gadget - Around My Family Table

Gourmet Food at Home with Aqua Chef

November 8, 2012 · by amft · 6 Comments

I love watching cooking shows, cooking competitions, basically anything cooking related. But one problem…I was wanted to try to make some of the dishes I see created on Top Chef, The Next Iron Chef, and others. One thing that always sounded interesting was sous vide. That’s the fancy term for vacuum sealing something and then gently cooking it in a water bath.

The Aqua Chef is a way to do this at home! Besides being super easy, it creates very little mess and gives you that gourmet taste and texture that we all crave! It eliminates the need for extra oil to cook and will turn tough cuts of meat into moist and delicious meals! The Aqua Chef uses Thermal Immersion cooking techniques to perfectly cook your food (read more about it on their site).

I know you’re thinking, that you don’t have a vacuum sealer! It’s okay, because the Aqua Chef comes with a mini vacuum sealer and bags. It comes with every thing you need to get started, except the food. They thought of everything, including a cookbook in case you need a little inspiration.

I was planning to take photos of my creation but it got dark too early and then the family ate it up so fast there was just no way to get you a photo. LOL! Although, my mom and I did discuss that this little baby might be perfect for making a small batch of homemade jam or applesauce in little half pint jars. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, but I haven’t tried it. I think I will let my mom borrow the machine and give it a go!

I really love this photo from the Aqua Chef site. It really shows how the machine works to cook the food! From Aqua Chef:

Seal – Locks out air & keeps in 100% of the flavors, nutrients & moisture!
Set – Food cooks in its own natural juices at the finished temperature for perfect results every time!
Serve – Enjoy the most mouthwatering, flavorful, tender and succulent meals you’ve ever had!

Buy from Aqua Chef directly or I found them on Amazon!

Oh…any I have one of these babies to giveaway. Make sure to check back next week for my HUGE “Win Your Gifts” Giveaway Event! Trust me..you will want this package of over $750 in products to one lucky winner!

Check out the other great gift ideas on my 2012 Holiday Gift Guide!

Disclaimer: I received the above item for review purposes; I was not compensated for my review. All opinions are my own. Photos are from Aqua Chef.

Filed Under: kitchen gadgets, review · Tagged: gadget, review

Cook in Comfort: GelPro Mats

November 2, 2012 · by amft · 5 Comments

Several years ago, hubbyman bought me a mat for my kitchen, before they were cool. He had to go to a supply store and bought the only one he could find. It was nice and did it’s job, but it eventually wore out from washing and drying it in the sun. Now, there are all sorts of kitchen mats. Some are good, some are really bad, but this one from GelPro is AMAZING! No joke…I put it down and stepped on and sighed in relief. I think I stood there fore 10 minutes just enjoying it and dreaming of my next big cake decorating project. Fast forward to when hubbyman gets home. First he gives me a hard time for replacing the one he bought me with this one…until he stepped on it. That’s when all the jokes stopped. He could feel the difference. It actually provides therapeutic support. He loved it too. Then, when we had people over for my Messy Party, my friend stepped on it without looking and stopped dead in her tracks. She had to know what it was, where it came from, and where she could get one. I’ve never had this huge of response over an item I’m reviewing. Everyone ohhhs and awwws over this mat! The Ergo Comfort Rug is generously sized at 22″x34″ and is over 3/4″ thick after being inserted into the removable cover. Yes, removable cover! It’s machine washable. It’s easy to get in and out and much easier than taking the old one outside to wash and dry. The bottom is non-slip and doesn’t move on my tile floor at all. A bonus when there are little ones running all over the place. There are 11 rug styles to pick from for this model…so there is something to match your kitchen! GelPro mats can be found online at GelPro, Bed, Bath & Beyond (online and in stores) and on Amazon! Check out GelPro on their website and facebook.

Go check out all the items on the 2012 Holiday Gift Guide.

Disclaimer: I received the above item for review purposes; I was not compensated for my review. All opinions are my own. Photos are from GelPro (because I didn’t think you wanted to see my old lady feet).

