Kitchen Gadgets That Make Cooking Effortless

Are you a whiz in the kitchen or a wizard with frozen meals?

Today I'm sharing some of my favorite kitchen gadgets that can help any level of cook.

My first and all time favorite is the KitchenAid mixer.  I know a lot of brides-to-be are adding these to their wedding registry and what a smart choice it is!

KitchenAid has been in the appliance business for many, many years.  It's no surprise either.  The KitchenAid mixer is a very versatile appliance.  It can be used for a number of things from mixing, kneading, grinding wheat to juicing oranges and slicing vegetables.  This is a workhorse in the kitchen.  Bed, Bath, and  Beyond is a retailer of KitchenAid products.

Along with preparing that dish in your KitchenAid, you're going to need some quality utensils.  My dad always taught me to buy the best you can afford.  Why?  Because using quality tools for any job makes the job much easier.  I highly recommend purchasing quality bamboo or wooden spoons and spatulas.  World Market carries a nice variety of wooden utensils.

Along with quality utensils, you're going to need quality ingredients.  We use extra virgin olive oil in our home like crazy!  The quality of your ingredients will affect the overall taste of your dish.  The Epicurean Olive Oil Company carries just that...quality olive oils, vinegars, and seasonings.  I guarantee you'll taste a difference in your dishes!

Finally, but not lastly, my final gadget for the kitchen.  Well, it isn't really a gadget but something I highly recommend and really wish (please oh please) would make a huge comeback...the apron!  I love aprons and I use aprons.  Vintage ones.  New ones.  Plain ones.  Pretty ones.  One of my current favorites came from Kirklands and has my initial on it.  It doesn't directly make cooking effortless but it definitely makes clean up effortless!

I'm so glad you stopped by!  God bless!

Angie

An Organized Workroom Part 2

  

Welcome back!  I'm so glad you joined me for part two of my Organized Workroom post.  If you missed part 1, you can check it out here:  An Organized Workroom Post 1

Today, I'm showing you more of the storage methods I use in my workroom.  Since I do altered art projects along with my DIY home projects, it requires hoarding keeping lots of various doodads, tchotchkes, treasures.  My family would probably disagree but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Seriously, it's not really hoarding if it's organized, right???  Nevermind, don't answer that.

a vintage RC cola crate hung on the side of a cabinet holds my many pieces of fabric scraps

I use a chalkboard near the door to write down my projects and materials needed.
This vintage match holder is perfect to hold extra chalk.

French style vintage stereo cabinet, gutted, painted, and fabric panels added

This old stereo cabinet was gutted and now used to store my supplies.
The old pull-out turntable drawer works perfectly for holding lots of paint bottles.
The vintage apothecary jars hold everything from junk metal pieces to rubber stamps.

Jars and jars of treasures...buttons, knobs, die, keys, dominoes, clothespin, tags, and more!

Wine box, wooden bowl, jar, and other dishes help keep things contained

An old miner's basket hung from the ceiling with pulleys holds spools of ribbons.  Out of the way but still within reach!

An old frame with chicken wire, broken teapot and sugar bowl are great for holding tools

Are you ready for my workroom's secret??!  Check it out!

The faux columns on each side of the mantel...they have secrets. ;)

They are actually built-in storage cabinets!

Whew!  That was quite a tour.  Thank you for sticking around to the end.  I hope you find some inspiration and ideas for your own workroom!

God bless!
Angie


I'm linking here:
THE STYLE SISTERS
JENNIFER RIZZO
HOME STORIES A TO Z
FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS

COMMON GROUND

HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON
COASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY

FRIDAYS UNFOLDED

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

ONE MORE TIME EVENTS

TWIRL AND TAKE A BOW 
SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE

STONEGABLE
UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING

A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
ART IS BEAUTY

CLEVER CHICKS BLOG HOP DIY SHOWOFF IT'S OVERFLOWING

THREE MANGO SEEDS

ELIZABETH JOAN DESIGNS

WEEKEND CRAFTS

PRETTY PINTASTIC PARTY
THOUGHTS FROM ALICE
HYMNS AND VERSES
MISS MUSTARD SEED
CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT

An Organized Workroom Part 1

Well, I finally got my workroom organized!  Nothing like posting those ugly before photos (see the post here) to make me get my tail in gear.  I should try this tactic more often.

After I got everything cleaned up, organized, and photographed, I realized I had about a bazillion pics to share.   So, instead of being that person that pulls out the slide projector and subjects you to a ton of vacation pictures, I'm breaking this up into two posts.

