WHAT MAKES IT SO HEALTHY?

It is quite simple. When frying in a pan, baking in the oven, or even microwaving, your food will literally cook in it’s own fat. In addition, most of us will add olive oil, butter or similar ingredients to reduce sticking or add flavor, and this will only compound the issue. If you put your meat or other food outside on the grill, you know that the fat will drip off, and fall down way away from the food. This results in a leaner, more healthy meal, and quickly reduces the calories you take in. The stove top grill works the same way. A special design allows food to cook over direct heat, but all of the fat and oil will drip down away from your food to prevent you from consuming it. It is easy to see how a cooking surface that reduces fat intake would be healthier than one that does not. A pan or dish where meat sits in oil or butter not only retains it’s own fat, but it actually absorbs and becomes infused with the additional fat you put in there.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Using this cooking surface is quite simple. You can grill regular BBQ items like hamburgers, chicken and hot dogs, but you can also do more non-traditional foods like shrimp, fish and vegetables quite easily. It does have holes like you would expect from a grilling surface, but it does not have a grate that things can fall through. Add to that the fact that the whole thing is incredibly non-stick, and you have an easier to use surface that provides all of the same healthy benefits. It works on electric ranges, glass top stoves and gas powered cook tops, so pretty much anyone can use one to make cooking fun, easy and good for you.

How To Use It:

• The grill consists of two parts. There is the stainless steel ring, and there is the non-stick grill plate. For best results, choose a burner that is small enough to remain completely inside the ring. You can place the ring on top of the burner too, but this will heat it up as well as the cooking surface. If you use a small burner, the heat will remain inside the ring, and only heat the part that you will cook on.
• Once you have chosen the spot where you will use it, add some liquid to the stainless steel ring. You can use plain old water, or you can add something with flavor, and the taste will infuse into your food as it cooks.
• After moisture is added, place the grill plate on top, and then turn on the burner to a medium or medium high heat setting.
• For best results, allow the stove top grill to heat completely prior to placing your food on top. All stove types will work, but glass top ranges will take the longest to pre-heat. An easy way to tell if it is ready is to flick a couple of drops of water onto it. If the water sit idle, you need to wait longer. If it dances around, sizzles and then evaporates, you are good to go.
• Once fully heated, simply place on your food and cook like normal. The fat and oils will drip away to be collected in the ring, and the added moisture makes it super easy to clean out, but also steams in moisture and flavor if you add it.
• Cleaning up afterward is simple too. The non-stick surface washes clean easily and so does the ring thanks to the liquid.

WHY THIS ONE IS BETTER

Higher quality materials make for an easier to use tool, but also ensures longevity as it maintains healthiness. Other similar looking grills will have cheap grill surfaces that flake or peel, and if you ingest any of that stuff you are really negating any of the fat reduction, and replacing it with something much more dangerous. The one we carry is guaranteed to be better and easier to use, and the materials are superior, so it won’t be ruined or unsafe after only a few uses.

Stop choking down those special diet meals, and go back to eating foods you enjoy. Simple changes in the way you prepare your food can easily reduce calories and help you eat better. Other choices like consuming more lean meats, or opting for organic instead of regular stock will only increase these benefits, but is can be quite easy and very painless to try this healthier way to cook.

Stove Top Grill

For a fun and easy way to flip your food as you make it, try a small pig tail food flipper.

A Healthier Way To Cook - Simply Good Tips

Traditional Methods

When attempting to clean the inside of an oven, most people will go one of two routes, and many of us will try both without really completing the job to satisfaction. If you have a self cleaning oven, then you will most likely try the cleaning mode that it has because it is expected to be a simple and automatic way to eliminate dirtiness. If you don’t have one, or if you have tried self -cleaning and it did not work, then you will most likely head out to the store to get something that says oven cleaner on it.

Self Clean – Blast Fry Method

When you let your oven clean itself, it does not release a team of tiny cleaning elves on the inside of your oven, and in fact, no real cleaning will ever take place. What will happen is your oven will get real hot, and it will use a bunch of energy in the process. If you are lucky, your house will not fill with thick black smoke, and the area around your oven will not discolor as the build up is cooked off. If you are even more lucky, the entire mess you were attempting to remove will be incinerated to the point of turning to dust, and there will be nothing left over, or more glued due to cooking but a fine dusting of dust that used to be food. Most of us will not be that lucky, so often times, a stinky, smokey afternoon full of good intentions will only result in frustration rather than the satisfaction that comes from a job well done. In some cases, this technique will reduce build up  to ashes, but in others, it may just cement it on there better due to the cooking process.

The main up side to this method is that it is a set and forget style of work. The down side is that much like other things that seem too good to be true, this one often is as well. You may get the food cleaned out by going this route, but you may also just waste time as you fill your kitchen with smoke, and prolong the inevitability of you running to the store for that can that says oven cleaner. It is also important to note, that even if this technique does work, the extended period of high heat will be taking a tole on your energy bill. Using this method would be kind of silly for a single small spill or drop of sauce, but when the whole interior gets grimy, it makes a little more sense. When the cooking stage is finished, this method still requires you to clean by hand a bit to finish up. After the cycle completes, the best case scenario will leave burnt remains that will need to be wiped out in order to consider the area clean. The high heat will obliterate many of the caked on layers, but it will  not actually remove anything without manual effort, after the fact.

NOTE: Due to the high heat that will rise up out of the front of your oven, you may want to remove plastic knobs and any other meltable pieces prior to beginning the blast fry session. This simple step will help you to avoid warped parts or larger problems that may occur due to the prolonged use of hot temperatures to do the work.

Oven Specific Cleaner – Hold Your Breath And Scrub Method

If your self cleaning oven did not do the trick, or if you never had one in the first place, then you probably headed to the store when you decided that it was time to clean your oven. If you take a look at the back of whichever container you purchased, you will notice a long list of warnings. This stuff is so toxic that you are recommended not to touch it or breathe it, but you are, at the same time, encouraged to eat food cooked in material that has been “cleaned” by it. If you can handle the fumes, and you are up to slipping on some gloves as you bury your face in the oven, then you may be able to get some cleaning done. You can not really say that these types of cleaners don’t work, because they do. The problem is that you don’t need to undergo the risk, and there are actually safer products, that don’t smell as bad, and actually do a better job at cleaning.

The main benefit to powerfully toxic oven cleaners is that they will produce more thorough results than a self clean would. Unfortunately, it will take actual effort on your part to make it sparkle, but with enough spraying and scrubbing, you should be able to get the inside spotless. You do not need to worry about energy usage or smoke damage when you clean this way, but you do need to worry about passing out before you finish, and it is pretty important to remove any cleaner residues prior to cooking food again. Also, certain surfaces like rubber seals should not be touched by these products as it can cause wear, and render them ineffective. This technique is ideal for small spills or full cleanings because you can easily adjust based upon the size of the job. Always make sure to open a window, or use a fan to create adequate ventilation when using these types of cleaners. You will need to scrub and scour to complete the job, so make sure you have a good tool that is safe for the surface you are cleaning. A tool that is overly abrasive may seem like a good idea at first, but once you realize that you have destroyed the finish as you removed the cooked on food, you will start to think otherwise.

Simply Good Method

When trying to tackle any tough cleaning job, it is most important to begin with the right tools. You could just stick with one of the regular methods above, but you could also reduce your effort,and improve your results by trying something different. In the same way that it is amazing at hundreds of other jobs, Quick N Brite may also be the best oven cleaner available. It will cut through, and lift off, sticky or hard messes that those toxic versions often leave behind, and it is way quicker and more thorough than any self cleaning cycle could be. It is an all natural formulation that does not use harsh chemicals or anything dangerous to get the job done, so it can be used in complete confidence in any area that you prepare food. A superior blend of high quality ingredients combine to produce a powerful paste that can eliminate any food on the inside of your oven, no matter what it is, or how long it has been there.

There are several ways to use this cleaner that would be effective, but we will outline the quickest and most simple way to use it in order to clean your oven without using harsh chemicals. Other techniques would expand or modify this basic method, but for most folks, these steps should take you from disgusting to spotless in matter of minutes. It does not require intense scrubbing, but you will be able to completely remove any build up on all surfaces.

How To Clean Your Oven – Non-Toxic And Effective

• To begin, lightly brush out any loose chunks of food debris, just to get them out of the way. Take a dry microfiber cloth, or something similar, and give the whole inside a quick wipe to empty out any pieces that are not stuck. This step makes the job easier, and it will reduce the time that the rest of the process takes.
• Once the area is prepped, take some Quick N Brite Paste full strength, and apply it to any surface that is dirty. You can use a damp rag, a scrub sponge, a light brush or anything similar that would be safe for the surface, and you will put it on in a circular motion, as if you are waxing a car. You do not really need to scrub, and you are not trying to clean anything off at this point. You want to completely coat any grime, and sort of work the cleaner in to make sure it is penetrating all over.
• It may be easier, depending on how severe your oven is, to do one section at a time. This cleaner is safe for glass and metal, and you can apply ti on any surface inside you oven, but to make the job easier, you may want to do one side at a time.
• Once the cleaner is applied all over, turn your oven on to a low setting, and leave it on for about 10-15 minutes. This time and heat will allow the cleaner to work. It will break apart any stains and crust, and it will begin to float it all up off the surface. This makes it incredibly easy to wipe away without any real scrubbing necessary.
• After the oven has been on for about 1q5 minutes, turn it off and let it cool down. DO NOT TRY TO CLEAN YOUR HOT OVEN.
• Once cool, take a damp terry cloth towel, and wipe out all of the yuckiness. It will not require elbow grease or hard work, and most anything should sort of slide right out at this point. All of the dark stuff that was coating your oven will now transfer onto the towel for easy removal and disposal.
• Once it looks mostly clean inside, take a new towel and give it one last wipe down. If any dirt is still there, a quick spray with a heavy solution(3 Tbsp. into 1 quart of water), followed by one more wipe should easily do the trick.

No fumes to breathe, no smoke to inhale, and no more dirty oven. Most people dread this job due to the gross nature of the dirt, the perceived effort required to remove it, and the extreme nature of the product usually used to complete it. When you use Quick N Brite instead, you don’t have to worry about putting on a gas mask, unplugging the smoke detectors, or scrubbing away with half your body inside your oven. De-greasing and removing set in organic stains are two things that this cleaner does best. No dirt encountered in your stove will be too tough for this powerful cleaner, and the pleasant smell, and amazing results will have you shocked and pleased at the same time.

Powerful chemicals will do the trick, but why use them if you don’t have to? Those stinky substances are only good for one job, and they can be pretty darn expensive. With results that take effort to achieve, and outcomes that are not at all guaranteed, most of us only resort to them because we are not aware of anything better. This cleaner is safe for use around your food, you can touch it with your bare hands, and you might not even notice it’s smell, but despite all this, it will easily outperform traditional options while remaining safer and easier to use. Get it to clean your oven in the safest and most simple way possible, and then keep it around to discover hundreds of other jobs it does just as well with.

Quick N Brite

How To Clean Your Oven Without Harsh Chemicals - Simply Good Tips

CLOVE OR BULB?

First things first. Many people are not even sure what a clove is. It is not the whole chunk of garlic that you will buy at the store. The whole thing is referred to as a bulb, and each of the smaller parts that combine to form the bulb, are the actual cloves. Each garlic bulb will have several cloves, and in most cases  you will not use all of them at once, and you probably will not find yourself peeling a whole bulb for a single recipe. For a typical dish, you will simply separate the number of cloves necessary, and then save the rest for later.

TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES

There is one main technique that is used and recommended by chefs, and then two other techniques that are lesser known, and not used as much. After you review the three “regular” ways, keep on reading to find out about the simply good way, and you will discover a simple and effective method to get the job done, and also avoid the stink.

1. Beat It

This is the most popular way to peel garlic. It is not all that easy, and it will require some practice to perfect the technique. Once you get it down though, it is an effective way to perform the task, and it will get easier each time you do it. You will need a large chef knife in order to do it properly, so if you are used to chopping veggies with a steak knife, this may not be the option you were looking for. With this technique, you really need to do one at a time, so if you want to prep multiple pieces, it would take a long time.  To peel garlic like a master chef, simply follow these steps:

• First get you bulb, and break off a clove or two.
• Cut off the root end of the clove using your knife, and then place the clove flat on a cutting board.
• Now take the side of you knife, with the blade pointing away from you body, and rest it gently on top of the clove.
• To remove the paper thin skin, simply apply direct downward pressure, or for more fun, beat on it with your fist.
• This direct, even pressure will squish the garlic, and cause the useful portion to separate from the outer casing.
• Now simply pick the skin away and dispose of it, and you have fresh garlic to mince, grate or press as you see fit.

3. Nuke It

The final method that people often use to make peeling garlic easy is to put it in the microwave. This technique works much the same way that soaking it does, so it will not actually take the skin off, just make it easier to peel by hand. The upside to doing it this way verses the water bath, would be time. A microwave should produce faster results. You may still have to dirty a dish when doing it this way, but you could also just use paper towel for a faster clean up. It is not clear if nuking it will remove flavor or nutrients, but that is something to think about when attempting this technique. If you need to do multiple pieces, you can heat them all at once, although you will want to extend the time they spend in there. When it comes time for taking the skin off, you will have to do it one at a time, so several will take you longer. To loosen the skin by using the microwave, simply follow these steps:

• Separate off a clove, and place it on a microwave safe dish or paper towel.
• Place it in the microwave, and then heat on high for about 10 seconds.
• Because microwave power will vary, you may need to use more time, but be careful not to cook the clove, as that will make working with it more difficult after the peel is removed.
• Once heated, remove the clove and cut off the inedible end.
• After the end is chopped of the skin should slip free, and it will usually come off in one, easy to remove chunk.

THE FAST AND EASY WAY

Garlic Peeler

Garlic Grater

How To Peel Garlic The Easy Way - Simply Good Tips

One of the main problems people have when frying a steak in a pan is overcooking. It is a completely different surface than what a barbecue provides, so the same techniques will not offer the same results. Many of us will tend to a steak like we do anything else in a pan on the stove, and continue rotating and flipping until it looks “right”. At this point, most of us will now be left to eat a well done piece of meat that is devoid of all the lovely, natural flavoring. In order to avoid this under normal circumstances, you need to heat the pan to the perfect temperature  and cook with exact times while making sure to not flip it more than once, or cut it open to check for doneness. If you are not working with the best cut, another downside can arise by pan frying it. When grilling, any fat that cooks off will drip down and away from your food. In the pan, it remains there, so it is not the healthiest choice when preparing steak that has any amount of fat content that is visible. Because many approved methods of stove top steak cooking recommend the addition of some sort of oil, you may not be able to avoid this factor, even with the most expensive pieces. The final draw back for using a regular pan to cook your meat will be dryness. It is very easy to dry out the meat due to this method, and if that happens, you will have a pretty unappealing dish to eat afterward because the natural juices are a big part of the flavor that everyone enjoys.

A Stove Top Grill is a great alternative to regular pan frying, and will give your meat much better flavor due to the design and simplicity of use. Although it sits on your stove, and uses the burner as a heat source, it is much more difficult to ruin your steak when you cook on it. Instead of tough, flavorless slabs of beef, you will get something much closer to what is achieved by outdoor grilling. It will help to lock in flavor, and keep the meat moist, tender and flavorful. You will be able to use more than one technique and still achieve quality results, so it will be far more versatile and able to adapt to personal cooking styles. If you like to flip over and over you can do that, if you like to grill with a cover, you can do that, if you want to use a pan-style technique, that would be fine, if you want to pretend you are outside, that would be OK,  and if you want to grill with some hybrid technique that combines several of these together, that would probably work out too. Thanks to the clever design of this grill pan, your meat will cook more evenly, the fat will drip away as you cook, and a ring of moisture will infuse flavor and lock in moisture in order to assure restaurant quality results. Because it is so easy to use, and prevents the drying of your food, it will be much more difficult to cook something you wouldn’t want to eat, and anyone should be able to end up with a nice looking piece of meat, cooked to the desired level of done.

