Buying a Single Cup Coffee Maker

That morning cup of coffee may be exactly what you need to get going in the morning. Or it may be just what you need to relax at the end of the day. But when you just want a single cup what do you do when faced with making a whole pot?
 

Fortunately, there are multiple options for a single-serve coffee maker. You can brew one cup at time without worrying about wasting the rest of the pot. And, there’s no pot to clean up afterward. The best part is that your coffee will always be hot and fresh.
 

Having a single serve coffee brewer in your home can bring you the gourmet coffee shop experience without having to pay the gourmet prices.
 

The first single-serve coffee systems came out in the late 1990s. They’ve grown in popularity year after year. 

So, is one right for you?
 

When you purchase a single-serve coffee brewer, you need to remember that you may be limiting your choice of coffee. The major brands of single-serve coffee makers still require that you use coffee specifically packaged for their machines. If you like a variety in your coffee selection, you’ll need to keep that in mind. You may have the option of buying in bulk, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to a variety of selections.
 

So, do some research and decide on the best single-serve coffee brewer for your needs. Here are the basic types.
 

One-Cup Drip Coffee Makers.
 

If you want to purchase a one-cup drip coffee maker, keep these things in mind. You’ll want to find out what type of filter comes with the system. Does it require disposable paper filters, or does it come with a permanent filter? Check the coffee maker out to see if it is compatible with your favorite at-home coffee cup or your favorite travel mug. Some versions allow for an adjustment. Some even come with their own thermal travel mug. Consider how fast you can make another cup of coffee. And for the sake of convenience find out if there’s a timer option.
 

Coffee Pod Systems
 

Coffee pod systems, sometimes called coffee pads, have an all-in-one coffee and filter arrangement. Most often this looks like a large, round tea bag. The better coffee pod systems will have a basket to fit the coffee pods which come in single serving, double serving and espresso pods. There are also products in the market that will allow you to create the properly sized pod using any brand of coffee. But in reality, what you gain in the convenience of a single cup brewer might be lost in the time it takes to make these pods.
 

Single-Serve Coffee Brewing Systems
 

There are several brand name types of single-serve coffee systems. They have a patented, proprietary mini-brewer sized to fit only their machines. The mechanism for brewing your coffee is similar. You put in the pre-packed, pre-measured cup or disc into the coffee maker, push a button and wait for your coffee. The filter is included in the cup or disc. The machine works by forcing water through the disposable brewer directly into your cup. When finished, you remove the cup or disc and toss it out.
 

As a general rule, while you’ll be saving money that you might spend at a coffee shop each morning, the single serve capsules, cups or discs do tend to be more expensive. It’s roughly going to cost you $.30 to $.50 per cup. But, again, you have to balance that with tossing out the last ten cups of a twelve cup pot.
 

Make sure you get a single-serve brewer with a water reservoir that’s easy to fill. And be sure to keep up with the regular cleaning and maintenance schedule as recommended by the manufacturer.

Crafts You Can Make With Your Iron

Most people spend little time ironing clothes these days. Either the clothes are permanent press or they get sent out to the dry cleaners. It’s not like it was fifty years ago when housewives spent their time over an ironing board ironing everything from shirts to sheets. Still most households have an iron on hand. And some still choose to do their own ironing.
 

An iron can also be a great tool when it comes to crafting. Here are just a few of the crafts you can do with an iron.
 

Waxpaper leaf pressing
 

Pressing leaves between wax paper can help you with leaf identification. But it can also be a way to create some great crafts and decorations. Wax paper pressing can help you capture color and leaf structure as well.
 

Here’s what you do.
 

Find the leaf or leaves you want to press. Put the leaf between two layers of wax paper. Leave plenty of room to trim the leave and also to preserve the wax “seal.” Cover the wax paper with a thin towel. A dish towel will work well. Paper towels would also work.
 

Turn the iron on medium heat and evenly iron over the towel. The heat will seal the leaf between the sheets of wax paper. When it’s cool, trim the wax paper to the shape of the leaf or the size necessary for your project.
Keep in mind that, depending on the tree species, you might see your green leaf brown a bit. This is normal and you need to keep that in mind when considering leaf color.
 

This is a great project for fall as well. All you need is wax paper, a thin towel, a leaf and a warmed iron.
 

Wax paper and crayon stained glass or sun catchers.
 

Make your own “stained glass” by using crayon shavings, wax paper and an iron.
 

