Good feel and flexibility, nice blade, and great handle with good balance.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
NEW, 5¼-Inch Long, Short-Flip, Grill Spatula, Turner Spatula, Barbecue BBQ Spatula, Solid Stainles
Good feel and flexibility, nice blade, and great handle with good balance.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Casa Moda "S'mores" Maker
Buy Casa Moda "S'mores" Maker Now
A lot of people think that "one use" appliances are silly, and they may be right. But I personally love them.. I also think they make fun and unique gifts! This s'mores maker is one of my favorites.. simply because I've never made s'mores except when I was out camping and the Casa Moda s'mores maker makes it so easy to have s'mores all the time, in the comfort of my own living room.Some reviewers commented that they couldn't find the fuel that it requires but I had no problems finding it at my grocery store. It's easy to use, easy to clean up and really fun. It has ceramic containers for your ingredients (graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows) that sit around the burner all on a lazy susan. It comes with little fondue fork type things to help you roast your marshmalls and a snuffer for when you want to extinguish the flame.
This maker is a great gift, and I highly recommend it. It's much more fun than a lot of stuff people buy I am giving it to several people! No matter how impractical it may seem to have a "one-use" appliance.. they're fun and people love them!I was so excited when I received this product as a gift, and I was not disappointed when I used it. It is basically a pu pu platter like they use in chinese food restaurants with ceramic ramekins for the marshmallows, chocolate bars and graham crackers and fondue forks to toast the marshmallows. It toasted the marshmallows just like a campfire would! I found the fuel (Sterno) at the supermarket, but you can get it at party supply stores also.This was a Christmas gift, and I must say, it's great. Sure it's big and I have no where to keep it, but I don't care. The kids love it and the finished product is yummy...just like the campfire version, minus all the smoke ;) One word of caution, make sure the little ones don't lean across the flame to reach for something or let their long hair dangle into it. Very close supervision is required!! Also, because the flame is small and intense, your marshmallow can ignite very easily. I would recommend this product, though... Great for rainy/snowy days in the house. Have fun!
Friday, May 2, 2014
George Foreman Grill Cleaning Sponge
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These are the only sponges that can hold up to the heat and clean this grill right. I love them.Read Best Reviews of George Foreman Grill Cleaning Sponge Here
This product worked as described. It is very useful & better then a regular sponge or paper towel to get the grease off the grill.Want George Foreman Grill Cleaning Sponge Discount?
*****I just bought my first George Foreman grill and after cooking a hamburger, tried to clean it using a plastic scrubber. I couldn't get it clean. So I tried a paper towel and scrubbed and scrubbed. Still didn't work. Then (finally) I remembered the sponge (this sponge) that came with it. I tried it and instantly the grill came clean---easily---no fuss! Both sides are really helpful. And of course, a warm grill with the wet sponge makes the job super quick. I immediately ordered this three-pack.
There are other sponges without the grooves in them that may work too, but these really get into the grooves so well that I doubt that anything could work as well as they do. If you have a Foreman grill, they are an essential accessory.
Even though they are pretty expensive for a little sponge, it does look like it is sturdy and will last a long time if cared for, and more importantly, it's a huge time-saver that makes the whole grilling and cleanup process easy instead of a hassle. So to me this means I'll look forward to using the grill and actually use it instead of storing it in the back of my pantry :)
Highly recommended.
