The Senseo Coffee Machine is extremely easy to use.. you simply flip open the top of the machine, slip in a pod and close and you’re now ready to start making one or two cups of coffee.  The water tank holds enough water to make several cups of coffee before refilling which is great, I do wish it was a little bigger but that wouldn’t be enough to stop me from recommending it. We loved that you can brew 1 or 2 cups at a time unlike other single-serve machines out there; perfect for when you have company over.

The brewing process produces a nice foamy layer on top the coffee for a nice touch and the coffee was delicious. The machine was a little loud when brewing the coffee but not overpowering loud.

Overall, the Senseo Machine is a nice addition to your kitchen if you want the ease of making a single cup of coffee. The price is affordable and it’s great for parties, especially because of the fact that you’re able to offer your guests a variety of flavors. But if you want a very good single cup brewer with better tasting coffee (along with many more flavor varieties) and are willing to spend more, I would go with a Keurig machine.

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The Slow Cooker Mate™ is a better version of the original crockpot.. it’s an all in one cooker that saves a lot of time. It’s similar in most ways, but instead of having only a pot to cook in, the Slow Cooker Mate™ has three separate chambers. The three chambers allow you to cook your meat or main dish in the bottom chamber while two separate side dishes cook in the top divided chambers.

I’ve been using the Slow Cooker Mate™ for at least a few weeks now and I have to tell you.. honestly.. I don’t know how I lived without it before. I had actually never even heard of it until the creator Diana York, the inventor, asked me if I’d like to review it. After reading the description and imagining the time I could save with it.. I couldn’t say no to the review! I had to see for myself how well it worked and if it would really save me time. And it definitely does!

I love that if I just want to use it for a main dish I can use the larger bottom pot and then if one night we want to have a side item that needs warmed up or cooked for a little bit I can, without digging out more pots/pans. I also love that it’s easy clean up! The lid and both of the stoneware inserts are dishwasher safe.. yay!

The Slow Cooker Mate™ features a digital programmable timer. With the timer, you can program the cooker to cook up to 18 hours and then at the end of the programmed cooking time, it automatically switches to the “keep warm” setting and will keep your food warm for up to 8 hours.

One your food is ready, both of the inserts can be taken directly to the dinner table so there is no need to dirty anymore dishes as you serve the food!

On the Slow Cooker Mate™ website you can also find great recipes that are perfect for the unit, but keep in mind you’re not limited to just these recipes… these are just extra little goodies! You can cook pretty much anything in this bad boy!

Find more info on the Slow Cooker Mate™ or to purchase visit http://slowcookermate.com

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My twins aren’t used to using actual utensils yet so I pretty much just let them get the feel for these TinyTongs and “practice” with them to see how things went. Right now they’re at the stage where their fingers are much easier to use than utensils.. so food goes everywhere but in their mouths! I will never forget the first time we had spaghetti! Why I thought it would be a good idea to put food on a plate I have no idea lol, spaghetti was everywhere.. from the dog to to the cabinets!

My son is more interested in learning how to use utensils to eat than my daughter is.. so I let him try out the TinyTongs first. He took a good look at, moving it around to see what it was all about and then figured out that it the tongs closed when he put a little pressure into it. At the time he had it in his mouth and was chewing on it, so when he squeezed the tongs together, he ended up catching his tounge.. but it must not have hurt because he thought it was pretty hilarious.

After a little while of playing, he had it figured out. He was scooping up his food with the TinyTongs and having no problems at all. I was amazed and had my husband come in to the kitchen so he could check it out for himself. We praised him and told him what a good job he was doing and he just ate it up! It was darling. Once my daughter caught wind of what was going on she decided it was her turn to try out the tongs, but she just wanted to play with them and had no interest whatsoever in actually using them.

With twins we usually have to buy two of most things, just so there is no competition or fighting between the two. Since our son loves the TinyTongs and uses them.. we plan on getting a second pair for my daughter so that when she’s ready she can use the TinyTongs as well.