Filed Under: kitchen gadgets, review · Tagged: gadget, holiday gift guide, review

Steak Tampico

September 17, 2012 · by amft · 6 Comments

You know me…I love to recreate our favorite restaurant dishes at home. This is a recreation of one of my favorites from a local Mexican joint. I used to get it all the time..when it was like $12, but times have changed and prices gone up and I can’t stand paying almost $20 for a small steak covered in a tasty cheese sauce. When I first tried out this recipe, hubbyman and I were so excited…it was almost exactly the same.

You have to get over the fact that there is Velveeta in this. Trust me…if you order any sort of cheese dip at a restaurant then they use Velveeta. Even in-house made mac and cheese in most restaurants use it. There is a time and place for everything and this is Velveeta’s time!

This recipe really is so easy. It’s all about the ratio of cheese and chiles that makes it scrumptious. I realize that it seems like cheese dip, but the high amount of chilies to cheese makes the chili flavor really shine through. I used my own roasted chiles, but feel free to use a can of diced roasted green chiles.

One thing I hate doing in the kitchen is chopping garlic. I don’t have the patience, I know…silly, right!? I hate how small it is, I hate the lingering smell on my hands, well…you get the point. I’ve used prechopped garlic, grated garlic, a garlic press, but this fun gadget from Joie is one of the most useful little gadgets I’ve tried in a long time. If you just need a rough chop of a couple cloves then this is your tool. Even my 8yo can do it!

Go check out their other fun gadgets…I know my mother-in-law is going to love this one for her birthday next month!

So, what are you thinking about this steak covered in a spicy cheese sauce? Sounds good, right?!?! I know you are going to love this one!

Steak Tampico

4 steaks, grilled to perfection

8 oz Velveeta

4 oz diced roasted green chiles

1 clove garlic, minced

Melt Velveeta, chiles, and garlic in a glass bowl in the microwave for one minute. Stir. Then continue heating in 30 second intervals until the cheese is melted and everything is combined.

Smother your perfectly cooked steak!

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2012/09/steak-tampico/

Disclaimer: Joie sent me a couple fun gadgets to play around with. All opinions are my own. But I do really enjoy their products…I’ve given out their products as gifts to family and friends before I was asked to do the review!

Filed Under: beef, grilling, kitchen gadgets, main dishes, review · Tagged: gadget, grilling, review, steak, supper

Canning Just Got Easier

June 6, 2012 · by amft · 8 Comments

Do you can or preserve food? I love it…it’s almost time to make another batch of strawberry jam! My mom taught me how to can when I was young, just as her mother did. Now I’m passing on this skill to my daughter! She loves helping me. I love being able to find all my canning supplies at one store….did you know Kmart has canning supplies? I had no idea!

Product Highlights
For beginners, try the Ball Canning Discovery Kit to get started. It contains:

Polypropylene rack with separate, fitted lifter that works in large stockpots at least 7½” tall and 9½” in diameter
3 x 1-pint jars
- Illustrated, simplified canning instruction Recipe book

For busy folks, the Ball Automatic Jam-Maker will do all the stirring and temperature control for you, and makes jams in 30 minutes. This is only available online, at Kmart.com, not in stores. I haven’t had the chance to play with it yet (delivery of my package was delayed), but I promise to share one of my favorite jam recipes with y’all soon.

For canning experts, here are some new items to get excited about that Kmart is carrying:

1.5 pint jars – based on consumer demand, just right for hearty soups and longer vegetables like asparagus or cucumbers.
Ball Sure Tight Band Tool – takes the guesswork out of sealing jars “fingertip tight”.
Citric Acid (in-store only) - doesn’t change the flavor of tomatoes the way lemon juice does, and is pantry-ready.
Pectin & Food Mixes (in-store only) - for easy pickles, salsa, pasta sauce, jams & more!