Before we jump into my newly organized workroom, I thought I'd share a little about it.  When we moved to the country almost 10 years ago, I decided the shed that was on the property would be a great place for my art studio.

I painted the walls inside, bought a little woodburning stove to heat it during the winter, bought a really l-o-n-g vintage cast iron sink to use for washing paint brushes (and the occasional dirty dog).  I bought cute curtains and dreamed of planting an herb garden outside the front door.  It was coming right along until...

The Flood of 2010

Yeah, in my own little world, this was somewhat devastating but compared in real life to those that lost much, much more from that flood.  It's was just an inconvenience.  We ended up burning practically everything that was in the shed.  And, quickly decided the shed was not a safe place for my art studio.

So now, I have a little 10 x 10 room that my husband built me in our basement garage.  It's actually cozy and now it's organized!  Come on in!

fabric scraps, vintage shopping cart (for the Country Living Fair and other shows), fall floral decor

my version of the old woodburing stove (electric heater), old door turned mantel, vintage bistro chairs

vintage china cabinet turned storage cabinet and my many, many jars of junk :)

an old board covered with batting and cloth is used to hold inspiration pieces and projects

my work table made from an old dismantled desk and a hodge pode of other containers for art supplies

Well, whaddya think?  Much better than the before photos ;)  Be sure to check back tomorrow as I'm sharing more of what's in all those jars as well as some secret storage areas that my husband so ingeniously created!

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!
Angie

I'm linking here:
THE STYLE SISTERS
JENNIFER RIZZO
HOME STORIES A TO Z
FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS

COMMON GROUND

HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON
COASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY

FRIDAYS UNFOLDED

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

ONE MORE TIME EVENTS

TWIRL AND TAKE A BOW 
SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE

STONEGABLE
UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING

A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
ART IS BEAUTY

CLEVER CHICKS BLOG HOP DIY SHOWOFF IT'S OVERFLOWING

THREE MANGO SEEDS

ELIZABETH JOAN DESIGNS

WEEKEND CRAFTS

PRETTY PINTASTIC PARTY
THOUGHTS FROM ALICE
HYMNS AND VERSES
MISS MUSTARD SEED
CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT

Easy Trick to Clean Baked On Food with WATER

Hi guys!  As I was cooking hamburgers tonight, it dawned on me that I haven't shared this easy trick with you all.  I'm assuming most of you are like me and you hate cleaning up a pan with lots of baked on food.  I may even have been guilty of doing the ol' "it's gonna have to soak a while" trick, hoping somehow it would just magically get cleaned and put away.  Yeah, it didn't and I had to finally face that mess...until I discovered this trick!

After you've finished cooking, do not remove the pan from the stove.  Increase the heat and add about 4 cups of tap water.

Bring the water to a boil and let it continue for about 3-4 minutes.  I use this time to finish my dinner preparations.

After it's boiled for a few minutes, take a spatula (metal or hard plastic works best) and loosen any remaining food that's still stuck to the pan.

With the tap running and the drain basket in place, pour the contents of the pan down the drain.  I don't have a disposal so I use the drain basket to catch the food.  If you have a disposal, you can skip that step.  This photo is of my pan after pouring out the contents.  I'd say that's a huge improvement!

For the final step, I give the pan a quick cleaning with my dish scrubber, rinse, dry, and it's ready to put away.

I actually got this idea after watching a Japanese chef clean up after cooking our dinner on the hibachi grill.  I hope this saves you some time in the kitchen!  :)

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!
Angie

I'm linking here:
THE STYLE SISTERS
JENNIFER RIZZO
HOME STORIES A TO Z
FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS

COMMON GROUND

HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON
COASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY

FRIDAYS UNFOLDED

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

ONE MORE TIME EVENTS

TWIRL AND TAKE A BOW 
SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE

STONEGABLE
UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING

A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
ART IS BEAUTY

CLEVER CHICKS BLOG HOP DIY SHOWOFF IT'S OVERFLOWING

THREE MANGO SEEDS

ELIZABETH JOAN DESIGNS

WEEKEND CRAFTS

PRETTY PINTASTIC PARTY
THOUGHTS FROM ALICE
HYMNS AND VERSES
MISS MUSTARD SEED
CONFESSIONS OF A PLATE ADDICT

EnduroShield Glass Treatment Review

We live in an area with very hard water.  Lots of minerals in our water means lots of spots on fixtures and showers doors in our bathrooms.

