Best Kitchen Appliances

Has someone passed down their fine china to you? Did you invest in a beautiful porcelain or ceramic dish set? If so, you will want to preserve it well, and leave it for future generations to enjoy. There are several things that you should and should not do with your porcelain tableware or dinnerware. Take a look at these tips so that you can preserve your expensive pottered set for years to come. How To Clean Your Porcelain Dinnerware If you wish to clean stains or dried food from the dishes, soak them in warm soapy water for several minutes. With a light duty scrubbing sponge, gently wipe away any stuck on food. Do not scrub aggressively or use scouring pads, heavy duty scrubbers, or harsh cleansers. If the stain is still hard to remove, soak it longer. For tea stains, use four cups of water with about two tablespoons of chlorine bleach. Let the tea cups soak for a few minutes, and then rinse them well. For scrape marks left by forks and knives, use a gentle metal clea...

By Chet Baker Remodeling kitchen and bathroom project may be overwhelming, but can go on smoothly if you know a couple of pro tips. Plan ahead, avoid delay: Plan ahead and make products selection early. Planning ahead would avoid delays and help you adhering to your budget. Remember the big picture: Repairs, maintenance and energy loss are bound to happen. Always budget for these and include them in your calculations when you are comparing prices. This will help in avoiding hassles in future. Get good help: Hire a contractor or a remodeler who has rich experience in kitchen and bathroom remodeling, positive customer reference, good record with better business bureau and a member of National Association of Remodeling Industry. Or, if you know a good remodeler whom you can trust, go ahead and hire him. Visit a job site: When you are planning to hire a remodeler, check his companyís website. Good remodelers always maintain a clean and an or...

Granite is a fantastic choice for a kitchen worktop. It is durable and extremely long lasting. This coupled with the fact that there are many differing colours to choose from, makes this type of stone one of the best for a kitchen worktop or work surface. In this article, I will be discussing some of the main attributes and qualities for; Star Galaxy; Impala Black, Emerald Black, Zimbabwe Black and Ubatuba granite, as these are types of stone I have observed consumers purchasing. I would also like to mention that this is not a comparison of how expensive these types of granite are, but more of an explanation and description of what they are and how, by knowing a little bit more about their colours and veining or not as the case may be, it may help you to see where these colours could fit within your design and room décor. Star Galaxy Star Galaxy is quarried in India and has a beautiful black surface with copper and gold flecks within, which tend to vary from stone to s...

By Lisa Kirstin Murray The atmosphere I was trying to achieve in this traditional kitchen was that of a 1915 Parisian Candy Shop. When I walked into the existing kitchen I was thrilled to find the basics would easily transition to the candy shop look. The wonderful "bones" of the kitchen included cream cabinetry with stainless classic handles and pulls, solid black granite countertops, deep crown moldings and finally excellent windows including a floor to ceiling bay window. I must stress the importance of using classic styling, stone and high-end appliances in a traditional kitchen. These rarely date and can easily be "freshened" up. In the case of this kitchen I took several steps to maximize the candy-shop kitchen while still adhering to a strict budget. I knew immediately I wanted the colors to be black, cream and murky rose. The walls received a new slightly pink based cream by Benjamin Moore called Butter Pecan. The trim painted in White Dove (a...

Perhaps you are about to build your dream home, or plan to renovate your present one to a more stylish look. If you are a culinary at heart, obviously the kitchen is the first stop. Only the best equipment will do, and if you want to create gourmet meals like a professional in a domestic setting, you need the proper tools. This doesn't necessarily mean breaking the bank to furnish your kitchen with the most expensive appliances, however. In today's economy budgets can be tight, and there are ways to build your dream kitchen without depleting your accounts. Here are just a few suggestions to consider before calling the contractor. Choose a stainless steel sink: If you plan to cook, most assuredly you'll do a lot of cleaning. Installing a stainless steel sink provides an attractive and practical look to one area of your kitchen. Steel is sturdy and less apt to retain bacteria from raw foods, it cleans easily and it lasts a long time. Stainless steel is also mo...

By Alice Lane When people first start thinking about remodeling their homes, it generally starts with the kitchen. There always seems to be something about your kitchen that you would absolutely love to change. This generally goes beyond replacing that well used yet worn out clay art dinnerware. Once you have lived with your problem area long enough, a remodel starts to look like a really good idea. There are so many ways that you can change your kitchen without having to rip out your existing hardware. If you are looking for a way to make a change to your kitchen that doesn't involve the demolition of the cabinets and or walls in your kitchen, there are subtle, yet dramatic steps that you can take to make the change with ease. One really quick and easy way to create a little bit of flair in your kitchen is through the use of a backsplash. Most homes generally come with a backsplash that only rides up the wall about five inches or so. If you want to really make a sta...