*****
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Breville BGR200XL Variable Temperature Panini Grill
I had heard rave reviews of this press and I could not agree more. Yes, some out there opt for "marketability" over quality. What do I mean? With removable plates you simply are not going to get as quality of a cooking surface. Because you have to cover the hot elements underneath and then put the removable plates on top of that so that no one gets burned. By doing this, you lessen the heating ability and true wattage of the cooking sheets that touch the sandwiches or meat and you simply cannot get a true quality sear when you use it as a grill nor a perfect crisp when you use it as a press. Why should this not result in inconvenience? As a chef, I happen to know that a perfectly seasoned non-stick pan is not one that is put through the dishwasher. A perfectly seasoned cooking stone looks horrible and black. A good seasoning has nothing to do with spices. It means you build up the surface over time. This doesn't mean bacteria as a home chef may be prone to thinking in it needing to run through the dishwasher. Because when you cook with it each time it burns off that part of what is left behind and the particles simply result in this perfect non-stick surface where food slides right off. So no, for those reasons and from owning one of the panini presses in the past where you remove the plates meaning you actually have a double plated surface that can never properly sear meats, get seaoned, or perfectly crisp a sandwich, this one was made for the chefs, or anyone else who reads Bon Appetit and "gets it". LOL
I don't eat meat and my husband does but this pleases us both. You can set it to sear and lock in the juices of a steak and then cook it perfectly with beautiful grill marks or you can stuff some country slices of bread with vegetarian sandwich fixings, or mozzarella and basil and pasta sauce and eggplant or make perfect breakfast egg sandwiches or use your leftover turkey and dressing as I did for him after Thanksgiving for the world's best paninis. Not like the home paninis you may come across with some brands, but more like the kind you would order at a French cafe.
I highly suggest the book "200 best panini recipes" to go with it; you only brush the surface of what all you can do in sandwich ideas until you explore the thick cookbook. You could go almost a year making a panini a day and still feel like you have unlimited varieties. Plus I have found they spur ideas for other things. Your recipes will just keep flowing...and use new sauces and spreads to keep them interesting like cranberry chutney with turkey and cheese or roasted garlic mayo on a burger with sauteed onions and smoked cheese, chipotle mayo on portobello mushroom with caramelized onions, ( I just mix some chipotle in adobo in a blender to taste with mayo to make that.) roast beef with thousand island dressing on pumpernickle with kraut, jalapeno mayo with beef and cheddar...you get the idea. Sure it makes a wicked 3 cheese grilled cheese but you mix up a few ingredients and you wind up biting into gourmet good enough that you could serve it with a simple soup for guests and still get wows.
For best results, put your sandwiches or meats in the back part. Any extra sandwiches or meats go in front of that. It has the perfect weight to crisp them and make your cheese gooey yet leave the bread crusts perfectly pannini.
What else does it offer you might not see elsewhere? Some have a flat plate on the bottom saying you can cook pancakes. Bypass it. That won't make good panninis or offer a good grill. Why? You need the double waffle for a perfect panini and you need a slant to be able to have the fat of your meats run off. None of which you can get on one made to double as a pancake maker.
This one also has variable temps and variable thickness for what you are cooking should you wish to stack a burger high and not have all the ingredients totally squeeze out and so you can cook whatever you wish perfectly.
This is the one for picky chefs. Trust me, after a few uses you barely need to wipe it. It is seasoned perfectly with just a light wipe each time.
Some ideas you may not have thought of for dinner:
Roast beef panini with olive tapenade
flank steak, bacon, and tomato panini
steak, bacon, and blue cheese panini
turkey, avocado and spinach panini
roasted turkey, pear, and brie panini
shrimp, spainach and gouda panini
blackened tilapia with jalapeno mayo panini
fried catfish panini
tuna and swiss panini
refried bean and avocado tortillas cooked in panini press
stir fried mushroom and mozzarella panini
greek veggie with hummus panini on pita
goat cheese and sundried tomato panini
sundried tomato, basil pesto and parm panini on sourdough
spinach, goat cheese and sundried tomato panini
spinach, pear, walnut with pesto
crispy onion, barbecue steak with chipotle bbq sauce on hoagie buns panini
pot roast and horseradish mayo panini
French dip panini with au jus dipping sauce
fried bologna, american cheese and arugala panini
salami, prosciutto, and roasted red pepper panini
salami, mozzarella and fontini panini
summer sausage and pepper jack panini
pepperoni and mozzarella panini on ciabatta rolls with oregano and romano
ham, turkey, avocado and alfalfa sprout panini
classic club panini
You get the idea!I bought this as a new product, as a gift to my wife. Upon opening it recently (my wife's grandmother died on Christmas Eve, so we were delayed in "celebrating" the holiday), we discovered the top was dented in several places. The item was in the original box, but the box had clearly been opened and the packaging removed. When I tried to return the item for a refund, the seller refused to accept the return and provide a refund. For $250, this is more than a small disappointment. Suffice it to say, we are sorely disgusted with this lack of service and seller integrity. I do not know if the item works. It was clearly not "new" and we hoped after seeing it to return the item without using it. Shame on Amazon for tolerating this shoddy practice.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Chef'n Oil Wand Silicone Oil Dispenser, Frost Meringue
Buy Chef'n Oil Wand Silicone Oil Dispenser, Frost Meringue Now
A great item! Does exactly what we want. We like it so much we ordered 3 more to give as gifts to friends.Read Best Reviews of Chef'n Oil Wand Silicone Oil Dispenser, Frost Meringue Here
Filled this with coconut oil and use it DAILY! It is so easy to just take top off and spread oil evenly around pan surface before heating up to cook in...No messy brush to replace in jar in frigerator or to wash each time...It looks fine on my countertop...it looks white on white because of the coconut oil but it really wouldn't matter if it was a different shade. Just get one and enjoy the fun and convience!Want Chef'n Oil Wand Silicone Oil Dispenser, Frost Meringue Discount?
