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Microplane Grater/Zester

For fluffy, evenly sized cheese shreds, this is the perfect grater. Its design is based on that of a rasp, the small and efficient woodworking tool. The cutters are especially sharp, which guarantees easy grating. But this also means you'll need to exercise extra caution--no one likes grated knuckles. The large handle allows for a firm grip, and the completely flat grating surface makes it easy to move the cheese across the blades. Carrots, onions, and medium to firm cheeses all worked beautifully with this grater. It's also an excellent choice for larger strips of citrus zest or ginger. --Jill Lightner

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Futures

Hand wash and dry thoroughly;

Designed to extract the best flavor from your food;

High-quality stainless steel with grating edges that stay razor sharp;

Excellent for hard cheeses,onions, citrus fruits, ginger and more;

Blade measures 8-1/2 inches long; ergonomic black plastic handle;

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Customer Review:

Time Dulls Blade

Over the course of a month or two the blades on this grater flatten and dull. It no longer works well and consenquently is no longer used. When it was sharp it was very easy to slit the fingers on accident. Not safe when sharp, and doesnt stay sharp enough to work for long.

Does the job perfectly.

I love this grater. It's perfect for citrus zest and hard cheeses. I won't use anything else again.

The grip handle is comfortable and won't slip. It is slim for easy storage.

Great Tool!

Have you ever cut yourself grating cheese? I am sure you have! Because this is long, you greatly reduce your chance of doing so with this item.
That's a BIG reason why you want to buy this grater!
Why else??
If you skip the zest in the recipe because you figure the juice is good enough...
If you almost break your garlic crusher trying to crush ginger...

I use a lot of parmesan, garlic, ginger, and lemon. And, this is a wonderful tool for all those items. If you cook with these items you will probably really like this grater.

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Keywords: Cheese Graters;

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Breadman TR2200C Ultimate Bread Machine

What used to be a time-consuming, messy process is now a snap. Measure the ingredients into the Breadman Plus, push a few buttons, then go for a walk in the park. Return a few hours later--or after a good night's sleep--to the unforgettable aroma and taste of homemade bread. This machine will even make the jam to top it off.

The Breadman Ultimate makes and bakes most kinds of yeast bread--white, whole wheat, rye, honey banana, or crusty French--as well as quick or batter breads. Try the recipes in the booklet or your own favorites--just be sure the dry ingredients total less than about 5 cups so the dough doesn't overflow the 9-1/2-inch (nonstick) baking pan. If your recipe calls for adding ingredients late in the kneading cycle, there's a tray to hold and automatically dispense them. If you want to make bread that doesn't conform to the loaf shape, the machine can mix and raise the dough prior to shaping for baking in a conventional oven.

For the beginner the process couldn't be easier, and even if you're an old hand at making bread from scratch, you'll find yourself baking much more frequently. And this machine quickly pays for itself: think of how many $3 or $4 loaves you won't be buying over the bread maker's lifetime! One drawback is worth noting: If you're a fan of the Breadman Plus, you may be less satisfied with the mixing results of the Ultimate's single bread hook versus the Plus's dual dough hooks. --Toni Reineke

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Measures 16 by 12 by 10-1/2 inches; 1-year limited warranty;

Makes homemade bread in 1-, 1-1/2-, and 2-pound loaves;

110 preprogrammed settings, 430 watts, 60-minute power failure backup;

Nonstick bake pan material for easy cleaning;

Includes instruction manual, recipe booklet, and instructional videotape;

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Customer Review:

Attn: CELIACS! Make your Gluten-Free Breads with Breadman TR2200C!

I was recently diagnosed with Celiac and can no longer partake in the lovely pleasure of eating breads made out of wheat flour. Boo-hoo! (Giving up gluten is a small price to pay when you find out that you do not have a mental condition, just damaged intestines that can't absorb nutrients because you're allergic to gluten!)

Anyone with gluten intolerance soon finds out that the gluten-free breads are pricey at 7 dollars a loaf and taste like a gym sock.

For a MUCH more reasonable price, gluten free mixes can be purchased pre-packaged or you can use the wonderful recipes in the Bette Hagman cookbooks to concoct your own gluten-free bread mix and the Breadman will produce reliable and consistent results, everytime.

I purchased the Breadman because it was the most widely recommended machine out there and now I know why. Rest assured that this will be money well spent for a quality product with consistent results. It's also superbly easy to clean!

The Breadman machine is a must-have for anyone with a Celiac in the house!

versatile machine

This is not my first bread machine, so it was easy to use right out of the box. I like it because it offers several choices for loaf size as well as many choices for bread type. Also the ease of making breads not usually baked in a machine. Just put bread ingredients in the bread machine, dinner ingredients in a crockpot- it's easier than take-out!

