Here’s why it’s great:

• it’s quite cushy because it has a gel core, so my bare feet don’t get sore or tired standing on hard tile
• it’s fits perfectly in front of my kitchen sink and my cooktop area, the two places where it seems I hang out alot
• non-slip bottom so your mat doesn’t move around or trip you up
• easy to clean – just wipe
• anti-microbial additive, so it’s resistant to mildew and mold, because ewwwww
• various sizes and colors available

Would also be quite useful in front of the bathroom sink, if you’re not lucky enough to have a little seat… and I’m not.

GelPro Basketweave Mat – 20″ x 36″ $99

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

And it seems that one of two things is happening, either a) I’m getting weaker or b) companies using more adhesive on those jars.  Some of ‘em are so dang hard to open.

Luckily for me, I won’t have to go olive-less in my old age because Black and Decker makes this handy little jar opener.  All you do is press the handle down and the Lids Off® Jar Opener will open almost any size jar in one simple operation. Nice and small so it fits anywhere, even in the most compact kitchen.

Black and Decker Lids Off Jar Opener – $22

Me?  I dream of organization.  See this kitchen pictured on the front cover of this book… right over there to the left?  That’s my idea of perfection.  Every dish, every pot, every thing has a place.  I’m not so worried about the wall color or the cabinet style, I want nooks and crannies, and lots of them.

1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization may help me obtain perfection… at least as far as kitchen organization goes… because they have like, a ton of fantastic ideas for making your dysfunctional kitchen into something more efficient.

This book outlines basic organizational principles, in case you’re, you know, challenged in that area and emphasizes balancing accessibility with tidiness and making the most of your space.

In addition, they have clever ways to create nooks and crannies, like a pull-out soap dish and other cool stuff.  Check it out if you, too, get a hankering for neatness at the beginning of a new year.

1001 Ideas for Kitchen Organization  – $16

Soft silicone ends prevent bread from tearing, which leads to jelly-leakage.  No one wants that.  25 year warranty.  I won’t even have teeth in 25 years.

Cuisipro Peanut Butter and Jelly Spreader – $10

Sili Sling – $20

It’s a meat pounder.  Ya know, a tenderizer.  Usually they look like this, but not this guy.  Nope.  He’s far too cool to look like the average meat hammer.

The unique design meat mallet is constructed of heavy cast steel and features an offset handle, more comfortable and easier to wield.  What I love about this design is that it’s flat… no spikes like the traditional kind has.  You know what that means?  No rips and tears in your plastic when you’re smashing.

Measures 11.5 inches long.  Not safe for dishwasher… sorry.  Hand wash this one.

Norpro Meat Pounder – $15

Anyway. Enough about my excess calories.

We make sweet potato fries at home all the time by julienning (is that a word?) some sweet taters, spraying them with a little olive oil, spranklin’ on some sea salt and roasting those babies in the oven. So tasty and the kids don’t even know they’re eating something healthy.

Make your own sweet potato fries and a host of other yummy stuff with this mandoline slicer.  Interchangeable blades that allow you to make crazy designs with your veggies, a easy-to-use dial that allows  you to adjust the thickness of your slices and the most important thing: a good-sized food holder that allow you to keep your fingerprints intact.

OXO Good Grips Mandoline Slicer – $39

Really.

These salt / pepper / spice mills  are gravity-operated, which means that  the ceramic gear goes into action as soon as the grinder is tilted towards the foods that need to be seasoned.   Stops when you level it away from your food. It knoooows.

Amazing.

Use it with the KitchenAid stand mixer and your dinner will practically prepare itself.

Bodum Round Gravity-Operated Mill – $30

In one hand, you have a lovely glass of wine, hovering precariously over your hostess’ carpet.  With the other hand, you are trying to gather tasty morsels.

I’ve never figured out how to eat from a plate while holding it, except to lower my face inches from the top of the plate and pluck an appetizer, hopefully bited-sized, with my tongue.

Don’t you want to party with me now?  I’m the epitome of grace and manners.

Enter the Wine and Dine Tray, an ingenious way to allow your guests to eat, drink and be merry, all at the same time.  This bamboo tray has a shallow dip to hold food in, so it doesn’t flip right off there and a glass holder cut-out that will accomodate a standard wine glass.  Perfect for all your holiday gatherings, especially if your friends are known to drop stuff on your floor.

Wine and Dine Tray – $11