Recipes

Need a good recipe? Here are a few to get you started:

Strawberry (or other Fruit) Jam–AMFT

Loquat Jam-Betsy Life

Easy Canned Fruit–AMFT

Pickles-Besty Life

Roasted Pumpkin–AMFT

Pumpkin Butter–AMFT

and more at..

www.freshpreserving.com

Twitter Party

A chat will be held TODAY from 12-1pm CT (Wed 6/6). Join in to learn from more from canning experts! Follow this hashtag: #KmartCanning

Coupon
The 6/3/12 copy of Red Plum has a coupon for $3 off 2 cases of Ball or Kerr jars and $1 off any pectin or food mix. You can redeem these in-store at Kmart for great deals on canning supplies!

Disclaimer: Kmart provided me with an Electric Canner for help in spreading the word about their new canning section.

Filed Under: canning, kitchen gadgets, review · Tagged: canning, gadget

Celebrate National Iced Tea Month with Tea Forte

June 1, 2012 · by amft · 81 Comments

June which is National Iced Tea Month and I have to share this beautiful iced tea maker from Tea Forte with y’all! I can honestly say, it makes the BEST Iced Tea you’ve ever tasted! First the pitcher itself is absolutely beautiful and a conversation piece…seriously K, my 7yo, shows it off to everyone that comes over.

Basically, you pour boiling water into the top pitcher with one of their tea bags. Let it seep for several minutes and then pour it over ice in the bottom pitcher. I was able to sample a variety pack of their tea and it is delicious. Well…except the lavendar citrus blend….it would have killed me, so I gave it to Janice at Celebrating Family since she has one of these fabulous tea makers too!

I know you are also wondering if you can use regular iced tea bags in the brewer! Yes you can. I tried it with one of my other favorite tea bags and it worked out great (I used two individual sized bags)….I think it turned out better than normal too! So splurge and get their teas…you won’t regret it, but also know that you can use others as well.

Tea Forte is running a special this month to celebrate National Iced Tea Month. The special in June is – Purchase the Tea Over Ice Brewing pitcher and 5pk of Tea Over Ice ($49) and they will give you one set of their Iced Tea Glasses ($15 value).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Tea Forte sent me a brewer and tea sample pack for my review. All opinions are my own!

Filed Under: foods, giveaway, kitchen gadgets, review · Tagged: gadget, giveaway, review, Tea

Healthy Steps Gadgets Review

August 13, 2011 · by amft · 3 Comments

I saw these great utensils on another blog recently and was super excited when I was able to try them myself. Have you heard of Healthy Steps kitchen tools? They are cooking utensils that when used, actually measure out the correct proportion/serving size.

Over the years, I’ve become accustomed to restaurant portions and have lost my sense of what a normal serving size really is. You’d be surprised to see what an actual serving of ice cream is…even the kid size ice cream bowl at most places is larger than what a typical serving size should be. I know my waist line is paying the price for my heavy hand when serving my food.

I have been using several of the Healthy Steps products for about a month now. I’ve tried:

[Read more...]

Filed Under: kitchen gadgets, review · Tagged: gadget, review

Emile Henry Review

April 25, 2011 · by amft · 508 Comments

I was first introduced to the Emile Henry brand about 4 years ago or so. I attended a cooking class with Jacques Henry, the 5th generation, owner of the company. I bought my first few pieces then (a 9×13 casserole pan, a pie dish, and large bowl). Mr. Henry even signed my pieces for me. I fell in love the first time I used my casserole pan…everything cooked evenly and it cleaned up nicely. So, I saved up some money and replaced all my dishes with the Emile Henry plates, bowls, and mugs.

Emile Henry is a French company and their products are made using Burgundy clay (from Burgundy, France). “Burgundy clay evenly and slowly diffuses cooking heat to the very center of the cooking dish.” Their dishes can go from the freezer to the oven to the microwave to the broiler. They are extremely durable, in fact you can even cut directly on the surface without damaging or scratching it.

Since, I really love their products, I contacted them to sponsor AMFT in the Blog Bash Giveaway. They were so generous that they sent me a few items to review and giveaway prior to the BIG giveaway in June. I was floored by their generosity and of course in LOVE with my new items. I was also introduced to their other lines of products: Rosle, Mauviel, and Duralex.

