My stepson and our sometimes camera operator, Eli loves to make crepes. When my husband and I blended families several years back people insisted on a wedding registry, so we put this fun Crepe griddle on our list. It has been one of those surprise appliances that we use all the time. In addition to making wonderful crepes. (The griddle comes with three stencils to make them in various shapes perfectly.) We have used this griddle to make grilled cheese, pancakes, French toast and anything that needs a flat surface to cook. It heats evenly, is a breeze to clean up and makes my job so much easier. They are available at Williams Sonoma on final sale at selected stores. Hurry before you miss out! This product is amazing!!!

We love the produce box we get from Berryhill Farms in Loranger, Louisiana. We get some of the most amazing produce, eggs and bread plus flowers and other surprises. For the cost of what we would normally spend at the local market, we have the privilege of getting fresh, local produce. If you have a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program near you, I encourage you to sign up! If you have a farmer that you support and want to share, comment below. If you are looking for one in your area, go to www.localharvest.org for a list of CSA farms in your area!

Today's Must Have Monday is a product we have had in our home bar for years and I can tell you if it broke tomorrow, we'd order another one. The Legacy style from Cork Pops makes opening a bottle of wine a no muss, no fuss experience. It even comes with a built-in foil cutter. So simply twist the foil cutter, insert the needle and "pop" goes the cork!
This model is available at www.cork pops.com for $30. It is also available at other retailers like Target, Walmart and many local wine shops.

Today’s Must Have Monday is Oster’s 1.5QT Deep Fryer. We used it for our Fried Frenzy festivities a week ago. We really put the fryer to the test with mini corn dogs, a Blooming Onion, fried Rice Krispies, fried Oreos, fried Twinkie’s and fried Honey Buns.
Amazingly this fryer stood up to the grueling work of several hours of frying. Nearly every creation was fried to perfection and did not absorb too much residual oil. Our favorite were the corn dogs and the Twinkies. The blooming onion was too big for the fryer and we should have cut it up, but what’s the fun in that.
If you are in the market for a small fryer, we highly recommend this little gem.

Today's Must Have Monday is another fun product from Chef'n, The Quick Core Pepper Corer. This product makes coring peppers a breeze. It is fabulous if you are planning to make stuffed peppers, as it keeps the whole pepper intact. Simply insert the corer in the top of the pepper and twist. The stem, core and most of the seeds are extracted from the pepper. It's amazing. The more durable stainless steel version is available on the Chef'n website. Mine was an impulse purchase from my local grocery store. The Stainless steel version costs $9.99 directly from Chef'n. 

Are you tired added sugars and preservatives in your can of whipped cream? Want to add a little alcohol flair to your favorite dessert? Today's "Must Have Monday" can solve your creamy problems with ease. In fact, Pampered Chef's Whipped Cream Maker is so easy, the kids will demand to help. Simply add the whipping cream, a bit of sugar and for an extra touch some of your favorite liquor and your take your dessert, after dinner coffee or morning pancakes to the next level. I checked the Pampered Chef website today and they still offer this gem for $27. Call your favorite consultant or check out their website today and Whip it!

We love to frequent our local wine shops for their tastings, but with the stay at home order, we have been checking out several of the virtual wine tastings offered on Zoom and Facebook Live. 
Last week we attended the first in a series of tastings with St. Suprey Vineyards that highlight sustainable seafood, something near and dear to our hearts. Louisiana has a veritable feast when it comes to seafood and we try to buy local as often as possible. 
St Suprey, in cooperation with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, is pairing their wines with dishes prepared by their Estate Chef, Tod Kawachi. We found the tasting to be informative about the seafood with some notes about the wine. 
Kristen prepared the salmon dish and it was delicious!
You can get more information on the tastings, a link to order the wines (The first two were available in the local New Orleans area. See if they are available in your area if you want to participate before your shipment arrives.) 
​https://stsupery.com/tasting-kits/

Let's face it, peeling garlic is a pain. Especially when you need several whole cloves, like in our recipe for IPA Inferno Pickles. I found this gadget several years back and it makes peeling garlic quick and easy. So easy that even your kids can get in the act. Simply put the whole clove of garlic in the peeler, roll like a rolling pin back and forth and voila! the skin comes right off the clove. Stubborn skin can be rolled another time and you will have a freshly peeled garlic clove. Zak! Designs (the creator of this little gem) has a variety of kitchen items on their website, including vacuum insulated tableware, dishes and other gadgets. The garlic peeler is now red (I have the OG) and retails on the website for $14.39. I checked Amazon today and it is $9.85 with free shipping with Prime. I have also seen them at Williams-Sonoma, Sur La Table and Bed, Bath and Beyond. 

I love a good gadget, but I want it to deliver what it promises. These two strawberry gadgets have been a lifesaver, especially when I go picking strawberries and have a flat or two to stem and cut for freezing. 
These products from Chef'N are worth the price if you have more than a few strawberries to prepare. They are easy to use and your kids can even get into the act.
I have an older version, but the Chef'n Strawberry Slicester retails for $14.95. The Stem Gem retails for $7.95. Both are available (and currently on sale) from Williams-Sonoma. They are also available from various other online retailers.
Check out our YouTube recipe for Strawberry Sorbet for a demonstrations of how to use these nifty gadgets.