HOW TO USE IT
Using the Stove Top Grill is pretty simple, so it is highly regarded as a viable alternative to breaking out the grill. It can be used on any type of stove, so it does not matter if you have electric or gas, and you can even use it on smooth surface ranges as well. The amount of time it will need to heat up will vary depending on the type of stove you have, but any one will work. Gas burners heat it up fastest, and glass top electric ranges will take the longest amount of time. Once up to the desired temp, any stove should keep it hot to the same degree, so the only real variable for usage will be how long before you can start. Any easy way to tell that the grill plate is hot enough to begin cooking is to flick a couple of drop of water onto it. If they just sit there, you need to wait a bit longer. If they dance around and then disappear, you should be good to go. Getting a hot surface is one of the most important steps, and if you do not let it fully heat, you may have trouble getting the end result that you expect.

Prior to placing it on the stove, you will want to add some sort of liquid to the outer ring. For most basic usage, water is ideal. It will add the steam and moisture you want, but will not affect flavor. You can also add marinade, wine, beer and other flavorful liquids in order to add steam and taste all at the same time. Moisture in the ring is essential for use, and not something you should overlook. Is serves an important function for the actual cooking, but also makes cleaning afterward a bit easier too. As you cook, any fat or other particles that natural drip away from meat as it cooks, will fall conveniently into this ring for collection. When fat drips on metal, it sticks and can be difficult to clean, but when it drips into water, it can be disposed of easily. It is a bit hard to visualize in ones head without additional illustration, but when you use this grill, your meat will be over direct heat, yet all of the drippings will not fall onto the burner to cause a disaster. Instead they drip down naturally, and everything is collected within the grill pan itself.

Once you have a fully prepared  grill pan, that has been allowed to heat up all the way, it is time to add your meat. For steak, we would recommend a medium to medium high heat setting, and you can cook as many as four average size pieces on a single pan. For best results, you will want to make sure your beef is at room temperature, and not fresh from the fridge, as colder meat will throw off cooking times, and could result in less than perfect results. So let it sit out on the counter for a bit prior to getting the grill ready, and you should be in good shape. For optimal flavor, most people will want to season the meat before it is cooked. A simple combination that allows the true flavor of the meat to remain evident is salt, pepper and garlic. You could also shake on some premixed spices, or slather in your favorite marinade. After it has been seasoned to you liking, place the cut on the grill.

As discussed previously, there are many methods that will result in delicious tasting steak, and you can experiment to discover what works best for you. The following method of cooking has been tested, and proven to work incredibly well, and slightly better than others as far as our taste buds go. Once the steak is on the pan, do not move it around. Place it deliberately, and let it sit for just over half the recommended cooking time for your desired level of doneness. If you have a large lid for a pot, it will make the perfect cover. We would recommend covering the grill pan while the meat cooks, but it is not at all required. When covered, the steam will remain trapped inside. This means that any flavor added to the ring will infuse more thoroughly, and your meat will remain moist even if cooked beyond medium rare. Because the steam is hot, it will also cause the food to cook more evenly as it heats all sides at once. Once the time is to just beyond the halfway mark, remove the lid and then flip your food. Some people like to give it a quarter turn as they flip for nicer looking grill marks, and to compensate for uneven heat distribution if it exists. Once flipped, hands off again, and replace the lid for the remainder of the time. You can use tongs to do your flipping, or you could employ a tool that is a little more advanced like the pigtail food flipper. After the time is up, remove the steak from the grill and enjoy.

By cooking at a medium high temp, the exterior of the meat will sear to lock in the natural juices, and the interior will remain moist and tender. Prior to cutting into your finished product, and enjoying you meal, it is commonly recommended to let it sit on the plate for about 10 minutes. This settling time will cause the steak to retain more juice, and also cut and chew more easily.

HOW TO TELL IF IT IS REALLY DONE
You may typically check your meat by cutting it open to take a look at the middle, but this is a pretty bad idea, and will never result in the perfect steak. When you slice it open, heat will get in there to dry it out, and much of the flavorful juice will pour out to mess up all of your hard work. If you are unsure if it is cooked enough, or do not trust the timing, there is an easier way to tell if it is heated to your liking. Simply push down on the top of the meat to tell, pretty accurately, if it is finished cooking or not. When it is still squishy, it is more rare, but if it is on the stiffer side, it is more well done. After a couple times using this technique, you will know how your ideal temperature feels, so you will never have to cut and look again.

COOKING TIMES FOR STEAK

• Filet
  rare: 5.5 min.
  med-rare: 7.5 min.
  medium: 9.5 min.
  well done: 11+ min.
• Rib Eye
  rare: 7.5 min.
  med-rare: 9.5 min.
  medium: 11.5 min.
  well done: 13+ min.
• Sirloin
  rare: 7.5 min.
  med-rare: 9.5 min.
  medium: 12.5 min.
  well done: 14+ min.
• Strip Steak
  rare: 75.5 min.
  med-rare: 7.5 min.
  medium: 9.5 min.
  well done: 11+ min.
• T-Bone
  rare: 8.5 min.
  med-rare: 10.5 min.
  medium: 13.5 min.
  well done: 15+ min.

Stop wasting money on restaurant meals, or waiting for summer to come so you can grill outside. With this easy to use indoor grill, you can enjoy perfectly cooked steaks at any time of the year, and you can save money by cooking and serving it yourself. Thanks to the advanced design, and versatility that allows it to be used on any type of stove, this grill offers one of the best ways to cook a steak on the stove. It is no more complex than taking out a frying pan, but it will make it way easier to get the results you want. What’s even better is that it is not just a steak cooker, so get it to enjoy a fresh cut direct from the butcher, but then keep it handy to discover the other wonderful dishes it will allow you to cook on your stove. Make shish kabobs and serve over rice, grill hot dogs and hamburgers, or even prepare grilled salmon with ease. Thanks to the flavor ring and easy operation, any number of delicious meals can be easily prepared, and they will taste better than what comes out of a pan, and nearly identical to what you are able to achieve with the grill in your backyard.

Stove Top Grill

Pig Tail Food Flipper

How To Cook A Steak On Your Stove - Simply Good Tips

You do not need to go through a complicated process, or permanently attach anything. This method will not ruin your board, and it is safe and effective on glass, wood, plastic, stone or any other material. Instead of things sliding away as soon as you apply some force, everything will remain firmly planted to the counter, right where you want it. Your cuts will be more precise, and any chopping task will take less time, while causing less frustration. You could glue something grippy onto the bottom, or place your board on some sort of mat. You could also get little rubber feet or something and install with screws, but these methods are guaranteed to take more time and effort to employ, and there would be no assurance that they would actually work. Grabbers are handy little devices that work perfect for this task and hundreds others. They do not need to install permanently onto the cutting board, they can be ready to go in just seconds, and the best part is – they work amazingly well to hold the board in place while you prepare your food.

WHY DO CUTTING BOARDS SLIDE?
There are many factors that can lead to your chopping block slipping around. Most have a smooth bottom by design which is great to make them sit flush on the counter, and prevent any rocking or tipping, but not so ideal when you apply force, or work on a more slippery surface. Some counter tops like stainless, or polished granite have a very slick surface. These materials and other similar ones will cause more trouble than others. When you begin to work, and apply force, that force can cause things to slide forward and get away from you. Also, some foods like potatoes, will stick to the board itself. When this takes place, a board may slide even if the counter or table is not of the slippery variety. The only way to prevent sliding while you work is to increase friction or add grip to the underside of your board. As mentioned earlier, some more expensive cutting boards will have similar features built in, but a package of Grabbers will offer a low cost way for you to add something similar to the ones you have already.

WHAT ARE GRABBERS?
Essentially these little helpers are sturdy, triangular shaped pieces of plastic with a rubberized exterior. The rubber part is textured to increase grip, and they are coated on both sides. When you place them on a table or counter, the resulting friction and grip will keep them in place. As you set something on top, that item will also remain securely in place, and immobile. Grabbers were originally designed for jobs like wood working, crafting, painting and staining, and they work great for that, but they also are well suited for similar style tasks like this one.   They adhere to any surface safely, and they gently grab, and then hold secure anything you put on top. The same powerful grip that will keep a cabinet door in place while you are sanding, will certainly prevent movement when you are chopping potatoes.

HOW TO USE THEM
Using these little guys is incredibly simple. You basically just place them down on your work surface, and then put the board you want to remain still directly on top. For best results, you will want to place one triangle at each corner of your cutting board, close to the outer edge. This will ensure stability and also provide maximum grip. Once the board is on top, you will be able to slice and dice away without any worry of things trying to run away.  It is not an adhesive or glue of any kind, so despite how well it sticks to both surfaces, it will not leave behind any residue or anything else permanent. When you are done working they can be tossed in the junk drawer for cooking later on, or one of the many other jobs they can help with.

Instead of wasting a bunch of time re-positioning your work surface or getting hot with frustration, try this simple technique to keep your food directly in front of you, and right where you want it. Get them to prevent movement while chopping, but then find a whole host of other tasks that they also simplify as you have them on hand. These little guys are guaranteed to keep your cutting board in place, and when it no longer moves, your job will be easier and less time consuming. Professional chefs, or anyone that cooks frequently would greatly benefit from these handy tools. Don’t spend another minute just dealing with the problem, get some Grabbers and then wonder why you didn’t try them sooner.

Grabbers

Cutting Boards

Stop Your Cutting Board From Sliding - Simply Good Tips

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PEELER?
In order to quickly remove skin from potatoes, you need a blade that is sharp. Dull blades will skim over the top, get caught on each peel, or will  rip and chew away at your veggie, only to produce lack luster results that you had to work too hard to achieve. You can assume that the higher the price tag, the easier the tool will be to use, but this is definitely not the case. Just because you paid a bunch of money does not guarantee that the blade will be sharp, or even functional on all foods. Most peelers have blades that are made from metals that can not possibly be all that sharp. Add to that, the fact that many of them take it one step further to use metal that may be sharp initially, but dulls quickly with use. If you have ever tried to sharpen a tool like this, then you know it is pretty close to impossible to accomplish. This is why it is important to get a potato peeler with a good blade when new, but also one made from material that will remain effective over time, without the need for sharpening. If you are using a super sharp peeler, then each stroke will be effortless as the skin removes quickly. Instead of straining and struggling, you will be able to slip across the surface with ease, and remove skin like a hot knife through butter. The Star Peeler is just such a tool, with just such a blade, and it is widely regarded as the best potato peeler that money can buy.

Instead of a stainless steel blade for convenience sake, it has a Tungsten Steel one for usage sake. It is not as dishwasher friendly due to the material, but as long as you dry it off after washing, and apply the occasional oil, you will never have to worry about rusting, and the tool will remain useful for 20 or more years on average. Tungsten steel is a higher grade of steel that is harder, and able to be made sharper when compared to stainless. Because of the material, you will get a sharper blade right off the bat, but also one that does not dull or require sharpening down the road, even with everyday use. Instead of spending a bunch of time and effort to peel your spuds when preparing mashed potatoes, you will be able to complete the job in way less time, and using only minimal effort. The incredibly sharp blade will do the work for you, so even skimming across the surface with minimal pressure applied will produce the results you want.

Because it is also a large blade, and has a horizontal orientation that will run perpendicular with your food, it will remove larger pieces of skin with each pass. Instead of working hard to peel away skinny little strips, you will love how easy it is to use no strength, and remove larger chunks. Another added benefit of this sharper blade is that slight variations in pressure will easily increase, or decrease the thickness of your peel. In this way it is easy to take away just the outer coating without wasting actual food, but you can also take it in the opposite direction, and apply more pressure to remove what is more like a slice because it is so thick. For this reason, you will have complete control over the tool, and the end result you are working to produce.

COMFORT
If you are preparing a large meal, or have several items to peel for another reason, then comfort is important. Also, those with arthritis, strength issues, or other problems with their hands and/or wrists require a tool that is comfortable and able to be used without trouble. The shape of this potato peeler makes for one comfortable tool. Instead of a slim stick of a tool that can be tedious to hold, this one features a wide comfortable handle. Almost anyone one can hold it comfortably, and due to the shape, it will not cause strain, even with prolonged usage. Because you need very little effort to peel with it, The Star Peeler also does not require the user to hold on tight, or keep a strong grip as they work. A loose, comfortable grasp is all that is necessary, so it is quite friendly to almost any type of user. As an added bonus, this design that provides extreme comfort also allows the tool to be used by right or left handed people just as easily. Using either hand will produce the same results,  and there is nothing about the design that would make it more difficult for a left handed person  to use with their natural side. For quick, one veggie jobs, or full bags of potatoes this peeler will provide a comfortable and easy to use option. This makes it a favorite of homeowners, but also a go-to choice for professional kitchens and catering operations.

MORE
As if using this peeler was not easy and convenient enough, there are a couple other features that make it one of the great ones. The entire handle is made from stainless steel. Other peelers in this price-range save money on material costs, and compromise quality by including a plastic handle. This is a weak spot in the design, that most likely will not stand the test of time. Plastic fades with washings, breaks easily, and can even stain or pick up smells from the food you work with. Metal will be more sturdy, it is much more difficult to damage or break, and you can almost guarantee it will last much longer than any plastic counterpart. With the stainless steel body, you get something that looks great, but is also lightweight and super durable. It will not crack or break in the drawer, and time will not cause it to change in appearance or become less sturdy.  Of course with those lower quality peelers, the blade won’t stay sharp for very long, so a tough handle seems sort of silly from a design stand point anyway. Because you know the blade on this potato peeler will remain sharp for many years, it is important, and nice to know, that it is made from a material that will last.

On the top part of the metal handle, up near the blade, you will also notice a triangular shaped metal thing sticking out. This is quite useful for quickly removing the imperfections, and “eyes” commonly encountered when peeling potatoes. When you come across a brown spot, simply flip the tool to the side, and dig it out with ease. It is not really sharp to the touch in a way that would be dangerous, but it is made from metal, so anything yucky encountered while peeling can be removed and disposed of easily. If you press down and apply a little bit of pressure, this same part can cut out long strips from any vegetable you are working with. It is almost like a julienne cut, so it could be used for a single portion of fries, but is also useful for other small jobs like prepping some carrots for the top of a salad.

If you are looking for the ultimate potato peeler, then look no further. This one offers the ultimate in sharpness, comfort and usability.  It would be hard to find one that works better, and if you did, it probably would not last as long. Many people come to us after owning one of these for 25 years or more in order to buy another one. The most common reason for these types of reorders are not due to a dull blade or peeler that broke, but more often in relation to a “mysterious disappearance” or someone purchasing one as a gift for family and friends. If you hate peeling vegetables, or if you have tried several types of peelers only to decide that they are all useless garbage, give this one a try and you won’t be disappointed. It is definitely one of the quickest, easiest and most affordable ways to peel a potato, and it will last for many years of happy use. Any kitchen that lacks one now, would be better off with one in the drawer. It is nearly unmatched for performance, and is quite affordable for the quality offered.

Star Potato Peeler

The Ultimate Potato Peeler - Simply Good Tips

RUBBER HEAD
No. We are not calling you names. The rubber head on this powerful broom is the main thing that makes it work so well. Each bristle is very sturdy when compared to nylon or other traditional types so they wont lose shape, wear down, hold dirt, or generally not work like those ones will. Each time you pull back on this tool, the rubber bristles will form a solid wall to collect dirt and remove messes. Even teeny tiny crumbs will not slip under or sneak through, and to make sure lighter stuff doesn’t fly away as you work, it will also build a static charge. This charge will eliminate the fly away effect that is common when sweeping hair and other fine particles in order to make that difficult stuff just as easy to sweep as anything else. On the back side of the head, you also have a flexible and efficient squeegee blade. As if the bristles alone were not enough to embarrass the broom sitting in your closet now, this added convenience really makes this a powerful tool. If the kids spill milk, or you just need to dry the floor after mopping, this blade will allow you to dry large areas quickly, and move any left over water into a compact area where it can be absorbed. It is super handy in the kitchen, but also nice when your basement floods, or you need to clean windows that are hard to reach.

