The Progressive Nut Chopperis one of the handiest tools in my kitchen. If you've ever tried chopping a cutting board full of pecans or almonds (or any nut for that matter), you already know that it's no easy task. This is where the Nut Chopper comes to the rescue. I just did a little experiment to prove my point. I measured out one cup of whole pecans (shelled, of course), filled the nut hopper of the Nut Chopper with them, set the timer then started turning the crank handle. I had the whole cup of nuts chopped in less than 30 seconds.

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Tags: Cooking Gadgets, nut chopper, nut grinder, nuts

I've tried different methods of making mashed potatoes: squashing with a masher, whipping using a hand mixer or my Kitchenaid mixer, and using a potato ricer. Each method gives potatoes a different texture.

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Tags: chrome finish, fluffy mashed potatoes, Norpro Potato Ricer

In my kitchen, a good dutch oven is a kitchen necessity, especially now that we're in comfort food weather. Not only is it great for making soups and stews, but it can be used to roast a small chicken or bake a casserole. In the summer, the dutch oven can be refrigerated and used to keep cold salads (like potato or pasta salads) cold.

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Tags: 6-quart, cast iron, dutch oven, Mario Batali Essentials Pot, porcelain-enamel cast-iron pot

If you've ever had a panini than you know how good they are. Warm, crunchy, often gooey (depending on the ingredients) and delicious. With all the ingredient possibilities, you could enjoy a different panini everyday. Oh, what a beautiful world it would be! I recently received a Villaware UNO ProPress Panini Grill from some girlfriends as group birthday gift. Not only was I surprised but I was also elated with my new cooking tool. I love cooking gadgetry! Anyway, my new panini grill is a beautiful little appliance. I feel like I'm working in a bistro when I've got it on the counter. Not only is it good-looking, but it's functional, too. It's got a good-sized non-stick cooking surface (11"x9"), adjustable temperature control and a commercial-style handle. You can even grill meat on it, although I haven't tried that yet. Unfortunately, the cooking plates aren't removable (which would aid in clean up) but that's a small sacrifice for a delicious grilled sandwich.

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Tags: Cookware, grill, panini

One of my recent kitchen purchases was a new tea kettle. I loved my old kettle, a stainless steel model made by Kitchenaid that I received as a wedding present ten years ago. Husband & I used it daily and I frequently thought about what a good and functional gift it was. Then one day not too long ago, Husband decided to try his hand at multi-tasking (I shudder at the thought). Apparently he put water on to boil then got busy doing something in the garage. Unfortunately, he didn’t hear the annoying whistle of the kettle since he wasn't in the house. At some point Husband came back into the house to find the kettle dry. I was out at the time but came home to find my nice stainless steel kettle looking blackish and not so attractive anymore. Well, accidents happen so I didn’t dwell on it.

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Tags: Cookware, tea kettle