For the last two years, I’ve participated in Sean’s InfoWorld Xmas Wish List, where we review a bunch of cool products and it’s all spiffy. Sean has moved on from IW, and I’m thinking we’re probably not going to knock out a full review list this year. On my SQL blog, I did a review of the techie things I ❤. Here, I’ll review a few of the around-the-house things I absolutely adore….
Kitchen
There are a lot of things I adore in the realm of food and foodie things. Top on my list are McCann’s Irish Oatmeal – no, 1/2 hour is not too long to wait for awesome steel-cut oatmeal – and Diet Dr. Pepper (I’m an addict, what can I say?) We also get some spectacular teas from Teavana – top of the list are Earl Grey Creme, and Peppermint.
And for gadgets, I love my Kitchenaid mixer, and my Cuisinart food processor. I must also heartily recommend the Cuisinart Bread Maker, which can make jam! (Mentioning this feature invariable sends Sean into a fit of giggles, but it’s true.)
We have a ton of food books and magazines. Off the top of my head, here are some very-very favorites:
- Gordon Ramsay Makes it Easy
- Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child. I also recommend her autobiography, and Julie and Julia (the book and the movie)
- Cooks Illustrated magazine and The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook
- Jamie’s Dinners: The Essential Family Cookbook and Happy Days With the Naked Chef , by Jamie Oliver. My two-year old loves flipping through these books with me…lots of lovely pictures of food…
- Dessert Circus at Home, by Jacques Torres (this has THE quintessential cheesecake recipe)
Around the House
I love, love, LOVE my The Oatmeal posters. That’s all I have to say about that.
And I love DVRs. I’m so lame that I don’t have a specific one to recommend, I’m just sayin.
For cleaning, I love the cheapo sanitizing wipes – any grocery store brand – for countertops and suchlike. Favorite odor eliminator is Frebreeze’s extra strength stuff – my house has 2 dogs, a cat, four kids, and me and Sean, so you KNOW I know what I’m talking about in odor control.
Also, my house has white carpets. I know, kill me. A friend at work recommended the Bissell Proheat Upright Deep Cleaner, and I got it, and I ❤ it. Easy fill, internal heater, hand tool, easy to use, and around $150.
❤
I’m absolutely positive there are more things around my house that I <3, but these are the cream of the crop, so to speak. Comment, enjoy, and happy days.
-Jen
We Owls 