Rustic Baker's Rack Review

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(More customer reviews)Easy to assemble and has enough space to hold all of my small appliances. This is the second one that I have purchased in the last month. Love it.

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Got things that have no place of their own? Need a place to display some treasured plates or other collections? Why not choose a distinctive room accessory like this rustic baker?s rack? The generously sized wooden shelves are ideal for plants, knickknacks, or even kitchen appliances like your blender, coffeepot and juicer.And that graceful metal design is an ideal counterpoint to almost any decorating theme or color. If you like the elegant simplicity of its design, you?ll also want to take advantage of the matching rustic corner baker?s rack.Metal, wood. 23 3/8 x 12 ¾ x 49 inches high.

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Wellness Super5Mix Dry Dog Food, Just for Puppy Recipe, 6-Pound Bag Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought a bag in Petco store and the pups love it. I noticed a large reduction in their poop quantities too. The food does not stink like big brands often do and is very reasonably priced. I am now a repeat customer and recommend this brand to all who seek a more natural dog food.

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Wellness Super5Mix Just for Puppy recipe is the optimal balance of nutrient-rich whole foods to fulfill the unique health needs of your growing puppy by providing whole-body nutritional support during the important foundation year. This recipe focuses on carbohydrates to provide energy for growth and play. Wellness uses oatmeal, ground barley and ground brown rice because they're easy to digest and full of nutrients. Since brain development is important, Wellness guarantees the level of DHA on every bag. Recent research suggests this important fatty acid helps support cognitive development, vital to learning and training. Puppies need the right mineral balance to ensure teeth and bones grow at the proper rate. Puppies need increased amounts of protein. Wellness uses high quality protein sources including deboned chicken and salmon meal. Excellent nutrient digestibility is ensured through its "Digestool" confirmation studies - less nutrients in the stool, means more nutrients stay in the body. Deboned chicken and salmon meal provide a taste that puppies love.

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Proctor-Silex 25400 Meal Maker Sandwich Toaster Review

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(More customer reviews)I recieved this item as a gift from my neighbors. It was a true gift because I would not have purchased something like this for myself. I eventually found many uses for this little electric grill. As mentioned in the editorial review above, this grill is useful for batter based foods as well as for making sandwiches. Because we prefer hot cake, I have found it very useful for making small snack cakes. Using a standard cake mix with ordinary preparation, the bottom half of the griddle can be filled with batter. The batter will expand to fill the top as it cooks. The additional batter can be refrigerated for use the next day. The same is true of corn bread, pancake mix, browny mix, etc. The best part is the fact that the cakes will cook in just a few minutes. Pre-heating takes only 3-5 mins, and cooking about 4-8 depending on what you are working with, considerable less than the time to bake in a full size oven. This unit is also a welcome addition to the arsenal when battling toddler pickyness. Small portions of various items can be quickly prepared with out heating a full size oven. The way that it seals the bread at the seems when making sandwiches makes it useful for making healthy homemade "hot pockets" for lunches, as you control the ingredients and leave the preservatives at the store. Cresent roll dough can be stretched, doubled-over and filled. Although they are somewhat atypically shaped you get perfect omlets every time, without flipping. Simply chop/shread cheese or vegies add to scrambled eggs and fill the bottom. Although this grill has an easy to clean non-stick surface, I found it useful to wipe with an oiled cloth prior to cooking, PAM or a similar product would also work well. The effort I save putting together quick healthy lunches and snacks using this device, I have transfered to planning and preparing more elaborate meals in the evening, or entertaining.

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Fast and easy-to-use sandwich toaster
Nonstick cooking surface
Compact, upright storage
Power on/preheat indicators
Dimensions: (WHD) 9-1/2 x 9-1/2 x 4 In.

