently stay attached in the top section like they once did. It's very annoying trying to reposition a hot plate back into place.
On the surface, the Griddler has the looks and design to be a great product. Cuisinart has some bugs to work out to attain even heating and plates that last. If I were to buy a new panini press, I would not look to Cuisinart again. As a matter of fact, I now enjoy using a Breville 800GRXL Indoor Barbeque and Grill instead.
PROS:
Heavy and sturdily construction
Heats up and cleans quickly
CONS:
Non-stick surface does not last
Uneven heatingThis is the fourth countertop grill I've purchasedwhich says something about the quality of most consumer grillsand I was hoping it woul;d be the best, given the price. It does look substantial, and it is in some waysbut not all.
On the plus side, the grill and griddle plates are indeed substantial. They take a while to heat upmuch longer than the grills I've had in the pastand they hold their heat well. You can put a piece of frozen meat on the grill and it won't cool down. That's a big plus when you're cooking preformed hamburgers, as many like to do. And the grill plates remove from the unit for cleaninga very big plus, in my book.
It's large enough to cook two large sandwiches, or four (or more) small burgers, at once. You can do enough chicken breasts or thighs for a family of four. High points there.
What troubles me are some of the details. The switches look substantial, but they're really quite flimsy, and I think a possible failure point. The power cord is really minimal, and you have to be carefull not to let it near the cook top, as it could melt and short in an instant. I think this is a rather serious flaw. And like most table-top griddles, the provision for collecting excess grease and water is nothing more than a pair of plastic cups.
As for the dual-purpose designyes, you can open the grill up and use it as a griddle, but why would you want to? It's much easier, and much less messy, to cook your pancakes and bacon on the kitchen range. This "feature" adds complexity without adding much functionality.
As mine is a reconditioned unit, these objections aren't as important as if I'd paid the full price, but they're still areas for concern. I'll just have to see how well it lasts.
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This is one of the best counter top grills I have ever had. Its very high quality and is built very well. There are only two bad things I can think of with this product. It does make a mess more so then the regular George Forman type grill. The lack of sides around the grill plates means that greese gets all over the area you are cooking. So clean up is much more frequent. The other problem is getting replacement grills. The teflon does wear out over time and i found getting replacments are almost 40.00. Its cheaper to buy another grill with 2 new sets of grilling surfaces. Other then these two itemsits a great unit.Read Best Reviews of Factory-Reconditioned Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Here
mediocre design heats unevenly, overcooks directly over heat coils while center area undercooks. Grease from top grill drips down on to counter when the top of the unit is lifted. Can do as well with a cheap foreman grill..Want Factory-Reconditioned Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Discount?
I bought it thinking it would be an improvement over my older George Foreman since it had removable griddles for easy clean-up. Turns out cleaning the griddles is easier BUT the splatter from anything other than thin, flat sandwiches is a 30-minute clean-up with 409 [countertops, counter backsplash, under-cabinet, unit's exterior especially knobs]. And I'm talking about cooking with the cover DOWN! I would never try cooking any meats or vegetables with the lid open. And I'm surprised they couldn't engineer it so that the griddles would fit either side.Thursday, October 24, 2013
Wilton Recipe Right 10 Inch Round Non-Stick Cooling Grid
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This rack is great for use in a dutch oven when camping when you need to keep the food or pan off the bottom of the oven.Read Best Reviews of Wilton Recipe Right 10 Inch Round Non-Stick Cooling Grid Here
To be fair, this product doesn't say it will work submerged. However, you should be aware that it WILL rust through its "non-stick" coating in short order if it is kept submerged. While I haven't washed it in the dishwasher, I would expect it would rust there also.Want Wilton Recipe Right 10 Inch Round Non-Stick Cooling Grid Discount?