For more info on TinyTongs visit http://tinytongs.com

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You may have heard of Silikids: Siliskin Glass Bottle Covers but you might not have seen their new item.. the Siliskin Glass. A glass for toddlers, with a protective silicone sheath so they can drink like the “big kids” do!

I was excited to try this because in less than a year my twins will be considered toddlers. They’re still taking a bottle with milk once a day, the rest of the time they drink out of their sippy cups. They haven’t mastered the whole cup thing quite yet.. but they’re on their way to.

I let both of twins hold this new Siliskin Glass just to see if they’d try to drink out of it or not. Our little boy did try, if there was anything less than a few tablespoons of juice in the cup, it would have been all over the floor… but at least he tried and you could really tell he wanted to figure it out. But after showing him multiple times and encouraging him, we decided he just wasn’t ready yet.

My daughter.. well, she’s how she usually is.. she didn’t want anything to do with something new.. so the glass got thrown on the floor after she had a good look at it and felt the silicone covering! Once it ended up on the floor I rushed down to pick it up checking for any breakage or cracks.. but thankfully there wasn’t any. I then decided we’ll try again with the “big kids” cup holding in a few months and we’ll stick to the sippy cups for now.

I love the Siliskin Glass. I think it’s a great idea to have a glass for toddlers with a protective cover of it. The silicone will also allow them to easily grap the glass and that means less spills! It also seems pretty sturdy considering my daughter chucked it a good way and there was not even a crack in the glass. The Siliskin Glass gets a thumbs up from Mom Fuse. The glass come is a 6 oz. size and has a price tage of $7.95 at Silikids.com.

About Silikids

From two moms whose children are growing and inspiring new ideas, comes a new option for the entire family! The Siliskin-Glass is a clean alternative to plastic drink-ware. BPA-free, and made from 100% food grade silicone, the Siliskin—Glass helps prevent slipping and adds extra protection to the glass inside. Glass is the cleanest option for drinking and it lasts because it’s reusable, and recylable. The Siliskin is hypo- allergenic, has no open pores to harbor bacteria, is dishwasher safe, and can be boiled to sterilize. Two simple ideas have come together to make the perfect drinkware better for your family and the environment.

The Silikids line currently features:
• Siliskins – universal silicone sleeves for a variety of different glass baby bottles
• Siliskin Bottles – 4oz and 8-oz. glass bottles covered with a siliskin
• Silibibs – soft and easy to clean bibs made entirely of silicone
• Silipads – stylish silicone kneepads for crawlers and toddlers
• Siliskin Glass – a 6oz drinking glass for toddlers learning to use a “big kid” glass

The Silikids Silicone Benefit as explained below:

• Unique for its hygienic and hypoallergenic, safe, durable and green benefits, silicone is a great solution for children’s products. Silicone is commonly used for baby bottle nipples, pacifiers, teethers and baby spoons.
• Widely used by the medical field and cooking industry, silicone is a non-porous material which does not harbor germs or bacteria also preventing mold.
• Silicone is an environmentally friendly, green substance. Unlike petroleum based plastics, silicone is made from sand. From its manufacturing to its disposal, no harmful by-products are produced. Silicone also promotes reuse, which is a good ecological alternative to the current disposable culture.
• Silicone is extreme temperature resistant allowing it to be freezer safe, boiled for sterilization, as well as washer/dryer and dishwasher safe.

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So when we were sent a few products from Contigo to review I couldn’t wait to see what my husband thought.. he uses these type of products more than anyone I know.. so I figured I’d see if it gained his approval.

The Contigo line is a spill-proof, leak-proof line of travel mugs, hydration bottles and kids mugs that contains a special autoseal feature which will allow you to drop it, shake it, etc.. and you’re liquid will stay put instead of going all over the place. My first thought was that if these were true to their word and didn’t leak or spill.. I had to get more of these.. and I hoped they would have sippy cups or cups with lids for small children (like mine!) available or available soon!

I am quite impressed with the travel mug and kids cup that I received.. the autoseal feature was a lifesaver on our shopping trip. We have to travel a good 40 plus miles to get to a decent mall and my husband of course had to take coffee with him.. so we took the opportunity to try out new travel mug we received.

