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Christmas Gift Guide 2022: Gift Ideas for Cooks and Foodies!

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Cooks Christmas Gift Guide 2022

As we do each year, we’re launching our Christmas Gift Guide for Cooks and Foodies! It may seem odd to do so before Halloween, but… let’s face it… the sooner we star chipping away at that Christmas list, the better our odds are of getting it all done in time! Besides, if you’re like me, getting the shopping done early is a special treat, because it frees you up to simply enjoy the breathtaking magic of the season.

As I add new reviews or “great finds” to the blog, I will list them below. ~ Joi (“Joy“)

Gift ideas for Cooks and Foodies 2022:

Gnome Collectors: Christmas Gnomes in the Kitchen!

The Deviled Egg Tray of Your Dreams

The Nightmare Before Christmas Dish Set

Silicone Pie Molds

Gorgeous Purple Dutch Oven

Torani Flavored Syrups

Goodful All-In-One Dutch Oven


Gift Ideas for Cooks and Foodies for Christmas 2021

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Christmas Gift Ideas for Cooks 2021

Christmas Gift Ideas for Cooks and Foodies 2021

I’m a bit late getting the Christmas gift idea guide published on the food blog this year. What can I say… life has thrown me lots of challenges the past few weeks. I guess it added a new level of difficulty to keep things interesting!

It’s all good, though. As long as God is just a prayer away (and He always is), I can handle the difficult days as long as they can handle me. Woof!

Below are links to reviews or descriptions of wonderful gift ideas for the cook or foodie in your life – as well as some ideas to make your life easier and sweeter in the kitchen during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s celebrations. The list will grow daily, so bookmark the page and check back often!

Best wishes for a healthy, safe, and happy holiday season – one filled with great love and great laughter. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

2020 Gift Ideas for Cooks and Foodies: A Beautiful Handmade Ceramic Bowl

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I’m a little behind with getting my 2020 Christmas Gift Ideas for Cooks category going here on the food blog but, hey, it’s 2020… all rules and norms have been thrown out the back door!

I actually only thought about the idea when I came across this gorgeous handmade ceramic bowl (Amazon link) on Amazon earlier. I was looking through their handmade items and threw some of the most adorable handmade soaps you’ve ever seen into my cart (they’re shaped like Christmas candy and they’re too cute to be believed). After I threw them into my cart without thinking twice, I saw a thumbnail of these gorgeous bowls and had to take a closer look.

From Amazon:

This beautiful handmade bowl is perfect for cereal, soup, ice cream and much, much more! During firing, the Floating Blue and Sapphire glazes react to the temperature and atmosphere in the kiln so that each bowl is unique. This bowl is just right for microwaving a single serving of hot cereal or soup and are equally good for cold foods as well.

This bowl is wheel-thrown stoneware clay. The bottom is ground smooth with a slight ring at the edge, sometimes known as a foot. It is microwave, oven and dishwasher safe.

  • Glazes are lead free and totally safe
  • Bowls are approximately 2 1/2″ tall, 5 1/2″ in diameter.
  • Capacity is approximately 15 oz.

Take a closer look at this beautiful handmade ceramic bowl (Amazon link). I absolutely love it!

Bee-U-Tiful Glass Honey Dispenser (Sorry, I Had To….)

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I eat honey as often as any self-respecting bear.. I mean, bears come to me for advice, okay?

My Honey of a Checklist

  • in hot tea
  • honey mustard dressing
  • on oatmeal
  • on toast
  • drizzled over hot cornbread
  • in yogurt
  • on chocolate with ghee and sea salt
  • drizzled over freshly fried chicken (add a little red pepper flakes for a real knockout!)
  • a little warm honey drizzled over bacon & eggs is Heavenly
  • I have even been known to drizzle warm honey over pizza – it is AMAZING, especially if you throw in a little crushed red pepper flakes.

Judge me, if you must, but it will not slow me down.

The only drawback to my honey fanaticism is the sticky little containers – even those shaped like bears look (and feel) unsightly after a while. I was actually on Amazon yesterday shopping for Orange Blossom Honey (have mercy) and I saw the beauty pictured to the right.

