Hope you’ve had the chance to read my latest review of what I think is the best gourmet coffee maker for your home, but if not, I’m going to give you the run down on which type of coffee maker I like best and why I think it is the ultimate way to bring the gourmet coffee experience into your home.

But first, let’s discuss what gourmet really means.  According to Wikipedia, the word gourmet is defined as “a cultural ideal associated with the culinary arts of fine food and drink”.  That’s a fancy schmancy way of saying that “gourmet” stuff is the really good stuff.

So when we talk about gourmet coffee makers, I am assuming it means we want a coffee maker that’ll make us a really good cup of coffee.  One that will make us feel like we are sitting in a cute coffee shop somewhere sipping an expensive cup of java.

So how do you get that gourmet experience at home without breaking the bank?  Easy…. All you need is a Keurig single serve coffee maker.   We have had ours for almost a year now and I can tell you first hand that it is a great way to enjoy gourmet at home.  Here’s my two cents:

• Keurig machines use K-cups rather than a traditional paper filter and scoops of coffee.  K-cups are little mini-containers of ground coffee that come in a wide variety of flavors.  This means you can have whatever flavor you desire at any time of the day or night.  My husband’s favorites include Swiss Chocolate Almond, Crème Brulee and Butter Toffee.  All you do is pick your favorite K-cup flavor, pop it into the machine and you have gourmet coffee in a heartbeat.

• Single serve machines are fast.  It only takes about 30 seconds to brew up a tasty and hot gourmet cup of coffee.

• There is no clean up! For me, this is the ultimate luxury.  No more glass carafe to wash and no more ugly coffee stains to try and get rid of.  It brews the coffee right into your favorite mug and off you go.  How gourmet!

• One of my biggest concerns with owning a Keurig one cup coffee maker was the inability to make a large pot when we had guests over.  That is no longer a concern.  Now when we have people over, we pull out the Keurig and set it up along side the K-cup carousel and let our guests choose their own flavors.  It is so much fun to watch my guests spin through the carousel to find their favorite flavor.  They ‘ohhh and ahhhh’ and they truly enjoy their gourmet single serve experience.

Check out the latest prices on Single Serve Coffee Brewers at our affiliate partner Amazon.com.

So how ‘bout you?  Do you have a favorite gourmet coffee maker?

If you have been looking to buy a new food processor lately, chances are you have heard or read a lot about the 14 cup Cuisinart food processor.  Well I figured it was time to check it out to see if this full size food processor would be a benefit or a burden in my kitchen.


The reason I say that is because 14 cups sounds like a lot.  A lot of storage space required, a lot of space needed on my counter and a lot of stuff that perhaps I don’t need in a food processor.  Of course, I am slightly partial to smaller models of Cuisinart food processors, so I will try to stay unbiased on this one.

Benefits of the Cuisinart 14 Cup Food Processor

After reading several reviews on this model, I can see why people really love this food processor.

• It has a very powerful motor – 720 watts to be exact.  This size motor is perfect for mixing large batches of dough for pizza or bread and makes easy work of slicing, dicing, shredding and chopping just about anything.

• The extra large work bowl can accommodate big batches of soup or dough so if you like to entertain or take part in once a month cooking then this model would be perfect.

• The aesthetics of this model is very appealing to buyers.  With its sleek brushed chrome finish, many consumers commented that they loved how this food processor looked amongst their other chrome appliances.  This is definitely an advantage over  older models of food processors that normally only come in a basic white finish.

But Is a 14 Cup Food Processor Too Big?

The jury is still out on this one.  I think for my kitchen it might be a little too large to store or sit out on my counter.  I like my work space to be as uncluttered as possible because I tend to make a huge mess whenever I cook or bake.

But I do see the benefits.  A larger capacity bowl means more room for scalloped potatoes, shredded cheese and cabbage for yummy summer coleslaw.  And I have to admit that the brushed chrome finish is very attractive.

Price Comparison – 14 Cup Food Processor vs. 7 Cup Food Processor

If you are on a tight budget when it comes to buying a food processor, then I think the 7 cup food processor is more affordable without sacrificing much in the way of functionality.

If on the other hand, you are looking for a top of the line processor with a few more capabilities but still affordable (under $200 at Amazon.com), then the sleek 14 cup chrome food processor is the obvious choice.

The best part is, no matter which Cuisinart food processor you choose, you can feel confident in your purchase.  Cuisinart is one of the most trusted brands in kitchen appliances and with their lengthy warranties, you’ll be whizzing up goodies in your kitchen for years to come.