I have never used a stainless steel pan until last week when I tried the Mauviel Stainless Steel 8 Inch Pan. I was amazed at how quickly it heated up and evenly it cooked my eggs. And of course, my real test was how easily it would clean up…super easy clean up.

The Duralex 9pc Glass Stackable Bowls are fantastic. The largest bowl is the perfect size for preparing a packaged cake or muffin mix and the smaller bowls are great for food prep. Again, these bowls are so easy to clean and nest together to save on storage space…always a plus for me.

I also got to try a fabulous knife. The Rosle 9″ Universal Knife with Wavy edge is a great sized knife for cutting smaller items like strawberries or tomatoes. The wavy edge also makes it perfect for cutting hard cured meats.

And finally, the Emile Henry Classic Square Baking Dish was actually the perfect size casserole pan for my family. I actually made yesterday’s Ham & Mac Casserole in this pan (notice the bowl in the picture…yep, Emile Henry!).

Emile Henry has been so generous that they have offered a little prize pack now…just to tempt your taste buds for the big giveaway in June! So…you might be wondering which of these items will be in this giveaway….well…it’s ALL OF THEM (that’s over a $175 value)! I am able to giveaway one of each of these items to one lucky US resident. WOOHOO! Open to US residents and ends 5/3/11!

GIVEAWAY OVER!

Disclaimer: Emile Henry sent me a set of items to review and to giveaway. All reviews are my own thoughts and opinions.

Filed Under: giveaway, kitchen gadgets, review · Tagged: gadget, giveaway, reviews

Friday Favorite: Wine Bottle Opener

March 18, 2011 · by amft · Leave a Comment

I was recently contacted by Budget Gadgets.com to review one of their products. They are based out of Shenzhen, China and the staff were excellent to work with. Although, be prepared for a bit of time delay if you have to personally contact someone…they are quick, but daytime in the States is night time in Shenzhen. Everyone was friendly and a pleasure to work with.

Most of their items are pretty “techy”, from computers to iPad accessories to sporting goods, but I was able to find this cute wine bottle opener. After all, we needed something to open up all those bottles of wine we came home with from the Fresh & Easy Dinner a few months ago.

The horns come out of the bull to reveal an old fashion cork screw for opening bottles of wine. It worked great and our friends just loved it! It was a huge hit at our last couple of parties.

They even threw in the cutest little keychain flashlight with the AMFT logo on one side. Unfortunately, my kids found it and have not given it back. I loved it for the short amount of time that I got to play with it! I might just have to order a few of those, so that I can actually get MINE back. LOL!

Here are a few things you might want to know about Budget Gadgets.com:

-Free Shipping Worldwide mostly via AirMail and usually arrive in 5-12 business days

-Each item is tested individually when it is ordered

-Pay with PayPal

-Quality gadgets at wholesale prices since 2003

Everyone gets free shipping and you can use the following coupon code for 5% off your purchase: aroundmyfamilytable. The first 50 to order in the next couple months also get a free keychain flashlight as well! That’s an awesome deal.

Disclaimer: BudgetGadgets.com sent me the wine bottle opener for my honest review.

Filed Under: review · Tagged: Friday Favorite, gadget, reviews, wine

Friday Favorite: Whipped Cream Maker and Chocolate Mousse (and a yummy dessert)

September 10, 2010 · by amft · 16 Comments

I recently got this nifty gadget, so that my daughter could have whipped cream. It makes the best tasting fresh whipped cream with very little work. And it’s just pretty darn cool!

I even managed to make this fancy chocolate mousse using the dispenser. Each dispenser can hold a different amount of liquid, so check yours before making this recipe…but you get the idea.

Chocolate Mousse
1 cup heavy cream
2-3 tbls chocolate syrup (preferably homemade)

Combine in your dispenser. Follow owners manual for charging and dispensing. Enjoy!