Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

Did you know that, according to a 2010 study in the New York Times, the average person consumes roughly 50 gallons of soda per year? You heard me . . . 50 GALLONS!!! That’s almost 534 12oz cans per person, per year! And here I thought I was the only one addicted to Diet Coke.

Setting aside the fact that that is ridiculously unhealthy (I prefer not to think about it), that much soda consumption is crazy expensive! Walk into a gas station and pick up just one 12oz bottle, and you’re going to spend $1.50 easy. Now, at 532 bottles per year, you’re spending almost $800. That’s doesn’t even include the $2-$3 energy drinks we buy on a daily basis. No wonder I’m broke!

But wait, there’s hope! The Soda Stream is a WAY more cost effective, and possibly even healthier, way to fill those carbonation cravings. The Soda Stream is a handy little machine that carbonates your water. Add a cap full of their soda mix to that carbonated water, and voila! Cola is born! One bottle of the soda mix costs about $5 and makes roughly 33 12oz cans of soda. Do the math here people . . . buy 33 sodas from a gas station, and you just spent over 50 bucks!

Just to add to the machines awesomeness, they have just about every soda flavor under the sun including Energy Drink (which tastes a heck of a lot like Red Bull). Now that one will REALLY save you some money! And on the healthier side, they make several all-natural flavors that will tickle your taste buds without packing on the pounds.

And what about camping? How annoying is it to try to lug a variety of everyone’s favorite soda up the canyon? The Soda Stream doesn’t need an energy source, so it’s extremely portable. Just bring the machine (not much bigger than a loaf of bread) and a couple little bottles of mix and everyone is happy! Especially your tired muscles that won’t have to lug that extra cooler to the camp sight.

Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

Hello people! And welcome me home from Chicago!!

I just spent the last week at the most amazing event – The International Home and Housewares Show! Now, I have been to some amazing places, and seen some incredible things in my life, but this show takes the cake. The level of creativity and innovation that was emanating from the hundreds and hundreds of booths, and the thousands of new and wonderful products that they have come up with, was overwhelming to say the least. From the interchangeable peeler, to the garlic press that ALSO removes the skin, my head was reeling. With the aid of my fabulous sales director Julie though, I was able to hold myself together . . . barely. When all was said and done, we decided on a slue of new fun amazing things to bring into Harmons for 2012 that I personally HAVE to have in my kitchen, and you will too!! I will be introducing them to you a bit at a time as my blogs progress, but for now I wanted to touch on color.

Fashion is everywhere. From the clothes we wear, to the design of the pillows that we choose for our loveseat, the things that we decide to surround ourselves with tell a story about who we are. It’s no different in the kitchen. Heck, it’s probably even MORE important in the kitchen, since the good majority of us spend such an extraordinary amount of time in there. Over the years, little by little, the housewares/kitchenware industry has been adding not only more functional items, but more colorful items as well. And I’m happy to say that, after seeing the new gadget and cookware designs at this show, the fashion world is about to make a serious stamp on our kitchens! From spatulas to knives (that’s right I said knives) the variety of new colors and fun designs that these people came up with will really make your kitchen sing! Shoot, they nearly made ME sing right there on the buying floor, but (due to the thousands of people around me) I settled for humming a little ditty under my breath.

Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

I was cutting into a piece of chicken the other day when whoops! The handle snapped right off of my knife! Maybe, just maybe it’s time for me to get some new knives . . . ya think? Now I’m no money bags, so I ALMOST went for the cheapo set. But then, of course, I decided that it wouldn’t be all that fun to have my knife snap on me again a year from now. I decided in the end to get a mix of my two favorite knife lines, Kyocera and Henckels, and here is why . . .

Unlike my old and embarrassingly cheap brand of knives, Henckels has what’s called a full tang. A full tang is what you call it when the knife is one solid piece from the tip of the blade to the bottom of the handle. And surprise, surprise! They don’t tend to snap while cutting into a piece of chicken, or any other edible product for that matter. On top of that, the process in which they forge their blades, and the very material that they use, insures the sharpness and longevity of the blade and reduces the risk of it rusting. Continue Reading »

Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

Valentines Day – a day for love. Don’t you just LOVE love? I sure LOVE love!

The question is . . . What do You get that special someone in your life?

While Diamonds are a girl’s best friend (don’t kid yourself, they are), and your man would probably love a new flat screen, most of us just don’t have that kind of money to throw around. So let’s think simple and outside the box.

