Over the Kitchen Counter: Angie's Place for Cooking and Crafts

Lee Valley Gravy & Stock Fat Separator Review

My search for the perfect gravy fat separator is over. I have bought gadgets and tried so many methods for removing the fat from the Christmas turkey drippings and they never worked well and usually ended with a big mess to clean up.

I purchase all kinds of things from Lee Valley and am always completely delighted. They sell quality items that work and solve your household problems. From the unique to the extraordinary everyday items, I trust Lee Valley. They stand behind what they sell, too, so I know I always have support. Even in one instance, more that 4 years later! (a grow light seed starter for husband which he never opened. When I gave up and started some herbs myself, the light was intermittent and Lee Valley replaced the whole lighting unit for me! Great customer service). When I found this separator from them I knew it was worth trying.

When I was placing my Christmas gift orders (which was the joke for the 2020 holiday, I bought so many presents it was always "that's from Lee Valley!!!), I noticed the fat separator. Similar to the tea steeper I use, the draining action comes from below, so it is so easy to see when the drippings have drained and the fat line is reached and you are immediately able to stop when it's at that point.

Here's the description from the Lee Valley website:

"This fat separator drains directly from the bottom, so it’s easy to pour off nothing but the juices, leaving only the lighter fats or oils behind.

You simply hold it level and press a thumb trigger to let the liquid run.

The transparent sides let you see when it’s time to stop the flow; releasing the trigger instantly closes the spring-loaded valve without any drips or leaks.

You can pour pan drippings directly into the 6" wide, funnel-like top, which has a perforated lid to strain larger solids.

Made of Tritan, a BPA-free, food-safe plastic that is resistant to heat, impact and discoloration, the pitcher is marked on the side with graduations up to 4 cups/1000ml/32 fl oz.

All parts fully disassemble for easy cleaning and are dishwasher safe."

...and here's their video showing the fat separator in action!

As you can see, the perforated lid also strains the solids and everything is dishwasher safe. It is so easy to use and works perfectly! This isn't something I need all the time but when I do, I want it to work. I am known for my amazing gravy so being able to make it an easier process is wonderful. I wanted to share this excellent separator so that you can eliminate the mess and hassle when you make your own. I give this my highest recommendation!!

The New Pandora Jewellery Care Kit Review!

I have enjoyed using the Pandora Care Kit currently available in Canada. It contains a clasp opener, a brush, two polishing cloths, two pouches and a care guide. Not everyone bothers to read how to look after their Pandora jewelry but it is really, really critical in order to keep it looking shiny and untarnished. I have purchased pre-loved charms and much to my dismay, they have arrived completely ruined by improper cleaning. In general, washing silver charms with a mild dish soap solution, rinsing and then polishing with a Pandora polishing cloth is the only method I use. There are exceptions when it comes to pearls, other metals (such as Pandora Rose), glass, wood, and leather, etc.

Following the care and cleaning instructions given on the Pandora website and in the catalogues is always very important to ensure the proper maintenance of your special bracelets and charms. Some guidelines include:

POLISH frequently with a soft polishing cloth to maintain the shine. A polishing cloth won’t remove scratches, so it’s important that you protect your jewellery. You can buy polishing cloths and care kits from your local Pandora store.

• STORE jewellery separately in a tarnish-resistant jewellery box or jewellery pouch and keep it away from abrasive surfaces.

• SHADE freshwater cultured pearls and leather from direct sunlight or strong lighting, to prevent fading.

• HANDLE jewellery with love and care, especially freshwater cultured pearls, mother of pearl, glass charms and charms made entirely of a stone (with a metal core). Be extra careful not to drop them on the floor or knock them against hard surfaces as this could hurt their delicate structures.

• REMOVE jewellery prior to swimming, bathing and doing sports or other physical activity.

• LIMIT CONTACT with make-up, creams, perfume and lotions.

• AVOID silver dips, polishing liquids, ultrasonic cleaning and strong chemicals.