Great bread machine but faulty kneading

This is a great bread machine, however, the kneading hook becomes loose very quickly, after about 10-15 uses. I bought this machine mostly for kneading dough, and with a loose hook it doesn't do as good job as it should.

For real, great tasting, home-made bread or baguettes try this amazingly simple 5-step "real bread" recipe with any bread-machine and a stove oven:
1. Follow any bread making recipe/instructions that came with the machine, however, don't worry about water ratio recommended in the recipe, and actually experiment with up to 50% more water than the recipe calls for. Also try using little more yeast, up to 30% more than in the recipe. To make darker, old-fashioned bread replace 15%-30% of wheat flower with rye flour.
2. At the beginning of the last "Rise" cycle remove the dough from the bread machine, place it onto well-floured surface (and have your hands floured), then gently form it into a loaf, or cut the dough into 2 or 3 pieces using a wet pizza slicer and gently form into long strips for baguettes.
3. Place formed dough onto a large baking sheet or pan, then lightly spray with cooking oil and additionally cover with shrink-wrap or kitchen towel, so that the dough doesn't dry up.
4. Leave the dough to rise for 60-90 minutes at room temperature, while 15 minutes before the time is up preheat the oven to 500-525 F (the temperature will decrease when you open the oven later to insert the dough).
5. Remove the shrink-wrap or towel from the dough and place the dough on the baker into the even, onto the low rack close to the heat. When baking bread decrease the oven temperature to 440 degrees and bake for 30 minutes, or for baguettes decrease the oven temperature to 475 degrees and bake for 15-20 minutes.

After the bread is done, wait for it to cool off for 1 hour, then enjoy!

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Keywords: Bread Machines; (Bread Makers); Bread Making; Kitchen; Small Appliances; Electrics;

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Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set

Sautéing wild salmon and stirring a perfect risotto take on spiritual dimensions with this classic Cuisinart cookware. Made of professional quality 18/10 stainless steel that won't react with acidic foods, the pots and pans in this set feature solid cast handles, tight-fitting lids with drip-free rims, and a mirror finish that retains its brightness through dishwasher, freezer, broiler, and oven use up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. For superior, even heating, an aluminum disk is encapsulated between two layers of stainless steel in each base. The set includes: 8- and 10-inch skillets, 1-1/2- and 3-quart covered saucepans, 3-1/2-quart covered sauté pan, and a 8-quart covered stockpot. Cuisinart covers the set with a limited lifetime warranty. --Ann Bieri

What's in the Box
1-1/2-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart saucepan with lid, 3-1/2-quart sauté pan with lid, 8-quart stockpot with lid, 8-inch skillet, 10-inch skillet

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Safe for dishwasher, freezer, broiler, and oven to 550 degrees F;

Classic cookware made of mirror finish 18/10 stainless steel;

8- and 10-inch skillets; 1-1/2- and 3-quart covered saucepans;

3-1/2-quart sauté pan; and 8-quart covered stockpot;

Solid, riveted handles, aluminum in base for even heating;

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Customer Review:

Cuisinart Stainless Pots

This is probably one of the best sets on the market. No need to worry about scratching or purchasing special utensils to use them.

5 Star Set at Bargain Basement Price

I researched everywhere on the internet after I heard about the 5 billion dollar class action lawsuit against Dupont for Teflon toxicity. No more non stick pans for me or my family! I was going to buy the $300 Cuisinart set but my daughter recently purchased 2 Classic pans at Macys for much more than Amazon's price and loved them. Woke my husband up at 6 in the morning."Do you want an omelette?" Made one with lots of cheese to test the "stickiness quality", Lots of cheese left on the pan but I soaked it with a small amount of detergent for a few minutes and lo and behold my pan looked like it had never been used even though I used a metal spatula. I'm thrilled. the covers to the sauce pans have an almost magentic quality to them, It is now over a month and I can't believe the perfect performance for such a low price and yes the handles keep cool!
You can't get better for any money. Just ordered the 2 quart sauce pan and the 12 inch skillet to complete a perfect set. Don't hesitate, this set is a treasure!!

Great cookware at a Great price

This cookware is well made with rivited handles like what is used in professional kitchens. I recieved my order in less time than was estimated. My order arrived in well packed boxes with no damage.
This cookware heats eavenly and is easy to clean as long as you clean as you go. For the stovetop, the long handles stay cool but you may want to use protection on the small handles. This cookware is also oven safe to 500 degrees. This set should last for years of trouble free service. I highly recomend it as a starter set for those that are newly maried, or new to the kitchen. I would recomend a second 1.5 quart sause pan (for those that cook for 1 or 2.) I also recomend adding the 2 quart sause pan (or 2 for larger families) to round out the set. For those that make scrambled eggs frequently you may want to look at the chef's classic nonstick skillets as well.
Things you have to remember:
1: This is not a nonstick set of cookware... you will have to clean it before residual food drys onto it or you'll be using some elbow grease to get it clean.
2: The disk on the bottom is attached with epoxy and will seperate if you boil it dry and let it sit on a hot burner so don't let that happen.
3: Do not use high heat settings especally with gas cooking the flame will discolor the pan. Medium heat is just right.
4: It's cookware you will use it, and it'll scratch. It's not for decroation if you want pretty pans, get 2 sets the price is right.
Amazon's price with the additon of the 4 pc kitchen tool set (free) the super saver shiping, and the $25.00 may discount (I noticed there's a june discount now as well) made this set much less than was available at the mall and worth the wait for shipping.