Whether you already own a food processor or are considering buying one, I thought this list of my top 7 food processor uses would be helpful.

I know when I was considering buying my first food processor, I often wondered whether or not I would actually use it.  I certainly didn’t want it to become another one of those appliances that gets stuffed into the back of the closet because it never gets used.

Well there really is no need to worry about that with a food processor.  It is an indispensable kitchen tool that can be used for so many things.  And if you don’t believe me – take it from one of the world’s most popular cooks – Rachael Ray!

In Rach’s Summer 2008 issue, a reader asked what the superstar cook’s favorite appliance was.  Rachael answered that her “favorite – and only – appliance is a food processor.  Other than my knife, cutting board and stove, it’s all I need!”  Cool.

So there you have it.  Now on with the list…..

1.  Slicing Fruits & Veggies

Most food processors come with a slicing disc that is attached to the inner stem of the machine.  It sits near the top rather than the bottom of the food processor bowl for a more even slice.  This is perfect for preparing thinly sliced scalloped potatoes or cucumbers for the top of a salad.

2.  Shredding Anything

No longer will you need to spend the extra money to buy pre-shredded cheese at the supermarket.  Save yourself the cash and let the food processor do all the work.  I use the shredding disc to grate cheese, cabbage for coleslaw and potatoes for hash browns.

3.  Kneading Dough

If you love to bake fresh homemade bread, then you will love how easy it is to knead dough with a food processor.  There is no “knead” to flex your muscles when you have a food processor – save that for the gym!

4.  Making Salad Dressings & Sauces

One of my favorite food processor uses is to making delicious homemade dressings, sauces and marinades.  Just keep the sharp blade whizzing as you slowly add in the ingredients you like most.  The possibilities are endless.

5. Crushing Ice

Oh yes!  These little machines and their blades are powerful enough to crush ice in a hurry!  So if you love to sip daiquiris and pina coladas on the patio, then you can count on the food processor to help you out.

6.  Soups & Purees

Who says you need a blender to make purees?  A food processor can do the job equally well.  Whether it is a fruit smoothie or a creamy broccoli and cheese soup, the sharp blades and large capacity bowl of a food processor ( especially the Cuisinart 7 cup food processor ) are just the ticket.

7.  Baby Food

I have talked about this one in a few articles here on the site.  When I was making homemade baby food for my little ones, I started out with a blender.  It worked okay but once I switched over to a food processor, I found it so much easier.  Again, the blades and bowl are perfect for making baby food.

So are you convinced yet that you need to have a food processor in your kitchen? Well if you want to learn a little more about why I think everyone should own one, check out my review of the best food processor for the money!

If you’ve ever made bread at home the old fashioned way, which includes plenty of mixing, kneading and rising, then you may be wondering how to make bread in a bread maker.  I don’t blame you – it is a great way to save yourself some hassle as well as money.

But rather than a great long article explaining how to use a bread maker, I thought I would let an expert show you how instead.  The expert in the video below is one of my all-time favorite Food Network personalities and can most often be seen on the television show Iron Chef.    Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is the fabulous Cat Cora!

She offers some great tips about using a bread maker.  Here are a few worth noting:

• She points out, and I couldn’t agree more, that using the delayed timer on your bread machine is a fantastic idea!  You can add the ingredients in the evening and wake up to freshly baked bread any morning of the week.  Imagine waking up to that aroma.  What a great way to start the day!

• It is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations for making bread.   Each model is different and the method for preparing and baking the bread will vary.

• With most models, you should add the wet ingredients to the loaf pan first with the dry ingredients on top.  The yeast is the last thing to be added.  Note:  In the video, Cat Cora adds the yeast herself but some models like the Panasonic Bread Maker that I reviewed, have an automatic yeast addition feature.  It will add the yeast to your bread mixture at the perfect time.

So without further ado, here is a great little video about how to use a bread maker.  Enjoy!

As far as I can tell, there are three groups of people that will find the FoodSaver v2840 useful in their kitchen – people who like to eat fresh healthy food at home, people who like to save money whenever possible and people who enjoy an organized and efficient kitchen.

I know I fall into all three of those categories….  How about you?

You see, vacuum sealers can help with all of these things.  Here’s how:

• A vacuum sealer like the FoodSaver v2840 allows you to cut back on the amount of time you spend cooking meals in your kitchen.  Simply prepare extra large batches of meals like pasta, burgers or casseroles and freeze whatever you don’t eat right away.  Then re-heat your frozen meal on a night when the kids have soccer practice or a ballet recital – definitely beats eating fast food when you are in a pinch for a meal!

