Easy and functional, this brushed nickel towel bar is a stylish way to get that towel off the countertop while still leaving at your fingertips.

Find it here for about 6 bucks.

You see, we try to send healthy lunches to school for the boys, but invariably, I hear My cheese was too hot. or My pasta was cold. They say other stuff too, but I try to tune them out.  Seems like they don’t like when the hot stuff is cold or the cold stuff is hot, but really, nothing seems to keep their lunch items at the proper temperature.

So they have PB&J every day.

And they’ve rebelled.  As would I.

So, I got these containers that have liquid in the lids that you freeze and slap some cold stuff in there, like yogurt, and it tries to keep it cold until your child eats it.  Well, it actually works.

The only downside is… you have to hand wash the lids.  I consider that a small price to pay to keep the boys from eating bacteria-laden food.

This same company also makes a container for hot foods that you can microwave before you pack their lunch and this salad container.  Pick some up today if you have munchkins that like to munch.

StayFit Lunch to Go – $7

I used to own one, a stainless steel set made by Farberware and included in my first set of cookware as a bonus.  You can’t buy them separately now, and I’m not sure that you ever could, but I want them.  And I can’t have ‘em.  I’ve searched high and low for a replacement after I melted the lid in the dishwasher, to no avail.

Oh, don’t get me wrong.  I have bowls that I mix stuff in, but they’re not the perfect bowl.  Glass mixing bowls are too heavy and I always feel like they’re just waiting to jump off the counter and shatter into a million pieces.  Plastic mixing bowls won’t do any counter surfing, but they sometimes seem too flimsy.

Nope.  The best ever mixing bowls are stainless steel and have accompanying lids.  They’re unbeatable for mixing ingredients that need to remain cool, like whipped cream, or that you will need to put in the fridge later.  The stainless steel really helps with the cooling process.  Really, I have a love affair with these bowls, and the sad part is… they’re not made by anyone on this planet that I can find… yet.  I will keep hunting though.  I’m very determined like that.  Some may call it obsessive, but I like to think of it as persistent.

Anyway, I’m kind of liking this 4-piece bamboo bowl set I saw at JcPenney because they are colorful, they nest for easy storage and they have a pouring spout so your batter doesn’t blop all over the counter.  Check these out if you, too, constantly hunt for the next best thing. Kid-friendly, if you often have “help” in the kitchen.

** Update ->  I’ve found a few of the Farberware stainless steel mixing bowls on ebay.  Search for Farberware mixing bowls and you’ll have a few to choose from.  Make sure you get one with a lid!

Batter Bowls – at JcPenney – $20

Let’s just stop and think about that for a minute.  No hot bread, straight from the oven, slathered with butter, the real stuff.  No warm cookies, bagels with cream cheese, cake, or pasta.  And that’s not even including those hidden places where wheat can lurk: soups, sauces, beer, frozen entrees.

If you are one of the ever-growing population that needs or wants to reduce your gluten (wheat, rye and barley) intake, this book makes it simple by first explaining what the heck gluten is, where it’s found and how you can eat delicious foods and still avoid it.  Recipes are included, and are guaranteed to make your gluten-free world a little easier than you thought!

Living Gluten-Free for Dummies – $14

Not the tiny little sour pebbles that are in the store right now, for $15 a pound.

Noooooooooooo.  The sweet walnut-sized cherries from heaven… that’s what I’m talking about.

For now, we need to enjoy the pleasantly inexpensive citrus, even if you’ve already been enjoying it for what seems like eons, because soon, it will be gone.

And a easy way to make that citrus more enjoyable is to not have the peels stuck under your fingernails for days.    This citrus peeler will make that orange manicure a thing of the past because the pointed tip scores the fruit peel, and the flat edge gets under peel and pulls it right off.  All you’re left with is the juicy goodness and a tool that you can just toss into the dishwasher to clean.  Gotta love the oranges… until the cherries arrive.

OXO Good Grips Citrus Peeler – $12

Anyway.

Real bagels, you know, the kind from the bakery, need to be sliced in order to be toasted.  Have you ever tried to slice a round, rolling object with a really sharp knife?  Don’t.  Try.  This.  At.  Home.

Instead, get this bagel slicer which will neatly and easily slice your bagels, buns and rolls, but not your fingers, because there are two blade guards to prevent cuts.  Easy to clean, dishwasher safe and comes in this here purty red color.

Bagelpod Bagel Slicer – $17

Sniff sniff.  Waaahhhhh.

Here’s what happened:  I was minding my own business, removing a key lime pie from the second rack in the oven, when OW, @#$(*@(#*! , my wrist touched the top rack.

Almost dropped the pie.

I know it’s my own fault because I just reached instead of pulling out the bottom rack, but still.  Ow.

If I had these oven rack guards, my flesh would still be perfect and creamy white, without ugly red burn marks.

These protective oven rack guards are made from the same material used in fireman’s suits.  They snap right onto your oven rack and can just stay there and keep your skin perfect.  Oven safe to 500 degrees F and machine washable if you get some gunk on it.

JAZ Oven Rack Guards (set of 2) – $19

Polly Hot Pot never failed.  She persevered through it all: mac-n-cheese, Chunky soup, chocolate fondue, hot chocolate.  You get the idea.  I lived on the foods created in Polly, along with cans and cans of caramel corn sent to me by my awesome mom. (Thanks Mom!)

Anyway.

I saw this hot pot the other day and I almost bought one, just for old times’ sake.  It reminded me of Polly.   I got just a little teary-eyed.  Because of  my age.

Not only is the RoadPro Smart Car Pot  a hot pot, able to warm anything and everything, but it plugs into your car’s power socket.  It’s a hot pot to go!  How friggin’-fraggin’ cool is this?

Immediately, I thought of making coffee on the way to work, but then, after careful thought, I decided the Smart Pot was probably designed more for RVs, boats and maybe even big rig drivers.  Yeah, do not take your eyes off the road to check the status of your brew.

RoadPro Smart Car Pot – $23

And this is one of those things.

This digital spoon scale measures both weight and volumes for precise cooking results.  You heard me.  This spoon scale has an accurate, easy-to-read digital display works in both grams and ounces.

In case you’re actually familiar with the metric system.

Digital Spoon Scale – $20

Spaghetti scrub to the rescue.  Listen up, because this is unique and really cool!

This is a kitchen scrubber, so it’s made for heavy-duty scrubbing of your metal, cookware, sinks and grills, BUT it’s made of cotton, polyester and corn cobs.

Corn cobs!  And also peach pits, if you order the orange one.

So, it’s environmentally friendly.  I mean, no peaches or corns died to make this scrubber.  AND, you don’t have to use detergent with this scrubber.  You heard me… no detergent.  Better for the environment and you won’t have that soap taste in case you don’t rinse it thoroughly.

If all that’s not enough to convince you of the merits of this scrubber, how about the fact that it dries completely and therefore mildew is eliminated from even thinking it can grow here.  Buh bye.

Spaghetti Scrub – $11