• TAKE CARE OF the hidden silicone grips that some designs feature to keep jewellery fixed in perfect position. They are sensitive, so don’t use the dips and chemicals we mention above or expose them to extreme hot or cold temperatures. This could weaken the silicone’s gripping ability.

• GET AN ANNUAL SERVICE: If you wear your jewellery a lot, it’s a good idea to take it to a goldsmith at least once a year so they can check the clasps, mountings and soldered details.

Cleaning
The cleaning instructions describe and outline care for all Pandora jewellery and collections, from Moments to Pandora ESSENCE COLLECTION and Pandora Reflexions.

Choose the care instructions based on the metal of your jewellery and its embellishments.

Recently, Pandora came out with a liquid Care Kit. I was very interested in buying it because I had a couple stubborn 'used' charms that I felt could use some extra cleaning. Unfortunately, for some reason the cleaning kit is not available in Canada but I was able to pick one up during a recent vacation in the States. I was so excited to try it out and am quite happy with the results. The kit contains a plastic container of cleaning solution (with a dip basket within), a cloth, brush, and instructions. The jewelry is soaked for 2 minutes, brushed and polished. The liquid smells very pleasant and I think it worked well. This is a similar method to the dish soap process but very convenient to use and store. I feel confident knowing it is Pandora approved and love having the little dip basket.

Here is a before and after of a very worn charm I found for my daughter. You can see that cleaning and polishing did a nice job restoring a bit of shine to a very abused loved charm! Obviously, this is an extreme case of a tarnished and pitted charm. I did clean a few of my own charms with excellent results. The plan is to clean a few bracelets, which are in need of a deeper soak, this week and I look forward to using this new kit.

David's Tea Iced Tea Press

I recently placed an order for delicious David's tea and ended up adding a bunch of awesome sets and accessories to my cart. I found so many great things for Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers which I know my girls will love! I also went to the SALE tab and found a couple cool things for myself. With prices as low as 70% off some items I couldn't resist!

The coolest thing I ordered was an iced tea press. This is a specialty all-in-one gadget I didn't even know I needed but I absolutely love! Iced tea is one of my favourite drinks and as I wrote in THIS POST, I prefer the unsweetened variety which is nearly impossible to find where I live. I tweaked the recipe for homemade iced tea and really enjoyed it. Now with the incredibly easy and fun David's Tea travel mug, I can quickly make a serving in as much time as it takes to boil the kettle. I have used it every single day since I got it, even in November.

Here's the description on the website:

"What if we told you there was an all-in-one gadget to steep, ice AND sip your tea, at home or on the go? Meet the mug that’ll change how we make iced tea forever. Made of BPA-free, durable Tritan™, it makes iced tea prep quick, easy – and ridiculously fun. Just add your tea and hot water, and scoop your ice into the inner compartment. When you’re ready to sip, press it together to instantly ice your tea. No fuss, no muss. Plus its super-fine mesh stops the infusion, so even the most delicate tea won’t be oversteeped. Now that’s refreshing."

I add a tiny pinch of baking soda (to eliminate any bitter taste), a sliced lemon, and a drop of natural vanilla sweetener (with Stevia) and my brew is perfect! I am so pleased with this tea press and it is very easy to rinse out. If you are new to David's Tea definitely check out Fashion Storyteller's blog HERE. Emily is a huge tea aficionado and David's Tea affiliate so she knows everything about their amazing tea and you'll find great information on her blog. 

I LOVE PACKING CUBES!!!

My daughter is a big champion of packing cubes and has been using them for a couple of years. I was pretty satisfied with my jumbo ziplock bag method and didn't feel the need to change things up. The ziplock bags are great because they are protective and it's so easy to squeeze all the air out. I can fit so much into my suitcase and there is a barrier if anything should leak. They also make it convenient to bring home the dirty laundry and are super for wet bathing suits or other liquid souvenirs (perfume, wine, etc.).