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Outset QS70 Square Stainless Steel Grill Wok
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Stove Top Shabu Shabu Hot Pot #J0180
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Pot was getting hotter and shape of the pot gradually changed shape.Pot became rounded and not safe to used. In not recomment for anyone...Read Best Reviews of Stove Top Shabu Shabu Hot Pot #J0180 Here
I just used this today! It works so well. When it was delivered the box the pot came in, (not the amazon box) was a little bent out of shape, but everything was fine. It's thick metal, so it's not flimsy, and it's not going to break easily. The lid requires some assembly, (took about 30 seconds), but I wish they would have said that in the description, because you could possibly not be sent an important screw if a mishap happens in packaging. Great buy!Friday, January 24, 2014
Weber 2820 Smokey Mountain Cooker/Smoker
But if you can afford the extra for the WSM, you will get much better temperature control, and getting good temperature control means you can keep a good consistent low temeperature for doing some truly outstanding smoke cooking.
I am by no means an expert on the subject, only having used my WSM about 10 times. Even so, I have been getting results better than any ribs I have tasted at any restaurant (with the exception of real honest to goodness BBQ joints that cook over hardwood for 12 hours plus...). You can tell real barbecue because it has a pink smoke ring in the meat, which I always get when I use the WSM.
You will want to check on the net for the virtual WSM web page, it has a lot of information, and I found the info there a lot more useful than the methods recommended in the owner's manual.
This cooker is not for the impatient who want instant results, your first few times using it may be frustrating until you learn to control where the temperature is going, not where it is right now. But stick with it and you will start to make some truly great bbq. And understand that you are going to be cooking low and slow, which means it is going to take 4, 5, 6 hours or more to do ribs, but once you get the hang of it, they will be some of the best ribs you have tasted.
More than a fair number of barbecue champions use the WSM get results as good as if not better than those guys using the $1000 plus offset pits. The WSM is a great value and the perfect starter "pit" for someone thinking about getting into serious barbecue.
(You can do yourself a favor by using hickory wood chunks as part of the fuel, and real lump charcoal, not briquettes. Briquettes are nice and all, but they are filled with clay and other impurities, really if you are going to the trouble of using charcoal instead of gas, go with real charcoal if you can find it)If you're in the market for your first barbecue cooker, or if you currently own an inexpensive cooker that's frustrating and difficult to use, consider purchasing the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker (WSM).
At home in the backyard and on the barbecue competition circuit, the WSM is not the cheapest cooker on the market today, but it's quality and ease of use make it an excellent value. It benefits from the same quality construction, materials, and customer service as all Weber products, and it's superior design makes it very easy to use.
One of the keys to success in creating great barbecue is being able to control the temperature of your cooker. This is critical when cooking "low and slow" barbecue for 10 to 12 hours or longer, for example when making beef brisket or pork shoulder. This is where the WSM really shines! Unlike other cookers, you don't have to babysit the WSM to maintain a low, consistent cooking temperature. A good airtight design and a series of adjustable air vents make precise temperature control and adjustment extremely simple. You control the cooker, it doesn't control you!