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Cuisipro Donvier Electronic Yogurt Maker

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Futures

Measures 6 by 11-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches; 1-year limited warranty;

Electronic yogurt maker for up to 6 cups of great-tasting homemade yogurt;

Create up to 8 different flavors at a time; use only the freshest ingredients;

Digital LCD display with electric timer; 5- and 10-minute warning beeps; auto shut-off;

Heater base, thermometer stirrer, 8 jars with lids, unit cover, and user manual with recipes included;

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Customer Review:

Worked the Very First Time!

I had been wanting to purchase the Donvier yogurt maker since reading "French Women Don't Get Fat", but I wasn't sure that I wanted to get another appliance. I finally took the plunge, and I'm very glad I did - so is my husband.

I heated up a quart of organic 2% milk until I saw bubbles form at the edge of the pan. I poured the milk into a bowl that has a handle and a pouring spout. At this point, I added some nonfat milk powder, so that the yogurt would be firmer (a trick I learned when I used to make my own in a big jar). Stuck in the thermometer, and added a heaping tablespoon of plain Dannon yogurt when the red mark reached the "add starter" window. Then I poured it into the individual cups, and set the machine for 12 hours. The yogurt was perfect - nice and firm. There was just a bit of liquid on the top, and I just poured that off.

One thing that I would do differently is to use 1 and 1/2 quarts of milk, instead of 1 quart. A full six cups of milk would give you 8 servings of 6 ounces each, enough to fill all of the containers.

I really like the individual containers, as I usually take yogurt to work with me for breakfast. I can just pop one into my bag. It also cuts down on the amount of whey that seeps out when you take an individual serving out of a big container of yogurt, which then tends to dry out the yogurt.

I think I will end up saving quite a bit of money with this machine. I also like the fact that I can control exactly what goes into my yogurt.

Yogurt maker disappointing

I bought a Donvier brand yogurt maker because of good internet reviews, and because of the recommendation in the book French Women Don't Get Fat. I have to admit that I am pretty disappointed with this choice, although I don't know if the results from a different brand would be any more satisfactory. It is relatively simple to use (although a one-container, quart-sized one like Salton would probably be easier), but the quality of yogurt obtained is not what I'd hoped for. The first few batches did not turn out well at all. I initially used a thick Greek-style yogurt (Fage) as a starter, hoping to produce a thick and creamy yogurt. However, the resulting yogurt - if you can even call it that - was thin and runny. I left the appliance on a little longer (11 hours) so that it could get thicker, but the condition worsened, with it ending up like sour milk - curds on the bottom, and clear whey on top. I threw it out. To the second batch I added some instant dry milk powder, and the result was a little better, but not much - it was still very runny, but at least not separated. For the third batch I used a different yogurt as a starter - Stonyfield organic - and also added dry milk powder. The result was still thin, barely the consistency of kefir. The most recent batch was the most successful, but seemed to negate the main reasons for buying a yogurt maker in the first place. I used whole milk, added instant dry milk, and used a commercial freeze-dried yogurt culture. The yogurt thickened up in only 5 hours, but was definitely not at all as thick as a commercially made yogurt, such as Dannon. It's possible that it would thicken more with more time, but could turn out very sour, and could also separate, like the first batch. I would prefer to use 2% milk, rather than whole, and the use of dry milk and a commercial starter add considerably to the cost. For the money, and with the work and time involved, I could just as well have stuck with the store bought stuff. The only advantage I see with this method is fewer plastic containers added to the waste stream.

Great yogurt maker - but not for big households

I just started using this yogurt maker and I am impressed at how easy it is to use. My husband and I consume a lot of yogurt, but I started getting concerned about the preservatives and excess sugar in most commercial brands. This has been a great alternative. We also like that we are not buying and throwing away lots of yogurt cups each week.

The only reason that I gave it 4 and not 5 stars is because each cup holds less than a serving of most commercial yogurts. This works fine for me, but not for my husband who is tall, skinny, and trying to put on some weight. Also, as our family grows, we will probably need to switch to a yogurt maker with a larger capacity.

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Keywords: Small Appliances; Electrics; Ice Cream Machines; (Makers);

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