You know how it is to buy gifts for the men in your life and this year I caved and bought hubby two sets of packing cubes. He travels so much for work, doesn't use the ziplocks, and is generally quite fussy about his clothes. I also threw in an electronics organizer, perfect for taming those charging cords and headphones. I found some reusable twist ties that attach directly onto the cables so they don't get lost and they are amazing for keeping the long wires from getting tangled.

Of course, I also ordered a set for myself to give packing cubes a try. I found the Bagail Packing Cubes on Amazon and they were highly rated and recommended by my daughter. I purchased a pretty teal set containing 4 sizes, from small to extra large. Also included was a drawstring laundry bag. The brand features extra durable cubes made of high quality nylon fabric. Two way easy-pull zippers are a nice bonus and the open mesh design makes it easy to see what's inside.

For our recent trip to Vegas I found I didn't need to use the extra large cube, a 17.5" x 12.75" rectangle that basically covers the entire bottom of a large suitcase. The small, medium, and large were perfect and obviously allow for compartmentalizing similar size items for optimum use of luggage space. Since I already do the Marie Kondo way of folding my clothes in drawers, it's very fast to select items to pack and add them to the cubes. If they aren't already rolled, this is the preferred method of putting your clothes within each cube. It was actually fun to pack! I also picked up a second set of lesser quality, smaller cubes at the discount store to handle any overflow of tiny items. These were less sturdy and the zippers were not as durable but they were good enough for light items I wanted to contain.

Once we checked into our hotel I discovered a lovely benefit of the packing cubes is being able to slip the entire set right into the dresser drawers. I was surprised that my cubes all fit into the bedside table. It was great to be able to have everything right there and easy to find. This system kept everything organized, tidy, and clean (and separate from husband's!!).

Also, another great feature is when it's time to pack up to go home. The cubes are ready to go, the laundry bag is full, and there's extra room for souvenirs. I've never been able to pack up faster from a trip! Usually it is a big ordeal the night before we have to check out but this time it was amazingly easy. It was much less stressful and hubby was able to quickly take care of his own packing. No more missing socks at the back of the drawer or under the bed!

Finally, if you ever find your luggage is overweight at the airport bag-drop, no more exposing your 'dirty laundry' to every other traveler while trying to lighten things up. Simply pull out one appropriately sized cube to pop into your carry-on and the lighter suitcase is good to go! Packing cubes are also excellent for carry on luggage and fit perfectly. I even used a couple small extra ones in my backpack to keep my Pandora jewelry and makeup bag easy to access.

Yes, I am a convert and I love packing cubes! They are so light, efficient, and convenient and I have to admit, better than all my ziplock bags. I found I packed more sensibly (and didn't overpack) and my suitcase wasn't nearly as heavy. I like to be organized and have things simple to deal with before, during, and after the trip. I still put my toiletry bag into a medium ziplock for a little extra insurance against any leaking and I always make sure to add an empty extra one for wet bathing suits. It is now my perfect packing system!!! Daughter was right, smart girl!

Innovative Kitchen Composter by Polder

Mother's Day was a couple weeks ago now but I wanted to share what a great gift I received! This Polder kitchen composter is a practical and well designed addition to the counter. The kids (and my daughter's boyfriend) know that we are pretty serious about keeping those organic food scraps out of the landfill and in our garden. They also know that it is father's job to empty the container and the little one I was using was always full!

This cool design consists of a thick stainless steel stand and silicone bin liner with well fitting, ventilated lid. It holds one gallon of standard kitchen compost (fruit & veg scraps, coffee grinds, tea leaves, egg shells, pasta & rice {I didn't even know carbs such as those could go in!!}, etc.) and the lid adjusts for air flow with a simple turn to open the vents. It's easy to grab the bucket to empty into the outdoor composter, using the tab at the bottom of the silicone liner. Push it through to invert and dump the contents then rinse if needed. Simply pull the silicone bucket back in place.