Two cooking grates provide the capacity to cook up to 8 slabs of ribs, or two whole briskets, or even six whole chickens! A water pan provides a moist cooking environment for your meats, while directing heat up and around your meat for indirect cooking. A generous charcoal chamber holds many hours of fuel, as well as your favorite smoke wood chunks--like oak, hickory, apple, and cherry--to create that great smoked barbecue flavor.
Assembly is fast and easy, taking only a few minutes with a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench. The WSM also comes with an owner's manual, a premium vinyl cover, and a 10 year limited warranty.
The WSM is a fantastic product that will provide you and your family and friends with years of great barbecue. The quality will be remembered long after the price is forgotten!
Buy Weber 2820 Smokey Mountain Cooker/Smoker Now
I have only owned a couple smokers in my life, and after purchasing this one I don't plan on owning anything else. The Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker (WSM) is a simple, yet incredibly effective water smoker.The WSM has two cooking sections which allows you to smoke a good amount of food (such as a whole turkey and a whole ham simultaneously). The 18 1/2 inch grates allow plenty of food, but you might have to get a little tricky if you want to smoke something like 8 racks of ribs. This can be done if you roll the ribs up and use a skewer to hold them in place. If you aren't trying to entertain large parties, then this is the perfect family smoker.
The WSM is coated with porcelain enamel, much like the One-Touch kettle grills. The grates are triple-nickel-plated. The WSM is very sturdy. The material is nice and hefty, you don't get the sense that this smoker was cheaply made. One of the only issues I have with this smoker is the access door. Instead of being hinged it comes completely off the smoker. It can take a little bit of figiting to get it to attach to the smoker, but this is an extremely small issue.
The reason people love this smoker is because with a single batch of charcoal you can smoke for an incredibly long time. If you use the minion method then you can smoke for up to 18-20 hours without adding anymore charcoal! For those who aren't aware, the minion method is where you fill the charcoal ring with unlit charcoal, light about 10-15 briquettes and place them on top of the unlit charcoal. Please don't use the minion method with pre-soaked coals. My first smoke was a brisket and for the first 5 hours it stayed exactly at 245 degrees without any adjustments! I thought my thermometer was broken... it wasn't this smoker is incredibly efficient. Another example is the second time I smoked with this. I smoked a 10 lb brisket, started at midnight. It finished 5:00 PM the following day. That's 17 hours right there. I roused the coals a bit and was able to smoke some stuffed jalapenos for another 2 hours. That's 19 hours on a single batch of charcoal! I am very impressed. I have a Brinkman smoker and when I used that smoker I would get about 2 hours of burn time. The WSM is just so much more efficient and has MUCH better air control.
Here are a couple of tips if you plan on buying a WSM (and you should!).
Get a decent enough thermometer, such as a candy thermometer so you can check your temperature at the lid. This will become instrumental in your cooking.
Unfortunately the WSM has a small water pan. What you should do is buy a replacement Brinkmann Smoke N Grill charcoal pan (don't get the water pan, make sure you get the charcoal pan). You can buy one directly from Brinkmann for about $13.00. If you look hard enough you can find them online for around $5.00 $10.00. The Brinkmann charcoal pan fits perfectly inside the WSM as a water pan (some say it fits even better!). It also holds more then double the amount of water then the standard WSM water pan. This allows you about 7-8 hours of cooking before needing to refill the pan, which is much better then the 2-3 you get with the standard water pan. Once your temps stabilize you can easily do overnight cooks and also get some shut-eye!
To conclude I would like to say that if you are even thinking about getting a vertical water smoker then stop looking right now. This smoker is near perfect in every single way. With a few tiny modifications you can own one of the best smokers in the world at this price!
