Search Results for: blog knives for the kitchen how sharp

Poor Man’s Knife Sharpening

If you haven’t gotten around to getting your knives sharpened, or you just don’t want to incur the expense of knife sharpening, check out some of these ideas. You’ll have sharp knives in no time, or at least in time for the holidays. No one wants to hack at that turkey or ham with dull knives! You can get your knives sharpened professionally and for free, if you know where to go. Many establishments will do this for you, in the hopes that while you are visiting the store, you’ll purchase something. Sur La Table is one company who will … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Fun in the Kitchen with Kids

My mother banned kids from the kitchen during holiday parties. While I understand why she made the area off limits during Thanksgiving and Christmas (when hot dishes were being removed from even hotter ovens and sharp knives were out in full force carving turkeys and hams), it’s not a tradition I continue in my own home. My 5-year-old daughter loves to cook and I would never rob her of the chance to contribute to our holiday meals by booting her from the kitchen. I impose a set of safety rules, but other than that I allow my budding chef to … Continue reading →

Kitchen Safety

The kitchen is a room that most families spend a lot of time in, cooking and cleaning up. In some homes it is actually the heart of family living. Because so much time is spent in the kitchen, it is where many accidents occur. When babies and small children are involved, kitchen hazards can be devastating. While most people put chemicals out of reach and install a stove guard, there are other hazards lurking in the kitchen. Here are some tips on how to keep your kitchen safe, including some areas that are usually overlooked. Trash With small children, trash … Continue reading →

Playing In The Kitchen

If you are like me you spend plenty of time in the kitchen. This includes making meals, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks. Then there is the clean up time, washing down the cupboards and stove, and putting the dishes in the dishwasher. (I love my dishwasher! My parents didn’t get a dishwasher until my sister and I were both out of the house in fact it was just a week after my sister got married. My dad’s reasoning: “Why buy a dishwasher when you already have two?” So I grew up doing my fair share of dishes by hand.) … Continue reading →

Knives For The Kitchen: How Sharp!

If you are in the market for knives for your kitchen, one important rule of thumb is to go for quality and not quantity. A really efficient kitchen only needs a few: a four-inch parer, an eight-inch chef’s knife (also known as a French or cook’s knife) and a long serrated-edged bread slicer. Always keep them sharp and they will never let you down. It is also much safer, as with a duller knife one must exert greater pressure in order to use it. This in turn increases the possibility of julienned fingers and possibly toes, if your aim is … Continue reading →

Toddler Safety

Toddlers are always busy exploring the world around them. They are learning new things every day. Not only do toddlers forget what we tell them about safety, they also like the idea of exploring something that they were told not to explore. It doesn’t take long for a toddler to get hurt. In the time it takes for you to wash your hands, your toddler could drown in the bathtub or pull a hot pot off of the stove onto themselves. Danger is everywhere when you have a toddler in your home. Childproofing your home isn’t enough to avoid accidents, … Continue reading →

Laminate Countertops

Ask someone about laminate kitchen countertops and you may get a variety of reactions. At one time, laminate countertops were king, and everyone had to have them. Then Corian and other engineered stones came into vogue, followed by the natural stone, such as granite, of today. Laminate countertops have been pushed back as choice of yesteryear. You can imagine laminate countertops in your parents or grandparents kitchens. But the tide may be turning a little bit for laminate. Home owners are starting to see once again the benefits of laminate, from its relatively low cost to its thousands of style … Continue reading →

Saving Scissors

Don’t throw those dull scissors away! Here are two tricks to help get them back into action. At my house, we go through kitchen scissors like juice boxes. The scissors are constantly being snatched from the little knife block where they rest and pressed into service all over the house. When my husband needs to cut a wire and doesn’t have his knife handy, he reaches for the kitchen scissors. If my son has cutting homework and is too “tired” to go all the way over to his desk to get his scissors, he takes mine. And of course, I … Continue reading →

Leave Your Appliances Open to Save Money

The rule in our household is to leave a room the same way you found it. That means turning off lights that you turned on, closing doors you opened and putting away anything you took out. But there are at least two ways when it is a good idea to actually leave appliances open. The biggest money saver when it comes to leaving an appliance door open is the dishwasher. After we run the night’s load of dishes, I will open the dishwasher before it gets to the dry cycle. I pull the racks out and let the dishes air … Continue reading →

Home and Garden Week in Review: Sep. 25-30

We hope you have enjoyed this week’s articles from Knives for the Kitchen: How Sharp! to What’s for Dinner and Off the Wall – Wall Coverings. Marjorie, Michele, and I (Sherry) would love to hear your comments. Check back next week (a brand new month) for lots of new articles involving everything from crazy stuff that happens in our homes and families to new products, tips, and ideas. September 25 Going Green Part 2—“Green” Paint Just Do it! Investment: Your Home What’s for Dinner? Knives For The Kitchen: How Sharp! September 26 Your Home-Shoes On… Or Shoes Off? Going Green—Part … Continue reading →