STEEL POLE
Still not name calling… Instead of the hollow plastic handle that most brooms come with, this one is commercial grade, and built to last. The thick steel wall makes for a pole that feels high quality when you hold it, and also one that will last for many years without breaking, bending or getting damaged in any way. Besides being plastic, your sad little broom probably also has a handle that is a fixed length. This is great if you are the exact height that the designers had in mind, but most likely you are not. The sturdy pole on our broom is fully telescoping so it can adjust to the perfect length for your exact height, and also become compact for storage or portability.

WHAT CAN IT CLEAN?
A better question would be – what CAN’T it clean. Feel free to leave a comment below to ask about specific messes, but in general, there is not very many things that you will want to clean off your kitchen floor that this broom can’t handle. Shedding pet hair, food crumbs, thick gooey spills, sand, dust, mud, you name it. Anything regular will be swept up faster and easier than you can with a traditional broom, and all of the stuff that normally takes a vacuum,  mop, your hands or way too much effort will also be cleaned with ease. You can even get it wet and add soap to use it as a scrub brush to remove stubborn stains that your mop is unable to remove.

For pet hair, human hair, drywall dust, flour spills or any other light particles, use short, deliberate strokes to remove it quickly. The solid rubber wall will completely clean the surface you are sweeping, and the charge that builds will keep it from flying away. Instead of annoying brooms that just make lines through dust, or skim over light particles, this one will clean them up in a single swipe, and all of the debris will remain on the floor, and neatly collected right in front of the bristles. You won’t have to worry about dog hair flying up to irritate allergies and then land somewhere else, and you won’t have to go over each area five different times just to get it clean.

Lets say you spill something like yogurt and granola on your kitchen floor. If you took your regular broom out and tried to sweep it up, you would have no luck washing the surface, and you would be left with a nasty looking broom that has bristles that are all stuck together, and possibly ruined. Use this rubber broom instead, and the bristles are sturdy enough to actually sweep this thick goo. Both the liquidy yogurt, and the dry, chunky granola will be swept up together, and will be easily collected. Use the regular bristles to get most of it into the dust pan, and then flip over to the squeegee side to sweep in anything remaining. You will still have a residue on your flooring, so add some soap and water, or squirt down your favorite cleaner and then scrub quickly using the bristles again in order to leave the surface sparkling. If it gets a little too wet, flip back to the squeegee side, and then dry it with ease.

MAINTENANCE
When a standard broom gets coated with dirt that remains over time, you will probably just throw it away. After all, how easy is it to make something clean while using a dirty tool. You could try to rinse out the bristles, but you probably will not have very much luck if you do so. Beyond that, at the point that nylon bristles appear dirty, they are usually all bent out of shape as well. No amount of rinsing will make them straight again, so even if you do have luck removing some, or all, of the caked on debris, you still might not have anything useful to clean with. This broom is different. Because the head is a solid piece of molded rubber, it will not hold or collect as much yucky stuff in the first place, but when it does, you will be able to rinse it off with ease. You can use soap and water if necessary, and you can even take it off the handle and place it in your dishwasher for the ultimate in cleaning convenience. Wash it over and over to keep it as clean as you want. No amount of use, or trips through the dishwasher will make the rubber lose shape, so it will be sparkling clean and ready to go each and every time you use it.

The kitchen is a pretty dirty place. We prepare all of our meals there, pets eat near the floor, and it is the prime hangout spot in most homes. For this reason, the floor gets pretty tore up in almost every instance. If you are using a regular broom to get it clean then you are working too hard. Save yourself incredible amounts of effort, and cut the time it takes in half. Your floor will be cleaner, and you will spend less time and energy to get it that way. You don’t need to struggle to sweep up any of those annoying messes, you just need a better tool. You can definitely find a broom for a cheaper price if you look at big box stores locally, but you will replace it sooner, and each time you use it, you will be expending extra energy and frustrating yourself for no reason. The next time you are looking to replace your current broom, try this one and you won’t be sorry. It is definitely the best broom for your kitchen, but it also works great on any other hard flooring surface, and it can even clean pet hair, or longer human hair, out of carpeting. It is tough enough to work outside on concrete without wearing down, yet gentle enough to be safe for expensive hardwood flooring too. Discover a faster and easier way to sweep, and have a high quality tool that will save you money because it lasts for years.

12″ Household Rubber Broom

13.5″ Commercial Rubber Broom

Best Broom For The Kitchen - Simply Good Tips

Microwaves are notorious for cooking rubbery food, heating it with uneven results, or making it impossible to get something that is crispy. These characteristics alone will have many people think about putting bacon in there, and then quickly deciding that it would be a waste. You may think it is impossible to avoid the frying pan when cooking bacon, but with the right tool anything is possible. You can enjoy the delicious taste any time you crave it when it does not take a bunch of time to cook, or create a huge mess to clean up afterward. This is why many people enjoy the convenience of tossing it in the microwave, but often those same people are settling for mediocre results just to save time. By using a high quality rack designed specifically for this purpose, you can easily cut in half the time it takes, and also reduce the amount of mess, but not at all compromise taste or consistency. You can end up with a finished product that is tender and juicy, or crisp and crunchy depending upon your taste, and you will not have to wait for a pan to heat up, or hand wash it after you are done. You will be able to heat up a single serving, or cook an entire package just as easy, and when you are finished, the whole thing is dishwasher safe, so washing after use is a snap.

WHY COOK IN THE MICROWAVE
The obvious reasons to  use your microwave instead of the stove top when cooking bacon are speed and convenience. You can cook the meat in less time, it does not create a bunch of dishes to wash later, and there will be no splatters or other messes on your stove or counter after you finish. The less obvious reason is the health benefit. Sure bacon is pretty bad for you due to the high fat content,  but we could make it a little less detrimental to our systems if we didn’t cook it in the grease. Bacon can taste just as good without having to bathe in grease , and it will be slightly healthier because all of the fat that would have been absorbed and then consumed will never touch the strips, so it will never make it to your body. Just because bacon is written off as an unhealthy luxury food does not mean that you can’t take simple steps to make it just a little lighter on your system. If you have a high quality bacon cooking rack to work with, it is easy to quickly cook crispy bacon right in your microwave, and all of the fat can drip down to collect in the tray beneath the meat instead of surrounding it, and absorbing in as you cook.

WHY IS THIS RACK BETTER?
We’re glad you asked. We do not carry the only microwave bacon cooker out there, but we do have the one that we think works the best. If you take a look at the other options available, you will notice that most of them are nothing more than glorified trays. Using one of these is a slight step up from paper towel on a plate because they do elevate the pieces slightly, but they are pretty mediocre when compared to the rack that we sell. There is usually some wavy ridges built into the surface of these trays, and they will lift up the bacon a little bit in order to help the heat flow freely, and hopefully cook all sides evenly. The strips will not elevate enough to prevent them from cooking in grease, but do to the increased heat circulation, it should improve cooking quality over that of a regular plate with paper towel on it. The non-tray options out there are few, but these should work a bit better, and that is why they cost more money. These racks will do a better job of elevating the meat, and will actually keep them above the grease while cooking, but the capacity is pretty small, and the pieces are kind of just hung over a support, so they can slide down, fall off, stick together and do other annoying stuff to affect cooking quality.

The rack that we sell will cook anywhere from 1-12 strips at a time, and you can even stack two racks in order to double the capacity during the same cooking cycle. The unique design of our bacon cooker elevates and separates each strip, and then secures them in place as well. They will cook well above the grease that is collected in the tray underneath, and each strip will align and stay in place perfectly straight, and horizontal. There will be no restriction to air flow, so heat will distribute evenly, and easily get to all sides of the food. You can vary cooking time depending upon how you like your bacon, but crispy results are easily attainable thanks to  the clever and effective design. There is no way for bacon to slip and slide or touch the grease in any way, and it will be much more difficult to end up with poorly cooked meat, or certain pieces that are cold or rubbery. In less time than it takes you to fry an egg, you can easily cook scrumptious strips to go with it. You don’t need to settle for less than perfect taste or crispiness in order to cook your bacon in the microwave. This convenient rack offers one of the best ways to ensure great results, and it is incredibly easy to use. Stop wasting money on restaurant meals, and don’t continue saving your bacon for special occasions. Discover this simple way to edible results, and enjoy it any day of the week.

HOW TO USE IT
Using this clever contraption is simple. From the look of it, you can tell that the thicker plastic and sturdy construction will keep it usable for years and ensure that wear and tear from daily use does not affect performance. It can be used for a single portion, or up to 12 strips with a single rack. To cook up to 24 pieces at the same time, use two racks, and stack one on top of the other. This will allow double the capacity without worrying that some people will have to eat cold food. To use the rack, it is as easy as loading it up and then popping it in the microwave.

To load it, take one piece at a time, and insert it into one of the slots. There are twelve slots total per rack, and you can fill as many as you want without any difference in cook quality. Once you have the number in there that you want, take the securing skewer and insert in it’s slot, perpendicular to the meat. This will hold the meat so it can’t move, and ensure better results when compared to other racks and trays. After the two skewers have been inserted, simply place the whole tray in your microwave and cook for up to 13 minutes. Total time will vary depending upon the power of your oven, the number and thickness of strips, and the desired consistency of the finished product. The first time you use it, it may require some experimenting to discover the best time for your tastes, but after that, each subsequent use should be pretty straight forward. After your meat id fully cooked, simply lift up on the skewers to remove all of your perfectly cooked bacon in one step. Because it never cooked in grease, you will not have to let it soak on a pad of paper towel, and because the whole thing is dishwasher safe, your clean up process will be quick and simple. Just dispose of the grease in the tray and then pop into the dishwasher for cleaning later on.

If you are already making bacon in the microwave, but you are looking for an easier way to end up with better results, then this device is for you. If you are just pondering the idea, and have never tried, this is a perfect place to start. Anyone looking to try this cooking technique for the first time, or those that wish they could improve upon what they are already doing can benefit from this affordable gadget. It is so simple and easy to use that anyone can feel confident preparing a gourmet breakfast. Eliminate dangerous splatters of grease, reduce mess and make each bite just a little less unhealthy. This is a fast and effective way to cook bacon in your microwave and actually be happy with the results.

Microwave Bacon Cooking Rack

The Best Way To Cook Crispy Bacon In Your Microwave - Simply Good Tips

HOW TO MINCE GARLIC THE TRADITIONAL WAY
For the ultimate garlicy goodness, you will want to use fresh cloves instead of reaching for the container of powder. The flavor will more easily transfer to your dish when you add in freshly chopped chunks, but reducing it down to the ideal consistency is a task that many of us try to avoid. It is not because it is complex, or difficult to master, but more because it is frustrating and time consuming.  Also, it assumes that you have an expensive knife, worthy of the task, and many of us don’t. For the purpose of instruction and contrast, we will detail the steps to accomplish this task the traditional way, but please keep reading to find out how much easier and faster you could do it if you use a different, dare we say, better, tool.

To mince garlic with a knife, just follow these steps:

1. In order to prep your garlic for chopping, you first need to separate the number cloves you want, and then remove the peels. To do this, take the palm of your hand, or the side of a large knife and press down on the top of the bulb. Make sure to provide even pressure, and be careful not to send pieces flying all over.
2. Once you have separated out the pieces you are going to mince, it is time to remove the peel. Cut off the hard end piece where it was attached to the larger bulb. This will release part of the peel and also remove the semi-inedible portion of the clove. Continue your score all the way across and then squeeze to pop out the inner part, or pick and peel until the outer coating is totally removed. Another method of loosening the skin to make it easier to peel would be to press it flat with the side of your knife until you feel the skin release.
3. Now that you have a skin-free piece, smash it down on your cutting board with the side of your knife, and then slice back and forth to create the size pieces you desire. You could also use a garlic press to do the mincing instead, and in this case you simply place the peeled pieces inside, and then squeeze to produce the finished product.

With traditional methods, it takes substantial time and effort to get the job done. You also end up wasting valuable flavor as the juices remain in your press, or absorb into your cutting board. It may also take you several attempts in order to cut the pieces small enough to work right with your recipe. Luckily, there is an easier way to get better results in half the time. It is way less expensive than fancy knives or single-use presses, and it will also allow you to do much more than mince garlic the easy way. You can also use it to prepare fresh oils dips, or grate other foods that are difficult like ginger and chocolate.

THE EASY WAY TO MINCE. GRATE INSTEAD.
Our Ceramic Plate Grater is a fast and easy way to prep garlic, and it will ensure outstanding results in way less time. It comes as a set with a garlic peeler and food brush, so you will have everything you need to make the job easier than ever. Instead of struggling with a knife in order to maybe achieve usable results, this handy little tool will allow anyone to get professional level consistency without any skill or practice necessary. You won’t need to pick at the skin, or cut just right in order to remove it with ease, and forget about delicately chopping teeny tiny pieces and hoping that they are small enough to work right and not alienate anyone eating the finished product. With this tool you can get the perfect consistency every time, and it is as easy as twirling your fingers.

Mince garlic the Simply Good way:

1. You always need to remove the skin before your fresh garlic is ready to be worked with. When you get our set, it comes with a handy little tube that offers a clean and simple way to do that. You will not have to pick with your hands, or master any special knife skills, and all of a sudden, something that was a pain, is as easy as rolling back and forth. To peel with this tube, simply toss in one or more cloves and then roll back and forth on your counter while applying direct, downward pressure. Once you here the peel come off, simply tip the tube over, and the naked garlic will drop right out.
2. To mince down your fresh cloves to the perfect size, simply grab with your hand and spin around on the interior of the ceramic plate. The little nubs that stick up are sharp enough to power through the food easily, yet blunt enough to not harm your precious fingers. After just a couple spins around the plate your full piece will be reduced to the perfect paste for cooking.

When you use this plate to grate your garlic instead of cutting it with a knife, you will not only save yourself time and effort, you will also save money by not wasting food. When cut on a board, oils will absorb, and some pieces will be lost. This plate does not absorb the liquid and it has an outer lip to make sure that nothing escapes. Even a press will cause you to waste a bunch of your garlic as it sticks to the interior. You will have more control over the size of pieces when compared to a press, and equal when compared to using a knife. It is not like a regular grater, so you can’t just grab your cheese grater or micro plane and get the same results. You may end up with some pieces that are the right size, and you will probably save time, but you will also smear garlic all over the metal face of your grater, and waste all kinds of food. In some cases you could have as much garlic washed down the drain as you were able to add to your recipe. This affordable tool is simple enough that any one can use it, and it really does offer one of the fastest and easiest ways to prepare fresh garlic for cooking.

HOW DOES IT WORK?
The operation and design is quite simple, but the results can be amazing. This is nothing more than a hand painted ceramic plate with a pattern of protrusions on the face. The entire thing is fully glazed so that it is non-porous, and prevents any absorption  The little ceramic nubs are not super sharp, but they are sufficiently pointy to work with any hardness of food. As you twirl your piece around in circles, and over these nubs, it will sort of eat away at the food in order to grind, mince and grate into a pile of evenly sized pieces. In the same way that it is able to quickly produce garlic paste, it can also make ginger powders, or chocolate sprinkles. You will not need to apply a great amount of force, and the plate will act as a collector as well as a chopper. To use it, simply take any food any spin around while skimming over the nubs to grate it down quickly and efficiently. Because none of the oils will be sucked up, and the whole plate is lick on the surface, every last piece of food can be transferred and used, and you will not even have to waste a drop of flavorful oils either.

Get it to save time when working with garlic, and then discover the other useful stuff it can do too. Instead of dropping your pureed pieces into a frying pan to saute,  leave it right in the dish and then add some olive oil and other fresh herbs to make an irresistible dip for fresh bread. This is an excellent, last minute appetizer when guests come over, and is easy enough that it could become a dinner time staple on a regular basis. Modify this concept slightly to make meat marinades and other flavorful sauces right in the dish, and then use the included brush to transfer the flavor to your food while cooking. You are not just limited to one food with this tool either, so try it on other hard stuff that is notoriously difficult to grate, and it will be just as easy to work with. Grind down nutmeg or ginger for baking with fresh spices, or make a chocolaty dessert topping by grating a chunk of dark chocolate. You can also use it on hard cheese like parmigiana  so it is the perfect addition to the table on nights that you serve pasta or soup as well.