After getting into canning I found that the equipment needed an upgrade to the device to keep my jars off the bottom of the pot. This cooking rack worked like a charm, I am so glad I got it because this years crop was canned much easier.Thursday, October 10, 2013
Vertical Electric Smoker
All of that said my first run was a total success and could not have asked for a better job of smoking and the pepperoni and sausage I smoked turned out great and would have been even better if I hadn't tried for a couple more hours of smoke which dried them out a little. But that was operators error and this is the first sausage and pepperoni I have tried to make. The flavor sure beats the soy impregnated store sausage and not having all that fat, which we trimmed off, in the finished product a real plus.
The thermometer on the door proved to be quite accurate and something that I will use in addition to the meat thermometer in the next batch. I got my sausage making supplies from Eldon's Jerky and sausage supplies in Kooskia Idaho. I started with their sample package and a couple others not in the pack. I like all of the ones I have tried so far. Also their casings. The smoker is a real value and would have been excellent had a little more care in assembling been taken. How ever since we do a lot of things in our shop these were not as large a problem as they might be to someone with no knowledge or tools. Visit our web site to see what we do in our shop.
John H. Austin Jr.
45683 Highway 101
Sixes Oregon 97476
aandtmyrtlewood.com
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I purchased this smoker basically for the ease of use and because I also own a Brinkmann propane gas grill. The overall quality is good for the price I paid. Assembling the smoker was easy and the instructions were clear and easy to follow. There were no missing parts and the smoker went together quickly. Another reason I purchased this smoker is the availability of replacement parts from the Brinkmann website if any are needed in the future. The control for the heater element is simple, just like an electric skillet. You will need an temperature probe to monitor the temperature as the one on the door is not that accurate. I am pleased with the smoker and would recommend it.where do i start with the problems i have with this smoker first the thermostat was not reading correctly so i had them send me another one (guess what that one didnt work neither then i had a huge problem with the electric thermostat control unit that plugs on the botton right side of the smoker after a while it melts the plastic on them i have already gone through 2 of them and im waiting for the 3rd to be sent to me (its on back order for 4 months )!!!!!!!!! no wonder its a major design fault thats for sureThis smoker does its job. We've tried eveyrthing from ribs to roasts to turkeys and the taste is great. Delicious.Sunday, September 15, 2013
T-fal CB540852 Balanced Living Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Nonstick Coating Dishwasher Safe 1500-Wat
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Polder Original Cooking All-In-One Timer/Thermometer
You insert the metal probe into whatever you're cooking, set the target temperature and start roasting. When your roast reaches the desired temperature, the Polder will beep to let you know. Perfectly cooked. No wiggling Mrs. Chicken's legs, no pressing on the roast, no "Gee, is it done? I'm not sure." It couldn't be easier.
It has a countdown timer (but not a clock) as well. The back of the main unit has 2 strong magnets which allow it to be attached to any metallic surface, vertical or horizontal. The LCD pivots, so no matter where you put the unit, you can tilt the LCD to make it easy to read. A slide switch on the back allows you to change between Farenheit and Centigrade.
When you wash the probe, you *must* be careful. The probe is a metal tube that contains a temperature sensor. At the point where the cable from the main unit enters this tube, it is sealed merely by crimping the tube. It isn't waterproof. So during washing, if you allow water around this area, it will find its way into the tube and kill the sensor. This is the basis, I believe, for many of the complaints regarding the probe's fragility.
I wrap my hand tightly around the top of the probe when I wash it to prevent this from happening, and I'm still using the original. I use it at least twice a month, so that means it has been used at least 100 times and washed 100 times and it works fine. As far as complaints that the sensor is inaccurate, I've got 100+ perfectly cooked chickens, turkeys and roast beefs that contradict that assertion.
If I have a complaint its that the thing has no on/off switch! Its always running and, therefore, draining the AAA battery. This is not a big deal. The first battery lasted about 3 years and the one in it now has about 2 years of use and is still going strong. When the temperature reads "LO", that is the indicator that the battery needs replacement.
The Polder 362-90 allows you to know when your roast is done instead of guessing at it. I find it essential and I recommend it. Just be careful when you wash it.