Start with a sheet of wax paper and fold it in half so there’s a crease. Use a handheld pencil sharpener to create crayon shavings. Be as creative as you like with the colors. If you plan to make stained glass “hearts” use pinks and reds. But the choice is really up to you. Put wax-shavings evenly across one half of the paper. Fold over the clean half. Crimp the open edges by folding the wax paper over about half an inch. That way you won’t lose the shavings.
 

Put the wax paper on craft paper and cover it with another sheet of wax paper or a thin towel. Iron this lightly on medium heat. When all the shavings have melted let this cool. Cut this out into your desired shape and hang with string.
 

You can use this process to make hearts for Valentine’s Day or leaves for the fall. It’s really limited only by your creativity.
 

What you’ll need: waxed paper, waxed crayons (sometimes the cheaper brands work better), a hand held pencil sharpener, iron, craft paper or other scrap paper, scissors, string.
Perler beads are another fun option for working with an iron. Perler creates fusible bead products that you melt together with an iron.
 

You’ll need to buy them a craft store, or order them online.
 

First you choose your pegboard for the desired shape you want. The Company makes many different shapes of pegboards. Or you can make a design of your own.
 

Pick the colors that match as closely to the color you want for your particular project. Place the beads in the appropriate slots on the pegboard. The pegboard has little spikes that help you follow the pattern you choose.
 

Place parchment paper over the beads on the pegboard. With your iron on medium setting, slowly run the iron in a circular motion on the beads and pegboard for about 10 seconds or until the beads have fused together. Remove the parchment paper and carefully turn the pegboard to the other side. Slowly remove the pegboard. Put the parchment paper back and repeat the fusing process with the iron.
 

Keep in mind that any of these projects require adult supervision. Never leave a child unattended with a hot iron.

Shopping For a Commercial Blender

So, you think you’re in the market for a commercial blender? Is that because you’ve spent a lot of time watching the Food Network? Or do you really need one.
 

There are plenty of options for commercial blenders on the market. Finding the right one can be a challenge. But first, determine that you really need to upgrade from just a standard kitchen blender of the wedding present variety. Do a little research and make sure you’re making a wise investment.
 

Now, if you’re in business, as opposed to just wanting to upgrade the home kitchen, that’s a different story. If you’re in food service, a bar tender or even if you operate a health food store or spa, a commercial blender is probably a necessity. But for now, let’s just talk about options for bars.
 

For a bar operation, a commercial blender will combine the essential ingredients for the perfect cocktail. Bars serving daiquiris, frozen margaritas or other frozen drinks make having a blender a necessity.
 

When you’re selecting the right blender for your needs, consider the capacity you need. How many ounces will the blender jar or cup hold? If your bar is a popular spot for frozen margaritas or other blended drinks, you need to be prepared for multiple orders of the same drink. You should also consider the size of drinks you’re serving.
 

But keep in mind that for the most efficient use of your blender, you shouldn’t fill it more than three-quarters full. Nobody wants to spill a margarita.
 

The container, which is sometimes referred to as the blender jar or blender cup, can come in glass, plastic, or stainless steel. Do your guests sit at the bar and watch you work. A glass or plastic container allows you to showcase the drink as it is being blended. At the same time, stainless steel is more durable, and can present a sleek modern look.
 

Make sure the base of your blender is strong and durable. It needs to weigh about five pounds to be a sufficient foundation for the blender. That’s particularly true if you’re using a lightweight plastic container.
Appearance and maintenance are other considerations to give in selecting a blender base.
A chrome base can look really cool. But it may be hard to keep clean and streak free.
 

Stainless steel bases are attractive and give a professional look. But again, you’ll need to keep it clean. An option here is brushed stainless steel because it’s less likely to show fingerprints and drips. Keep in mind that over time stainless steel will rust if it’s scratched or cleaned with bleach.
 

Plastic can be durable and easy to clean. But it doesn’t always give the same professional look.
Consider also how much power you’ll need in a blender. For bar drinks, you won’t need the extra power a chef would to chop and puree.
 

A more important consideration will be speed. In the most basic sense, you need an on/off switch. A two-speed blender will have an option for high or low. A pulse feature will allow you to hold down or pulse on and off as you need to. For the most part, that will take care of a bartender’s blending requirements.
 

You can spend more for programming options which give you various speeds. It might be useful as a bartender to have the option to time the blending of the drinks. That allows the bartender to blend the drink while preparing the glass. But in most cases, bar blenders aren’t this advanced.
 