Garlic Grater Set

Garlic Peeler

An Easy Way To Mince Garlic – Grate It! - Simply Good Tips

WHATS BETTER THAN A HOOK OR BAR?
Hooks are great. They allow you to hang up towels quickly and easily, and they don’t take up a lot of room. Installing one in a preferred location is usually easy, and you can have a way to hang towels when not in use in order to let them dry, and remain free of dirt. The problem with hooks is that they are not very secure. When towels absorb moisture and become wet, they also greatly increase their weight. More weight, in turn, increases downward pressure on the hook, and eventually will cause your towel to slip free, and fall on the floor.  Towel bars work a little bit better as far as keeping things secure and in the place that you left them, but they take up much more room, and a bar is still prone to slippage  Unless the fabric is evenly distributed over the bar, your slippery and heavy towel can slide down and plop on the floor. The Snail Towel Holder offers a better solution. It is as compact as a regular hook, but way more secure. It provides an attractive way to store bath towels in the bathroom, hand towels in the kitchen and more.

WHY ARE THEY BETTER?
The Snail Towel Holders are similar to traditional hooks, but instead of just resting over a single point, your towel is securely gripped by the patented design. A sort of pinching action takes place in order to hold on tight, but it does not make the towel any more difficult to retrieve. Simply pull straight down and the towel will slip right out whenever you need to use it. When hanging one up, the technique is slightly different, but no more time consuming or difficult. You will grab with two hands, and insert up and around to create a tight grip. It is called the snail because of the shape. The actual “hook” potion resembles the shell of a snail, and it is that part that makes this holder so unique. Operation is simple, and it does a way better job. When you use these advanced hooks to hang your towels, you will never have to worry about finding them on the floor again because it will be impossible for it to slip out, or fall due to increased weight. Each one of these powerful hooks can hold more than ten pounds without breaking a sweat, and once a towel is in place, it will take you removing it, to set it free.

WHAT IS IT MADE FROM?
The design of these hooks is brilliantly simple. There are no fancy parts, or complicated construction with this product. The design is elegantly simplistic, yet highly efficient. Made from a single, sturdy piece of stainless steel, and then formed into shape, the solid design can not fail, or wear out with time. They will work just as good several years down the line as they did when brand new. The materials give these hooks strength, but also make them look good, and compliment any decor. Once formed to shape, the high quality metal is given an attractive finish, and the end result is a high class towel hook that works great in almost any room of your home. Place them in the bathroom for  bath towels, use one in the kitchen to hold hand towels and washcloths, or place one next to the utility sink in your laundry room to keep things within reach there. The installation is quick and easy, and you can literally place one almost anywhere.

HOW DO YOU INSTALL THEM?
Each hook will come with industrial strength adhesive pre-installed on the back. To hang one of these hooks, you simply peel away the backing, and stick it in place. This works great for smooth, hard surfaces, and will offer a permanent install with no hardware or tools required. If you would like to install on a textured surface, or one where you are concerned about using the adhesive, then just use a couple of screws and attach using the integrated holes in the hook. You can always use a combination of both techniques for the ultimate install, but one or the other is usually sufficient. For perfect placement, and ideal alignment, it is always best to measure distances accurately, and ensure level placement before securing your towel hooks in place. Quickly install one inside a kitchen cabinet to hold hand towels, pot holders, aprons or anything else. You could have one right next to the stove or on the wall next to your garbage can. In the bathroom, they work great placed right on tiles, on the back of the door, or right on the wall. Use for towels, bathrobes, bath mitts and more. Hang anything you use regularly, and it will remain held securely until you need it. Because the design of this hook actually grips the item being hung, instead of just balancing it on a single small point of contact, you never have to worry about things slipping or falling, and you never have to worry about wet or dirty towels on the floor.

NOT JUST FOR TOWELS
These are ideal towel hooks, and will outperform what you are using now in order to prevent droppage, and keep your towels in better condition. This will allow you to use each one longer, and prevent yucky stuff like mildew growth, or the gathering of dirt from falling on the floor. Once you start using these for towels, you will quickly realize that they are pretty well suited for hanging all kinds of stuff. You will want one in every room of your house, and will probably end up installing a few in the garage and basement too. Secure work rags, gloves, aprons, mitts, clothing, tools and more using a Snail Towel Holder. Because they are so sturdy and versatile, you can use them almost anywhere, and they will do a better job than the standard hook or peg you are using now. Instead of getting a new towel all of the time, drying off with a damp one, or wiping your hands only to find floor particles on your freshly washed fingers, try a better way to hang things up, and discover the most attractive and secure way to store towels and other stuff when you are not using it.

The Snail Towel Holders

No More Wet or Dirty Towels On The Floor - Simply Good Tips

What Makes A Good Peeler?
The main characteristics most people look for when choosing a fruit or vegetable peeler is functionality. We all want a tool that just works. It should be easy to use, and it should produce good results without requiring special skill, extra time or too much effort. You want a peeler that is sharp without being dangerous, and you want it to work on more than just one type of food. Beyond the ability to remove skin with precision, you will also want a tool that is comfortable to hold as well. Many vegetable peelers are small or skinny contraptions that can be difficult to grasp, and painful to use for extended periods of time. In order to be the best peeler, it would have to work well, but also be easy to handle and effortless to hold through the entire peeling process. If you do find a tool that fits both of these categories, you will also be hoping that this great discovery and amazingly functional tool is also long lasting. Longevity is not always thought of at the time of purchase, but it becomes very important once you take the peeler home. It would be incredibly frustrating to choose a tool that seems to work great, but then have the blade go dull, or some other part of it break within a short amount of time.

Enter The Star Peeler
This amazing tool looks quite simple, but most people that have used one will agree that it is the best fruit and vegetable peeler that money can buy. It is not an expensive tool, but it is worth every penny. For about the same price as a regular style peeler you might find at the store, you could have a higher quality tool that will be easier to use and longer lasting. This vegetable peeler is the original Swiss designed peeler, and it is still made in Switzerland using high quality materials and superior construction techniques. Several other companies have copied the design in recent history because it has proven to be the most comfortable and functional shape for peeling fruits and vegetables. What has not been copied are the superior materials, and surgical grade blade. This is why the original is still the best, and just because something has a similar style, does not mean it will work as well, or produce the same results.

The original Star peeler has been around for many years, and it is an amazing all around peeling tool. Due to extreme popularity there are now several other versions available too. These other peeling tools will feature the same base design as the original, but the blades will differ to offer some distinct advantages and benefits in certain areas. The original will still be the best if you only want one tool for all your fruit and vegetable peeling needs, but the more specialized peeling tools are better for their specific tasks, and offer a greater variety of ability when preparing foods.

Original Star Peeler
The shape of this peeler is unique, but that is just the beginning. Tungsten Steel is used for the blade in order to create an edge that is ridiculously sharp. Because it is made from this material, it will slide through hard vegetables like a hot knife through butter to remove skin with little effort. The great thing about the Tungsten Steel when compared to other blade materials is not only the improved sharpness, but also it’s ability to stay that way. You can use one of these peelers for ten years and it will still be just as sharp as the day you bought it because it will not get dull over time like regular blades do. Thanks to the sturdy materials that the rest of the peeler is made from, it will also prevent breakage or wear in order to provide a very long lasting device that will remain useful for many years.

The wide shape of this peeler makes it comfortable to hold for any amount of time, and easy to grip for those with arthritis. It does not take a lot of strength to handle, and you don’t need to apply a bunch of pressure when using it. Because of the design, it is also just as easily used by right or left handed people. It is not any different or more difficult to use with one hand or the other, so anyone can peel just as easily without requiring a specialized tool. Because the body is made from stainless steel,  it is sturdy, but also lightweight and long lasting. An integrated scooper will make it easy to quickly dig out imperfections as you peel so that you don’t waste time, and your food ends up looking perfect. Use this part down the length of a carrot to cut julienne strips as well. This original version Star Peeler is good for use on almost any type of fruit or vegetable. It will work on hard or soft foods, and will peel fuzzy or waxy skins with ease. Glide the peeler across the surface to just peel with a standard thickness, or add a little pressure to take off more skin, or to remove thin slices.

Stainless Steel Star Peeler
This version is identical to the original version with just one exception. Instead of the Tungsten Steel blade, it has one made from stainless steel. This design difference will add convenience to the tool, but you will give up a bit to get it. Because the blade is not Tungsten Steel, it will not be quite as sharp or long lasting. It will still outperform other stainless steel peelers due to higher quality stainless and better manufacturing procedures, but if you compare the two Star Peelers, the Tungsten Steel Original will always be sharper. What makes this version so convenient is that you will have the ability to wash it in the dishwasher without worry.

With the Tungsten blade, there is a possibility of rust over time, so you always need to make sure the blade is dry after washing, and you may need to oil it occasionally in order to add protection. With the stainless blade, you can toss the peeler in the dishwasher and not worry at all. It will not rust, and there would be no periodic maintenance needed. Professional chefs would probably opt for the original version due to the improved performance, but regular folks might prefer the stainless one because it does not need any special attention. Both tools will offer the best in all around peeling ability, so it will really come down to individual preference on the blade type to determine which one is best for you. A sharper blade will offer better performance and easier slicing, but for someone that only does it occasionally, a more convenient tool may be the better choice.

Because the blade will not be quite as sharp as it is with the original, you may find that this stainless steel vegetable peeler does not offer the same all-around style capabilities. Waxy or fuzzy skins may be a bit more difficult to work with, and soft fruits could be problematic as well. For easy peeling on these types of food, a serrated blade can make the job easy while still retaining convenience in clean up.

Serrated Star Peeler
In order to make peeling slippery, soft or fuzzy foods easy, a serrated vegetable peeler is the perfect tool. This one has the same base design just like all the other Star Peelers, but the blade is quite different. It is made from stainless steel, so it is easy to clean, and requires no maintenance, but if you look at it, the edge is not smooth. Unlike the two, more regular style peelers above, this one has little teeth all along the edge of the blade. This design change makes all the difference when working with soft fruits or waxy vegetables. Instead of slipping or smashing, you will be able to glide right through to remove peels easy. These extra little teeth give you better grip when dealing with waxy surfaces, and they dig in slightly when peeling fuzzy skins on softer fruits. This added ability will make peeling these difficult foods just as easy as any other. The Serrated Star Peeler is the best tool for taking skin off tomatoes, kiwi, peaches, peppers and more. You can use the original version and achieve great results, but if you want a fruit and vegetable peeler that is dishwasher safe and  super easy to use on notoriously hard to peel foods, this one is a great choice.

A serrated peeler is preferred by some people for all of their food peeling needs, but they are really intended as a specialized tool. For any food that you are in fear of smooshing because it is too soft, or annoyed due to slippage because it is too waxy, the little teeth on this style peeler will offer a great solution. You will be able to work just as quickly with these foods, and get professional quality results by choosing a better tool. Dig in and grip food gently, in order to remove as little or as much skin as you want, without wasting food, or harming it by using too much effort and elbow grease.

Julienne Star Peeler
Cutting carrots for a salad, or preparing other julienne vegetables for ingredients or garnish can be a pain. Many people will take an enormous amount of time to do this by hand with a knife, and others will use expensive mandolin slicers to automate the task, and speed up the process. When julienneing vegetables in moderate or small quantities, a vegetable peeler might be the only tool you need. This is the final version of Star Peeler that we carry. It is not all that useful for regular skin removal, but it is very handy as an additional tool in your fruit and veggie prep arsenal. Instead of chopping with a knife tediously, or breaking out some large contraption, you can quickly shred vegetables in thick strips to add them anywhere. This is ideal for salads and stir fries, but has many other applications too. This tool looks just like all of the other ones, but it has large teeth across the blade. Instead of just taking off the outer layer, this one will completely cut the whole piece of food in order to reduce it to a pile of shreds.

The pointy blade is made from stainless steel so you can also throw this one in the dishwasher when dirty. This means cleaning up will be just as quick and simple as it is to use this tool when preparing food. Simply run it along the length of harder vegetables to quickly and easily prepare julienne strips. It does not require intense pressure or effort, and you will get beautifully uniform results each and every time. Just continue to peel down the length just like you would with a regular style tool. Using it will be just as easy, but the results will be quite different. In no time this amazing Julienne Vegetable Peeler will give you a nice fresh pile of shredded carrots, cucumbers or zucchini.

If you are not sure which peeler is best, or if you know you want several, there is a set of three that you can get to save money or the need to decide. The Star Trilogy set contains the three stainless steel peelers, but not the original one with the Tungsten blade. It is a great set to get if you need all new peeling tools in your kitchen or to give as a gift for a new home owner. It offers three of the best peeling tools in one package, and all for a great price.

Anyone that has these tools at their disposal will never dread or worry about peeling again. Not that vegetable peelers are that exciting, but using a good one can make a huge difference. Most people do not even realize what a difference a good quality peeler can make. We have all used run of the mill tools, and those things get the job done, but it can be an entirely different experience when you are working with the best tool available. You will glide through food instead of struggle, and you complete the job quickly and effortlessly instead of wasting time and getting frustrated. If you have a good fruit and vegetable peeler you will no longer mind your kids asking to have the skins removed, or waste money purchasing prepared food direct from the store. Take care of the job yourself to eat fresher food, save money, and get better results.

Original Star Peeler

Stainless Steel Vegetable Peeler

Serrated Vegetable Peeler

Julienne Vegetable Peeler

Star Trilogy – Three Peeler Set

The Best Fruit and Vegetable Peelers - Simply Good Tips

Due to seasonal changes, daily weather patterns, and specific living situations, it may not be possible to break out your  grill on a regular basis. For this reason, many of us will pan fry, roast, bake or microwave our food due to lack of better alternatives. This can be fine once in a while, but nothing beats the excellent taste of burgers off the grill, or a perfectly cooked steak. When food is grilled, it has a different flavor, a different texture and in most cases it is also healthier because fat does not pool below the meat as you cook it, so less will be ingested by you.

Too cold in the winter, not possible in the rain, and in the middle of summer, it may even get too hot. We are all at the mercy of weather when we are deciding if we should grill or not because most of us think of it as only an outdoor activity. It takes a special kind of person to want to cook outside in the snow, so most of us keep the grill packed away in a storage location all winter long. Summer time is peak grilling season, but it can always rain, and in some areas the heat reaches unbearable levels during certain months. For many areas, it is too cold outside for more than half the year, so the window of opportunity is small, and it leaves us disappointed and wanting more in numerous cases. Nobody wants to wear a parka, take cover, or sweat like crazy when grilling food, but we all love how it tastes when we get to eat it. The only way to prevent yourself from being at the mercy of the weatherman when making plans of how to prepare your food is to have an indoor grilling option.

Anyone that lives in a dorm room, apartment, condo or similar small space may have a very hard time getting in any grilling. You might not even have the space to store a grill, let alone use it. If you do have a shared grill, or an area that you can keep one, using it can be a difficult task. You might have to walk to a common area, or you may have to perch yourself onto a cramped balcony, dinky patio or some other tiny location. This can be great in a pinch because it will still get the job done, but it will also be pretty annoying. Imagine transporting supplies and food back and forth, or trying to set stuff where you have no room. Most people like to have a table next to their grill to load and unload, and we all need an assortment of utensils and supplies in order to light the grill, clean it and then cook the food. With a small area, you usually have to compromise in order to make the most of the space, so it would be hard to make an area perfect for grilling without preventing you from doing something else in the process.

For shared situations and community grills, you get the privilege of your food tasting like the last person’s, or maybe you get to grill your hot dogs on top of some foil in order to avoid whatever dirt, rust or food is left over. This does not sound too tasty, and it is probably not the first choice for anyone. Even though sharing a grill stinks, and cramping into a small space to use your own is not fun, these two choices are still better than not grilling at all. There will be some people whose living situation does not realistically allow for any of these outdoor options, so they will have a hard time grilling any food without some sort of indoor alternative.