The bin is actually dishwasher safe (not really a necessary step, but nice if things get real' bad!) and so far it has been wonderful. I love how easy it is to clean and the lid can be separated for a more thorough wash. My old system consisted of reusing produce bags from the grocery store held up in a dollar store plastic container. Inevitably rushed family members wouldn't extend the bag before casually tossing in fruit peels, leaving me to sort out the gooey mess. Also, the coffee filters and grounds were so drippy and wet, yuck. I'm glad to not have to use plastic bags any more and deal with trying to shake the compost out of them!

I was so blessed with a lovely dinner prepared by my kids at home and a gorgeous family-themed Pandora charm as well. The messages of love in the card and via text (from my city girl daughter) meant the most and I am such a lucky mother to have such thoughtful children!!!  One last surprise was a beautiful bouquet of colourful tulips from my son's girlfriend, a sweet daughter from another mother. My heart is full of gratitude to be surrounded by loving family!

P.S. I think they bought the compost bin from Costco!!!

Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer Review

One great bonus of having daughters is that they let you know about awesome new beauty products! My daughter was determined to get a Revlon Salon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer. She'd heard great reviews from a friend at work as well as on YouTube and couldn't wait to try it on her very thick, wavy hair. The dryer is incorporated into a round brush so it both dries and styles (and volumizes!) at the same time. This particular Revlon Pro Collection model was always out of stock due to such high demand but she kept checking and finally snagged one.

Once it arrived we all tried it and were just as convinced as the online testers. It definitely smooths and styles and the ceramic coating and ionic technology help to reduce damage (our hair was so smooth, shiny, and really soft!). There are two heat & speed settings as well as a cool option. The brush is really large and the tangle-free bristles really hold the hair well (so you can pull it taut and help straighten) and the shape of it just gives the most gorgeous results. Depending on which way you position the brush (pulling under towards your neck or outward, flipping up the ends) you can get two different looks. You can also use the brush to dry and straighten the hair by simply brushing normally while drying.

I was so impressed I started checking on-line daily so I could get one for myself and another for my other daughter. Finally, after a couple of frustrating weeks of 'sold out' messages I just happened to refresh my Wal-Mart shopping cart and there it was, the 'limited quantities' disclaimer! I was able to get 2 (I was SO excited to quickly place the order to make sure they were mine!!!) and am so happy to have one of these amazing dryers in my bathroom (daughter #2 was as well!). I don't use it all the time (since I love my ponytail for at-home days!) but when I do, I love the results. The box says it's 'lightweight and ergonomic for maximum comfort and ease of use' but I find it a bit of a beast! It is also very, very hot on the high setting (something I knew from the many YouTube videos I watched prior to purchase), so I use the low setting on my fine, thin hair. The dryer is also quite loud but luckily, it doesn't take long to dry my hair at all! I am very happy with this purchase and if you're interested I would recommend watching the many excellent review and demonstration videos online for more information.

KonMari Method/Tidying Up

January is usually a time of year where I deep clean, organize, and purge. I think the chaos of the holidays, with the footprint of the Christmas tree and addition of extra furniture in our smaller spaces, stresses me out. I always start the new year with an urge to clear the clutter and downsize the stuff.

I had seen Marie Kondo on the Today Show long ago but never adopted her method of tidying and folding. Now that she has a new Netflix series and book, and the world seems to be taking notice of her organizational skills, the KonMari Method has entered our home. My daughter started watching the show with my son's girlfriend and I am noticing big results. Both have completely tidied up their clothes and closets, removed bags of items for donation, and allowed the peace of less clutter to wash over them. This has also trickled into general cleaning as well and I have never seen my son's room look so tidy! The bed is made, the carpet gets vacuumed more often and I noticed the bathroom towels on the shelves are neatly rolled into a lovely display! How could I not applaud these changes!?!?!