Choosing the right blender for your bar is a good long term investment for happy customers. And that means they’ll keep coming back.

A Coffee Maker’s Debut in British Product Placement

Product placement or embedded marketing in is not a new concept in the United States. Product placement is a form of marketing where branded goods or services are placed in the context of the story line of a televisionshow, a movie or in music videos. While the manufacturer pays for the placement, it’s not specifically identified as an advertisement.
 

Advertisers in America have long known that they could benefit from their products being integrated into the story lines and sets of popular shows. Likewise producers have understood that this meant aligning their show with certain brands, but that more importantly it meant money.
One of the more significant examples of product placement was the use of Reese’s Pieces in the movie “E.T.” Mars, Incorporated had been approached for the film, but their executives found E.T. so ugly they were afraid of frightening children. Much to their chagrin, the success of the movie showed that frightened children can be comforted by Reese’s Pieces.
 

Up until last year, Britain had a ban on product placement on television. British broadcasting had been resistant to product placement for fear of offending viewers. Setting the standard was the BBC that believed program was best when not cluttered with commercial interests. Critics were afraid that the relaxation would open the floodgates for American style brand promotion and would have an adverse effect on the viewing experience.
 

But in February of 2011, ITV’s This Morning became the first British television show to feature product placement by featuring a coffeemachine. The cappuccino machine became a regular fixture on the set of the show hosted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield. Still not quite comfortable with the concept, the British show had to put a “P” in the corner of the screen to warn viewrs that a product plcement was taking place.
 

The cost for Nescafe to have the Dolce Gusto espresso maker appear on This Morning was reportedly £100,000, that’s roughly $150,000 in U.S. dollars. The machine appeared in the studio kitchen, behind Chef Phil Vickery’s head. Reportedly, viewers couldn’t make out the name on the machine.
Studies showed that viewer response was mostly positive with some 30% saying they were likely to buy a coffee maker in the next year. Nearly 40% of the viewers said that their interest in that particular coffee maker increased because of the product placement.
 

More than a year later, it appears that product placement on British television is more commonplace. So much so that an uncommon man appeared to make an endorsement.
 

In April, Jesus Christ was brought along to endorse the Magnifica bean-to-cup cappuccino coffee maker. The coffee maker was set to play a starring role in ITV1’s next talent show, which was a Saturday night search for the lead in a new production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Andrew Lloyd Webber was heading up the panel of judges.
 

Sir Tim Rice, the lyricist of the hit musical called the show tasteless and tacky and said that it would be “ill-advised to have people voting for who should be Jesus.”
 

Director of Mediawatch UK, Vivienne Pattison said that "It shows that with product placement, anything goes. The purpose isn't to make better programs for viewers but to deliver viewers to advertisers."
 

But unlike the Nescafe placement on This Morning, ITV said the Magnifica was a “prop placement” not a “product placement” since the manufacturer had not paid to have the machine used during the series.
 

While coffee makers aren’t the only stars, product placement continues on British television. A recent deal between one of Britain’s best loved soap operas and the Welcome to Yorkshire Tourism agency calls for product placement in the show Emmerdale.

Making the Best Summer Blender Drinks

Whether you’re vacationing at the beach, or relaxing in the back yard, or on the balcony of your apartment building, a great way to chase away some of that summer heat is to enjoy a nice cold blended summer cocktail. The options are only limited by your imagination and your ability to search for new recipes.

More than the average chilled drink, a cocktail blended with ice or even ice cream is the perfect way to add some chill to triple digit temperatures. You can by the pre-mixed versions, but why waste the opportunity to toss in some of summer’s best fresh fruits?

Keep in mind that your home blender may not be able to handle ice or frozen fruit. So add them slowly until they’ve been reduced. That makes for easier blending.

Here are some great recipes for summer blended drinks. Keep in mind that these are just the basics. Recipe books or websites will give you plenty of other variations that will fit your mood and your theme.

Or you can experiment and make your own version. Who knows? You just might develop the next sensation in frozen blender drinks.

Frozen Margarita

While no one knows for sure, it is generally accepted that the Margarita was invented in Mexico in 1941 by a bartender named Don Carlos Orozco.

This is the basic lime version. But there are plenty of other flavor options available.