Can you say TOTAL game-changer?

The Glass Honey Dispenser promises me that it will not drip, it will keep my honey (even the extra-special kind I order from Amazon) fresh and fabulous – and that it will look gorgeous doing it.

This bee-utiful hive-shaped glass dispenser would make a wonderful gift idea for anyone who loves honey.


Winco Hamburger Smasher and Turner: Perfect for Diner-Style Burgers

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Winco Hamburger Smasher and Turner

Winco Burger Turner (and Smasher!)

I LOVE burgers. There, I said it. I love them more than words can even say. In fact, I wouldn’t spend too much time searching for words because that would be time taken away from eating burgers.

My favorite way to fix burgers is “diner-style,” just a food blogger cool way of saying, “burgers that are smashed into an iron skillet.”

Before we found  the HANDY as HECK Winco Burger Turner above (or as I call it, my smasher), it was a headache to smash the burgers into the skillet. I’d try to get my spatulas to go along with the plan, but they just weren’t built for it. You should’ve seen me, holding the spatula in one hand and placing a mug on top of the spatula with the other hand. The spatula took a beating, the mug felt anxious, and the cats laughed.

Perfectly embarrassing.

This crazy cool and inexpensive little tool has made life a lot easier. It’s also perfect for the grill – gets the burgers nice and flat. This makes them cook quicker and, in my opinion, makes them tastier.

Product Description from Amazon

  • Stainless steel construction
  • Wooden handle
  • Winco products range from tabletop to kitchen utensils to food preparation supplies
  • Winco products are used by all foodservice and hospitality industry experts worldwide

See Winco Burger Turner for more information!


Kitchen Gadget Review: AnySharp Pro – World’s Best Knife Sharpener

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AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener
Today marks the beginning of a series of Christmas Gift Ideas for Cooks and Foodies, 2016 – since I pretty much live for this time of year, I’m beside myself with excitement. I chose the beauty pictured here to launch the series, which will go through mid-December.

I was sent this gorgeous AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener a few weeks ago to review on the Food blog and I’ve been waiting for this day to do so. When they asked which color I’d like, I must have stared at the screen for 15 minutes trying to decide. My cat thought I was in a trance.

AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpeners (So many colors to choose from!)

There are so many gorgeous colors to choose from (see the AnySharp Pro photo above for proof!). Understand the trance a little better now? In the end, I actually gave them a couple of colors I’d narrowed it down to and put the decision-making in their hands.

That right there tells you all you’ll ever need to know about me and the way my brain works. And, yes, you should feel for my family.

When I opened the package, I was thrilled that they’d chosen orange. It’s extra, extra beautiful! I collect Rachael Ray and Pioneer Woman dishes, gadgets, and… well, everything… and orange goes beautifully with the bright, beautiful things in their collections.

AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener

Why the AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener is the Ideal Gift Idea for Cooks

  • It does an outstanding job. I have to say, given its great looks and miniature size, I wasn’t sure it was “up for the task.” I was crazy wrong. It sharpened even my dullest knives and made them seem as good as new.
  • Minimal effort involved in using. Anyone, of any age, will be able to use this knife sharpener. It doesn’t take strength (for which I’m very grateful) or dexterity – you simply have to be able to guide the knife, the AnySharp takes it from there.
  • It’s small and compact. Is it a nightmare to find room for kitchen gadgets, tools, and small appliances or what?! Just this morning, I rearranged three shelves to make room for a new juicer. In the process, I decided that I have to have more shelves. My husband’s going to love that revelation. When something comes along like this that can easily sit out on the counter or a shelf without taking up a great deal of space, I get a little excited. Sure, it could easily go in a drawer but it’s simply too good looking to hide away.
  • It’ll make cooks better cooks. I often say that, when it comes to cooking, you’ll only be as successful as you set yourself up to be. If you surround yourself with the best tools and gadgets (and, of course, ingredients), you put yourself way ahead of the game. Dull knives don’t just slow your roll, they make your vegetables and everything else you’re cutting look dull and amateurish. A beautifully sharp knife makes everything quicker, easier, and better looking.
  • I love that so many different colors are available – Pink Cream, Pistachio, Almond Cream, Royal Red, British Racing Green, Royal Blue, Orange Zest, Citrus Lime, Silver… Choosing a color you know someone loves makes the gift even more personal.
  • Did I mention the AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener is a beauty? I did? Well, I’ll mention it again. I’ve been a food blogger for a lot of years and a cook for at least twice that many (suddenly I feel 110).  Knife sharpeners just aren’t supposed to be this pretty. Normally they’re pretty plain and even a little on the unattractive side. The ones I’ve seen and used in the past were the type of gadget you insist on hiding away in a drawer. THEN, you end up forgetting it even exists and you go right on battling with your dull knives.

AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener

Why You’ll Want an AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener for Yourself

When you’ve chosen colors for the cooks or foodies in your life, you’ll also want to pick one for yourself. Why? In addition to the aforementioned…

  • It’s a lot cheaper than replacing knives! My husband recently bought me a set of knives and when I happened to see the price, my eyes spun in their sockets. Good knives are worth the price, I assure you, but the last… last, last, last thing you want to do is replace them. Buying a great knife sharpener (and the AnySharp Pro may just be the best) is the best way to ensure that your investment in knives is a wise and lasting one.
  • This is the most sturdy and well-constructed knife sharpener I’ve ever seen. It is obvious that this is a very well crafted kitchen tool. Great thought went into making this the only knife sharpener you’ll need. Since it lasts for years, it’ll be a long time before you have to think of replacing it. While I’m FAR from that happening, I know that when it does – I’ll replace it with another AnySharp Pro.
  • They’re so darn pretty. Yest, it is worth repeating.
  • Sharpens straight blades and serrated. 
  • The suction cup grips to the counter as though they’re one. When you put the AnySharp in place and pull the top black lever down, the suction cup on the bottom “becomes one” with the counter or surface it’s placed on. This makes it so sturdy and safe – it literally feels as though the knife sharpener is part of the counter. However, as soon as you’re through, and you pull the black lever back up, it lets go immediately.
  • The AnySharp Pro is a cinch to use. The box opens into a set of easy to follow and accomplish instructions.

AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener
I cannot possibly say enough good things about this little beauty. I hesitate to call kitchen gadgets, tools, gizmos, or small appliances “must haves” simply because of this: When I DO, I want everyone to KNOW that I mean it from the bottom of my food blogger, kitchen tool and gadget-obsessed heart.  Having said all of that, I just have to say this…. the AnySharp Pro knife sharpener is a must have.

Furthermore, it’s a gift you can feel extra good about giving because it’s a unique and thoughtful gift that will be used, appreciated, and loved.

Where can you buy the AnySharp Pro Knife Sharpener? Black, Blue, and Silver are available through Amazon (just click the link). I’ll let you know if any additional colors are ever available on Amazon – fortunately blue, black, and silver are three of the most popular colors for kitchen accessories. What’s more, the blue (pictured below) is one of the most beautiful.

Blue AnySharp Knife Sharpener
You can also visit AnySharp’s Where to Buy Page for a list of retailers. I’d visit the retailer’s websites and see if they’re available to order online if one isn’t located near you.

If you have any further questions, contact or connect with AnySharp through their following channels:


Review: Pepper – More Than 45 Recipes Using the King of Spices

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Pepper (Cookbook)

Pepper: More than 45 Recipes Using the “King of Spices”

Every now and again, a couple of my greatest loves will join up and “dance together.” It’s a phenomenon that leaves me giddy for days.  I have had a long-standing obsession with black pepper and even collect pepper grinders. I also collect cookbooks – truth be told, my world revolves around them.

So when I was asked if I’d like a copy of Pepper: More than 45 Recipes Using the “King of Spices” to review, I thought, “Are you kidding me? I’ve trained my whole life for this.”

When the cookbook arrived, I was thrilled to see that it was even more beautiful than I’d expected. Knowing it’d be prominently displayed alongside my pepper grinder collection, I hoped for a beauty and I got a beauty.