Of course, I realized I had some tidying of my own to do and began with a simple start: the t-shirt drawer. Pulling everything out of a space is the first step. Each item in the resulting pile needs to be picked up, assessed, (thanked) and sorted. Those that make the cut get folded into stand-up thirds and placed upright back in the drawer (or on the shelf, in a basket, etc.). It felt great to get rid of some ratty workout shirts and really decide which pieces 'spark joy'. If something no longer serves its purpose or really doesn't enhance my life, out it goes. After t-shirts came socks, the linen closet, the laundry room, the storage closet..........

Even husband got on board (as each person should be responsible for their own belongings) and we spent a family-together weekend afternoon doing this exercise. It was fun...and it feels so rewarding afterwards. I am slowly working my way around the house and am pleased with the results so far. Things that weren't working (vacuum, dog food, and large winter jackets in the same small closet, for example) are being evaluated and a solution implemented. It takes time but it is worth it. Whether or not the system is sustained in the long term has yet to be determined but I've had a couple laundry days where t-shirts and socks have been put away in the same organized way. At the very least, we have a great starting point of tidiness...AND...now hubby puts away his own laundry!!!

Crest Whitestrips Review

I had no interest in teeth whitening until I saw a summer selfie and thought my smile could use some brightening. After years of tea drinking, red wine, and blueberries, it is no wonder my teeth are stained. Regular dental appointments and a fancy toothbrush mean no cavities for me but obviously, even professional polishing doesn't whiten.

I did a little research and picked these Professional Effects strips. The kit contains 20 packets with upper and lower sticky strips (for a total of 40). For some reason I was really nervous to actually use them since I'd read about teeth and gum sensitivity and the warning is even written on the box. My family members assured me it wasn't that bad and to give it a try.

I did watch a YouTube video of a young girl applying the strips and found it very helpful to see someone actually going through the process. A couple of useful tips were to pre-fold each strip before adhering to the teeth (so as to centre the strip evenly) and to use the edge of a fingernail to press the surface of the strip into the space between teeth. This allows the gel to make contact with the whole, visible front tooth surface.

I'd read about drooling too but after the first time, realized if I just sat still reading or watching t.v., I could forget about the strips in my mouth and not swallow or talk. I definitely set a timer to make sure it was over at exactly the recommended 30 minute mark. If distracted it goes fairly quickly.

Pulling the strips off is very simple and a quick rinse and brushing leaves the teeth feeling clean and smooth. I really didn't experience any extreme sensitivity although my mouth felt a little achy afterwards, similar to how I feel after visiting the dentist. Subsequent applications got easier and easier and now don't bother me at all.

I definitely notice a difference after only 5 applications. My smile seems brighter and less yellow. It is suggested to use the entire box of 20 treatments for full results that should last 12 months or longer. Apparently, according to the website, the product contains the same enamel-safe ingredients dentists use. I will finish the remaining strips and hope to see lasting results. If I only need to do this every 50 years, it's not so bad! If I like what I see I might consider little top-ups now and again. There are many different varieties of these strips to choose from so I doubt I will need to do another full treatment for a few years.

Happy Memory Keeping

I am so excited for September when I will start my new Happy Memory Keeping planner from me & my BIG ideas. Because I purchased the hp sprocket and can now instantly print photos of the day, I knew I wanted to pair it with a planner for quick memory keeping. The large, 8.5 x 11in planner has slightly larger rectangles than the Classic planner I am currently using every day to keep me organized and on track with my to-do lists. The sprocket prints fit perfectly into those spaces and that makes everything so fast and easy when it comes to this kind of scrapbooking.

The specially designed memory keeper album is spiral bound using the Happy Planner discs and the pages are removable. It is a 12 month undated planner so you can begin any time and has both monthly and weekly calendar pages. There are laminated dividers and 23 additional themed pages. There are so many beautiful cover designs and styles to choose from, as well as metal or plastic discs, and even jumbo starter kits that include washi tape and sticker sheets.