Most people think that indoor grills either don’t exist, or are only for rich people who can afford some sort of fancy remodel in order to install one. This would be partially true because they do exist, and there are several options available. You could install a big fancy unit and redo your whole kitchen, but you could also do it with less money and less impact. Those large, built-in units are most likely better overall, but there are very few of us that have the budget to allow it. We would probably just deal with the alternatives if this was the only way. Plus, this will not help anyone in an apartment because it would not be allowed. For most of us, it would be nice to just have an indoor option at our disposal, that produces good results, and is always ready if and when we need it.

INDOOR STOVE TOP GRILL
A Stove Top Grill will do just that. It won’t be identical to cooking outside, but it will give you the closest possible alternative without breaking the bank. You will still get that great grilled exterior and you will still have juicy, flavorful food when you are done. It will also allow for the fat to drip down and away from your meat, so you will get all of the same heath benefits as well. Because you use it right on your stove, there is nothing to install, no smoke to worry about, and it can be ready to go in the time it takes your stove to heat up. You will be able to use your counter top to hold utensils and food, and everything will be done quicker because it is all right there. You won’t have to worry about weather, small spaces, or if someone else is cooking on the grill you share. Simply whip it out of the cupboard, place it on the stove and you will be grilling all of your favorite foods in no time. It is the perfect option to bring the great flavor of grilled food indoors, and it will work on virtually any stove. You can use it as an emergency device for when the weather is unpredictable, as a travel device to keep with you in your RV, as an everyday cooking surface, or as a convenient way to enjoy grilled food all year long.

HOW DOES IT WORK?:
The operation of this stove top grill is simple, but it does offer some pretty advanced benefits. You can use it on any type of stove. For gas and standard electric ranges the operation is the same. For smooth surface ranges you just need to wait longer for best results, so that the surface is completely heated before you cook. Because of the burner type, it will take more time on one of these surfaces. When placing the grill on your stove, simply choose a burner that is smaller than the stainless steel ring. You want the ring to touch the stove and not the burner, and you want all heat to stay within the ring. After the indoor grill is positioned, simply turn the heat on to a medium or medium high setting. This is the best temperature range, and it will produce the most authentic results. The next step requires you to allow the grill plate to heat up, and this will take a few minutes. Once fully heated, you will be all set to begin grilling your food indoors.

FLAVOR RING
The stainless steel ring that supports the non stick grill plate is important for several reasons. It does hold up the grill, and that is needed, but it also adds other benefits too. Due to the advanced design of the grill, this outer ring is able to collect everything that drips off your food. Your food will still be exposed to the heat or flame, but any sauces or fat that fall will be directed into the ring instead of dripping on your stove or remaining beneath your food. It is called a flavor ring because it can also infuse flavor into the food you are grilling. You will always want to add a little bit of something to this ring in order to get the best results, but you can use just water if you want to . If you add a marinade or sauce, the flavor will steam and cook into your food. If you use a lid over the grill, this steaming effect will be amplified to produce moist and flavorful results. Your food will be grilling from underneath, and also cooking from all over due to the heat and steam contained by the lid. This technique will make food  similar to that of a covered grill, but with this, you get the advantage of adding extra flavor.

NON STICK GRILL PLATE
Easy to cook on and a snap to clean. The cooking surface of this indoor grill is made from materials similar to good quality cookware. It will prevent food from sticking as you grill it, and it will also wash clean with little effort after you are done. It has a domed shape to it which helps to direct dripping fat toward the outer ring, and also ensures for even heat distribution, and better cooking. The surface also has variations in texture and openings in order to mimic that of a traditional grill and add to the effect. It allows for the the maximum amount of heat to move through, and also allows food to sit and cook similar to that of a regular outdoor grill. You would not be able to have a standard grill surface without making a mess, so this one comes as close as possible while still keeping things clean. You will be able to achieve a nice sear on your food, and it will cook evenly and thoroughly, just like it would outside.

This grill works on a single burner, so it can cook enough food for a family of four all at once. For larger families, or for when you are throwing a party, you can have two, side by side. When you cook on this grill it will work just like what you are used to outside, and the food will look and taste quite similar when finished. You can use a lid if you want, but it is not required or included. As with any type of grill or cooking surface, you will want to test it out to see what works best for you. It will offer a very close alternative to outside options, and it will be quick and easy to use. Thanks to the flavor ring, your drippings will still fall, and your meat will still be as lean as possible.

An indoor grill is the perfect addition to any kitchen. It will give you more options when preparing food, and it will help you make great tasting meals in a healthy way, without ever stepping foot outside. You will be able to eat all of your favorite grilled foods all year long, and it will be affordable to get and easy to operate. Make cheeseburgers in the rain, or grill some kabobs in the dead of winter. Live in a tiny apartment? Who says you can’t grill up some hot dogs any time you want? You won’t have to worry if a thunderstorm ruins your backyard BBQ plans, because this great device can be the perfect back up. It will give you similar results to that of an outdoor unit, but it will be faster and easier with this one. Anyone could benefit from a grilling option like this, but it is ideal for folks that live where having a larger grill is not possible. Also, as an on the go option, this grill is hard to beat. Take it camping or in an RV because you can even use it on a portable stove top too.

Indoor Stove Top Grill

Grill Food Indoors - Simply Good Tips

When cleaning with vinegar, you always want to make sure to use the white kind that has been distilled. More natural, unfiltered versions can be better for consumption, but for any type of cleaning, white vinegar has proven to work the best. It has become popular as a household cleaner because it works to remove basic dirt, but is also effective for killing mold, mildew, bacteria and germs.

WHAT IS VINEGAR ANYWAY?
Well, according to wikipedia, it is essentially just a liquid substance that contains mostly acedic acid and water. The acid comes from fermenting ethenol with the use of acedic acid bacteria, and that is mixed with water to form the familiar vinegar substance. In commonly used versions, the fermentation process will be relatively slow, and will last for weeks or months, at which time  a nontoxic slime composed of acetic acid bacteria will accumulate. White vinegar specifically is usually malt based due to the lower cost of procuring the ingredients. Malt vinegar is made by using barley and a process that causes the grain to turn to maltose. An ale is then brewed from the maltose which is then allowed to turn to vinegar. Malt vinegar has a light brown color. In order to make the white distilled variety we see on store shelves, they will take this malt vinegar and turn it into a colorless solution of about 5%-8% acid in water via the distillation process. The end result is the totally clear, and mildly pungent bottle of liquid we know as vinegar.

WHAT CAN I CLEAN WITH IT?
All kinds of stuff really. Because it is essentially just a mild acid, vinegar has many practical uses when cleaning your home. It can be used on floors, walls, furniture, your tub, windows and so much more. It is not fool-proof for any job imaginable, but it is a very effective natural cleaning solution that will produce good to excellent results for a variety of jobs. Below we will list some of the common ways to use vinegar for cleaning. By following the recommended amounts and directions for use, you can have great results without buying anything fancy at the store and without using any harsh chemicals. It was used more widely some time ago, but over the years people have chosen more toxic cleaners to do the jobs that vinegar works well on. At this point we recognize it as more of a kitchen or food item and less of a tool for cleansing, deodorizing and disinfecting. Try some of the techniques below, and you may be pleasantly surprised at how effective, simple and easy it can be to clean naturally with vinegar.

IN YOUR LAUNDRY ROOM

• Clean Your Washing Machine and The Hoses – Because water is never fully drained, and because we use them so frequently, the inside of your machine and all of the other places water goes can get dirty and more importantly, stinky over time. To clean and deodorize your washing machine, use one pint of distilled white vinegar and run the machine with no clothes for a full cycle. This will clean build-up and remove any musty odors.
• Decontaminate New Clothes – Do you hate that stiff, sometimes stinky new clothes condition? Do you worry about left over residues and manufacturing chemicals. Wash them prior to wearing the first time, and you can eliminate much of this, to make them safer to wear, and non-irritating to sensitive skin. Simply add 1-2 cups of vinegar into the load and wash like normal before wearing.
• Remove Perspiration Odors and Sweat Stains – Rejuvenate your favorite shirt, or make that gym shirt wearable again. We all sweat from time to time, and most of us don’t smell good when we do. Traditional detergents can have a hard time removing the stains and smell, but adding a little vinegar into the mix will usually do the trick. Put the effected clothing in a sink to soak overnight. Make sure the water is completely covering it, but not much more than that. Add in a half cup or less of vinegar and let it soak the whole night. The next day, send it through the wash like normal, and you should be left with a much cleaner and more pleasant smelling shirt. If you are concerned about the degree of staining, you could also add some vinegar to the load when you wash. If this does not do the trick, then try something just a bit more powerful.
• Give Clothes a More Thorough Rinse – Are you concerned with lint and static when washing your clothes? Adding a 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle can decrease linting by rinsing more of it away, and it will also help to eliminate static.

IN YOUR KITCHEN

• Soften and Disinfect – Great for any load you wash, but also ideal for diapers or people with sensitive skin. Regular old vinegar can replace the toxic fabric softener you are using now. These unnecessarily put chemicals on your clothes which are not great for you to breathe and can be harmful or irritating to your skin. Add in just 1/4 cup to any load you wash to soften fabrics and kill germs. It is a safer additive that is less irritating to skin and has no known side effects.
• Remove Grass Stains or Fruit Juice Stains – This technique can be quite effective if you act fast enough. If you are too late, or the stain is too tough, then try this more powerful method. These types of stains are tough, so many detergents alone will not do the trick. If you act quickly to pre-treat a grass stain, then vinegar can prevent it from sticking. Dab some right onto the stain to try and work the color out. Most should lift out right there, but some may need washing to completely disappear.
• Freshen Stinky Clothes Without Washing – If you have a piece of clothing that doesn’t look dirty, but does smell like it needs to be washed, then this method might save you some time and/or embarrassment. Simply sprinkle or spray with a spray bottle and then press. This works great for suits and dress shirts. Mix a bit of vinegar into a spray bottle with water and spritz the shirt all over lightly. After that, simply take your iron and press like normal. You shirt will look refreshed, and the vinegar will take away any musty smell that was there.
• Prevent Spotting on Glassware – Weather hand washing or using the dishwasher, glasses can often dry with unsightly spots on them. To prevent this when washing them by hand, add a 1/2 cup of vinegar to your dishwater prior to washing. To prevents spots on glasses washed in the dishwasher, all you need to do is stick a cup of white vinegar on the bottom rack before you start the cycle. It will mix in as the dishwasher runs to prevent any spotting form occurring.
• Freshen Drains and the Pipes Below – Because vinegar is such a good deodorizer, it is espe3cially useful for a job like this. If you want to take the yucky smell out of your drain and also clear blockage to keep it free flowing follow these easy steps. First you will dump in a third cup of baking soda. Follow that up with a cup of white vinegar, and then cover the drain opening completely with a plate or something similar. Let it sit like this for an hour or more, and then flush with cold water. You will wash away minor blockage and build up, and you will eliminate any stale odors. This type of regular maintenance can keep your pipes flowing fast, and prevent stinky odors from forming over time.
• Clean Your Garbage Disposal – Keep this appliance always clean by doing a simple maintenance routine on a regular basis. Once every week, grind up some ice cubes made from water and vinegar. Use and 80/20 blend of mostly vinegar to form the cubes. As you grind, it will clean the interior and deodorize the parts. This will help it to function better and last longer, and will also keep it smelling better.
• Clean and Disinfect – Because it is safe for pretty much any surface in your kitchen, it is great to use for general cleaning and disinfection. Use a damp sponge or microfiber cloth and wipe down counters appliances, sinks and more. You can apply it directly to a damp cloth or make up a spray bottle with vinegar and water to spray the surfaces you want to clean directly. When used this way white distilled vinegar can help to remove dirt and germs more easily. It does not contain anything dangerous unlike other common sprays, so you can feel safer using it to clean where you prepare food. It is a great tool to use with your microfiber cleaning supplies because it will be a little more powerful than just water alone, but will still allow you to clean without chemicals.
• Degrease – Cabinets, stove tops, counters and more can get greasy while you are cooking. If you try to just wipe it up, then in most cases it will only smear and spread. You could use some sort of toxic grease cutter, or you could choose a simple solution of mild soap and vinegar to cut through the greasy build up so that it is easy to wipe away. Mix 1/4 cup of white vinegar into 2 cups of hot water. Add in just a little bit of soap and you are good to go. Apply this solution with a good scrubbing cloth or scrub sponge and you will be able to cut through and remove the grime more easily. If you have a real mess on your hands, or you have tried vinegar but it did not do the trick, then try Quick n Brite. It is a powerful and natural cleaner that is ideal for grease and oil build up.
• Disinfect Sponges and Dish Rags – Because it is not always easy to throw out a sponge until it completely deteriorates, it is good to have a way to at least kill the germs. It is hard to clean anything with an old, germy sponge or rag, and who would want to eat off of a hand washed dish when the sponge used to clean it has been in constant use for months? You can take care of the germs and remove any musty smell by using some vinegar. Soak your rags and sponges over night in a solution of 1/4 cup vinegar for every quart of water. For best results, make sure the water is hot before you begin the soak.
• Disinfect Cutting Boards – For this job, simply take full strength vinegar and wipe down the board completely. After it is thoroughly cleaned, just let it sit overnight. Remove any dirt or other contaminants and make the board safe for food preparation again.
• Polish Pots and Pans – The metal on your cookware can dull over time, but a simple technique can make them look more new again. Take some baking soda and mix in some vinegar to form a paste. Use this paste as your polish to remove tarnish and bring back the shine. After polishing rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.
• Remove Stuck Food – The worst part about a good meal is cleaning up afterward. This is especially true when there is stuck on or stubborn food involved. We have all encountered crusty leftovers in the pan, and many of us will scrub and scrub trying to remove them. A simple soak in half water, half vinegar will do all of the hard work for you. Soak overnight if necessary, and when you go to wash the pan all of the food will wash off easily because the vinegar solution will have broken it down during the soak.

IN YOUR BATHROOM

• Wash Sinks, Tubs and Showers – For general cleaning of these surfaces, vinegar can work great as a natural option. For a natural cleaner that is a bit more powerful when it comes to scum and hard water, try Scum Off. When using vinegar for a job like this mix up an 80/20 blend of mostly white vinegar and some water. Spray it on the areas you wish to clean and then let it sit for about 10 minutes. Once it has had time to sit, come back and scrub and then rinse clean. It is safe for pretty much any bathroom surface and can clean most of the dirt you find there.
• Cleaning The Toilet – This can be a tougher job, so use straight vinegar. Pour about a half cup straight into the bowl and let it sit for an hour or more. After it sits, just flush the toilet and most standard dirt will wash away. For bad staining you will probably have to resort to something else like Quick n Brite. When left to sit on any organic staining, it will break it down naturally so it is easy to remove.
• Clean and Polish Chrome or Stainless Steel – Disinfect and polish all of your bathroom fixtures using straight white vinegar. Apply it all over with a sponge and then buff clean with a polishing cloth or other good quality microfiber cloth. This process will disinfect, clean water spots and leave your fixtures looking shiny and newer.
• Disinfect Garbage Cans and Other Surfaces – To remove germs from the can between bag changes, use a warm water and vinegar solution. Wash down the whole interior and then let it dry for an hour or more. You can use it on metal or plastic cans, and it will clean dirt as it neutralizes the germs.
• Clean Shower Curtains – Remove spotting and soap scum and prevent mold growth by washing your shower curtain. You can do a general washing in your washing machine. Simply put it through the rinse cycle and add in some vinegar, about 1-2 cups. You can also use a 50/50 solution as a maintenance spray. Keep it in the shower and spray down curtains and walls to prevent mold and mildew growth between cleanings.