Read Best Reviews of Weber 2820 Smokey Mountain Cooker/Smoker Here
This smoker is becoming the standard of the industry for bullet type smokers. Many competetion bbq teams are winning contests using this simple unit. The cooker has the ability to run for over 12 hours on a single loading of briquets. Makes long cooks of brisket or butts quite easy.I have had one of these units now for some time and just ordered another. I plan on getting two more for competetion. Most serious q'ers will want to mount a termometer on the lid, and possibly replace the stock waterpan with a larger one if you plan on cooking overnight. Have done brisket, butts, ribs and tri-tip and all came out great with little fuss. We own a large
mobile cooker for large parties but for small Qing this thing works great.Approximately 18 years ago I bought a Weber Smokey Mountain smoker and my outdoor cooking experience took a definite turn for the better. I have smoke cook as much as 1 beef brisket, 1 ham and 1 turkey at the same time and all turned out to restaurant perfection. Nothing has ever turned out bad and the comments from people who have eaten the food has always been great, even behind my back. After 18 years when I clean the cooker with oven cleaner it looks like new. I have only replaced the top grill one time and that is a good record considering how many times it has been used. Finding Weber items have not been a problem but I have had trouble finding a Weber cover for it as not many retailers stock them. I have not been able to find them even at this site. But that is a minor inconvience compared to the joy the cooker has brought to me and my family.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Char-Broil 4187018 Grill 2 Go ICE Grill Cover
"Grill2Go Grill Cover Fits Grill2Go and other cart style gas grills up to 45" wide and 18" deep. Weather resistant PVC. Drawstring and grommet closure."
Although it didn't work for my grill, I would have been totally happy with this cover had it fit. I hope the package description helps anyone else who'd like to order this!When I first bought this I'd thought it would fit my fire and ice nice and snug, but it was very loose. I guess this was made for ALL grill. I'd was thinking this would be custom made for the thermos models, I was wrong. Just spend a few dollars on the tarp, you will save a bundle and it will do the same job for you.
Buy Char-Broil 4187018 Grill 2 Go ICE Grill Cover Now
This is meant to be a cover for the grill outdoors. IT MELTED IN THE SUN!Read Best Reviews of Char-Broil 4187018 Grill 2 Go ICE Grill Cover Here
i rate this cover good it fits nicely over the grill and bottle. I use the 17lb bottle and its nice and snug. just wish it was a little heavier in material.Want Char-Broil 4187018 Grill 2 Go ICE Grill Cover Discount?
The grill cover is exactly as stated, of good quality plastic with a draw string closure. That feature has kept the cover in place during some recent high winds! Recommended...Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Weber 4431001 Spirit E-320 Propane Grill, Black
Spirit E-320 is not commonly found in stores. Think they like to push you up to the Genesis line to gain the side burner.
Assembly, smooth and easy. Great packing too. Took about 2 hours. But I enjoy these projects. Would rather assemble it myself right the 1st time then have some 16 year old kid do it cut corners.
Great overall design, perhaps a little small on grilling space if you are cooking for a big party. But for 99% of my needs (family and small groups of friends) its is perfect. Temp controls are very good, and cooking over the whole grill is even. Food sear marks are a thing of beauty.
I don't know for sure but I would swear it is way more efficient burning fuel. Tank seems to last 2x+ compared to my old sunbeam. Perhaps it cooks so much better that you don't cook food as long?
Side Burner: Works great, set in low prevents wind from blowing the heat away from the pot/pan
Cons: Placement of the burner knobs makes for very limited work space on the right side. And especially if you are using the left side burner. Casters are a little small if you move your grill a lot.
Recommendation: Buy the Weber cover to go with.There are several reasons why the grill Weber Spirit E-320 is great:
1. The heat distribution (using the 3 burners or using only 2 -the front and the back-) is very even.
2. The construction and the materials are very sturdy.
3. There are almost no flare ups (I only got some after leaving meat with a lot of fat unattended for a while).
4. The cooking area is really big (536 sq. in. of total cooking area = 424 primary cooking area + 112 warming rack area). We are a family of six (4 adults, 2 children) and in the grill there is room to cook for many more.
5. It is very easy to operate and maintain.
6. The assembly was simple. At a slow pace and working alone, it took me 2 hours and 30 mins. to put it together (add 30 more mins. to clean all the cardboard).
7. It comes with a side-burner, which is convenient.
You should note that this grill comes with "Porcelain-Enameled Cooking Grates" (similar to this Weber 7525 Porcelain Enameled Grates) instead of "Porcelain-Enameled Cast-Iron Cooking Grates" (like this Weber 7526 Cooking Grate). I am pointing this out because in some stores you might see the model E-310 with cast-iron grates (apparently Weber does not commercialize it like that anymore). Additionally, the pictures and the wording can be confusing or not clear enough.