What you’ll need:

1 cup of ice
1 ½ oz. tequila
½ oz. Triple Sec
½ oz. lime juice
3 oz. sour mix Lime wedges for garnish
Salt for the glass rim (optional)

What to do:

Pour the ingredients into the blender
Blend until smooth
Salt the rim of a chilled margarita glass (salt is optional)
Pour the contents into the glass
Garnish with the lime wedge

Piña Colada

The Piña Colada was created in 1954 by Ramon "Monchito" Marrero Perez at the Beachcomber Bar in the Caribe Hilton of San Juan, Puerto Rico. He wanted to capture the tropics in a glass. Seems he did a pretty good job.

What you’ll need:

2 oz. white rum
6 oz. pineapple juice
1 ½ oz. cream of coconut
Maraschino cherry for garnish
Pineapple wedge for garnish
1 oz. heavy cream
What to do:
Blend all ingredients with approximately 2 cups of ice.
Strain into a hurricane glass
Garnish with cherry and pineapple wedge
Daquiri
The story is that an American mining engineer named Jennings Cox, in Cuba at the time of the Spanish-American War, invented the Daiquiri, which is also the name of a beach near Santiago, Cuba.
What you’ll need:
1 ½ oz. light rum
1 tbsp. Triple Sec.
1 ½ oz. lime juice
1 cherry for garnish
1 cup crushed ice

What to do:

Combine ingredients in blender
Blend until firm
Pour into a glass such as a champagne flute
Top with cherry

Grasshopper

A sweet mint-flavored, after-dinner drink that gets its name from the green color, the grasshopper is said to have orginated at Tujague's in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It gained popularity in the American South in the 1950s and 1960s.

What you’ll need:

1 oz. white cream de cacao
1 oz. green crème de menthe
½ cup milk
1 scoop of vanilla ice cream
½ cup ice
mint

What to do:

Blend crème de cacao, crème de menth, milk and ice cream until smooth
Add ice and blend to desired consistency
Pour into your favorite glass
Garnish with mint
For a special touch, sugar the rim of the glass

Give these recipes a try. But there’s nothing that says you have to limit your enjoyment to just summer.

How to Select a Good Toaster Oven

Having a good toasteroven in your kitchen will give you a lot of versatility. Of course, you can use a toaster oven to make toast, but it also can accomplish many other cooking tasks. For example, a toaster oven can bake, warm, reheat and broil all sorts of foods. In fact you can use this handy appliance for many routine cooking tasks, and you never have to turn your regular oven on. And, this appliance has the advantage of cooking without preheating – a big time saver. But what to look for and think about when choosing a toaster oven?

First, you will want to figure out if you want to buy a model that goes on your countertop, or buy one that can be fitted under a cabinet. If you want to have an oven that is more portable, you should get one for the countertop. If you want to have the toaster oven available all the time and not take up precious counter space, then opt for a built in.

Next, you should take a look at the space where you want to use your toaster oven. If you want to store it away when you are not using it, you also should measure the storage space where you want to place it.

Then, you should measure how far from where your toaster oven is going to sit to the closest electrical outlet. You should not use an extension cord with your appliance; this is a dangerous fire hazard. You will want to plug it straight into your wall. You should try to buy a toaster oven that has a long cord so that it can reach the outlet without any extension cord.

The next step is to think about what are the most important features for your toaster oven. What do you really want to use it for? Think about some of the following ideas:

• If space is at a premium, buy a smaller unit to make more counter space. Or, if you want to do a lot of cooking with it, you might want to buy a bigger one so that you have more cooking options. A big toaster oven can be used to bake whole chickens or large beef roasts. If the device has a rack that you can take out, you will have a lot more flexibility in what you cook with it.

• Choose a toaster oven that has a touchpad if being able to keep it clean is important. You can keep a flat touchpad much more clean than a dial. You will not have to worry about food debris getting caught in the edges of the dials. Also, a touchpad appliance is more accurate in terms of temperature than a dial unit.

• Choose a product that lets you to select warm/reheat or defrost, if you want to have that option instead of just with your microwave.

• You may want to pay a little bit more and buy a product that has a light on the inside. This will allow you to better see your food as it is cooking. This is very important when you are doing cooking tasks that are time sensitive, such as broiling or melting cheddar cheese.

As you can see, there are many things to consider when you are buying your toaster oven. If you do your homework, you can buy an inexpensive, versatile product that will help you to cook everything that you want and rarely needing to turn on your oven. Also, you will be able to really cut down on your electric bills.