From the Inside Cover:

By far the most frequently used spice; pepper adds an excellent depth of flavor to nearly any savory dish, and an extra fillip to many sweet dishes as well. Making use of exciting varieties and styles of black peppercorns, including single-estate and gourmet varieties such as Malabar from India, Lampong from Indonesia and Tellicherry from Goa. Chinese szechuan and Japanese sansho also get a look in making this collection of delicious recipes ideal for the home chef who wants to make the most of this essential seasoning.

Recipes include:

  • Korean-style Peppered Sticky Ribs with Black Sesame Seeds
  • Steak with Rainbow Pepper Crust and Drambuie Sauce
  • Roast Chicken with Green Peppercorn and Lemon Butter
  • Porcini Pepper Crusted Ahi Tuna with Yuzu Pepper Dipping Sauce
  • Peppered Fish Ceviche
  • Maple Pepper Baked Tofu
  • Handmade Lemon Pepper Gnocchi
  • Goat’s Cheese Panna Cotta with Candied Peppered Cherries
  • Summer Berry Salad with Peppered Blackberry Syrup
  • Summer Shortcake with Peppered Strawberries
  • Pistachio and Peppercorn Brittle with Szechuan Pepper and Chile
  • Szechuan Chilli/Chile Infused Oil
  • Rainbow Rosemary Infused Oil
  • Wonderful Peppermill Mixes – Moroccan Mix with Dried Rose Petals, Dried Hibiscus Pepper, Citrus Pepper Mix, Eight-Spice Japanese Chile Seasoning and Smoked Pepper & Chilli Mix.
  • And more…

{Review continued below…}

Pepper Cookbook Recipe

Pepper by Valerie Aikman-Smith

Pepper: More than 45 Recipes Using the “King of Spices”  is filled with big, colorful, and gorgeous photographs. I know I’m a “pepper fanatic,” but I would seriously consider framing these beautiful pictures and hanging them on my kitchen wall. They’re that spectacular.

Then again, I’d have to take this beautiful cookbook apart to do so, and that’s not going to happen.

Read more about Pepper: More than 45 Recipes Using the “King of Spices” on Amazon and order your own copy today. It’d also make a gorgeous (and much appreciated) gift for any cook in your life.

If, that is, they’d enjoy a GORGEOUS cookbook that’s packed with delicious, original, and pepper-y recipes… and, come on, who wouldn’t?!

Pepper (Cookbook)
Also See:

Silicone Egg Poachers (Review)

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HighFive Silicone Egg Poachers
I fell madly in love with cooking when I was 19 – never-mind how long ago. Let’s just say it means I’ve been an avid cook for many moons. Many suns. However, even after so many moons and suns, I’ve never been fond of poaching eggs. I absolutely love them, mind you, but the whole process just does not float my boat.

That has completely changed this past week, however. I was sent a bright, beautiful set of Silicone Egg Poachers (from HighFive Naturals) and my boat isn’t just floating, it has set sail.

Poached Egg
Health Benefits of Poached Eggs:

A poached egg contains only 70 calories, as opposed to fried eggs or scrambled eggs which are often accompanied by butter, milk, and cheese. A large poached egg supplies more than 6 grams of high-quality protein, 4.7 grams of mostly unsaturated fat and significant amounts of vitamin D, antioxidant compounds and choline – a nutrient essential to Healthy Brain Function.

Product Description:

  • Set Of 5 egg poachers in bright, vibrant colors. 
  • Easy and fun to use.
  • Innovative design allows you to make perfectly poached eggs every single time. 
  • Clear, concise, and easy instructions takes the guesswork out of poaching eggs.
  • FDA Approved Food-Safe Silicone, BPA-Free, Temp Resistant form -40 to 450˚F, Dishwasher, Microwave, Freezer and Oven Safe.
  • Highly mulit-functional: Use For Baking And Molding, Making Quiche, Custards, Mini-Cheesecakes, Creme Brûlée, Melting Chocolate and Even Steaming Vegetables.
  • Your Purchase is Backed by HighFive Naturals Lifetime Money-Back 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee.

HighFive Silicone Egg Poachers
These beautiful little Silicone Egg Poachers take something that has never been particularly fun to make and does the impossible – it makes you actually WANT to make poached eggs.