There are a few quick Tuscan Decorating ideas that can make standard kitchens turn into lavish Tuscan kitchens. People want to have beautiful new homes, but with the economy presently the way that it is, homeowners are realizing that this makes things a little bit harder to achieve. So, here are some extra special Tuscan decor ideas and tips that can make your kitchen feel like a new Tuscan retreat. There are three great Tuscan decorating tips that can easily transform a typical kitchen into Italian bliss. 1. Wall color: Your wall color can set the tone for your kitchen. How about applying a muted brown hue on the walls with a texture technique to give an aged appearance. 2. Island: If you have the space, for an inexpensive price, consider a free standing old wooden center island or table. An old wooden farmhouse table would be perfect. Something that is darker in shade; nothing too overpowering in your kitchen. One that will continue to provide ample space to move arou...

By Rebecca Hiatt Santoku knives are the most versatile knives you can have in your kitchen tool arsenal.  A Santoku knife can be used for many different tasks in the kitchen, such as dicing vegtables and slicing meat or poultry.  There is no need to have a vegetable knife and a butcher's knife when you own a Santoku, one knife can do it all and do it well. The design of Santoku knives makes them perfect for slicing meat into small pieces.  The design displays a thinner blade than a chef's knife which seems to make it  more effective at slicing than many other knives.  Santoku knives often come with a granton blade, this type of blade has pockets.  The pockets of a granton blade prevent food, such as cheese, from sticking to the blade.   Another design feature found in the Santoku knife is lighter overall weight and a handle design that is more adaptable to smaller hands.  The Santoku desi...

Before you plan your next camping trip, pick out a few campfire cooking recipes. A very popular recipe for campers is, of course, s'mores. There are several variations to making s'mores, so take a look at the following ideas, and pick up the supplies at your local store, or at the store nearest the campground you will be going to. *Strawberry S'mores: Cinnamon graham crackers Strawberry marshmallows White or milk chocolate candy bar *Chocolate S'mores: Chocolate graham crackers Chocolate marshmallows Chocolate candy bars *Peanut Butter S'mores: Graham crackers Marshmallows Peanut butter cups Now that you have a nice selection of S'mores offerings for your gourmet camping dessert, don't forget to plan a few nice meals with your campfire cooking recipes. Corn on the cob is a very popular campers treat. Soak your corn cobs in a bucket of water for at least 30 minutes. The corn husk holds in all the moisture while your corn cooks on the grill,...

By Peter Younghart Play kitchens have long been a part of any childhood. Little Tikes has taken the play kitchen a step further. Using RFID ( radio frequency identification ) technology, Tikes Kitchen now teaches children as they play. The kitchen talks and instructs kids. It teaches numbers, colors, shapes and a lot more. Being the uncle of 12 nieces and nephews, I've bought my share of play kitchens. This Tikes Kitchen is by far the best I have seen. It has two play "modes": Free Play and Learning. In Free Play kids can do what they want. The burner and cutting board will identify the foods placed on them. In Learning mode, the kitchen prompts the kids to gather different ingredients using a recipe card to prepare a meal. Little do the kids know but they're learning about numbers, shapes, colors, textures, fruits, vegetables and food groups. This is the part I found the most exciting about this toy. The kids are having so much fun they don't reali...

By Chris McCarthy Fajita is generally beef, chicken, pork or shrimp grilled and served on a flour tortilla with condiments. The chicken is worked with onions and bell peppers. Fajita is served to the table sizzling loudly on a metal platter with tortilla and condiments on the side. Making your lips watery? Texans would love to take credit for giving the world fajitas but the honor goes to south of the border, Vagueros, who learnt the art of cutting tough beef into skirt steak. Fajitas are basically Tex Mex dishes. Nowadays Fajita is almost anything cooked and wrapped in a flour tortilla. Only true fajitas are skirt steak. The preparation of Fajitas starts with marinating the beef using limejuice to tenderize at least for 24 hours. Well, there are no set rules for marinating; you can use your creative sense for that, but don't forget to use limejuice. To marinade beef or chicken, you can use the Ass Kickin Soakin' and Grilling Sauce. This would bring a true Mexic...

By Dyfed Lloyd Evans Morocco is a North African nation that is the most Westernmost of the countries of the Maghreb. It has coastlines on both the Mediterranean and Atlantic oceans and, as might be expected, fish and seafood play an important part in Moroccan cuisine. The country, like most of North Africa was originally Berber, became Arabic and was subsequently a Spanish and then a French colony. As a result the cuisine of Morocco is extremely diverse and great use is made of saffron, ginger, walnuts and almonds. Couscous is the national staple and is typically served with stews made of fish, chicken, meat and vegetables. Moroccan cuisine also ranks as one of the World's great cuisines. Below are two classic Moroccan recipes: Chicken with Tomatoes and Honey Ingredients: 3 whole chicken breasts on the bone (with their skin), split in two 2 onions, peeled and finely chopped 6 garlic cloves 1 cinnamon stick 1/2 tsp ground ginger generous pinch of saffron 2kg very ...