***UPDATE 6/2010: After 10+ years of faithful service, my Polder finally quit working. I immediately ordered another. The new one worked accurately twice and then began to underreport temperature by about 30 to 40 degrees F. I tried a backup probe and a new battery with the same result so it would appear to be a problem with the main unit and not the probe. I see that many of the most recent reviews for this product complain of a similar issue. I think Polder may have a manufacturing problem. I would defer purchasing this product until the reviews turn positive again.I bought two timers, this Poulder and a 6 buck Taylor. The Taylor was for timing things that take under 10 minutes and I could set next to the outdoor BBQ. The Poulder was for more complex stuff like actually telling the temperature of the meat (or fish or whatever) when it's in the oven. It works. It works beautifully. My wife loves it.
BUT, this is our second one. The first lasted about four years before the tabs that allow it to sit upright on a countertop either wore out or broke. That meant that it couldn't be seen straight on unless you used the magnetic backing and "pasted" it on the range. I don't know if that will happen again. I don't know if it's a design flaw. It's plastic, so maybe four years is more than I should have expected. The timer still worked, and I suppose Poulder would have replaced it if I wanted to go to the trouble. Giving them the benefit of the doubt and the fact that it does work very well, 5 stars.
Buy Polder Original Cooking All-In-One Timer/Thermometer Now
I have use Polder brand products including replacement probes for years, but the latest version of probes is a complete and utter failure. The replacements and new probes on recent shipments of thermometers all have a heat-resistant plastic-like coating over the probe wire much like a heavy guage coated wire rather than the prior successful metal mesh exteriors. Those with mesh occasionally kinked if abused by the user, but they never totally failed to give a reading with such short life. The mesh ones were good for one or more seasons. I am thoroughly dissapointed with Polder's "new and improved" probes. This, of course applies to any of the Polder products shipped with the new worthless probes. Another disturbing thing is that the photos of the probes appear to be the old mesh covered good ones and nothing in product description says anything about a different probe.Read Best Reviews of Polder Original Cooking All-In-One Timer/Thermometer Here
I've been using this for at least 10 years and I love it. It's only on it's second set of batteries and it's used almost every day. I haven't had any of the problems with the probe that I've read about and that also gets used frequently--probably at least once a week.I'm particularly impressed with the fact that it's been left out in the rain several times while attached to the smoker, gotten full of water and as soon as it's dried out it's been as good as new. It's hard to read when the display is full of water.....
This is a terrific value for the money. I bought a back up several years ago thinking my original one must be close to reaching the end of it's useful life, but it's still in the box.
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I have used this thermometer for the better part of 3 years now, and I am sorry to say that I killed it this Thanksgiving. I had the probe in the turkey, and left the unit sitting on the stovetop. Problem was, all 4 burners were on and fried the internals.Now I will buy a new one. I used it in the oven, for bbqing, timing, you name it, I got my moneys worth from this guy.
I must now go mourn.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Fusionbrands 15-Inch Silicone Food Loop Trussing Tool, Pink, Set of 4
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These little things are outstanding for trussing up the chicken before putting it on the rotisserie. Quick and easy to use. They work great.Read Best Reviews of Fusionbrands 15-Inch Silicone Food Loop Trussing Tool, Pink, Set of 4 Here
I was excited to see this on sale on Amazon, thought the days of struggling with twine was over, after all, how easy would this be? Not so. Found out very quickly that the ends do not stay together. More often than not, they'd come undone during the baking process. I went through 2 chicken roasting experiences to finally give up using this. Right now it's just sitting pretty in the kitchen drawer till the next yard sale.Want Fusionbrands 15-Inch Silicone Food Loop Trussing Tool, Pink, Set of 4 Discount?
I purchased this second set of ties for my husband as a Christmas gift, since the first set we got 6 years ago were finally wearing out. He uses them on the grill and in the oven, and to wash, we just throw back in their bag in the dishwasher. He mentioned that this newer set seems to latch better than the older set due to an improved design.
