The Best Drinking Glasses For Everyday Use in 2024
It’s a tall order to name the best drinking glasses sets out of the thousands of options out there. Luckily, I spent nearly two decades as a drinkware buyer for a top tableware retailer, so I come armed with a list of tried-and-true faves. For this review, I narrowed the field down to glassware brands […]
Tritan Plastic Glasses: 10 Top Brands for 2024
Tritan plastic glasses are the latest innovation in plastic drinkware, offering a perfect combination of clarity and elegance with superior durability and easy care. Along with being unbreakable, dishwasher-safe and available in a wide selection of colors and styles, Tritan plastic glasses are also BPA-free, unlike their polycarbonate counterparts. 10 Best-Selling Tritan Drinkware Brands Here […]
Best Plastic Wine Glasses for Everyday Use in 2024
With so many choices of plastic wine glasses, picking the best line can be hard, and believe me, I know! I’ve worked with restaurant-quality plastic glasses for over a decade and have tried and tested all of the top names in plastic tableware. This review compares top-rated plastic wine glass brands for everyday use. Each line […]
The Ultimate Plastic Dinnerware Shopping Guide for 2024
Every year, a new round of plastic dinnerware and tableware sets hits the market. But to shop smart, you need to know which types of plastics are truly designed to hold up to daily use. We reviewed the various types of plastics used to make plastic dinnerware in terms of overall durability, break and scratch […]
Unbreakable Plastic Drinking Glasses: 5 Best Types to Buy in 2024
Unbreakable plastic glasses that truly live up to the name “unbreakable” are made from only three types of plastic – polycarbonate, Tritan, or polypropylene. Plastic glasses made from other types of plastic, like acrylic or SAN, aren’t unbreakable. They might be labeled break-resistant or shatterproof, but they can break when dropped on a hard surface. […]
Ultimate Guide To The Best Plastic Dinnerware 2024
Plastic tableware is an outdoor dining staple in most homes, and its popularity as everyday dinnerware is on the rise. Nowadays, plastic dishes come in a vast array of styles and colors, including dinnerware sets that mimic the look and feel of ceramic or stoneware dishes. Most plastic tableware is practically unbreakable and dishwasher-safe thanks […]
Best Unbreakable Glassware for Home and Bar in 2024
Virtually unbreakable glassware is made in one of three ways: tempering, annealing, or infusion–which combines glass with a metal such as titanium at the molecular level. Each method produces extremely break-resistant glass drinking glasses. While no glassware is truly “unbreakable,” glasses made using these methods withstand far more abuse than standard glass drinking glasses. If […]
How To Make S’mores In The Microwave in Just 30 Seconds
Just when I thought it was safe to pull out my size 6 jeans, I find a microwave S’mores maker. S’mores, at home, without flaming marshmallows streaking through the air and landing on hapless siblings??? Happiness itself! If you have kids (or are still a kid yourself), and have a little extra storage space, it’s a fun and inexpensive addition to your kitchen treat makers.
Scare Up Some Fun With the Best Halloween Cake Pans for 2024
No fright-night get-together is complete without a spooktacular Halloween cake. Shopping for skull, ghost, or jack-o’ lantern-shaped cakes? How about a tasty 3D haunted mansion or frosting-oozing brains for your party centerpiece this year? These top-selling Halloween cake pans make it easy to whip up spooky snacks like these—and more. Several top-rated bakeware brands make […]
5 Best Margarita Blenders for 2024
The best margarita blenders have powerful motors and strong blades that get the ice texture just right. You simply can’t have a great frozen margarita without perfect crushed ice! Here’s a quick look at 5 top-rated high-performance blenders offering the powerful motor and high-quality blades needed to make the perfect margarita. Best Margarita Blenders At-a-Glance Clearly, […]
Best Bundt Pans & Bundt Cake Keepers for 2024
The best bundt cake pans cook evenly, release cakes cleanly and keep the fine details intact. Bundt cake pans come — quite literally — in all shapes and sizes. You’ll find heavy cast aluminum and thin-walled bundt pans, nonstick and uncoated surfaces, and plain and decorative styles. With so many choices, picking the best can […]
Best Glass and Plastic Stemless Wine Glasses for 2024
Multi-use stemless wine glasses are fast becoming a mainstay in homes, restaurants and bars. With the growing popularity of this drinkware shape, shoppers can now choose from a wide range of both glass and plastic stemless wine glasses in many shapes and colors. Here’s a roundup of our favorite stemless wine glass brands for and […]
Best-Selling Bundt Cake Pans – Bundt You Want Me, Baby?