Poached eggs are delicious all by themselves, served with a meat of your choice, or with a piece of toasted bread.  They’re also delicious served atop asparagus. Add a little Hollandaise sauce and you’ve got a party.

This set of five silicone poacher “baskets” comes with instructions for easily (and I mean EASILY) poaching eggs – several at a time, even. How cool’s that?

HighFive Silicone Egg Poachers

Simply bring water to a boil; reduce to medium. Grease the inside of the poacher with olive oil, add the egg and carefully place into the boiling water (about 4 inches of water is necessary). Cover the pot with a lid – I used a glass pie plate because none of my lids are see through, and I wanted to see what was going on.

Cook 4-6 minutes, then carefully remove the poachers (I used my spider but a slotted spoon would be fine).  Flip the poacher upside down to remove the egg or wiggle it out with a spoon.

You can find the beautiful set of 5 colorful Silicone Egg Poachers on Amazon. I highly recommend them!

Review: The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila

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The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila Review

The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila

When it comes to writing cookbook reviews, I always love to give my first impressions of a cookbook. When The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila arrived in the mail, my first thoughts involved how beautiful the book, itself, is. The colorful cover is as durable as a “hardback” but with flexibility and the book is filled with big, beautiful photographs.

Naturally, as wild as I am about a great looking cookbook (and in this case visually stunning is closer to the truth), what really matters is what’s inside the cookbook. The content. The heart of the matter.

The meat!

Alana Cherinila (who also authored The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making) has put together an excellent cookbook. I’ll even go one further. After falling in love with the appearance of the cookbook, I sat down to read it. When I finished, the first word that came to mind was PERFECT. This is a PERFECT cookbook.

{Review continued beneath the perfect cookbook…}

The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila Review
 

The Homemade Kitchen
First of all, the recipes. The recipes in The Homemade Kitchen somehow manage to be easy enough for beginners yet challenging enough for those of us who have been cooking for…. nevermind how long. The recipes are both creative and comforting. They will appeal to everyone in the family – young and old alike.

One of the reasons for this is the author has ridiculously adorable young children. When you have children, it’s pretty essential to know what young people will eat.

Some of the recipes and instructions included in The Homemade Kitchen:

  •  How to Make Pie Crust
  • How to Roast a Chicken
  • Polenta Fries with Spicy Mayonnaise
  • Miso Soup
  • Sesame Noodles
  • Ice Pops
  • Pork Tacos
  • How to Make a Pickle
  • How to Make Pie
  • How to Use Fresh Herbs
  • Chicken Salad with Grapes
  • Ice Cream
  • Easy Caramel Sauce
  • Baked Apples
  • Roasted Red Pepper Corn Chowder
  • Preserved Lemons
  • Preserved Lemon Hummus
  • Kimchi
  • How to Make Kefir
  • Kefir Banana Cake
  • Basic Pizza Dough
  • And many, many, many more!

From the Inside Cover:

Start where you are. Feed yourself. Do your best, and then let go. Be helpful.  Slow down. Don’t be afraid of food.

Alana Chernila has these phrases taped to her fridge, and they are guiding principles helping her to stay present in her kitchen. They also provide the framework for her second book. In The Homemade Kitchen she exalts the beautiful imperfections of food made at home and extends the lessons of cooking through both the quotidian and extraordinary moments of the day. Alana sees cooking as an opportunity to live consciously, not just as a means to an end.

Written as much for the reader as the cook, The Homemade Kitchen covers a globe’s worth of flavors and includes new staples (what Alana is known for) such as chèvre, tofu, kefir, kimchi, preserved lemons, along with recipes and ideas for using them. Here, too, are dishes you’ll be inspired to try and that you will make again and again until they become your own family recipes, such as Broccoli Raab with Cheddar Polenta, a flavor-forward lunch for one; Roasted Red Pepper Corn Chowder, “late summer in a bowl”; Stuffed Winter Squash, rich with leeks, chorizo, apples, and grains; Braised Lamb Shanks that are tucked into the oven in the late afternoon and not touched again until dinner; Corn and Nectarine Salad showered with torn basil; perfect share-fare Sesame Noodles; Asparagus Carbonara, the easiest weeknight dinner ever; and sweet and savory treats such as Popovers, Cinnamon Swirl Bread, Summer Trifle made with homemade pound cake and whatever berries are ripest, and Rhubarb Snacking Cake.

