Have you seen anyone sipping coffee through a straw lately?  Yes, drinking coffee through a straw.  Well if you have, there is a good chance that it was one of the coolest new kitchen gadgets for coffee and tea lovers called a Java Wand.

These tiny wands are like an elegant straw made especially for hot beverages like coffee or tea.  They are made of beautiful recyclable hand blown glass and work much the same as a French press.  Here’s how:

• You take about 1-2 tablespoons of your favorite ground coffee and add it to your mug.
• Then add hot water to your preferred strength and sip it up through your Java Wand.
• The wand acts not only as a straw but as a filter too.  You won’t get any of the grinds, just the beautiful flavor.

And there are no worries about burning your mouth by sipping a hot cup of Joe through a straw.  The glass does not retain heat so it’s really a safe and unique way to consume coffee or tea.

Here are some of the features that I think make the Java Wand and the Health Tea Wand so incredibly unique and fun:

Portable

The wand comes in a tiny travel case that also holds a single serving of coffee grounds.  This would make a great gift for several people on my gift giving list – my Dad who travels a lot and my husband who loves coffee while we are camping.

Eco-Friendly

The wands are not only cute and different but they are “green” too which I love.  By choosing to make your coffee French-press style, you save the energy it would take to brew a pot in your coffee maker.  I love that the wands themselves as well as the packaging are made of recyclable material too.  Perfect gift idea for my eco-conscious sister-in-law!

Money Saver

These little glass straws can also save you a ton of money in your kitchen and on the road.  If for example you own a single serve coffee maker, then you know how expensive it can be to buy the little k-cups that you need to make your coffee each day.  With a Java Wand, you don’t need the k-cups or the coffee maker.

And as for saving you money on the road, with the Java or Tea Wand, you can say bye-bye to Starbucks!

Dentist’s Dream

By sipping rather than slurping, Wisdom Wands help prevent your coffee from staining your pearly whites.

Yay!  They Work For Cold Beverages Too!

I myself am not a huge coffee or tea drinker but I do love my smoothies so thankfully these little wands can be used for cold beverages too.  What’s the biggest benefit for chilled drink lovers?  No more plastic straws!  They are just plain gross – for us and the environment.

So keep an eye out for these cool kitchen gadgets in your area.  WisdomWands would make a great gift idea for any coffee or tea lover on your list.

Available at our affiliate partner Amazon.com.

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For Christmas last year, my Mom gave all the men in my family a new Keurig coffee maker.    It was such a great gift and since then my husband has fallen completely in love with his little machine. But for me – as a non-coffee drinker – I am far more in love with the cute K cup holder that twirls beautifully on my counter.

The carousel tower holds 30 little K-cups and rotates on a lazy-Susan type base for easy access.  It looks so homey and comforting when it is full of K-cups – it makes me wish I liked coffee!

I also love this little k-cup holder when it comes to entertaining.  Okay… for me entertaining means having my siblings and their families over for dinner but still….. The mini brewer and the carousel are always a big hit when we put it out after dinner and everyone gets to choose their own coffee flavor.

There are a variety of different k cup carousels out there.  Some, like the one pictured above, are a more rectangular design while others are shorter and more round.  There is even a space saver design that is more like a drawer – quite neat.

Be aware that when you purchase a carousel tower, the k-cups are not normally included.  Thankfully though, you can buy K cups just about anywhere these days.  My local kitchen specialty store has a huge variety of different flavors and you can mix and match your favorite individual cups.  Needless to say, I have a lot of fun whenever I stop in.  Amazon.com also sells k-cups for a great price if you need to fill up your tower.

And here’s a hint:  These two items together would make a perfect Father’s Day gift for any coffee loving Dad.

As you know, Fred & Friends is one of my favorite places to find cool and unique kitchen gadgets – their stuff is just so fun!  And these Fred M-Cup Measuring Matroyshkas are no exception.  They are simple and stylish and would make a great gift for Mom this Mother’s Day.

Let me tell you why I love these measuring cups:

• They instantly transport me back to my childhood when my Mom had a couple sets of toy nesting dolls.  They were fascinating to me.  I loved taking them apart and reassembling them.  My Mom actually still has them and now my daughter plays with the very same sets.  Mom’s sets weren’t measuring cups though.

• By having measuring cups that neatly nestle together like these ones do, I could keep them far more organized.

• Right now, my measuring cups are stored in my baking drawer and the one thing that drives me nuts about that is the handles of the measuring cups.  They always get caught on the drawer when I try to close it.  These pretty Matroyshkas are too cute to put in a drawer anyway, so they could have a permanent home on my counter.

• I think these would be awesome for measuring out ingredients like oats, raisins, nuts and chocolate chips.  Perfect scoop!