The mug is sleek, it’s a stainless steel travel mug that just looks good. The blue button (on the image above) is a magical button! When you’re ready to take a drink, just press the button and take a sip. Once the button is released, the autoseal feature kicks in and you don’t have to worry about any spills. This particular mugs holds up to 16 oz. and fits most standard car cupholders. My husband loves this travel mug.. he said his favorite thing about the mug was that kept his coffee hot for hours without the outside of the mug being too hot to handle.. and he loves that it doesn’t spill, no matter how many different ways you drop it.

Now I know a lot of products claim to be leak-proof and spill-proof and most of the time do leak.. but I can promise you that these Contigo products really work. I don’t know how many times we dropped the mug – or my kids got a hold of it and dropped it- but we never once had a spill.. not a drop liquid came out of the mug.

The kids mug is recommended for ages 4 and up. The autoseal technology works the same, press to sip, release to seal. It’s the perfect size.. not too big but not too small and it easily fits into a kids hand. The design is also very sleek and the blue and green colors make the mug fun.

The mugs come in a variety of different colors, they are durable and well made and look very sleek. This is a must-have for traveling whether you’re by yourself or with the family.

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Long before Martha Stewart began teaching us to “pretty up” our food, my paternal grandmother was making art of antipasti. Before she taught me recipes, her early assignments had me arranging platters of Italian appetizers. I was hooked – a lifelong interest in food preparation began.

The cupcake craze of recent years has been a boom to those who like to express their creativity through food. But while there are countless ways to decorate cupcake tops, standard liners always seem a poor finish to these creations.

King Arthur Flour has solved that problem.

I was thrilled to sample two of their products. The first one was the Laser Cut Cupcake Papers ($12.95/12), a lace-like collar that makes a nosegay of any cupcake. Mine were the Black Filigree and they looked absolutely beautiful against a pink frosted cupcake. Adding a metallic gold foil standard cupcake liner under the Black Filigree papers really made it pop.

• Stiff paper in an intricate, laser-cut filigree design.
• Wrap around baked cupcakes.
• Slide tab into slot to lock paper in place around cupcake.
• Set of 12 reusable papers.

The other product was the Tulip Muffin Papers ($3.50/12), a fluted petal liner that encases the muffin or cupcake. With these, even simple frosted cupcakes can make a platter look like a floral display.

• Slip 1 ¾”-tall papers into a muffin tin or individual paper bakers, add batter, and bake.
• Set of 12 elegant tulip papers.

Like Martha Stewart. my grandmother knew the value of a beautifully presented food platter. Both would surely appreciate King Arthur Flour cupcake and muffin papers. And your family and guests will certainly be wowed with cupcakes that look both beautiful and professional.

Check out this no-fail recipe for Blueberry Muffins, the perfect companion to the Tulip Muffin Paper!

Share and Enjoy:

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The Reviews

The Post-It Place – The Fasta Pasta is the revolutionary tool that will cook pasta in the microwave. Pasta in the microwave? Yep, you heard it right. It will also cook rice, vegetables, soups, even a chocolate cake.  The Fasta Pasta helps you to saves time, energy and water.

Grammy Janet’s Place – My pasta was perfectly cooked, strained and ready. The claim of no sticking is absolutely true.I also made spaghetti with the same fantastic result!

Pink & Posh – I have to say that it was great to not have to worry about the pot of noodles. No stirring, no boiling over…whew! The chicken was done just as the microwave beeped, so dinner was ready in less than 20 minutes! That’s a record for me!

The Sassy Southerner – I have had my Fasta Pasta Cooker for a little bit now. I have used it for so many things. I have cooked boxed Mac -n- Cheese in it. I have made Pasta Salad. And I boiled two large potatoes for mashed potatoes for my Great Nephews. Last night, I made Teriyaki chicken. It was so effortless. Just the way I like it.