In this follow-up to Alana’s wildly successful debut, The Homemade Pantry, she once again proves herself to be the truest and least judgmental friend a home cook could want.

{Review concluded below…}

The Homemade Kitchen by Alana Chernila Review

The Homemade Kitchen

I write tons of cookbook reviews on Get Cooking and, as you may know, I’ve collected cookbooks for over 20 years. I know that there are a lot of great cookbooks out there. Truth be told, I’ve had the “this is a perfect cookbook” reaction to a few. But, I simply have to say this: The Homemade Kitchen is totally unique and unmistakably special in several ways.

  1. There’s a personal feel that I love to distraction. In The Homemade Kitchen, the reader is brought into the author’s home and introduced to her family (which includes a happy, beautiful dog you’ll love). A person’s home and family are their most valued, priceless, ans sacred things in their life. When they “let you in,” so to speak, to their world, it’s a privilege and an honor. The pictures, the stories, and all that they entail give the book a very warm, welcoming feeling – a personality that will cause a lot of cookbooks to suddenly seem cold and uninviting.
  2. There are more than just recipes. Yes, the recipes are out of this world and you will use them often – as in again and again. But there’s so much more to The Homemade Kitchen. As I listed above, there are a ton of “How to..” sections.  The “How to Cook a Vegetable” section and the one that follows it, “How to Turn Fruit Into Jam” would be worth the price of the cookbook alone!

Perfect recipes. Perfect approach. Perfect information. Perfect cookbook.

Find The Homemade Kitchen (Amazon link) on Amazon. Believe me, that’s something you’ll want to do right away.

About the Author

ALANA CHERNILA writes, cooks, teaches cheese making, and blogs at EatingFromTheGroundUp.com. She lives with her husband and daughters in Western Massachusetts.

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl… Wouldn’t Take Anything for Mine

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Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

My family knows me. They know the good, the bad, and the… well, never you mind about the rest.  Knowing me like they do, they know that, whether it’s birthday, anniversary, Mother’s Day, or Christmas, buying me anything with Rachael Ray’s name on it is a very safe bet.

I’ve collected Rachael Ray cookbooks, dishes, and kitchen tools for as long as I can remember. The bright, happy, vivid colors combined with unsurpassed durability and functionality rock my culinary world.

I even buy Rachael Ray products for my daughters – in their favorite colors. Not only do I know they’ll use (and love) them daily… I know they’ll think about me each time they do.

Win, WIN!

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl

Fun and Functional

This beautiful purple Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl was actually given to me as a gift a few years ago.  I recently came across the pictures in my iPhone and realized I’d never written a review on this kitchen favorite.

When the garbage bowls first came out, in spite of being a Rachael Ray Kitchen Tool junkie, I never bought one for myself because (to be honest) I wasn’t sure I’d even use it. I thought, “Yes, it’s beautiful and yes, it’s Rachael Ray… but I just toss my trash in a Kroger bag as I cook.”

Fast Forward to today… I have used this bowl every single day since receiving it two years ago. Every. Single. Day. It’s just unspeakably convenient to throw peels, cans, rubber bands, foil, etc into as I’m cooking.  Grabbing the bowl before I start baking or cooking is as automatic as putting on a seat belt when I get in a car.

Not only is the bowl, somehow, just fun to use, it also looks a heckuva lot better sitting on the counter than a grocery bag. What’s more, there’s  no “seeping” through or “spilling out” like you get with a grocery bag.

Sloppy.

The great looking Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl is available on Amazon in the following colors: purple, red, orange, dark green, green, and blue.

Click through for more information about what will become your next favorite kitchen tool. When you click through, you can even see a short little video of Rachael Ray explaining where the idea of the Garbage Bowl came from.

Rachael Ray Garbage Bowl