A few weeks ago, I was sent a SmarterBaking Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat to test out and review. The baking mat is 16 5/8 x 11 inches (half-sheet size) and can be used in a wide temperature range (-40 to 480 degrees F). You can put any food item on it, be it cookies or meat, and nothing will stick to it. I have never used a silicone baking mat before. I typically bathe my cookies sheets in non-stick spray, and pretty much hope for the best. The majority of the time, the edges are burned and the cookies still stick. I wasn’t entirely sure how the mat would work, but figures that any improvement, however slight, would be great. I gave the baking mat a quick wash before using it the first time. I made 2 dozen chocolate chip cookies (2 batches of 12). I preheated and baked as normal, and then readied myself to see if the cookies would stick or not. Once I pulled the cookies out, I let them cool for a minute or two. To my amazement, the cookies came right off. I able to slide them ...
home/garden
Product Review – Rid Tech Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
A few weeks ago, I was sent a Rid Tech Ultrasonic Pest Repeller to try out and review. The repeller uses ultrasonic sound waves to repel pests like mice, rats, roaches, and more. The sound waves are at a low frequency so you or your pets can’t hear it, and it's a good alternative to using chemicals & sprays. We have a hard time with bugs and other pests getting in, especially at this time of year. It seems like we are almost always spraying the baseboards, and we usually have to fog bomb the house at least once during the summer. We’ve considered getting sonic devices (or squeakers, as my dad calls them) in the past, but didn’t want to put up with the sound all the time. This is the first that I’ve seen that doesn’t make an audible sound, so it sounded like a great solution. One repeller will cover a normal sized room. I put the repeller in the dining room, since that is where the most bugs seem to get in from. A little green light comes on at the bottom, and it really ...
Product Review – French Press from Kitchen Supreme
A few weeks ago, I was asked to try out & review a French Press from Kitchen Supreme. The French Press is glass & chrome, and is good for tea and coffee. It comes with a coffee scoop, 4 extra filter screens, a Unique Spoon (bent to sit on the cup rim), and instructions. I actually picked up a box of Lipton Loose Leaf Tea from the grocery store to try out with this. To start, placed a scoop & a half of tea in the French Press. I then heated up water in my tea kettle. I took it off the heat just before it started whistling so that it wasn’t boiling. I didn’t want to risk breaking the glass, so I let it sit for a minute or so before pouring it into the French Press. After pouring, I let it sit for a minute or so, then gently stirred everything. I then put the lid on with the press all the way up & let if sit for another few minutes before I slowly used the press. It made about two large cups of tea, and the lid kept the heat in very well. It stayed warm for about 2 ...
Product Review – DK BBQ Grill Mats
A few weeks back, I was asked to try out a set of two DK BBQ Grill Mats by Diamond Kitchen. The grill mats are 15.75" x 19.7", non-stick, and can be used over and over again without being replaced. You can cook all of your typical grill food, plus other stuff like eggs, bacon, and veggies. The mats arrived in a skinny box with no instructions on temperature limits or any other info about them. Just two very large mats rolled up. We have a charcoal smoker grill, so we were very leery about even attempting to use them on it. I assumed that flames coming directly in contact with the mats would melt them. The past few days have been the first days without any rain, so I finally decided to try them out by cooking some hamburger patties for lunch. I had difficulty getting and keeping the charcoal lit for a while because it was pretty breezy. Once I was able to get it going, I got the grates in place and got the mat out. The good thing about our grill is that you can easily slide the ...
Product Review – Leather Nova
Last week, I was sent several Leather Nova products to test out and review. Leather Nova products are made with natural and non-toxic ingredients, making them environmentally friendly. I products I received were the Leather Cleaner, Leather Conditioner, and Leather Conditioner & Cleaner. Each cleaning product also comes with its own applicator/towel. I have a leather couch, loveseat, and chair set in my living room. My husband bought them when he first bought the house shortly before we started dating, so they are around 10 years old. The couch has the most wear from sitting on it all the time (and one of the dogs licked some of the color off in a few spots), but all in all still looks mostly new. We’ve never used any type of cleaner on it, so I was curious to see what it would do. I started out with the Leather Cleaner on right armrest (one closest to the door). It’s in a spray bottle & comes with a microfiber towel. It use, spray the cleaner directly on the towel and ...
Product Revew – RTGS Micro LED 60 Warm White Color String Lights
A few weeks back, I was asked to test out RTGS Micro LED 60 Warm White Color String Lights. This let of LED lights is over 21feet long, and has 60 bright white lights spaced 4 inches apart. They run on 6 AA batteries and have eight selectable functions. The lights come rolled up, so you don’t really realize how long they are until you unwind them. The wire is very flexible & sturdy, so you shape the lights however you want and not have to worry about the wire breaking. The control box has side-snap closures, and, while it’s not waterproof, you can safely use the lights outside as long as the box is protected from getting wet. The lights themselves are pretty bright given their size. I had initially wanted to put them up under my carport to use as lighting, but there weren’t bright enough for the size of the space. Instead, I wrapped them around the edges of my metal patio table to use as an alternative to candles. I get leery of having candles down since I have a toddler. I ...