• Fred and Friends products are always top quality so I know these adorable measuring cups would be a fixture in my kitchen for many years to come.

The only problem I see with owning a set of these measuring cups is keeping them away from my kids.  No play dough sand castles allowed!

Find the best deals on Fred M Cup Measuring Matroyshkas at our affiliate partner Amazon.com.

The snow has barely begun melting from my front lawn and already I am finding my thoughts drifting to the sweltering hot days of summer.  Days spent by the pool, picnics at the park and frosty glasses of homemade lemonade are some of my favorite things about the season.

So when I saw these salt and pepper shakers by Boston Warehouse, my thoughts of summer instantly turned to sizzling burgers and corn on the cob.  I’m sure you’ll agree that these super cute shakers simply scream “Hello, summer!!”

No one wants real ants crawling over their picnic blanket, but I’d be happy to bring these ant salt and pepper shakers along to our next family picnic.   And to go with it… the matching giant ant dip bowl and spreader, red gingham plates with ant decal in the corner and the ant shaped weights to keep the table cloth in place.  Awe…. “Ant” that special?

If ants aren’t really your thing maybe ladybugs are your insect of choice.  After all, a meal outside isn’t complete without a few bugs.  These earthenware creatures are small and round and brightly painted to look just like the real thing.

Okay so not everyone is a fan of creepy crawly critters on their picnic blanket or patio table, but who could resist a colorful pair of flip flop shakers?  These shoes are what summer is all about!  And this pair comes with its own little tray to keep them paired up at your summer table.

And for my friends south of the border, I know July 4^th is a big party day so these stars and stripes salt and pepper shakers will surely add a touch of patriotism to your Independence Day celebration.

Now I must go throw on my bathing suit and crank up the Beach Boys for the rest of the afternoon.  Then shovel the rest of the snow from my driveway – in my boots and mitts!

Whenever I’m in the kitchen baking there is never any shortage of “help” (funny how that isn’t the case when I am doing the dishes though!)  Nope, whenever there is a bowl and a spatula and some sort of yummy batter being mixed up, I always seem to have six extra hands that are more than willing to help.

Now keep in mind that their idea of “helping” is of course, sticking their fingers in the batter while I am not looking and then pretending they didn’t.  And aside from the obvious health risks of eating raw eggs, and the fact that they have stuck their fingers into the batter that will eventually become food to be consumed by others, I don’t usually mind.  I chalk it up to being a kid and just roll with it.

So when I saw this adorable Batterfinger™ kid spatula from Fred & Friends, I immediately thought of my batter-faced brood and much fun this would be in our kitchen.  Of course, it would mean that I am giving them complete permission to lick out the bowl each and every time I whip up a batch of brownies or cupcakes but….. I think I could live with that.

Then again, if I grant them with a spoon that is made especially for licking out the batter bowl, then I have to realize I am also surrendering one other thing.  My secret guilty pleasure of licking out the batter bowl all by myself!  I’m not so sure if I could live with that.

I’ll admit it – as much as I love being in the kitchen cooking or baking delicious food for my family, there are a few tasks that I don’t enjoy.  One of those tasks is peeling potatoes.  I’m not sure why really but when potatoes are on the menu I find myself wishing that there was some magical way to make the potatoes peel themselves.

Unfortunately, this never happens.  I can’t wave my wand, shout abracadabra and have a pile of peeled and sliced potatoes fall right into the pot.  Man, it would be great if I could though.

So last night as I stood at my counter doing the unfavorable chore of peeling some Yukon Gold’s I was thinking back to a tool my Mom had for peeling potatoes.  It was as close to magically peeling potatoes as you can get – or at least it seemed that way to me as a child.

It was a tool that, if I remember correctly, mounted to the edge of the counter and Mom would crank the handle to rotate the potato against a sharp blade.  This not only peeled the potato but sliced it as well.  (Personally, the slicing part isn’t an issue for me.  I just throw the spuds into a food processor.  But peeling…… well that’s a different story!)

So after a fair bit of snooping around I found that these manually operated “magic” potato and apple peelers are still around.  In fact, they are extremely popular and sell like crazy on Amazon.com.  Guess I’m not the only one that hates peeling!

Of course these machines have come a long way since then.

What make today’s models even better than the one I remember Mom having is that they do it all. They are a peeler, corer and slicer all in one.  You just stick your potato or apple on it, turn the handle and presto change-o, you have easily and rather magically avoided the dreaded duty of peeling a pile of potatoes. (Say that five times fast!)

If there is one line of kitchen gadgets that I am totally in love with it is Chef’N.  Their kitchen tools are fun, funky and innovative but are also functional and practical.  One of their newest products – the Bananza™ Banana Slicer – is no exception.

