kitchen appliances

My child delights in watching the Food Network almost as much as she takes pleasure in cartoons. She loves to pretend cook — offering me invisible eggs and cereal while saying, "I'm cookin' and eatin'!" If you've got the next Rachael Ray or Bobby Flay whipping up mini creations in your cucina, you might want to consider pampering them with their very own posh appliances.

Shelling out $879 for the entire Gourmet Kitchen Set from Pottery Barn Kids sounds a little nutty, especially during these uncertain economic times. However, the dark brown "woodwork" and the "stainless steel" trimming is enough to make me want it for my own! Parents who dread plastic toys may find this sleek enough for their modern day home. Besides that, if a set like this encourages my wee one to help me out around the kitchen, it may be worth the high ticket price in the end.

• Early autumn is a perfect time to try some of Italy's most charming reds. — Boston Globe
Satisfy the football fans with these three tasty sandwich options. — Los Angeles Times
• Why Tom Colicchio's newest restaurant concept is sure to be one of the toughest reservations in town. — Diner's Journal
• Top choices and worst picks for sustainable seafood found on sushi menus. — San Francisco Chronicle
• Enter the fascinating realm of faux food. — Chicago Tribune
• Meet Jen Lin-Liu, one of America's experts on Chinese cuisine. — Washington Post
• The time is ripe for enjoying green tomatoes. — The Oregonian
• Why a rice cooker ought to be standard equipment in your kitchen. — New York Times

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It wasn't until I became a mother that I learned an important fact about cooking: everything tastes better when it comes in a fun shape.

The Mini Bear Smile Skillet ($18) will assist you in making scrumptious and silly pancakes and crepes that will have your kids begging for seconds. The pan is a great substitute or addition to the cute dollar sized Zoo Animal Pancake Pan we featured a few weeks back.

Do you use shapes to make snacks and meals more appealing for your picky eaters?

• Williams-Sonoma recently released circus cookie cutters and Erin made the most adorable cookies. — Erin Cooks
• Nobody likes a uni-task kitchen gadget so learn how to use your common appliances in uncommon ways. — Chow
• Move over Magnolia: these cupcakes are giving the original cupcake bakery a run for its money. — Grub Street
• Speaking of cupcakes, one of the pioneers in the cupcake blog world, Cheryl of the Cupcake Bakeshop, is closing shop. — Slashfood
• Once you know the technique for making a salad you can create delicious variations without a recipe. — The Kitchn
• Meet SoGreen frozen yogurt, San Francisco's answer to Pinkberry. — FitSugar
• Many of you are wondering what happened to Amy Finley, winner of last year's The Next Food Network Star. Wonder no more: she's left the network and moved to France! — Food Network Addict

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For parents, who like to cook all of their tot's tasty meals, the Beaba Baby Cook is a heaven–sent product.

Hugely popular in Europe, Americans are now privy to the convenient meal–maker.

To learn more about this Beaba, read more

When I heard about the new microwave drawer recently introduced by Sharp, I couldn't help but think: How come someone hasn't come up with this idea before?

The microwave drawer works like a normal microwave, except that it's built like an oven. According to the Sharp website,

Now microwave cooking is easier for every cook in the family, with no need to remove the dish from the oven to check, stir, or turn the food. For even greater convenience, the new Easy Open Microwave Drawer Oven opens automatically with a gentle pull of the handle. Just push it gently and it closes automatically, even if your hands are full.

Sounds like the microwave of the future has arrived. I like it because the microwave has always been a bulky kitchen appliance, but with this sleek interpretation, you can have clutter free counter tops! How about you? What do you think?

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