Moomette’s Magnificents -  At first I was sceptical, thinking, I’ve been cooking pasta in a boiling pot of water for over 35 years, so how can anyone improve on this method? Well, they did, and I am a believer now! This “As Seen On TV“ Fasta Pasta cooker is really easy to use, and cooks any type of pasta – linguine, spaghetti, lasagna noodles, shells and ziti. It can also be used to microwave vegetables and used as rice cooker.

Grocery Price Blog - The commercial says that it cooks Mac & Cheese. I followed the directions and it came out all mushy. I will give everything a second chance. I used it to cook regular thin spaghetti and it came out pretty good. I guess Mac & cheese doesn’t work? If you can’t really watch a cooking pot this is a decent alternative. I personally will stick to the old fashion way.

The Clan McLeod – I found the Fasta Pasta super easy to use and even handed it over to my 9 and 10 year old daughters so they could make their own pasta without having to use the stove or carry over boiling hot water to drain. They really loved it as it was FAR easier for them to handle! I was concerned that the measuring tool on the lid would not yield enough pasta for my family. However, it was perfect! We had just enough every time! It’s also lightweight and very easy to clean, which I appreciate. even dried pasta didn’t stick.

She Scribes – In my house the Fasta Pasta has been a HUGE help, especially with my picky kids. If I’m making something for dinner that someone totally dislikes I will whip up a dish of pasta with sauce instead. The beauty of the Fasta Pasta is that it’s quick and easy so while I’m tending to the rest of the dinner I know that the Fasta Pasta is tending to the pasta.

The Mommy Files – You put the lid on it and stick it in the microwave for the suggested cooking time. The noodles tasted great – the texture we love. Sometimes I forget about the noodles in the pot of water and they end up being soggy. However, with Fasta Pasta, I’ll have perfect spaghetti noodles every time!

Miscellaneous Finds 4 U – It turns out you can cook other things in the Fasta Pasta. I received a cookbook with full meals, all that can be done in about 20 minutes or so, including desserts. I’ve not had time to try any of the recipes but there were several that looked fabulous.

Baby Loving Mama – The only downside that I can see is that you can only cook 4 servings of pasta at a time which isn’t quite a full 1lb box. This could be a problem with a larger family or if you have guests. But you can use more than one cooker at a single time. I liked that I could prepare the meat and sauce and not have to deal with water boiling on my stove and taking an extra burner. I also appreciated not having to wash a huge pot or colander afterwards!

The Way I See It Too - Fasta Pasta is perfect for the elderly, (according to my son, that includes me!) and the disabled. It’s perfect to use while on holiday in an RV, for single moms, and working families on the go. Complete with a cookbook that’s loaded with a variety of recipes, Fasta Pasta is available at these retailers as well as QVC. As new recipes are developed, Fasta Pasta adds them to their website and remember…it makes so much more than just pasta.

The Divine Miss Mommy – Here are the things that I love about Fasta Pasta: All pasta varieties cook to perfect al dente perfection, every time.There is no boil over or noodles sticking together. You can also cook pasta in half the stove-top time, so 15 minutes or less from start to finish.

The Haute Stuff – This is a great product because we are generation on the run. We have lots to do, reality tv to watch, and children to grow. Plus, I just don’t like to cook much, so I’m in love. You gotta try it out.

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I LOVE to cook and especially LOVE gadgets that making cooking easier. With 3 busy kids, I can use all the help I can get! Thanks to Mom Fuse, I had the opportunity to review some great products from Fusion Brands. I received the Poachpod and the Foodloop Mini.

Click to Watch the PoachPod in Action!

I do love a good poached egg on toast with salt and pepper. So I was excited to try out the Poachpod from Fusion Brands. It’s super easy! You spray it with oil (you can use cooking oil or olive oil – your choice). You break the egg and release the egg into the poachpod. Float the poachpod in a pan of boiling water and wait until the egg is cooked. Once the egg is done, simply remove the poachpod from the water and flip the egg out! Waalah! You have poached eggs! It’s easy to use and little clean-up. You can purchase a set of 2 for $10.00.

Click to Watch the Foodloop Mini in Action!