WALLS & FLOORS

• Mopping Floors – Use a PVA Mop and a solution of 1 cup of vinegar in a bucket of warm water, or use a microfiber mop and spray on a 50/50 – 80/20 solution of vinegar and water directly to the pad. It will clean common dirt and stains, but also remove residues left by other harsh floor cleaners. The PVA mop offers a higher volume of liquid style mopping technique, so it is good for tile linoleum and concrete. A microfiber mop allows you to clean with very little liquid, so it can be better for hardwood and marble. Either tool will work on all flooring surfaces, so it really comes down to preference as far as which one would be better for you.
• Remove Stains From Carpet – Vinegar will work for light stains. For any tough staining, try Quick N Brite because it has proven to work well on just about everything, and it is safe to use on any type or color of carpeting. When using vinegar for a stain on carpet mix a paste with 2 Tbsps. salt and half a cup of white vinegar. Rub the paste into the stain and then let it dry completely. Once dry, go over the area with a vacuum and suck up the dried paste along with the stain.
• Vinyl Surfaces – Wipe them down with 2 Tbsps. liquid soap and 1/2 cup white vinegar. After wiping, rinse thoroughly and let dry.
• Windows – Clean windows, mirrors and shower doors with this same technique. Ditch the blue stuff for a 50/50 vinegar water solution. Simply spray down the area and then wipe clean using a squeegee or microfiber cloth. For an even easier method, try just using a window cloth and there is no spray solution needed.

WOOD FURNITURE

• Clean and Rejuvenate – Take the haze out of wood furniture and clean and polish it at the same time. Mix 1 Tbsp of vinegar into a quart of warm water to use as your cleanser. Apply to any wood surface and then buff with a good cloth. A polishing cloth can make the job easier and also allow for better results.
• Remove Minor Scratches – To take out slight scratching or white rings, use a combination of olive oil and vinegar, or try just olive oil alone. Simply work it into the the scratched area with a good cloth. Use a sort of buffing action to work the area and remove most of the solution. After that, just let dry.

OUTDOORS

• Clean Used Paint Brushes – after painting it can be hard to clean the brushes and remove all of the leftover paint. If allowed to dry on, it will leave the brush useless so you won’t be able to use it for your next project. When cleaning brushes with vinegar, it will remove all of the paint, and also the odor. Simply soak the dirty brushes in boiling straight vinegar. One clean, take them out, rinse with plain water and allow to dry.
• Wash Your Car – Dissolve bumper stickers and other decals by applying straight white vinegar. It will take off the picture and also the sticky residue underneath. To prevent windows from frosting up, use a 50/50 vinegar water solution and coat them with it. Wipe it off to clean your windows and also leave them protected from severe frosting conditions.

These are just some of the great ways you can start cleaning with vinegar. It is not the most powerful natural cleaner out there, but it is quite effective for many tasks, and it is about the cheapest and most simple solution available. By mastering the techniques above, you will begin to discover other similar ways that you can use them to clean other stuff. Instead of using harsh chemicals to clean your home, and before you reach for that stuff you have always used just because you have always used it, give white distilled vinegar a try. It is an all natural cleaning product that most of us have around the house already, but very few use for actual cleaning. You will find that it works great for certain things, and less so for others. If you are interested in other eco friendly cleaning tools and techniques then check out all of our Good Stuff For Cleaning.

Natural Cleaning With Vinegar - Simply Good Tips

MMM…Crunchy delicious potato chips. They are a favorite snack for a lot of people because they taste so good, and deliver a pleasing crack and crunch upon taking a bite. There probably isn’t a better salt and oil delivery vessel than the beloved potato chip, but they have a pretty major downside. All of that fat, grease, oil and salt are really quite bad for you. For this reason, many people find themselves avoiding their favorite snack food because they opt for the healthy choice. If we could all munch on chips guilt free, and never have to worry about the consequences, we probably would. The fact is though, that if you consume too many, or eat them too frequently, then you are probably going to pack on the pounds.

One way to avoid this is to spend more money on a healthier version. The regular kind taste the best, but they are also the worst for you. Baked and all natural varieties can be much better for you, but you are usually giving up something in the flavor department. If you have ever chomped down on a dry, tasteless wafer of a potato, then you know what we are talking about here. Even if you do find one that is pleasing to your pallet, you will most likely be paying a premium, so if you want to save money and eat a more healthy snack, you may want to try to make your own potato chips at home.

Yes. We realize that most people don’t have a deep frying vat in their kitchen, nor does the regular Joe or Jane have fancy potato cutting machines in most cases. All of these things would help the situation, but are really not necessary unless you plan to start your own brand. If you only want some chips to eat, then there are more practical ways to produce a small batch of homemade chips. The next thing you are thinking is that baked potato chips are not the same, and further more, lining a cookie sheet with potato slices and then cooking them in the oven does not sound all that fun or appetizing. We know.

It is probably possible to produce great results when baking your own potato chips, but for most people it would take practice to master, and more time than anyone cares to spend in order to finish. That’s why we would like to tell you about an easy way to make your own chips that is quick, easy and delicious. The potato chips can be made in less than 10 minutes, and they come out crispy and scrumptious. First things first though. For those of you looking for a more traditional route, we will offer a basic method of frying your own chips at home. Baking them would be similar in the prep, but cooking would be different. Most people would agree though, frying is best for taste when cooking chips at home. If you don’t want to hassle with frying, or you just want the fastest and easiest way to make homemade chips, skip past these steps, and check out the simply good method below.

Traditional Method For Cooking Chips

• Slice up your potatoes. When preparing chips, you will be surprised at how many you get for each spud you use. For this reason slice a couple at first, and then do more after you witness the yield. When cutting the potatoes, it will work best to use some sort of slicing tool. This is because cooking time will vary depending upon thickness, so if they are all different it will make things more difficult. A mandolin slicer will give uniform results when slicing, so it would be better to use one of those, rather than just a knife.
• While slicing, put a pan on the stove and begin heating it with some sort of vegetable oil. A deep fryer could be used as well, but most of us don’t have one, so pan frying will give similar results on a smaller scale. You want the oil to be nice and hot, and fully heated prior to cooking.
• Once heated, carefully place slices of potato into the oil to begin cooking. It will only take a few minutes to get them nicely browned. Flip them over after one or two minutes to make sure they cook evenly, and put them in one at a time because the starch from the raw potatoes makes them stick when they are not yet cooked.
• Once all the way fried, place them on some paper towels to cool. This is a good time to season because the oil will help hold salt and other spices and lock them onto the chip. If you let them cool all the way prior to salting, it will not stick as well.
• Once cooled, take them from the paper towel and dump into a bowl for serving.

This traditional home made way of cooking chips works quite well if you want to put forth the effort and clean up the mess afterward. The only down side is that these chips will not really be that much more healthy than those bought at the store. Because they have been fried, you will still have a similar fat content. They will however, be far more tasty due to their freshness and better quality ingredients. For a healthier and easier way to cook your own that is also a healthier option, keep reading.

The Simply Good Method:

The microwave chip maker is a unique device that will allow you to prepare small batches of chips quickly and easily. There will be very little mess involved, and you don’t need to fry or bake anything. It does the cooking in the microwave, but believe it or not, the chips actually emerge crunchy when you are finished. You don’t need any butter, oil, or fat, and you only need as much salt as you want. You can use absolutely no seasoning for the ultimate in healthy chips, or you can add as much, and any combination of spices you desire. The Microwave Chip Maker is the perfect tool to prepare and cook your own potato chips in your kitchen, and it is easy enough for anyone to use, and produce perfect looking results that taste amazing.

Make Healthy Chips in a Snap! One potato + 5 minutes = A Healthy snack from your microwave for a fraction of the price.

Yeah that’s right. From your microwave. Now we know what you are thinking because we thought it too, prior to testing. You are thinking that there is no way on earth that a microwave could make a crunchy chip. Anything cooked in there is destined to come out limp and lifeless right? Wrong. Amazing but true, this little gadget does actually produce potato chips that are shockingly crispy and crunchy. You will be surprised at how these chips cook up because you will end up with what looks and bites like a kettle style chip. They are browned, super crispy, and they taste pretty darn good without even adding salt. You can cook up regular potatoes, or experiment with sweet potatoes and other root veggies for truly unique and delicious snacks. The technique would be the same for any vegetable, but you may want to vary cook time and seasoning depending upon what it is.

How to Make Potato Chips at Home:

Chips. Crisps. Munchies. No need to drag out an expensive mandolin, or whip out your fancy knife skills because it’s all here. This single unit will slice the potato and cook it, plus it all nests neatly for storage. You won’t need another tool to slice with uniform thickness, and you won’t need to fry your slices in order to make them crispy. This unit is a slicer, a storage container, and a cooking rack in one. It even comes complete with a safety food holder so you can cut your potatoes without risking a finger. You won’t need anything additional but the food to cook up a tasty snack. Follow these simple steps to make hoimemade chips quickly and easily.

1. Simply cut up some slices using the built in slicer.
2. Line them up on the rack, and place rack in the microwave.
3. Cook them in the microwave for about five minutes.

Once you take them out, apply seasoning to taste, and you are ready to enjoy your freshly made, incredibly healthy potato chips. Mix it up to create truly gourmet creations. Add vinegar, garlic powder, barbecue spices or any other of your favorite flavors. You may want to try adding seasoning before and after cooking to see what method creates the results you prefer.

Who said snacking on potato chips can’t be healthy? And who said that you had to buy them in a bag to have them available to eat? Trying to get more veggies into your diet without all the preservatives or salt in other snacks? Get the Microwave Chip Maker to make healthy potato chips using a fresh potato, 5 minutes and your microwave. Whether you’re watching your diet or want to make sure your kids eat only natural snacks, this little kitchen tool can help you feed your family better while feeding your chips habit at the same time. Even sweet potato chips can be cooked using this tool, so slice one up and add some cinnamon and sugar for a sweet and crispy treat. Only the tray goes into the microwave, and when fully loaded it remains fairly compact. This means that it will fit in almost any microwave, but it is still big enough to cook two servings at once.

Did you know potatoes are naturally fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free and low in calories? There are only 110 calories in a medium-sized potato. In addition, potatoes have Vitamin C and more potassium than bananas, spinach or broccoli. They’re a good source of natural fiber and contain less than 10% of our daily allowance of carbohydrates and are loaded with antioxidants. According to the National Potato Board, per capita potato chip consumption was 16 pounds in 2007 and 12% of the 46.32 billion pounds of potatoes grown in the U.S. become potato chips. 2 Yes, that’s billion with a “B” and a whole lot’a potato chips!

Whether for a weekend or nighttime snack, prepping kid’s lunches or noshing while you study for exams, the The Microwave Chip Maker is hard to beat. Made of FDA approved, food safe materials that are BPA free, the entire unit is all about convenience. You can take it out at a moments notice, and in less than 10 minutes, you will be scarfing down a fresh batch of deliciously crispy chips. Once you are done making your chips, simply toss the whole thing in the dishwasher for cleaning. There are no pans to wash or oil to dispose of when you use this easy method to cook your potato chips. Storage is easy too. The cooking tray and finger protector nests inside the bowl, and the lid will pop on the top to safely store everything for your next use. It is quite small and compact, so it stores easily, and is perfect for today’s kitchens, dorm rooms, RV’s and office lunch rooms. Get one today and start making potato chips right at home. Enjoy crunchy, healthy, and flavorful crisps whenever the craving strikes, and prepare them quickly and easily right at home. We all know that homemade food tastes the best, and this little gadget allows us to bring that homemade flavor and healthfulness to chips. Cook up regular potatoes or sweet potatoes using this method for perfectly delicious results.

Microwave Chip Maker 

Make Potato Chips at Home - Simply Good Tips

Gone are the days when these accidents meant the yucky task of hunting for “treasure” in the kitchen sink in order to not have to dissemble the plumbing. Or, worse still, have to call a plumber on a weekend to mount the rescue effort for you? Evriholder Products’ new EVRI-SINK™ can keep these accidents from happening in the first place while enabling you to “save” errant silverware, jar lids, food – even baby bottle nipples from a horrible, gunky fate.

EVRI-SINK™ joins Evriholder’s outstanding line of Kitchen Gadgets including the EasiTwist® Jar Opener, & Pebble Peeler™ Brush & Peeler, and its growing line of kitchen sink items including Glam Gloves and Scrub N Rub™ scrubbers.

NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE!
For years, there have been little strainers and such that tried, often unsuccessfully, to keep pesky cereal spoons or chicken bones from shooting off the plate and shushing into the drain elbow. Enter EVRI-SINK™ which is constructed of ABS and TPR plastics which are approved by the FDA for use with food.

Meaning, if you’re washing succulent strawberries and drop some, they won’t go down the drain. Instead, they are gently “caught” by EVRI-SINK’s™ slotted drain “bowl” which lets water and liquids safely drain from the sink while catching or – as in the case of the strawberries – cradling the tasty (an expensive) morsels for you to retrieve and savor.

EVRI-SINK™ is a thoughtfully designed, two-tone kitchen essential that is not only very useful but also pretty to look at. Available in three colors – Lime Green, Vivid Blue and Hot Pink, the drain bowl is White which is the perfect contrasting color for a clean, crisp “feel” in the sink. EVRI-SINK™ is dishwasher safe (top rack) to help keep the sink fresh and clean.

For optimum functionality, the TPR plastic “collar” is injection molded around the ABS plastic “bowl”. The design provides a tight seal around the edge of the sink drain – the tight seal is only part of the picture. The TPR collar is essentially non-slip which enables EVRI-SINK™ to “grip” the drain and it’s compatible with both stainless steel and ceramic sinks. All grip, non-slip and non-marring in one cool tool!

“EVRI-SINK™ is a wonderful product for everyone who has a kitchen sink at home or in the office,” said Gary Seehoff, CEO, Evriholder Products. “It keeps kitchen utensils, silverware, and food items from finding their way into the drain by accident. Great colors combined with the non-slip gripping collar helps ensure larger items don’t get stuck in pipes that can lead to messy removal or expensive plumbing repairs. EVRI-SINK™ is an excellent value and makes a wonderful cross promotion item. It
is not only functional and beautiful to look at resting in the sink; it’s an excellent impulse item for retailers too.”

EVRI-SINK™ FACTS

• EVRI-SINK™ helps keep silverware, food, small jar lids and other items from accidentally going “down the drain” in the kitchen
• Is constructed of ABS and TPR plastics which are approved by the FDA for use with food
• EVRI-SINK’s™ colorful TPR plastic “collar” is injection molded around the white ABS plastic “bowl” giving it a premium look and feel at an outstanding price point
• Designed for the TPR “collar” to provide a tight seal around the edge of the sink drain which is non-slip and it “grips” the drain for a secure fit
• EVRI-SINK™ is compatible with both stainless steel and ceramic sinks and will not mar delicate surfaces
• EVRI-SINK™ is dishwasher safe, top rack – which helps keep the sink fresh and clean
• Great color combos Lime Green, Vivid Blue and Hot Pink with a White “drain bowl”

Evri-Sink Sink Strainer

Evri-Sink Means Less Headaches In The Kitchen - Simply Good Tips

Here’s a job that often makes people stop and think. You’ve spent a bunch of money on shiny new non-stick cookware, and it fries a mean egg, but how do you clean it? Should you hand wash, or put them in the dishwasher? If you wash by hand, what tools are safe to use on this expensive surface? It’s safe to say that no pans are really dishwasher safe, so most of us end up washing them by hand. Some manufacturers will claim machine wash safeness, but we all know that this will lead to shorter product life, rusting, peeling finishes and even warping pans. The safest and most effective way to get non stick pots and pans clean is to do it by hand.

That’s all well and good, but plain old hands aren’t too abrasive, so there needs to be a tool involved here somewhere. Most of us have some sort of green scrubby device, a regular sponge, dirty dish rags, steel wool and other various implements that we use to wash dishes, but all of these will be either dangerous or ineffective when it comes to washing those dirty pans. Cookware like this gets used a lot, and ends up super dirty after the cooking is completed, so you will definitely need something abrasive to scrub off caked on food and other crusty dirtiness. But when choosing a tool, you run in to the issue of what is abrasive enough to remove the grime, but gentle enough to leave the non-stick surface unharmed. Although these surfaces are pretty tough, using the wrong tool can cause instant damage, and down right wreck your new pan. If the finish gets removed, or starts to peel then it can make it hard to cook, and can even be dangerous health wise to eat off of.