Chocolate has been a favorite for one main reason. It satisfies all of your senses without breaking the bank. But, can you say done, done, and over done? I have a delicious and healthy alternative . . .tea. Specialty teas are getting more and more popular these days, tastier too. One line of tea in particular, Tea Forte, has really grabbed my attention. The things they have done with their blends really take tea drinking to a whole new level. First of all, they’re organic, so every flavor that hits your toungue is a natural one. Their tea bags aren’t even bleached like most, and that really makes a difference.  They have these amazing little infusers (kind of a cone shaped tea bag) that help your tea steep much faster, and frankly they’re just cute. Tea Forte is even eco friendly! Their packaging is either 100% recycled paper with soy ink, or steel (steel has the highest recycle rate of any ferrous metal).

Now I could go on and on about how they sun-bleach vs. wash their leaves, or how they have been featured in every magazine from People to Time, but what really matters is how it tastes. Let me tell you, I am a tea FAN, and this is hands down the best tea I have ever tasted. Some of my favorites are the Green Mango Peach, White Ginger Pear, and Moroccan Mint.

Perfect gift idea: Loose leaf sampler box, and a Kati Cup (one of Oprah’s 2011 favorite things). The Kati Cup is a cup with a built in loose leaf tea infuser, also made by Tea Forte.

Or, you could get them vacuum and be in the dog house for a very very long time, trust me.

Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

Whew! The holidays are finally over. And as wonderful as the holiday season was, it’s time for a happier subject . . . Things That Make Us Stink.

Two of the most delicious (and oh so pungent) parts of my daily diet are garlic and onions. I can’t live without them! Though, I’m sure those around me wish I could. Now, while I still haven’t found the cure for garlic breath, I have a few tips that will make preparing them easier. I can even get that lingering smell off of your hands.

Everyone has their own tip, trick, or system for garlic. But, none of them are as quick, simple, or fun as the Garlic Roller, and Garlic Zoom. The Garlic Roller is a neat little tool that takes the skin off of the garlic with zero hassle. You just pop in a few cloves and roll it. The garlic pops out one side, and the skin out the other. No cutting, crushing, or peeling. Just pop, roll, done! Continue Reading »

Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

Christmas is in HOW many days?!?!? But I’m not done with my shopping!

Lucky for me, I work at Harmons. I can do all of my last minute shopping at work! Well, except for my kids stuff . . . pretty sure they don’t want a blender. The rest of my family and friends, on the other hand, are going to have a very Cuisinart Christmas!

Here are a few gift ideas that will help you to avoid the death trap that we call “The Mall” this year . . .

The Cuisinart Popcorn Maker: This gift is not only fun, but health conscious. With only a teaspoon of oil, you can have 6 full cups of popcorn. Much better than feeding your family that stuff that comes in a bag. Not only that, but the top doubles as a popcorn bowl, and the thing is dishwasher safe!

The Cuisinart Waffle Maker:  But Karen, who even makes waffles anymore? I do, I do! Too often, breakfast consists of a bowl of cereal and a piece of fruit. While my kids (gotta love em) will happily beg every morning for a chocolate covered, sprinkle coated, sugar sugar cereal, Mommy prefers to have a nice warm meal in their bellies more often than not. Eggs are fine, pancakes are great, but there is nothing like homemade blueberry waffles. Yum!! Continue Reading »

Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

Christmas is coming! Christmas is coming! And while my little ones are dreaming of Santa and presents galore, I just want to party! Christmas is the time of year when you MAKE time for the friends and family that you love so much (or not so much . . . but ’tis the season) but can’t always find time to connect with throughout the year. What better way to connect than with holiday music, mistletoe, eggnog, and – wait for it – FONDUE!!! Fondue was all the rage back in the day and just like many a fashion statement from throughout the years, it’s back! And, unlike all things eighties, it’s comeback was worth the wait. I’ve dubbed this year ‘A Very Cuisinart Christmas’, and their fondue pot is one of the many reasons why. Gone are the days of trying desperately to get the flame under the pot just right to not scorch the heck out of you chocolate. Cuisinarts fondue pot is electric! It’s settings are so easy and accurate, your chocolate or cheese will be perfect every time! You can even cook your meat right in the pot. And my favorite part of course is you can plop the whole darn thing in the dishwasher when you’re done! Beause lets face it, after your second eggnog and eighteenth trip to the fondue pot, your not going to be in the mood to do much scrubbing. Happy Hollidays! And remember, eat, be merry, and enjoy – New Years resolutions don’t start til January!

Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

Gobble Gobble, Gobble, Gobble . . . it’s Turkey Day!!! I don’t know about you, but I plan on getting stuffed! Hehe, get it? Stuffed? After my fantastic meal it’s time for a power nap, and then . . . Black Friday! Black Friday: The most anticipated and dreaded non-holiday of the year. While deciding what shop to set up camp at, I got to thinking about presents. Presents!! Even better than pie!

Here are some of my very favorite kitchen doodads that are super gifty:

For the woman who craves  a dash of fashion in her kitchen, I would definitely recommend Glovables. Glovables is a to die for line of aprons, cleaning gloves, and oven mits that all match each other. I love this line because the style is a cross between Betty Crocker and Gwen Stephani in her more fashionable days, the fit flatters any figure, and the prints are soooo cute!

For the avid chef there is of course Cuisinart. Cuisinart is a well known and fabulous line of small appliances that cooks would be thrilled to get for the holidays. I know my mom has been bugging me to get her their food processor for months! The darn thing won’t fit in her stocking, but I might have to get it for her anyway (shhhh! Don’t tell her. It’s a surprise!)

And of course we all have those friends and family members that think a well balanced meal consists of a can of SpagettiOs and a bag of peas. To those we give . . . the Fasta Pasta! This amazing invention cooks perfect pasta every time – in the microwave! You just put your water and pasta in it, put it in the microwave for 12 or so minutes (depending on the type of pasta), and that’s it! It comes out perfect! The lid even doubles as a measuring device and strainer. Now I’m no lazy bum, but even I love this gizmo. It frees up a burner, and I don’t have to worry about stirring the noodles or the water boiling over, so I can focus on all of my other delightful dishes.

Well, I can think of about a thousand and fifty more, but you don’t have all day . . . there’s stuffing to eat! Enjoy!!!

Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

Hello again! It’s Karen at the Bangerter Crossing Harmons with Kitchenware blog #2! Now, hopefully all your Halloween cookies and treats turned out fantastic, but it’s time to talk about my very favorite food in the world . . . PIE!! Seriously though people, who doesn’t love pie? I’m sure you have your mom’s, or grandma’s, or even your very own delicious pie recipe, but let’s talk about some super handy kitchen tools that will help take that recipe from tasty to yum yum oh my gosh yum!

The very most important thing you’ll need is the proper pie dish to bake it in. Just remember this . .  use metal um never, use glass if you have to, or do the right thing for your taste bud’s sake and bake it in stone. Unlike metal and glass, a stone pie dish heats up slowly and evenly. That way every part of your pie is cooking at the same time, and every bite will be just as good as the last. I personally have the Chantal pie dishes, and they do an amazing job.

Next on the list of must haves, a silicone crust shield. You put this baby around the crust of your pie while it’s baking, and hurray! No more burnt crusts! They make them in aluminum as well, but I prefer the silicone. It’s easier to clean and store for multiple uses. That means more pie!!

Now, the pie shell itself can be a bit of a pain. Little trick to keep it from bubbling up, shrinking, or cracking – pie weights. Partially bake your shell with these little ceramic balls, and no more troublesome crusts.

And the last, but definitely the most adorable, pie gadget that I’d like to share with you is the Pie Bird. Just place this little gadget, which they have cleverly designed to look like a cute little black bird, in the center of your pie. Fill your pie in around him, and put the crust over the top with his little head poking through the center. As your pie bakes, he releases the steam. This way there is no need for slits, and more importantly, no messy bubbling over!

OK I’m done. Now go bake some pie! Bake me some too while you’re at it . . . Happy Holidays!!

Karen, Kitchenwares Specialist

Hello all! I’m Karen at the Bangerter Crossing Harmons, and I get to share some of my very favorite Kitchenware items with you! Yay!

So I was thinking . . . there sure will be a lot of baking going on for the holidays, so why not do it right? One of my all-time favorite products is a line called Pourfect. Did you know that most measuring cups, spoons, ect., are made from a mold, never checked, and most often off by at least a little? How are my homemade cookies and pies supposed to be fabulous if my measurements are all off? Pourfect is a line that a lot of professional bakers will use, and for good reason. After making each one of those cups, spoons, and other measuring devices, they calibrate them so they are actually accurate. And, wonder of wonders, they are made in America. But my favorite thing about them has to be that the measurements aren’t painted on. You can actually put them in the dishwasher and still be able to read which one is the 1/2 teaspoon!

That’s just one of my must have, can’t live without, Kitchenware items. I’ll share a new one with you soon! Have a Happy Halloween!!!