Any raves you have for puchases in the last year? (1,523 views)

I feel almost stupid admitting this, but we bought one of those red copper frying pans they advertise on TV (what can I say? some evening, my iPad + several glasses of wine winds up being a dangerous combination). I think it was $20. I suspect it probably won't last terribly long, but I have to say it works like a dream. Nothing sticks, it cleans up like a breeze (I'm being careful to only use a sponge and not the green scrubbies) and it's a great size. My husband made fun of me for buying it, but it's the first pan he reaches for now, no matter what he's doing.

Years ago I bought a set of knives off a late-night infomercial.  I don't care what anyone said, those were great knives.  So enjoy your copper pan without shame!

At the beginning of the year I posted about needing new oven mitts. I ended up purchasing long, silicon mitts from RedLantana in small/medium/youth size. Having used them for seven months now I absolutely love them. I cook a lot of dinners in the oven.They are the perfect size for my small hands and spills wash right off

In April our beloved toaster had to be replaced. After much searching and agonizing we decided on the Cuisinart Artisan Bread Toaster. DH toasts bread every day and is thrilled with it. He gets evenly toasted slices be they thick or thin, "artisan" or "regular".

I've made something similar but never imagined to buy these (I have used netting bags from onions or avocados)...fascinating. I wonder if they would do better on the soap scum on my shower door.
Catbatty, do they do well wiping countertops?

Countertops - I dunno. I suppose depends which kind. I have used mine on many surfaces. We have tile and I don't see any problem there. My husband sure likes them for scrubbing pots and the big glass pans he likes to cook with. (Pyrex?) They are great for crusty, baked or cooked on foods. I have washed mine many times now...no changes. They are actually attractive, too, which surprised me. Like sparkly squares of fabric.

Aha! I'm so happy you like them! Yes, I throw mine in the washer and dryer when I've used them a bunch. They make dreaded cleanup so not dreaded. We haven't replaced our dead dishwasher, so we have to do dishes by hand. You can imagine how helpful these scrubbers are for us. Baked on stuff is a breeze now.

Re: Soap scum in shower.  Remove the soap scum with Lemon Pledge. 

A new rave is this candied ginger from Verdant Kitchen. (It is also available on Amazon.)

While looking through my messy pantry cabinet for something else, I found a package. I didn't remember buying it but then I saw that it was from Georgia. I must have it last December when I was visiting a friend in Georgia and it got lost. Very unlike me to lose something that I love so much. I opened the package, popped a piece in my mouth and swooned. Even though it has been sitting in my pantry for a year, this is the best candied ginger I have ever had. It is nice and soft. And the best thing is that there is not a ton of sugar on it. I snacked on it for a few days and then chopped up the rest and added it to a batch of granola. Then proceeded to order 3 bags of it.

Wallycat thanks for the links. I somehow missed it for weeks.  I had a  nice wok yrs ago but it had a round bottom with a ring and I think it would have been trouble on an electric glass cooktop.    finally gave it away.  non stick pans do not get hot enough for a stir frying IMO. 

wallycat  I  read  and looked, and decided to try a heavy duty stainless instead.   I will report back after I try it.   its a  gift to xmas myself.   I expect to use a little oil but I don't want a bucket ful to keep things from sticking.   the non sticks do not get hot enough. I have an anodized (calphalon)  aluminum pan that was supposed to be a stir fry pan but it  doesn't heat up no matter what I do, and everything sticks.    reviews on these pans and on the carbon steel go all over the place!  thanks for the links. I can come back and try a carbon steel one if this doesn't work.   

NEEDLE-NOSE PLIER !!! I keep one in kitchen drawer and use it daily. Why? Everything lately seems to have pull-tab light-weight metal or plastic lids/toppers, for instance: wet cat food, Reddi-Whip type pull things (that always either won't pull or break as you try). These PINCHERS are the BOMB!!!!! FREEDOM!! For the Sheba cat food, I just let the pincher grab and roll the top, like you would roll pie dough over a pie pin. SUCH JOY!! NO STRESS! NO CUSSING REQUIRED!!

I bought a small rice cooker with a Christmas gift card last year, and I can't imagine why I waited so long. Well, yes I can. It's a unitasker, it takes up counter space (albeit not much, since it's a small one) and I thought, what's the diff, I can make rice fine on the stove. All accurate, but man, do I love it. Being able to be completely hands off with rice while I'm doing other things was a real game changer for me (and that it switches automatically to the "keep warm" function when it finishes, which means I can lazy with my timing). Also, since I can walk in the door at night, start the rice cooker, and then do my usual end-of-day routine (check through the mail, chat with DH, rinse lunch containers, shower, etc,) while the rice is cooking, it means stir frys and other asian dishes are back in the weeknight rotation (when I didn't start rice until after I'd wound down, we'd end up eating too late, or if I tried to do it on the stovetop concurrent to my wind-down, either it would wind up under/over cooked or cold). I haven't used the timer function yet, nor have I tried other grains or steaming veg at the same time, but it's still been a great addition to our kitchen. We've also been having sushi and gimbap a lot more often.

Wallycat, we bought a carbon steel pan with the intent of getting another larger one, but this thing doesn't hold a seasoning. We keep working on it, but I'm less than impressed. I have a ceramic finish for my one nonstick skillet for eggs. That's really the only time I need one.

For soap scum in the shower, try borax. I don't remember how I stumbled on it, but borax just makes the soap scum ball up and wash off. Bio Clean Hard Water Stain Remover does a good job with the mineral deposits.

We did not fry potato skins. DH followed the instructions that came with the pan -- at least 3 times. We have also cooked greasier things in it to try to help it season naturally. Maybe it will eventually get there. BTW, it was a Misen pan -- they make a good non-stick, but do not like their carbon steel.

You can get deposits off shower glass, but minerals left on the glass over time can etch the glass and the etching doesn't come off. BUt that makes me wonder. We gave etched drinking glasses as a gift -- the recipient put them in the DW and they lost the etching. I wonder what would happen if you used DW detergent on your shower glass?