Choosing the right tool can make this job easy. It can be a quick and painless task in which you remove dirt from your cookware quickly, without trying hard, and without risking any damage to the non-stick surface. The ultimate kitchen cloth is the perfect all around dishrag for scrubbing and cleaning surfaces all throughout your kitchen. It can deep clean surfaces without harming them, and has the unique ability to be pretty darn abrasive without harming delicate surfaces. They look like mesh cloths, but are made from microfiber, so they are designed to clean. The pattern and weave of these cloths will scrape and skim the surface of your pots and pans to easily remove any cooked on food and other dirt. It will power right through the toughest stains and debris to leave the surface clean without ever risking damage. You can use these with or without soap to scrub any dish you have. Because the can really scrub and remain gentle at the same time, they are perfect for non-stick cookware, but you can use them all over. Clean cabinets, counters, glasses, your fridge and more with this versatile little cloth.

The Scrub n Rub Mitt offers similar benefits, and method of use, but it has some added features. A similar weave will do the scrubbing for you, but this one will actually deliver even more scrubbing power due to it being a slightly different, and more abrasive material. It is still totally safe to use, but might be more effective for certain scrubbing jobs. This tool is also double sided, so you can use the other side for more run of the mill cleaning and even to dry dishes after you are done. It has a terry finish microfiber on the back side that can be used wet or dry to clean and dust surfaces. The versatility of this mitt may be ideal for some people, but you give up absorption, storage space, color choice and other things when you choose this mitt over the cloths. Both will do a great job washing your non stick pots and pans, so it will really come down to preference as to which tool is best suited to you. The Scrub n Rub is a mitt instead of a cloth, so some people will have a preference for it just because of that reason.Your hand will remain contained and covered as you clean, so you can protect your skin from dish soap and the dirt you are cleaning.

When you are using the right tool, washing non-stick cookware is not scary at all. You can still scrub and scour without any risk to the finish, just so long as you have a cleaning tool designed for this purpose. There are other similar tools out there, but we recommend these because we have fully tested them for quality, ease of use, and most importantly end results. They deliver a quick and efficient way to get cookware clean without damage, and they make it fast and easy to do so. Switch to one of these tools to make your job easier and lower the risk involved at the same time.

Scrub N Rub Mitt

Ultimate Kitchen Cloth

Washing Non-Stick Pans - Simply Good Tips

MMMMMMMM…..French fries. We all love them, but the health benefits are pretty hard to come by. It is too bad that something that tastes so good is not also good for you. But isn’t that always the case? It doesn’t matter if you get the fast food kind, or a fancy fry from a more upscale establishment, they are all at least a little bit bad for you. One of the only ways to enjoy this food without worrying about how bad they are for you is to make them at home. Now this can seem like an impossible task, but it can be really easy if you have the right tools.

When you get french fries at a restaurant, they are almost always fried. We all know how healthy fried food is, so if you can avoid frying your french fries, you will cut out most of the bad stuff. Cooking oil is loaded with fat, and when submerged, for cooking, the potatoes will absorb it, and retain much of the fat. Once you take that first delicious bite, you begin ingesting all of that fat, and it is hard to stop because they taste so darn good. There are also detrimental carcinogens that are created when you cook french fries at such a high temperature. This being the case, one of the best ways to make french fries healthier is to bake them instead of frying. Many people might think that you can just buy a bag at the store in the frozen food isle, and take them home to bake and you are all set, but frozen vegetables are no where near as flavorful as fresh ones, and almost all of those frozen fries have actually been cooked a little bit prior to going in that bag. And guess what they cook them in? You guessed it. Oil. They are actually fried before being packaged, so the only real way to prevent your fries from being fried is to make them yourself from scratch.

Now, it wouldn’t be advised to try and use a knife to cut up all those french fries because it would take forever, and you would never get the uniform results that you want unless you spent a ridiculous amount of time on it. If you cut french fries with a knife, you would probably do it once, and then wonder what you were thinking afterward. You may even drive yourself crazy before you are able to complete the task at all. In order to come up with a pan full of thinly sliced potatoes, you could literally spend hours, which is not fun, and really takes all of the joy out of this great treat.

In order to realistically make your own french fries at home, you will want to have the proper tool. You could go out and get one of those commercial grade french fry cutters that restaurants use, but it is only good for one task, and lets face it, none of us like french fries enough to justify that. Of course if you are planning on going into the french fry business then by all menas, go right ahead and look for one of those. Most of us would prefer a great kitchen tool that can do all sorts of cool stuff, one of them being cut shoestring french fries. The Borner V-Slicer is just such a tool. It is a high quality mandoline slicer that can slice, dice, chop, julienne, and yes….cut french fries.

The V-Slicer is incredibly easy to use, and can cut tons of fries in a short amount of time. The super sharp German steel blade makes quick work of the hardest vegetables. It is so sharp that it comes with a safety food holder that allows you to cut every last piece of food without risking a finger. The same technique that will get you french fries, will also allow you to make veggie sticks of all varieties. You can also slice tomatoes, dice onions, and all sorts of other jobs too. Buy it to make fries, and end up using it more for all of the other stuff it does well. This great mandolin works better than similar units with a pricetag four times as high.

To cut your fries, simply wash your potato and peel if desired. Then insert the potato into the food holder. It will be held securely in place by the metal prongs that stick into the vegetable you are cutting. In order to turn the potatoe in to sticks, you will need to insert one of the two julienne blade inserts it comes with. The difference in the two blades is the width of the cut, so choose your favorite thickness of fry and insert that blade. You can also purchase a fat steak fry insert separately, but it will come with two that are suitable for cutting shoestring fries just like the ones you eat at your favorite resataurant. Once the blade is secure, just set the slicer  on the counter so that you are holding it with one hand, and the bottom feet are resting on the counter. In you other hand pick up the potato in the safety food holder and slide it down the face of the unit. Continue with a back and forth motion until the whole potato has been cut. You will notice that the blade insert will cut verticaly into the potato to form strips, and at the same time the v-shaped blade will cut horizontally across the spud to complete the cut. Just a single pass will result in several fries all at once.  After you are done,  you end up with are perfectly cut fries in no time. You are able to achieve uniform, professional looking results without any skill, and very little effort. This slicer is so easy to use, that it makes it simple for anyone to make their own french fries right at home. The blade is incredibly sharp so even potatoes cut quickly and cleanly with this slicer.

Once cut, it is time to cook your fries. Now you could certainly deep fry or pan fry them if you wish, but to make a healthier fry you will want to bake them in the oven. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. You can drizzle with olive oil, and add salt, pepper and any other spices that you like. Once that is done, simply pop them into a preheated oven and cook away. For best results, you will want to cook them at a high tempurature in the 400 degree range. Cooking times will vary depending on thickness, but basically you want to cook them until they are a nice golden brown. After they are cooked, take them out and enjoy with a nice side of ketchup.

With the V-slicer from Borner, this and many other intricate tasks are made super easy. It is an incredibly useful tool that will not only allow you to slice perfect french fries from raw potatoes, but so many other jobs too. Make uniform orange slices, cut onions and tomatoes for cheeseburgers, slice veggie sticks, or even dice an onion. Soft or hard veggies, it doesn’t matter. The V-Slicer will cut them perfectly without squishing, bruising, breaking or anything else.

Borner V-Slicer

Steak Fry Blade

How to Make Shoestring French Fries at Home - Simply Good Tips

What the heck is a Strainee you might ask. Well…a Strainee is a ridiculously affordable and totally disposable sink strainer. It works just as well as expensive metal or plastic versions, but has the added benefit of being toss out friendly when it gets yucky. The best part about them though, is that you don’t have to feel bad about throwing these things away. They are environmentally friendly and 100% biodegradable. This means that they will totally decompose in less than five months of you discarding one. They are made entirely from corn starch, so they won’t harm animals or any other part of the environment either. Despite being disposable, Sink Strainees are pretty durable and rigid. You can reuse each Strainee for up to 2 months or toss after a single use. They come in a pack of six, and sell for an incredibly low price with free shipping on any quantity, so you can always have another one handy.

Just pop the Strainee in any standard size kitchen sink drain to prevent food and other particles from being washed down the drain. It fits down in the drain securely, and remains in place. The top edge of the Strainee will be flush with the bottom of your sink so even the smallest particles will be collected in the strainer basket. They are safe in hot water, and won’t dissolve or anything funny like that. You can use them over and over or toss whenever necessary. No more scrubbing dirty old strainers. Just throw it away when it starts to stink, gets stained, or just has a lot of yucky stuff in it. And because there is no impact on the environment, you don’t have to feel bad about it being disposable either. Try Strainee today and discover the joy of being able to toss out that gross little sink accessory whenever you want.

Sink Strainee

A Disposable Kitchen Sink Strainer - Simply Good Tips

How would you ever be able to make those fancy cuts? or Wouldn’t it take forever to turn a whole potato into all kinds of thinly cut fries? Well if you were to attempt the task with a regular knife then the answer to those questions would be yes. Too hard. Too much time. And what a hassle.

The Borner Wave Slicer makes  the task quick and easy and also does some other jobs too. It can make waffle fries, wavy cottage fries, or traditional looking crinkle cut fries. It is all in how you use it, but whichever type of fry you are cutting, the Borner Waffle slicer makes it incredibly simple. It is a German designed kitchen gadget that features a super sharp blade, superior construction and quite simple operation. It is an affordable device that would make the perfect addition to any kitchen. Gourmet cooks and novices alike will love this Borner slicer because they will be able to achieve perfect uniform results each and every time. It does not take any special skill to operate.

CRINKLE CUT FRIES
This type of french fry is the hardest to cut. It is similar to a shoe string fry, but it is thicker overall, and has a wavy texture on all sides. For many people, this is their favorite variety. WHen cooked, they get crispy and golden on the outside, but remain hot and squishy on the interior. Dip one in some ketchup for the ultimate snack or side dish. To cut this type of fry, just use your waffle slicer and follow these easy steps:

1. To make crinkle cut french fries simply take your potato and secure it to the safety food holder.
2. Set the slicer to the ridge or wavy cut.
3. Once set,  just slide the potato along the device and past the blade. Be sure to apply even pressure in order to achieve the ideal thickness of slice. You will slice the whole potato into wavy slices.
4. Once this is done, simply stack the pieces back together and place them back in the food holder sideways.
5. Slice the whole batch again. Now when you slice the potato you will have perfect looking crinkle cut french fries as your result because you will be sectioning the flat wavy piece into sticks. This whole process takes just seconds once you are used to operating this slicer.

WAFFLE FRIES
Often referred to as cottage fries, these large, round french fries offer a more hearty portion. They will be the size of full slices, and they will be circular in shape, but the characteristic that gives them appeal, is the waffle texture on the front and back. This criss cross cut increases surface area, and gives the potato a great look. When you cook it they get nicely crisp and the larger size allows for ample seasoning to be applied. You can use the same technique on other vegetables to prepare garnish or add them to salads. Making waffle fries is even easier than crinkle cut, so you can prep them in about half as much time. Use the following steps, and the wave slicer to get perfect results.

1. Set the slicer for the waffle cut and secure your potato in the food holder.
2. Make a single pass along the slicer to make the first cut. You will notice ridges on the end of your potato.
3. After the first pass, just make a quarter turn and slice it again. Your first waffle fry is now cut.
4. Simply rotate back and forth as you cut to slice multiple waffle fries in just seconds. They will be perfectly cut and of a uniform thickness.

WAVY FRIES
This is the easiest one to do. It will result in a medium thickness slice with a wavy texture on the top and bottom. This would be similar to a thick, wavy potato chip, or fish n chips style fries. The technique is simple, and it will be the fastest type to prepare. Use this to make hot fries, or cut with another vegetable for things like garnish or pickling. Use the following steps to cut wavy potato slices.

1. Just set the slicer to wavy cut, and secure your potato.
2. Slice away, to complete preparation. There is no technique involved, just slide straight down the slicer and the advanced blade will do the rest. You will get perfect, professional looking slices quickly and easily.

Cooking
Once the cutting is done,  you will be  ready to season and cook your fries to your liking. They can be baked or fried, and seasoned with any number of spices. Most people prefer the taste and texture when fried, but the results will be healthier if you bake. To bake your french fries, simply place on a single layer on a baking sheet. Add seasoning and/or olive oil  to taste and then cook until golden brown. For best results, you will want to use a higher heat setting. This will give a crunchy outside and a soft inside. To pan fry your prepared potatoes, heat oils thoroughly in a pan on the stove. Use whichever vegetable oil you prefer and then add fries one at a time to prevent sticking. It will take less time when frying, so keep watch and flip half way. Once golden brown remove from the oil and place on some paper towle to soak up residual oil. After cooking add desired seasoning and then serve hot. Once you discover how easy it is, and how great the fries taste, it will be hard to go back to store bought versions again.

Borner Waffle Slicer

Make Crinkle Cut French Fries & Waffle Fries At Home - Simply Good Tips

A julienne cut is a fancy sort of cut that can add appeal to almost any dish. Some recipes call for vegetables to be julienne cut specifically, but it is a technique that you can use to improve the presentation of many dishes. It also allows vegetables to cook more evenly so you end up with better tasting food as well as better looking food. Use it for stir frys, salads, desserts and more.

Julienne is not a type of vegetable, but rather a way of preparing them. They are often included in a meal that is French in origin but are also used for Asian dishes or salads. You can even julienne an apple or chocolate for that special homemade dessert. The main vegetable being sliced is usually quite hard because these types of food produce the best results. Veggies such as carrots and zucchini are easily sliced into the tiny sticks that are the finished product. If done traditionally it can be quite a task. In order to do it right and get good results, you need to have the right kind of knife and a certain amount of skill. It can take a decent amount of time to do correctly if you are slicing with a regular knife, but a specialized tool can make the task quick and simple.

What does it look like?

A julienned vegetable has four sides and basically looks like a long stick. The original fruit or vegetable is divided into rectangular slices and then chopped into stick-like pieces. These resulting “matchsticks” are usually an 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick and about two inches long. You will typically see them on a plate as a series of long, thin strips. These vegetables may lie under the main dish or next to it, depending on the chef’s preference. They can be used as garnish or as an integral part of a recipe.

HOW TO DO IT

TRADITIONAL METHOD:

A sharp, non-serrated knife works best. A serrated knife will saw through food.

1. Clean your knife and cutting surface
2. Peel fruit or vegetable as desired
3. Trim away any roots or stems prior to slicing
4. If the food you are cutting is round, slice it in half first and place it on the flat side to prevent rolling
5. Cut the edible part of the vegetable into slices about 1/8″ – 1/4″ inch thick. Cut around or remove seeds as needed
6. Take these slices and cut them again to create 1/8″ – 1/4″ thick sticks.
7. If desired, trim sticks to uniform length ( about 2″ long)

CAUTION: The above method requires a sharp knife and a careful eye. If one or more of these requirements are not met, you may be in trouble. The knife must be sharp enough to cut through the vegetable without using so much force that you end up breaking the vegetable. Also, due to the small size of the final result, you must be able to work the knife close to your fingers without cutting yourself. Be careful and practice with an easier vegetable, such as a zucchini, before moving on to more difficult vegetables like a green beans or carrots.

SIMPLY GOOD METHOD:

Why use a big dangerous knife, when you could spend less time and frustration with a specialized tool. Sure they are only good at julienne cutting and a regular knife is so much more versatile, but when you take the hard part out of the job, you may find that you actually julienne vegetables when it is called for rather than decide that it is too difficult. A julienne peeler or julienne slicer can make the job a quick and easy task, so you won’t mind doing it. In just a few seconds you can do enough carrot for your salad or stir fry.

