kitchen Archives - Page 5 of 6

Party Planning With Help from DealDash

After hosting my daughter’s 4 year old birthday party this past weekend I was amazed at how many ways DealDash helped me.

Planning a birthday party can be such hard work! However, when you see all of the party-goers having a great time, especially the birthday person it makes it all worth it. Let’s take a quick peek at how many ways that DealDash made my life a little easier when I was making the party preparations.

Food preparations were number one on my list, and so many of the small appliances and kitchen-ware that I used to prepare and store the food originally came from DealDash. The pots & pans set that I got from DealDash about 6 months ago was definitely an integral part of the food preparations, but even smaller things such as my bamboo cooking utensils and food storage set all played their part in making my party a success. If you are in need of anything in and around the kitchen check out DealDash’s Kitchen & Appliances section.

Rachael Ray Hard Enamel Cookware 10pc set (2-tone Red) Oceanstar 6 Piece Bamboo Cooking Utensil Set Rubbermaid 40-Piece Food Storage Set

Another item that I got from DealDash that was absolutely a necessity for my party was my portable centerfold table. All of my normal table space was taken up by happy party-goers, so I tossed a disposable table cloth onto my portable centerfold table and it made a great buffet table to keep all of the big dishes and bowls of food on so people could come serve themselves. Speaking of tables, I had a few tiny guests that were too small to sit at my regular dining table or on a bar stool at my island, so I brought out my kid’s table & chair set and there was room for everyone, and no one got any “boo-boos” from falling off of a chair that was too big for them. If you’re looking for some inexpensive furniture that you can keep in storage until you need it, try browsing the Home & Office category on DealDash.

Mainstays Centerfold Table Kid's 5 Piece Folding Chair and Table Set

Since this was a 4 year old’s birthday party, I’m sure that you can guess the last DealDash section that I am going to mention…The Toys, Kids, & Baby section, of course! I was able to get my daughter a bunch of great toys that she was so excited to open and made her birthday extra special. My daughter absolutely loves all of the awesome things that I get her on DealDash, but I had saved some of her favorite characters for her birthday. Thanks for making her birthday great, DealDash!

Hello Kitty AM/FM Projection Clock Radio with Battery Back-up LEGO Friends Sunshine Harvest Play Set Disney Multi-Bin Toy Organizer

12 Weeks Until Thanksgiving, Time to Get Ready

It’s only 12 weeks until Thanksgiving! As a first-time Thanksgiving host for my family I have already started my prep, and I have learned a few tips along the way.

The first thing that I noticed when I began my Thanksgiving prep was that I just didn’t have the right tools to get the job done. I definitely needed to get a roasting pan for the turkey itself, but I was also in need of a selection of different sized casserole dishes to put all of my sides in to bake and serve. After all, what’s Thanksgiving without the green bean casserole and the sweet potatoes? Luckily for me, DealDash has a great selection of kitchen items.

Speaking of delicious casseroles, here are a few recipes that you might like to try if you are going to be hosting your family’s Thanksgiving this year.

Classic Green Bean Casserole – This is probably the exact recipe that your Mother or Grandmother got off of a soup can 40 years ago.

Ingredients:

1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 dash black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French’s® French Fried Onions

Directions:

1- Stir the soup, milk, soy sauce, black pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

2- Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the bean mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining onions.

3- Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

You’re done! Even people who don’t normally like green beans usually enjoy this casserole.

Another favorite around the Thanksgiving table is another seasonal casserole, the Sweet Potato Casserole. If you aren’t familiar with Sweet Potato Casserole, it’s based on sweet potato pie, a favorite in the South. This famous Thanksgiving side dish has a delicious history. The marshmallows were added by Janet McKenzie Hill, the founder of the Boston Cooking-School Magazine, in 1917, when the marshmallow evolved from a specialty confection into an everyday treat. If you’ve never had it you should definitely give it a try this year. Here is a quick and easy recipe.

Ingredients:

4 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cooking spray

3 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:

1- Preheat oven to 425°.

2- Place sweet potatoes in a shallow baking pan lined with foil. Bake at 425° for 1 hour or until tender. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

3- Peel sweet potatoes; place in a large bowl. Add butter and next 3 ingredients (through cinnamon); mash with a potato masher until pureed. Spoon potato mixture into a 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.

4- Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Top with marshmallows; bake an additional 10 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly browned.

That’s it! If you don’t tell the kids what it’s made of they will be sure to tear into the marshmellowy goodness.

If you are going to be hosting your family’s Thanksgiving this year be sure to check out DealDash. There are so many things there that you will be able to use for Thanksgiving dinner, but also be able to incorporate into your everyday use as well. Some examples of things you might want to look for in the kitchen section are: knife sets, pot & pan sets, cutlery, baking items, and much more. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Fun in the Kitchen

Do you love to cook? Well, even if you don’t, here are some ways that you can have fun in the kitchen.

One of my favorite ways to have fun in the kitchen is to have unique kitchen gadgets and fun-colored small appliances. There are a few popular brands that make an awesome array of different colored small appliances to appease anyone looking for something a little “different.”

There are also a number of lesser-known brands from other countries such as France and Finland that make really adorable kitchen items that definitely ramp up the fun factor.

Another great way to have fun in the kitchen is to get your kids involved! Babies love to sit on the floor while you cook and play with pots and pans, while kids as young as 3 can learn to crack an egg or pour and mix for you. Elementary school-aged children can really be a lot of help to you, with very specific safety instructions and close supervision they can learn how to chop veggies and fruits, measure ingredients, and read to you from a cookbook so you don’t have to keep wiping your hands off before you touch the book. If you still don’t like cooking by the time these trained tiny chefs go to Middle school, well, maybe they can take over the cooking for you!