Buy Weber 4431001 Spirit E-320 Propane Grill, Black Now
I searched around and found Amazon to have the lowest price with free delivery which is quite costly on other sites. Received the grill when Amazon said I would, in good condition. I found the assembly of this grill to be the easiest I have ever put together, as most grills have so many nuts, bolts etc, this had one package. I was done in about 1 hour. All the parts fit together without having to force anything.We have used this grill almost every day since getting it and we are amazed at the difference in the way this grill cooks as compared to our previous grill, which was a Char-Broil Stainless Steel Commercial from Lowes. There is no comparison, the Weber is soooooo much better. A minor point but a good one, the igniter actually works, the first time every time. I would highly recommend this grill. It's pricey, but so far (about a month) it has been worth every penny.
Read Best Reviews of Weber 4431001 Spirit E-320 Propane Grill, Black Here
Most definately the the best grill I have ever had. The entire surface heats up evenly and you can crank it up to whatever temp you want for great searing. The hardware that came in the unit was the wrong package so Weber overnighted the correct package. I agree with the previous reviews on assembly.The Spirit 320 is all any homeowner will ever need. The cooking surface is plenty big enough for entertaining a small party which is all I ever have. I like the fact that it has 3 burners and not 2-I think that makes a big difference in cooking. I HAVE to have the side burner since I use it all of the time which is the added benefit to this unit. The warranty is superb as well as customer service. Replacement parts can be purchased locally when needed. The price on Amazon is the best out there especially with the free shipping. It took longer to get here than I anticipated, but it was free. I considered buying the Member's Mark from Sam's club until I read the reviews on this one, looked at the warranty comparison and the components-a no brainer. The extra money for this is very well spent.
Want Weber 4431001 Spirit E-320 Propane Grill, Black Discount?
I had a Charbroil followed by a Kenmore gas grill. Both were purchased without my input. Each lasted around 5 years before the harsh Midwestern weather and unavailability of replacement parts forced me into replacing them. I went with this model because of reputation and the large number of favorable reviews on this site. Plus I feel that replacement parts should be easy to get if I need them. I'll break down my experience thus:A. Delivery. Ordered the grill on the Monday before Christmas with regular shipping. It arrived three days later in good shape.
B. Assembly. Packaging was very thorough and all the parts were intact. I went over the instructions a few nights prior to actually assembling this to get a feel for them. The actual assembly went well, with no stress (I skipped the beer too, which may have kept confusion at bay). The instructions are a step-by-step graphical layout, with a minimum of text. Very intuitive. They also have suggested tools for the job. I would also add scissors, a flashlight, and needle-nose pliers to things you will probably need. The hardware bag also included a small wrench for door adjustment, and a key for tightening bolts; though a 7/16 socket will also do the trick. Allow 2 ½ to 3 hours for assembly.
C. Operation. I couldn't get the lighter to work until I changed to a fresh battery, then the grill "whoomped" into life. I let it preheat for about ten minutes, which was probably five minutes too long. When I got back out the grill was at maximum temp, so I had to dial WAY back on the heat and leave the lid off. All I cooked was a couple of frozen hamburger patties and they cooked well in a nice amount of time. It's winter, so between the darkness and the fog, it was tough to see what I was doing. But from what I could tell, the grill works exactly as promised.
As with all new grills, there is a learning curve involved. Also since I am writing this at the end of December, it will be a few more months before I am able to grill outside on a regular basis again. But just by what I have experienced so far, I highly recommend this grill for anyone looking to have something decent for a change.
(UPDATE)
After almost six months of using this grill, I am still amazed at it's performance. I have cooked burgers, chicken, vegetables, tuna steaks, regular steaks, butterfly chops, and last weekend was the acid test: a rack of ribs. In the past, I have had to babysit my grills cooking ribs because the temperature would creep up or down and I would need to adjust accordingly. We set the Weber on 250, and that needle didn't move for the almost 4 hours we cooked those ribs.
This grill cooks everything consistently and dependably with no apparent hotspots. Weber should change the model name to "Sliced bread" because that's how great it is!
One procedural note: until I bought this grill I was unaware that burn-off should take place before cooking and not after. It seems that leaving the greasy gunk on the surfaces acts as a seasoning and also keeps weathering at bay.