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Blendtec Home TB-621-BHM The Professional's Choice 1500-Watt Total Blender, Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a smoothie person who drinks at least one smoothie a day. I got tired of spending ten minutes a day making smoothie with one of the cheap blenders, so I decided to buy a more high powered blender.
The Breville 550 was my first choice for its reasonable price/power and great looks. Unfortunately, my first smoothie was a disaster. I filled the smoothie 2/3 with fruits and ice, and I stood there pushing the smoothie button three consecutive times to no avail. Then I smelled something burning and figured it was the motor. After spending 10 minutes getting the thing to make smoothie, the result was no better than my old cheap Cuisinart blender. Apparently, 610 watts is just not enough if you want to make thick, smooth smoothie.
I promptly returned the Breville. I then went on a mission to research for a real blender. Apparently, when it comes down to power and industrial strength blenders, it comes down to either a Vita-Mix or a Blendtec. A Costco near me had a demo for Blendtec so I decided to buy one there to try out.
Wow! Now this is a blender! This thing sucked the fruits and ice down into its vortex amazingly well. With the "Whole Fruits" button, I had great smoothie in 50 seconds or less. I usually just hit the button and go the bathroom. By the time I get back, I got instant smoothie! I've tried the the ice crush button and this mode literally makes snow; not just crushed ice, but snow!
There is a con though. Without a tamper, sometimes the fruits do get stuck and doesn't go down. When that happens, I take the jar out and shakes it a couple times and blend again. It works every time. It's an extra step, but it sure beats standing there and holding a tamper to push the fruits down for entire blending time. Many reviewers here claim that they wished they had a tamper, but I think it may be due to their preference and how they've always done it with their Vita-mix. It isn't wrong, but there are more than one way to skin a cat, and for me, shaking it is much easier than using a tamper.
It's also very easy to clean. Instead of disassembling the jar like the Breville and other blenders in its class, I just put a dash of detergent, fill it 1/3 with water, and pulse it for 5 secs. I then wash it out further with water, no dishwasher needed.
Since I bought this at Costco, I got a full 7 year warranty. It's a lot of money, but since there are no alternatives at a cheaper price, it does make my decision easier. Considering the Breville blender probably would've smoked and blown within 6 months of the abuse I'd subject it to, a $400 blender that lasts a minimum of 7 years is not a bad deal. So far after a week of use, I've blended a total of 38 times (the LCD displays the # of uses on its front.). I think I may just keep it.
Pros: It blends virtually anything!
Lots of power. Doesn't smoke when it gets stuck.
Easy to clean.
It doesn't require you to stand there with a tamper.
Great warranty.
Makes amazing smoothies and margaritas and mixed drinks.
Cons: Occasionally requires a good shake to loosen things up.
Expensive.
Loud. (although with a 3HP motor, it's actually quiet compared
to my lawnmower. LOL)

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This New Blendtec "Home" Blender simply out performs the competition and is designed to last. Unlike the competition, this blender will fit under most standard cupboards, and this blender will grind grain for bread making without the expense of an extra container or attachment. The Blender is the innovative leader in the blender market. The Home Blender is designed to do it all. From smoothies, fresh juice, ice cream, milkshakes, cappuccinos, margaritas, to soups, sauces, breads, dressings, salsas and more! The unique square jar is the same used in the best coffee shops, juice bars, and restaurants.This Blender is preprogrammed to do specific jobs like Food Processing, Smoothies, Drinks, and many many more, simply select the job and the blender will adjust to blend in the most efficient way possible. No old fashioned knobs, switches, or dials to wear out. No other blender offers the power, ease of operation, and state of the art engineering. our powerful 3-peak horsepower motor makes any blending chore a breeze. The new model Home Blender features 25 pre-programmed cycles viewable on the blue LCD screen.

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Calphalon Katana Stainless-Steel 8-Piece Knife Set with Block Review

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(More customer reviews)Pros:
These knives are pretty, with a rounded black handle, and a layered damascus-style blade. This means the blade, while relatively smooth, has a wavy-layered look to it. The Amazon picture is accurate to what you will receive in your set. Out of the box, each knife is quite sharp; enough to shear paper, but not hair.
I have smaller hands, and have some trouble wielding the 8" chef's knife, but find that the 5" Santoku is excellent for chopping vegetables. The 6" utility knife is also very useful for thinly slicing meats. I do use a different paring knife (Pampered Chef) as I find the Katana paring knife a little too sharp and rigid for say, lopping the ends off string beans in my hand. We also made the additional purchase of the 9" bread knife to complete the set. The bamboo block is attractive, and the slots are wide and deep enough to put other wide-bladed/long knives in. However, note that if you get the bread knife, that only leaves 3 empty slots (i.e. no dedicated steak knife slots).
Cons:
Two slight cons about this set: (1) The diamond-sharpener looks too coarse to use on these blades, and; (2) The shears in this set are lackluster. While they are relatively heavy-duty, they do not come apart for cleaning, and the handles are a little large and unwieldy. I prefer a smaller-handled set of kitchen shears that come apart for cleaning (when I decide to cut meat instead of slicing it, a la Alton Brown). But in their defense, they do cut cleanly.
Comparisons:
We love our Katanas, and they make ordinary chopping/slicing a much more endurable chore with their sharpness and ease. If you are "stepping up" from an ordinary consumer-grade set, you will definitely feel the difference. For example, I had a $90, 10-piece Kitchenaid set. The Katana Santoku knife is definitely more balanced, and the garlics/onions slide right off the Katana's grooves, whereas sometimes foods would stick on the Kitchenaid. I do find that the Kitchenaid chef's knife is slightly easier to handle, due to the longer curve (better rocking-chopping motion), and the slightly reduced weight, but the Katana is sharper, more rigid, cleaner-cutting, and therefore faster. The Kitchenaid shears were lighter (easier to wield) but flimsier. Unlike the KitchenAid shears, don't expect the Katanas to make a scissor-like snipping noise, they are entirely silent. The Katanas do require slightly care than your run-of-the-mill knife set, but simply wash them shortly after you're done using them and dry them prior to putting them back into the block.
Personal Opinion:
I don't know what "Professional Chefs" think, and I'm just an average cook. Thus, these knives went above and beyond my expectations by reducing my prep time, and adding an attractive focal point to the counter. Granted, they don't come out of the block making a lovely ringing steel noise like our Shun steak knives, but for the foreseeable future on a limited budget, the Katanas are a worthy investment.
Some Miscellaneous Notes:
These knives are made from VG-Japanese steel, but they are manufactured in China. We found this set (1st Quality) at more than 50% off in one of the big box stores, which made it a steal. However, if we had paid full-price, we probably would have done a comparison with a Shun knife set instead.
[Edit - July 2008] Since purchasing these knives, we have noticed the following: (1) do not leave them overnight in water - as they will rust badly, (2) the 5" Santoku has inexplicably developed two hairline fractures in the blade. It was my favorite knife, was not used on inappropriate objects/materials (not used for chopping bones or anything), and was always used on a cutting board, so this development within a year has been very disappointing. I still like the set, but the rusting and the fracturing make me a little less pleased with them. I would drop the star-quality to 3.0-3.5.