I chose the slightly less expensive plastic discs version and since I have plenty of stickers and washi, I bought the stand-alone album. I think the cover is really pretty and the matching water colour artwork inside is too. I also picked up a large punch (I already have the classic size punch) to make decorating with paper and cropping standard size photos super quick and easy.

There are included 'month' stickers to label the divider tabs and I got a couple of sticker books for embellishing the pages with fun seasonal themes & holidays, as well as everyday titles, prompts, and boxes. There are always great deals and coupons at Michaels so it was a pretty affordable system. Unlike traditional scrapbooking, I intend to keep this upstairs where I can access it any time I have a minute. At the end of the day I can jot down any memories and notes (no need to make this complicated or perfect), add a quick photo or two, and adorn with a few relevant stickers. I love the idea of the monthly calendar pages too since I have made a few proper scrapbooks that way in the past. It's quite fun to look back on a typical month-in-our-lives, but this way it stays current and fresh without having to "back-scrap".

I will absolutely still be using my Creative Memories products and albums for my major scrapbooking (I am in the middle of a Disney vacation and my photos and papers are spread out all over my workshop table!), but I think this Happy Memory Keeping planner is going to be a fun way to record our regular days. I'm excited to get started!

hp Sprocket instant pocket printer review

I have been researching the hp Sprocket mini printer for a while and finally gave in and purchased it. This is a super fun pocket-size printer that instantly prints 2x3" photos using ZINK zero Ink printing technology. That ZINK feature is pretty much what sold me on this buy. NO INK! Because I am a Happy Planner and scrapbooker, I really wanted to be able to add small photos to my pages to help remember special, and perhaps even more importantly, everyday, moments. I tried using my regular printer to get those pics but a) I needed to wait until I had enough to fill an entire photo paper page, and b) my regular printer SUCKS ink and it was costing a fortune (and inconvenience) every time I printed. I didn't do this more that 3 times before I realized I needed a different approach. My source for printing regular photos only offers mini prints in a collage of 4 of the same so that wasn't cost effective, and certainly not convenient.

The HP sprocket is exactly what I was looking for. Instant prints, one at a time, right at home, no waiting, and with no ink. It cost about $160 for the printer and the packets of paper are about $25, making each photo about $0.50. To be honest, I am a gadget/electronic girl to begin with so the more I watched videos of this little guy in action, the more I convinced myself it was worth every penny. I am not disappointed!

My very first print was a little streaky but after that, they have been really good! The reviews are mostly favourable and I am having so much fun using the sprocket. It is so tiny and light, fits in the palm of your hand, and is really sleek (I got the white one with rose gold). It is so simple to set up and use and the app offers SO MANY fun features! It is really cool to be able to completely edit your pics right on your phone and add borders, text, fun filters, etc. I could play for hours! There is instant gratification to be able to print a photo immediately to include in your planner page right away. 

You can save your edited photos to your phone, share them on all the social media platforms, and even add them to a print queue to print later. You can print directly from those social media sites directly as well so that is super fast and convenient if you're willing to sign in and share data with HP. You can print on the go, enable mobile printing from other apps, and even create custom stickers from your own drawings. One feature I'm quite excited to try is the tile printing option. You can print out different configurations of a photo and then assemble them to create a large tiled mosaic print.

There is a photobooth mode and even a way to scan photos and link them to relive memories through more images and videos from the same day or location. Again, if you are willing to share your info and photos, there are available magic frames and hidden treasures, themes and seasonal additions that can allow for augmented reality experiences! That gets a little too weird for me but could be fun!

I am thrilled so far with this purchase and love printing my photos in just the right size for my planner. There are some instances when I can print a quick pic to represent an everyday activity that I probably wouldn't otherwise print (our weekend bike route, a picnic lunch, or picking veggies in the garden, etc.) and it's nice to be able to remember those moments along with the big birthdays or vacations.

I have even changed the way I'm going to scrapbook and memory keep because of the sprocket and can't wait to share what system I have put together!