(Hard to see but this is a photo of the shower door, open toward the closet door...see the spots!)

While the faucets and handles are quick to wipe down as I use them daily, the shower door has always been a problem.  Water spots and soap scum seem to build up quicker on the door than my routine cleaning schedule.  

So, when I was asked by EnduroShield to give their glass product a try, I jumped at the chance.

You do need to start with a clean glass door but there is a cleaner, EnduroClean, included in the package.  Following the instructions on the package, clean the glass and buff a clean cotton rag to remove any remaining streaks.

Next you're ready to apply the EnduroShield.  You work in small areas until all areas are completely covered.

I did this whole process in the morning after everyone had showered.  Once applied, you do need to let the product cure for 8 hours before any chemicals such as soap or shampoo come in contact with the door.  Water will not affect the curing process.

(Photo of the door after the treatment had cured)

The instructions do say to clean the shower door weekly.  I will confess that I do not clean it but once every two weeks.  Between those two weeks, the door has remained looking film free.

(Same shot of the door, open toward the closet...no spots!)

Having used EnduroShield has helped our shower door maintain a cleaner appearance between cleanings.  I was provided with a free product to review but the opinions are 100% mine.

Can Tide Oxi Handle a Hard-working Utility Sink?

Can you believe I posted a photo of our disgusting utility sink?  Me either.  This sink is a workhorse when it comes to my husband, the hobby mechanic, and myself, the DIYer.  

Whoa! Look at that sink!  That's really bad.  So bad that, when I was recently asked to review the new Tide Oxi, I was willing to try it on the hardest working item in our home...and to reveal these frightful before photos to all of you.  First, can I just say that I went to Home Depot to get the Tide Oxi...who knew they had such a great cleaning products aisle?!  (I bought more than the Tide Oxi...well, I was already there and they were on sale!)

So, if this is just a utility sink in our basement garage, why do I care about getting it clean?  Because, like most of you, my friends and guests rarely use the front door.  They come through our garage, probably because the doors are always open and we're in there working on projects.  

By the way, my second most used entrance??  You guessed it...the laundry room door, where friends have actually had to step over piles of laundry to get in.  Those are true friends, bless their sweet, non-judgmental hearts! :)

Here's the new Tide Oxi.  It's a powder and smells fresh and clean.  Using the enclosed scoop, I sprinkled 2 ounces into the sink mixing it with a 1/2 gallon of warm water.  For most of the dirt, it didn't take anything more than a good wiping.  

However, in the photo above, you'll see a glob of dried on paint, probably years of paint.  I did allow the Tide Oxi to soak on this area for about 5 minutes.  Then, I took a scrub brush to it and to some of the stubborn grease stains.  

Ready to see how well it did?

What do you think?!  I was pretty happy with the results.  Some of the dirt could have been removed with a basic cleaning but the grease and paint needed something more.  

Tide Oxi tackled the dried on paint and most of the grease stains.  This is a plastic sink with a slight texture on the bottom making it difficult to get into the tiny crevices.  So, there is some grease visible in that area.  

Would I purchase Tide Oxi again?  More than likely.  I'm pretty frugal but I am brand loyal to a few items because they are worth it.  Tide is one of them.  Tide Oxi is pretty versatile and can be used on many things from clothing, upholstery, patio furniture (both plastic and metal), stuffed animals, the kitchen sink, and more.  Be sure to check the label for exceptions on fabric and upholstery as well as proper use.  I was provided with the product for this review but the opinions are my own.  

Thanks for stopping by and God bless!  I'm off to Home Depot...again :)

Angie

I'm linking here:
THE STYLE SISTERS
JENNIFER RIZZO
HOME STORIES A TO Z
FROM MY FRONT PORCH TO YOURS

COMMON GROUND

HAVE A DAILY CUP OF MRS. OLSON
COASTAL CHARM'S NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY

FRIDAYS UNFOLDED

FEATHERED NEST FRIDAY

ONE MORE TIME EVENTS

TWIRL AND TAKE A BOW 
SAVVY SOUTHERN STYLE

STONEGABLE
UNDER THE TABLE AND DREAMING

A DELIGHTSOME LIFE
ART IS BEAUTY

CLEVER CHICKS BLOG HOP DIY SHOWOFF IT'S OVERFLOWING

THREE MANGO SEEDS

ELIZABETH JOAN DESIGNS

WEEKEND CRAFTS

PRETTY PINTASTIC PARTY
THOUGHTS FROM ALICE