Have you ever heard of a banana slicer?  Well there really is such a thing and it is quite a neat little gizmo.  You simply slide the banana into the circular opening and with a squeeze of the handle it cuts your banana into lots of even little pieces.  The blades are safe for kids and are also dishwasher safe – yay!

Now I realize that cutting up a banana is hardly a difficult exercise but there are lots of kitchen tasks that aren’t necessarily difficult that we use a specialized gadget for.  I think the fun lies in being able to reach into your gadget drawer and pick up a cool little tool that not only makes the job easier but makes you smile at the same time.

The new Chef’N Bananza™ does just that.  It is one of those products that may not get used very often but when it did, it would be a completely cool tool to have.  Actually, to be honest, I think you may be surprised how often this gadget may come in handy.  Think bananas over ice cream, a bowl of cereal or even a screaming, starving toddler that needs a snack… like ten minutes ago!

This gadget would have even come in handy at my house this past weekend when we hosted my son’s 8^th birthday party.  We didn’t have birthday cake at the party because, well, my child is rather odd and doesn’t like cake so we had ice cream sundaes instead.  How fun would it have been to let he kids each take a turn cutting their own bananas over top of their ice cream?  Extra Mom of the Year points for me!

We all know that the one place Mom’s go especially bananas is in the kitchen –  so this zany tool will fit right in!

Want a gingerbread cookie idea that is a little outside the box this Christmas?  Well I can guarantee that these gingerbread cookie cutters from Fred and Friends will help you get exactly what you are looking for.

The company Fred & Friends is making some big waves in the cooking and baking world these days with their innovative and uniquely hilarious kitchen products.  They are fun and unusual and people everywhere are scrambling to get their hands on them.  Unfortunately though, this means many on and offline merchants are quickly selling out of Fred’s holiday items making them difficult to get your hands on.

If you are lucky enough to find a place where Fred’s stuff is in stock, buy an extra set because as soon as family and friends get a peek at your unique gingerbread cookies, they are going to want some cookie cutters of their own.

Whether you go with the super trendy and popular Ninjabread Men or the equally funny ABC (Already Been Chewed) set, your cookies will be the talk of the town this holiday season.  Can you imagine the look you would get at the church bazaar, the school bake sale or your girlfriends cookie exchange if you showed up with cookies like these?  It would be memorable that’s for sure!

I think I might go for the ABC cutters and take them into my son’s classroom as a special holiday treat.  A bunch of grade 2 boys are sure to get a kick out of half eaten gingerbread cookies right?

If there is one thing that my husband teases me about constantly, it is my inability to cut an even slice of bread (or cheese).  I’m not sure why I have this issue but it never seems to fail that every time I try to slice fresh bread, I end up with slices that are super thick on one end and paper thin on the other.

Thankfully, I have found the perfect solution for my problem – a bread slicer.  These small but invaluable little kitchen tools are designed with people like me in mind.  People who cannot slice a straight piece of bread to save their life and – again for people like me – who hate cleaning up the pile of crumbs left behind.

One of the two top selling models of bread slicers for home use at Amazon.com is the Norpro Bread Slicer and Guide.

The Norpro Bread Slicer (pictured above) is made with an acrylic box that holds the bread while you slice.  You simply slide your knife back and forth through the slats in the side wall to guide your knife as you cut.  This ensures nice even pieces of bread each and every time.  This design also has the extra feature of a crumb catcher in the bottom for easy clean up.

The other popular model is the Out of the Woods of Oregon Bread and Bagel Slicer.  I love this one because not only is it extremely simple and old fashioned looking, but it is also an eco friendly bread slicer as well.

The wooden handle is made from Red Alder which is a sustainable hardwood grown in the Eugene, Oregon region and the blade is constructed of sturdy stainless steel so it will never break.    Reviewers of this product say the blade cuts through bread like it is butter – a smooth and even slice without crushing the bread.  Just what I need!

So if you bake bread at home either by hand or with your favorite bread machine (my fave is the Panasonic Bread Maker that I reviewed) the best accompaniment is a bread slicer.  After all, your fresh homemade bread should look as good as it tastes.

Don’t you just love Halloween?  The scary movies, the costumes, the candy…. and cupcakes that look like brains?  Only on the creepiest, spookiest day of the year would this Halloween cupcake idea seem so cute!

I found these Fred & Friends NOMSkulls cupcake molds as I was searching around for some creepy food ideas for a little Halloween party we’re throwing for the kids this weekend.  As soon as I saw these I knew my boys would LOVE them.   What boy wouldn’t really?  Cupcakes that look like brains topped with lots of thick icing sitting in molds that look like skulls?  I can just hear the boys comments now – “Oh that’s cool.”“Yeah that’s sick” (and when they say sick they usually mean cool but in this case they might actually mean sick!) Continue Reading