My last suggestion for you to help you have more fun in the kitchen is to get some gadgets that you don’t really need, but ones that make your life easier. Personally, my favorite kitchen gadget is my stand mixer, which I definitely don’t need, but it comes in handy now and again, and it always looks beautiful sitting on my kitchen counter. My sister is a little more practical, her favorite kitchen gadget is a margarita maker. It gets significantly more use than my stand mixer, and everyone gets excited when she brings it out of the pantry and yells “Margarita Time!!!” If we’re really being honest here, maybe my sister is the one you should be asking for advice on how to have fun in the kitchen!

I hope this article has encouraged you to try some of my strategies for having fun in the kitchen. If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make your time in the kitchen a little more fun. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Living Healthy: Eating Well, Even on a Budget

Welcome back to DealDash Blog’s Living Healthy series. Today’s blog is all about sharing ideas of how you can eat healthfully, even when you’re on a budget.

Most people have a basic idea of what it means to be a healthy eater – everyone is familiar with the Food Pyramid from elementary school, right? The problem is, sometimes making healthy food choices can really put a strain on your budget, especially if you are feeding a family of four or even more. Luckily, I have some easy strategies for you to try to incorporate into your daily life.

1 – Meal Planning. Strategy number one is really important to staying on budget – when you plan your meals out ahead of time (I like to do a week’s worth at a time) it allows you to buy healthy food in bulk at your local wholesale club and spread the goodness out over multiple meals. For example, if I were to buy the single mixed-greens bag of salad at the local supermarket it would cost me approximately $3, and last my family of four for just one meal. However, if I plan my meals ahead of time and I know that we are going to have salads three nights in the upcoming week I can buy the large box of mixed-greens at the wholesale club for $6 and have enough salad for all three nights. See? I just saved myself $3 by planning ahead.

2- Home Cooking. Strategy number two is really beneficial for both your health and your wallet. If my family of four decided that we would all like to have lasagna and we went to any of the mid-priced Italian restaurants in my area we would spend approximately $60 (I live right outside of Boston, it might be cheaper near you), and in addition to that the lasagna would most likely be made with lots of oil, white pasta, and full-fat cheese. However, if I were to make the exact same meal at home it costs less than $15, and I am able to use fat-free cheese, whole wheat pasta noodles, and even substitute some of the ricotta for cottage cheese. It tastes absolutely delicious, and it’s very healthy as well. In a quest to get my children to eat more veggies I also add mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and zucchini slices (Shhhhh…Don’t tell!)

3- Farmer’s Markets. Strategy number three may or may not work for you depending on where you live. In my area, there is a farmer’s market going on in my town and every small town around me. When you go to the farmer’s market you are getting delicious fruits and veggies that are extremely fresh because they are grown locally. In addition to that, the prices are definitely better than any supermarket around, especially if there are multiple vendors selling the same fruits and veggies. If you want to make your trip to the farmer’s market even healthier, try walking there! The weather is beautiful in August, and the fresh air is great for your body and mind.

I hope this article has encouraged you to try some of my strategies for living healthy on a budget. If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make you and your family a little bit healthier. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Rachael Ray Knows Her Way Around a Kitchen!

Who pops into your head when someone mentions the Food Network? I’ll bet Rachael Ray is in your top 3 that you think of! She’s everywhere!

Most people might recognize Rachael Ray as a celebrity chef on the Food Network. She was born on August 25, 1968 in New York, and has been around restaurants all of her life, thanks to her mom who was a restaurant manager when Rachel was young. She is also an author as well as hosting the syndicated daily talk and lifestyle program Rachael Ray, and three Food Network series: 30 Minute Meals, Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels, and $40 a Day.

One of the most interesting things that I found out about Rachael Ray is that in 2007, The Oxford American College Dictionary announced the addition of the term EVOO, short for extra-virgin olive oil, which Ray had helped to popularize, and credited her with coining the phrase. This phrase started on her television programs, she has used catchphrases such as “E-V-O-O” (extra-virgin olive oil) as well as a few others that haven’t caught on quite as much such as “stoup” (cross between a soup and stew), and “choup” (thicker than a soup but thinner than a chowder).

Why am I telling you all about Rachael Ray? Well, if you like her products then you should see what DealDash has for you! DealDash offers many of her high quality products such as Stoneware Oil and Vinegar Bottles, 3.5-quart stoneware covered rectangular casserole dish, and my personal favorite, the Hard Enamel 10pc Cookware set in 2-tone red. I got this cookware set from DealDash right around the time that I was moving, and it was one of the very first things that I unpacked when I moved in. This set includes: 1 Qt. Covered Saucepan, 2 Qt. Covered Saucepan, 6 Qt. Covered Stockpot, 3 Qt. Covered Saute, 8.5″ Skillet, and 10″ Skillet. All of these items have a nonstick interior. The nonstick interior allows food to slide off and makes cleanup quick and easy. All of them also have soft grippy handles. The rubberized dual-riveted handles are comfortable and oven safe to 350°F. The lids are made of tempered glass – Watch your foods cook without having to remove the lid to keep moisture locked in. Here is a picture of me with my Rachael Ray cookware set!

Head on over to DealDash and check out the upcoming Rachael Ray product auctions. One of my favorite things about the Rachael Ray products is that they come in so many different colors – purple, orange, and red to name a few. If you see one you are interested in, go ahead and hit the blue “Alert Me” button and DealDash will send you a quick email when one becomes available. Good luck and happy bidding everyone, set your Bid Buddies and go out and enjoy the beautiful weather!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9×7-GYIxMjI