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Named for the sacred sword carried by Japan's Samurai warriors, Calphalon Katana Series cutlery has its roots in a centuries-old tradition of superior cutlery craftsmanship.Like the awe-inspiring swords wielded by the Samurai, Calphalon Katana Series cutlery is crafted using a time-honored layering process that creates a Damascus style blade, clad with 33 stainless steel layers.This unique series of cutlery uses VG Japanese steel, which provides exceptional sharpness and ultimate edge retention.These knives also feature a patented integrated bolster design and an ergonomically designed poly-resign handle.This 8 piece Katana series set is an ideal combination for the kitchen.The set includes:a 3.5" Parer, 5" Santoku, 5.5" Serrated Utility, 6" Utility, 8" Chef's, Kitchen Shears, Bamboo Knife Block and a Diamond Steel.

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Chicago Cutlery Landmark 12-Piece Knife Set with Block Review

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(More customer reviews)After revewing knife sets and checking CR recommendations I decided to purchase this set. CR said that Chicago cutlery was the way to go if you do not want to spend a small fortune on knifes that were still of decent quality.
This is the first time I buy something that did not have a review and the first time I write a review because I was so upset with the quality. The knife are not sharp, and they rust - and the block is cumbersome and the inserts that hold the knifes come out - it was actually missing one when it arrived.
I hastened to open it and set it up before I noticed, otherwise, if I still had the box, I would have returned it.

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Chicago Culery Landmark 12-Piece Block Set includes 1-Each 3-Inch peeler, 1-Each 3-Inch paring knife, 4-Each 4-Inch steak knives, 1-Each 5-Inch utility knife, 1-Each 8-Inch bread knife, 1-Each 8' slice knifer, 1-Each 8-Inch chef knife, 1-Each sharpening steel,1-Each 11-slot wood block .Chicago Cutlery Landmark Edition collection commemorates the 75th Anniversary of Chicago Cutlery. High-carbon stainless steel blades matched with polymer/steel combination handles provide contemporary and elegant styling that is also extremely functional.

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Global Sun Oven - Solar Cooker Review

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(More customer reviews)My mother first sent me plans for a solar cooker when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya back in the 1900s, but being young and foolish, I preferred to walk an hour to town for kerosene to light my little stove. (Heck, I couldn't cook, anyway.)
Being much older and a little wiser, I finally woke up to the idea of solar cooking. A parent at the school I work at donated the money to buy a Sun Oven, and my science class fired it up yesterday. I had never cooked in a solar oven before, so I was fully expecting some initial failures, which would be disappointing but instructive. I figured if it could heat up water, we'd bake brownies. The kids (7th and 8th graders) were unusually motivated to see this thing work. Some boys who have never previously volunteered in class eagerly peeled off the protective coating from the reflectors. We set the box outside facing the sun, and it quickly heated up to almost 300 degrees. It easily passed the water heating test, so other students mixed together my favorite brownie recipe (from Baking Illustrated), and into the sun it went. An hour later it passed the toothpick test, so the students tucked into moist, delicious brownies at lunch! It exceeded our wildest expectations for our first solar cooking attempt!
Today I've been experimenting some more, and I've cooked some brown rice (I'll use less water next time), a small loaf of bread (nicely browned crust in one hour), corn on the cob (no water necessary!), and an encore of the brownies. Everything has turned out very well, and all it took was turning the box every half hour or so.

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The Global Sun Oven® is the world's most widely used solar oven. Solar cooking has been around for centuries, but up to now, not many people have had the opportunity to try cooking with the sun. Using the most advanced materials, the Sun Oven takes all the hassles out of solar cooking to create the ultimate solar appliance.The sun oven can be used in the winter as well as summer. It has been used very successfully at below zero conditions at a base camp on Mt. Everest.Measures 19" x 19" with an average depth of 11". The total weight is only 21 pounds. You can bake bread, make cookies, pizza, muffins, or anything you could prepare using a conventional oven. The Global Sun Oven® lets you harness the power of the sun to cook without fuel and is currently being used in over 126 countries around the world.Sundance Solar is proud to carry this high quality solar appliance that is designed to last a lifetime.

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