• Vacuum sealers can also save you a bunch of money over the years.  Sure the upfront cost for a good quality vacuum sealer may seem like a lot but over time you can potentially save yourself a lot of cash!  The best way to save is to buy meat in large quantities when it is on sale, seal it and store it for future use.  No more freezer burnt meat!
  

  Courtesy of FoodSaver.com

• And lastly, I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for a way to keep my fridge and freezer more organized.   There is nothing worse than having to stuff your food into any tiny spot you can find and then quickly slamming the door shut to stop everything from falling back out.  Sound familiar?  Well a FoodSaver vacuum sealer can create small tidy packets of frozen food that you can stack and store with ease.

Want to see if the FoodSaver v2840 is the right model for you?  You can keep reading my two cents or you can click here to check out this great deal.

Why Choose the FoodSaver v2840 Advanced Design?

Well if you have used FoodSaver products before than you know that the name FoodSaver is synonymous with top quality sealer products that are durable, affordable and well trusted.  The v2840 is no exception.  With its sleek stainless appearance and its improved functions and features this food sealer is a great buy.  

Here’s what a few happy customers are saying about this model:

If you have a refrigerator and/or a freezer and store food, you want one of these!

I recommend this FoodSaver to all my friends and those who have bought it like it too.

This is my first experience with a vacuum seal product and it has been a great one.

Consumers are obviously quite pleased with their FoodSaver sealer purchase.  In fact, the FoodSaver v2840 reviews are so positive that the product has earned itself a 4.5 out of 5 star rating at Amazon.com with close to 150 written reviews.  Go here to read more.

What Do I Get For My Money?

• Improved functionality and new innovative features like an extra wide sealing strip, two sealer settings and multiple food settings for use with both solids and liquids.

• A new design that actually flips up to help save counter space

• A convenient drip tray that is safe for the dishwasher

• A continuous roll of bags to get started right away freezing your food

• Full instructions (including a DVD) – although many reviewers claim that the machine is so easy to use that the instructions aren’t even required!

How Much?

Well that all depends on where you shop!  I have seen this model priced quite a bit higher than the current price at Amazon.com.  But you shouldn’t expect to pay more than $210.00 for this top of the line model.

Is There Anything Bad about This Machine?

Well nothing is perfect – not even the v2840.  While the majority of the reviews are positive, a few people commented on the loss of suction over time due to the wearing of the foam gaskets.  These gaskets create the seal between the lid and the base of the sealer and over time the weight of the lid seems to “squish” the foam on the bottom.  There is an easy remedy however.  Simply remove the gaskets, wash them and let them dry.  Then replace the two foam pieces and the model should function as good as new.

A vacuum sealer is a fantastic way to save time, money and frustration from an overstuffed and unorganized freezer.  Do yourself a favor and read more about the advantages of a FoodSaver v2840 for your kitchen.

When my two little guys were younger, back before they could make their own decisions about what they wanted to watch on T.V and before they were introduced to the likes of Wizards, Sponges and Clones, they loved watching cooking shows with me.  I could say “Who wants to watch cooking shows?” and they would cheerfully yell “Me, me… I do!”

Nowadays when I ask that very same question, they just grunt, roll their eyes and look at me like I must be joking.  Clearly, they are now too cool to watch The Food Network.  But on occasion, if their favorite programs are re-runs or if they are sick and simply don’t have the energy to argue with me, there is still one food show that they enjoy – Guy’s Big Bite with host Guy Fieri.

Guy is definitely a guy’s guy in the kitchen.  His spiked blond hair, tattoos, cool race car inspired fridge and manly recipes make him the ultimate food dude!  He has several hit food programs like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy’s Big Bite and Guy Off The Hook, his own restaurant and now Guy has released a brand new line of really cool Guy Fieri knives.

Even my boys who rarely get excited about kitchen products anymore – loved these flaming knives.  This set includes one 8” “Big Stick” Chef’s knife and a smaller 5.5” “Dragon Dagger” utility knife that are both etched with Guy’s signature flames and logo.  The gnarly red and black handles are perfectly contoured for ultimate comfort and each knife comes with its own blade guard with…. what else?  Flames on it of course!

I could definitely see this as a gift for a budding young chef or for any great “Guy” who loves to look cool while he’s cooking.  Who knows… maybe my boys will come full circle and be larger-than-life television personalities some day – just like their once favorite Food Network Star.