Julienne Peeler

- This Swiss made gadget is perfect for small jobs or to quickly jazz up any dish. It produces thin sticks that are 2-5 inches in length. They will be uniform in width, but length will usually vary. To use this tool, simply run the peeler along your veggie to create perfect uniform strips in a flash. Light pressure is all that is required because the blade will do the bulk of the work. Jobs like shredding carrots for a salad topping are easily performed using this peeler. The super sharp blade and ergonomic design make it easy-to-use. It is dishwasher safe and requires absolutely no skill.

Julienne Slicer

- This one is best used for larger jobs, or in kitchens that julienne a lot of food. The size of the stick will be about the same as with the peeler, but the length will be a bit more uniform. This one still produces a pretty thin stick, so it is perfect for stir fry or vegetable salads.  This commercial quality unit cuts in both directions to make the job super quick. It is a German made gadget that is incredibly sharp and works great. It sort of looks like a mandolin slicer, but it is specialized for just the julienne cut. This device produces a thinner stick or shred. When examined closely, it will be a bit longer, thicker and more uniform than what the peeler makes, and it will do more veggies in less time. For a thicker cut, or fatter sticks you will want to go with an actual mandolin slicer.

Borner V Slicer

- This is the ultimate tool for thicker julienne vegetables like for carrot sticks, celery sticks and shoestring french fries. It won’t shred as fine as the two tools above without getting extra blade inserts, but it will be the tool that produces the most traditional looking julienne cut. This will give results similar to what you could achieve with a knife, but it will allow you to do faster and easier. It comes with the ability to do a 3.5mm or 7mm thick cut, but additional blades are available to achieve 1.6mm or 10mm as well. The included blades should prepare you for any standard veggie you want to slice. The thinner extra blade will be similar to the slicer above or the peeler. Because it is more suited for high volume, things like shredding cabbage for coleslaw will be easier. The thick, 10mm extra blade insert will let you do really thick sticks, so it is perfect for preparing stuff like steak fries. This tool makes the task easy, but it can be used for more than just julienne slicing.

How does it work? – This mandolin slicer has a v-shaped blade that spans the width of the tool. The blade inserts mentioned above will add additional blades that are aligned vertically across the face of the device. As you slide food up and down, it will be cut in two directions at once. In this way it will be easy to get perfect looking sticks. They will be the exact same thickness, side to side and top to bottom, and cutting them up is as easy as sliding your vegetable up and down. Buy it to make that job easy, but continue using it for other slicing jobs like traditional slicing or dicing. It is a powerful tool that will save you time and effort, and it make it easy to have professional looking vegetables.

Discover a quicker, easier and safer way to julienne vegetables. Stop cutting with a knife, or not cutting because you only have a knife. These affordable alternatives offer a specialized method to create professional quality cuts. Improve the look and taste of your favorite dishes, and open yourself up to new dishes you never though would be possible due to the difficulty.

Julienne Peeler

Julienne Slicer

Borner V Slicer

How to Julienne Vegetables - Simply Good Tips

WHY A SPAGHETTI MEASURE? WHY NOT JUST USE A SPOON OR TONGS?
Au Contraire! SPAGHETTI MEASURE is an efficient tool and measure in one.

The Spaghetti Measure is a terrific tool and great value for pasta lovers and families alike. With today’s emphasis on healthy eating married with portion awareness, Spaghetti Measure combines the best of all worlds. Designed with serving measures in the handle for both adult and child portions, this innovative tool also embraces preparation through its combed edge to gently yet efficiently enable the cook to lift pasta of any type from the pan or pot for serving. In addition, the spoon bowl has drainage holes for efficient draining of cooking liquid. The drainage holes facilitate optimum serving with a minimum of heat loss during transfer of pasta to plate as so often occurs when one uses a colander to drain pasta.

Good design only enhances the experience of Spaghetti Measure in the kitchen. It is the tool to turn to every time whether the pasta is spaghetti, linguine, shells, macaroni, fuseli or penne. The Spaghetti Measure is also just the right size for the job. Not too large or bulky, its ergonomically designed handle is substantial without being too heavy or bulky even for petite cooks yet “meaty” enough for large hands. The soft TPR overmold on the handle extends the ergonomics without detracting from the elegance of the tool. Made of durable nylon to be safe with any cookware, the Spaghetti Measure is heat-resistant in boiling water yet should never be placed under a broiler or over direct flame.

The Spaghetti Measure comes in two great color combos – Jet Black Body with Cool Lavender TPR and the popular Jet Black Body with Red Hot TPR which is always in fashion. Dishwasher safe, it stores easily in a drawer or hanging in every chef or home cook’s kitchen.

SPAGHETTI MEASURE FACTS

• Simply a gotta have it product for pasta lovers and families everywhere.
• Outstanding value and functionality – constructed of durable, food safe and approved Nylon with function-enhancing TPR overmolded accents on the handle.
• Excellent size and “hand feel” – not bulky or fussy.
• Two fashionable combos for color in the kitchen – Jet Black Body with Cool Lavender TPR and the popular Jet Black Body with Red Hot TPR.
• Dishwasher safe, easy store in drawer or hanging on a kitchen hook.

Spaghetti Measure

Practical Function Meets Form In the Handiest of Kitchen Tools - Simply Good Tips

Gone are the days when these accidents meant the yucky task of hunting for “treasure” in the kitchen sink in order to not have to dissemble the plumbing. Or, worse still, have to call a plumber on a weekend to mount the rescue effort for you? Evriholder Products’ new Evri-Sink™ Strainer can keep these accidents from happening in the first place while enabling you to save errant silverware, jar lids, food – even baby bottle nipples from a horrible, gunky fate.

Evri-Sink™ joins Evriholder’s outstanding line of Kitchen Gadgets including the EasiTwist® Jar Opener, & Pebble Peeler™ Brush & Peeler, and its growing line of kitchen sink items.

For years, there have been little strainers and such that tried, often unsuccessfully, to keep pesky cereal spoons or chicken bones from shooting off the plate and shushing into the drain elbow. Enter Evri-Sink™ which is constructed of ABS and TPR plastics which are approved by the FDA for use with food. Meaning, if you’re washing succulent strawberries and drop some, they won’t go down the drain. Instead, they are gently caught by Evri-Sink’s™ slotted drain bowl which lets water and liquids safely drain from the sink while catching or – as in the case of the strawberries – cradling the tasty (and expensive) morsels for you to retrieve and savor.

Evri-Sink™ is a thoughtfully designed, two-tone kitchen essential that is not only very useful but also pretty to look at. Available in three colors – Lime Green, Vivid Blue and Hot Pink, the drain bowl is White which is the perfect contrasting color for a clean, crisp feel in the sink. Evri-Sink™ is dishwasher safe (top rack) to help keep the sink fresh and clean.

For optimum functionality, the TPR plastic collar is injection molded around the ABS plastic bowl. The design provides a tight seal around the edge of the sink drain – the tight seal is only part of the picture. The TPR collar is essentially non-slip which enables Evri-Sink™ to grip the drain and it’s compatible with both stainless steel and ceramic sinks. All grip, non-slip and non-marring in one cool tool!

Built to last, Evri-Sink™ is also a smart buy. It is an extremely cost effective way to keep only what belongs down the drain – going down the drain. Evri-Sink™ is a wonderful product for everyone who has a kitchen sink at home or in the office. It keeps kitchen utensils, silverware, and food items from finding their way into the drain by accident. Great colors combined with the non-slip gripping collar helps ensure larger items don’t get stuck in pipes that can lead to messy removal or expensive plumbing repairs.

Prevent clogged sink drains with the Evri-Sink Strainer

Prevent Clogged Sink Drains - Simply Good Tips

Salsa is more than just a fun word to say. It is one of the most versatile condiments available, and is loved by almost everybody. It can be used as a dip, a topping or an ingredient and there are limitless ways to prepare it. When you make salsa at home you can add the perfect amount of seasoning, and make it exactly as hot as you want, as garlicy as you want, or as salty as you want. Kick it up a notch with fresh hot peppers, or go exotic by mixing in some mango. Once you start experimenting with it, you will find an endless number of variations, and will be able to easily discover a signature sauce of your own. The taste difference you get just by using fresh ingredients can make a huge difference, but once you start using your own recipes too, you will end up with a perfect tasting salsa for any application.

It can obviously be used as a topping for Mexican dishes or to dip tortilla chips, but there are so many other ways to use your homemade salsa too. It can be great on fish or meatloaf. Spread some over a piece of chicken and then melt cheese over the top for a quick and delicious meal. You can even add salsa to your eggs in the morning for a spicy way to start your day.

Salsa is the Spanish word for sauce, but we traditionally think of it as a chunky and spicy tomato dip or topping. Most people avoid or don’t think to make their own salsa, but it can be a very rewarding task. If done right, it won’t take a lot of time, and it can save you money too. The best part about making your own salsa though, is that you get it prepared exactly the way you want, and you know it is incredibly fresh and flavorful. The hardest part about making salsa at home is chopping up all of those ingredients. If done by hand, it can take forever, but automatic food processors can be incredibly expensive and cost prohibitive for someone who just wants to make salsa. The mess left behind from hand chopping is also huge and time consuming to clean. Unless you are someone that loves to use a knife, you will most likely give up on making salsa before you have even chopped the first tomato. If you do though, you are really missing out on a delicious home made treat.

The Salsa Express Miracle Chopper makes it easy to prepare fresh salsa right at home. Just plop your ingredients into the container, apply the lid, and then turn the handle to chop and mix it all at once. Unlike hard core food processing machines, this chopper won’t destroy your ingredients because you have complete control over how fine it is chopped. Just a few turns of the handle will completely chop your ingredients into perfectly sized chunks. Don’t like it chunky? Then give it a few more cranks to more thoroughly chop your salsa.  Using fresh produce increases the flavor, and allows you to alter your salsa in any way you wish. Make an extra spicy batch, or make one that is completely mild. Season it to your standards, and try different flavor combinations. You can even try adding fruit to like peaches or mangoes to give your salsa a lighter, more tropical flavor.

Preparing all of those vegetables into an amazing tasting, homemade salsa could  take a lot of work. It could take forever to chop all of that stuff by hand, plus you will have multiple dirty dishes because of the different cutting boards and bowls that you will use. That is why the Salsa Express Miracle Chopper is so great. You can have fresh salsa any time you want it, prepared in just minutes. Everything is chopped and mixed in the same container, and you can even use that same container to serve the salsa too. Just toss in the ingredients, secure the lid, and give it a few spins. Your ingredients are chopped 20 times faster than by hand and you have fresh salsa in just minutes. No mess, no hassle, and no tears or lingering smell from the onions and garlic. Follow these easy instructions to make your own salsa today.

How To Make Salsa At Home:

Ingredients. The first step is to get your ingredients together. The recipe below will offer a basic combination. Feel free to add or omit to taste, and use this as more of a starting point, rather than a set in stone way of making it.

• 2 medium sized ripe tomatoes (quartered)
• 1/4 medium sized onion
• 4 sprigs cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. garlic salt
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 jalapeno (1/3 for mild, 2/3 for medium and 1 for hot)

Directions

1. Put all the ingredients together in your chopper. For larger veggies, you may want to quarter them prior to putting them in the bowl because this will make chopping and mixing easier. It is not required, but could save time and effort.
2. Chop and mix all ingredients. With the miracle chopper this step is easy. You will dice and slice as you mix the ingredients together, so it is all done in one easy step. If you are trying to make salsa without this tool, you could also chop everything on a board, and then add to a bowl to mix and combine. When using the Miracle Chopper, quick spins make finer cuts. All ingredients will be chopped without smashing, and you will end up with a chunky sauce. For a smoother more pureed style sauce, just spin for longer.
3. Once complete, simply remove the blade and serve in the mixing bowl, or transfer to a serving bowl if desired. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy! You can alter this recipe in any number of ways. These are the most basic ingredients, but you can vary, add and omit to create your ideal tasting salsa. The Salsa Express will allow you to prepare it easily and allow you to enjoy fresh salsa at home anytime you want it.

Salsa Express Chopper

Making Salsa at Home - Simply Good Tips

If you have ever tried to do the shredding for any of these dishes, you know it is time consuming and difficult. Regular graters aren’t really designed for this job, and the dull blades make it nearly impossible. Plus you don’t really achieve the thickness that is optimal. What you end up with is too thin or mangled because the tool is actually designed for cheese which is much softer and mostly used in thinner shreds. You can always use a big knife and cut your vegetables into a bunch of little strips, but this can take a long time. There are certain people out there that enjoy extensive cutting projects, but for the rest of us, we need a faster and easier way to do it. Plus with all of that cutting, odds are somebody is going to get hurt.

What you really need  is not a shred at all. A thickly shredded piece of food is actually a really thin julienne. Thicker julienne cuts are used for french fries, veggie sticks and more. A thin julienne though, is much thinner and is almost as this as a shred. This thickness is perfect for stir frys and salads, and is more suited for your vegetable ingredients. A thin julienne is a perfect little stick of food with a uniform thickness and length.

The Borner Thin Julienne Slicer is the perfect tool to achieve this cut or shred. It is an easy-to-use device that makes shredding your vegetables a quick and easy task. It is made in Germany and features ridiculously sharp blades. The blades are so sharp that it is recommended that you use a safety food holder in order to protect your precious fingers. It may sound scary, but really the sharpness of this device just makes it incredibly efficient and simple to use. Simply slide your veggies across the tool to quickly shred any vegetable. It works great for cheeses too, but it is actually designed for the tough job of shredding vegetables. Like a hot knife through butter you will be able to make quick work of even the hardest veggies to easily prepare the ingredients for your salad or stir fry dish. Use it for vegetable salads, garnishes, side dishes and more. You will find it is easier than ever to slice and shred vegetables all the while achieving perfect, uniform results. Use this great gadget for shredding carrots, potatoes, or onions, thinly cutting sticks of apples, or cucumbers.  It produces a slightly thicker and more stick-like shed when compared to traditional graters and shredders. It is actually doing a thin julienne cut. It is not quite a shredder, and not quite a slicer. One thing is for sure though. No kitchen is complete without one of these great julienne slicers from Borner.

Thin Julienne Slicer

Good Stuff for the Kitchen

Shredding Vegetables - Simply Good Tips

Traditional Method:
This method involves using a big knife. It works OK in the end, but can be pretty hard to do without practice. You also run into the issue of harming the kernels and only removing parts of them. This results in a bigger mess, but also a loss of flavor since the juice will be lost. To remove kernels with a knife, you will first want to make sure the corn has been cooked thoroughly. This usually takes about five minutes in boiling water. After cooking, wait until the corn is cool enough to handle. Stand the ear up on its end with the wide end at the bottom. Now take your knife and cut straight down making sure to get as close as possible to the center. Continue until all of the kernels are off the cob.

The Easy Way:
Try the Kuhn Rikon Corn Zipper. This affordable kitchen gadget makes it ridiculously easy to remove kernels of corn quickly and easily. It is specially designed to cut around the kernels in order to remove as much corn as possible. You will find that it is more effective than a knife and also much faster. The super sharp blade has a unique design that perfectly conforms to the shape of the cob to get under the kernels and remove several rows all at once. You can use it on raw or cooked corn with the same great results. Simply hold your corn with one hand and swipe the Corn Zipper across the cob lengthwise to remove kernels. In a single pass you will completely remove several rows at once. Hold the corn over a bowl and each little kernel will drop neatly into it. The Corn Zipper also features a fun design that makes it pretty obvious what the tool is for. Despite it’s playful appearance though, this high quality kitchen gadget means business. It features Swiss design, superior craftsmanship, and incredibly sharp blades. Save time and make it easy to get your corn off the cob. Enjoy whole, plump kernels in less time for side dishes or to enhance any of your cooking.

When purchasing your  corn-on-the-cob for recipes, remember that one large ear of corn will yield about  1/2 cup of kernels. If you think you have too much corn, resist the urge to store it raw. Instead, cook all of it right away and strip the kernels off the leftover ears with your Corn Zipper. You can then store the kernels more successfully. Place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge or freezer. With the Corn Zipper from Kuhn Rikon it will be a simple and quick process to take corn off the cob. Zip Zip Zip and you’re done.

Corn Zipper

Taking Corn Off The Cob - Simply Good Tips