I also had the opportunity to try the Foodloop Mini from Fusion Brands. The Foodloop Mini is awesome! If you want to make bacon-wrapped steak, simply wrap the piece of steak with a piece of bacon and tie the Foodloop around it. Stick it in the oven to cook and when it’s done, simply remove the Foodloop and enjoy your delicious steak! The Foodloop Mini is easy to use and easy to store. You can purchase a set of 2 for $4.00.

Fusionbrands products are sold at retailers worldwide including Sur La Table, Whole Foods, Le Gourmet Chef and more. You can also find select products online at Amazon.com, Cooking.com, GourmetCatalog.com.

Find a Fusionbrands retailer

Win It! Be sure to visit the original post over at The Mommy Files for your chance to win these innovative kitchen gadgets from Fusion Brands!

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I don’t often pack a lunch because I just don’t like the hassle and I don’t like to eat soggy sandwiches. Of course, with two children, baseball season, field trips, a new diet and no money; I have had to readjust my wishes and start packing lunch whenever possible. Last week I took the boys and some friends to the zoo and I packed a lunch. Luckily I had recently received some of these new LunchBots that are perfect for packing lunches.

The LunchBots Unois the perfect size for a sandwich or for a good portion salad or some other main meal. Since I still don’t want to eat a soggy sandwich I put four slices of bread in mine. The four slices fit well but I’m not sure that you could get two sandwich’s in there. I pre-mixed some peanut butter and jelly and had that ready to make the sandwiches once we got to our lunch destination.

The LunchBots Duo is great for taking things such as vegetables and dip or to pre-separate crackers or cookies for two children. I used mine to put exactly sixteen wheat thins in each side so I could have them ready for my snack without having to count as I ate. It came in very handy and the size is great.

Both of the LunchBotsare the perfect size to fit int he pocket on the front of my cooler. I believe I can fit three of them in there. Compared with my usual plastic containers I very impressed. The LunchBots accept the cold in the insulated pocket without having to be in the ice. That will come in very handy for veggies and fruit when I want to carry those without worrying about the water seeping in. I also like that the metal containers are a healthier choice for the entire family. Plastics have recently come into focus as possibly being dangerous due to chemicals that my leach into your food products. You can read more about the potential danger of plasticsat the LunchBots website.

The Uno comes with a nice metal blue lid and the duo comes with an orange metal lid. The lids will fit on either of the containers which will be nice when I get another set so I can have one color for each child. These containers can be purchased here for just $14.99 each.

- Margot @ Sheltered Not Shattered

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“Fusionbrands offers a playful, innovative line of cooking utensils capturing consumer imaginations in a way they’ve never experienced with culinary tools.” -Fusionbrands.com

Truss It Up!

You all know how much I like to cook. You all know how much I absolutely LOVE gadgets. Now, I have found the PERFECT gadget for me. You remember THE MEAT? Yeah, that sinfully delicious uber tender goodness! I always have to beg the butcher for string. That stuffed pork loin? Yep, has to be trussed up. Now, I no longer have to beg for string. I have my very own set of flameproof stainless steel Foodloops by Fusion Brands! They are the greatest! One of the issues I have always had with the string is getting it tied, much less getting it tied tightly. With the foodloops…you just pull them, and snap them in place. That easy!! Can you say hooorah? Retails for $18.99/set of 4

Click to Watch: Foodloop Flame Demo

stuff it    roll it    loop it    grill it™

They have other really cool gadgets you have to check out too…like the Cookhook. It holds your towel or cloth between two magnets in a hook. Then you can hang the hook anywhere…on the grill, a belt loop, a cabinet knob, etc. Love it! It is so handy. Retails for $5.99

Click to Watch: Cookhook Demo

You really need to check out Fusion Brand products. They have lots to offer for the cook in your family, have great prices…and have made my life much easier! Oh, and I want the tenderizer next (hint, hint if you are reading this Bric)

Fusionbrands products are sold at retailers worldwide including Sur La Table, Whole Foods, Le Gourmet Chef and more. You can also find select products online at Amazon.com, Cooking.com, GourmetCatalog.com.

Find a Fusionbrands retailer

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