Yes, it’s a shameful nod to an 80’s song, bundt I hope you will forgive me. That’s how much I love a good bundt cake pan! I simply love bundt cakes, and it’s no wonder. If you’ve seen the amazing cakes you can whip up using the fabulous decorative bundt pans from Nordicware, you’d understand […]
Fave! Michley Unbreakable Plastic Tumblers & Wine Glasses
The Michley collection is one of my personal favorites. It’s crafted from restaurant-grade BPA-free Tritan plastic and made to withstand the bumps, bonks and splats of busy bars and restaurants. So it’s sure to meet the demands of indoor and outdoor dining at home. Top Picks in the Michley Plastic Drinkware Collection When I first reviewed […]
Thanksgiving Prep: 5 Steps to a Stress-Free Holiday
I love hosting Thanksgiving, I think even more than hosting Christmas, and I have managed to sidestep house prep woes this year – but that has not always been the case! Here’s how I’ve managed to host Thanksgivings for more than 15 people on a working mom’s schedule and in a house that seats, say 12 on a good day.
Video DIY: 5 Easy Steps to a Party-Perfect Buffet Table in Any Size Space
Ever been to a party with great food on a beautifully arranged buffet table all served up by an unruffled host? If you’re like me, you’ve probably left a few of these parties wondering just how they pulled it off. While the host who throws perfect parties time after time may seem a magician, there’s […]
5 Yummy Recipes Using Tortilla Chips
Another Superbowl is in the bag, party cleanup is done, and thanks to the generosity of our guests, we have about 10 bags of leftover tortilla chips. Now I am a true Texan and chips and salsa practically runs through my veins, but even I am hard pressed to eat 10 bags of chips in […]
Video DIY: Set Stylish Holiday Tables on a Budget
Is the party at you house this year? Decorating a festive table doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can easily set stylish holiday tables on a budget that look like a million bucks! Take a look at these great table settings that are holiday-ready for any type of get together, from casual to festive […]
Video DIY: Thanksgiving Kids’ Tables Made Easy with These Simple Tips
Ah, the kid’s table… the spot where, if lucky, you might corral busy youngsters for a whopping seven minutes during Thanksgiving dinner. It’s always just enough time for them to smear potatoes across their face, drop their plate on the floor, then materialize at the grownups’ table just as you’re getting seated… But we can fix that!
5 Easy Ways to Add Color to Fall Decorating with Inexpensive Silk Leaves
Fall seems to be a time of decorating quick-change. Within 60 days, we move from spooky Halloween décor, to russet-hued fall colors, to Christmas sparkle and shine. Add to that holiday entertaining, parties, shopping and kid’s school needs, and the holiday season becomes busy indeed! That’s why I look for easy and quick decorating options, […]
DIY Homemade Recipe In a Jar Gifts
Homemade recipe in a jar gifts with beautifully layered ingredients topped with a flourish are a thoughtful and economical way to treat friends, coworkers, neighbors or teachers to the flavors of the season. And making them is easy and fun – especially if you get the kids involved. Jar recipes for everything from cookies to […]
DIY: Spice Up Your Kitchen with a Window Herb Garden
A few basic shelves and spare containers turn any sunny window into a garden spot! Fresh herbs brighten any meal, from simple soups to gourmet dinners. But how many busy family cooks can step away from simmering pots and active kids to harvest a last-minute touch of tarragon? Here’s a better idea. With an attractive […]
Faves! Bar Tools & Wine Accessories
I have one rule when it comes to testing a bar or wine tool. I should be able to use it after a drink or two. I think this is a sensible rule and one I put into play on several buying trips. As a Texas-based buyer, the big homewares market at the Dallas Market […]
Fave! Strahl Unbreakable Plastic Drinkware
Strahl plastic glassware is a Top Tableware Fave in my book for style, quality and durability. I know the line very well since we stocked and sold it for over 15 years, plus I’ve used it in my own home even longer than that. Strahl is sold directly through Amazon so we no longer stock it, but I still highly recommend it. […]
Faves! Plastic Drinkware: Cups, Glasses & Tumblers
If you’re in the market for plastic glasses or tumblers of any sort you’re in luck. Plastic drinkware is no longer a seasonal line. We retail buyers source it year-round and it commands a proud place as an everyday essential on store shelves and kitchen tables. Chalk it up to busy lifestyles, the rise of better quality […]
Faves! Serving Essentials
Who doesn’t love a good party? That’s an easy one — the party host who doesn’t have the right serving tools! Talk about misery — shuffling through cabinets, searching for platters, trays and bowls big enough to serve a crowd. You know what? I just described my first come-one-come-all family Thanksgiving as new bride. But […]
Faves! Recipe Organizers
Ask any cook what they love to collect and recipes are sure to be a top answer. From magazine clippings to computer printouts to well-loved recipe cards handed down through the years, organizing recipes in their many forms can be a daunting task. Luckily there are numerous recipe organizers to suit just about any collecting […]
Fave! Forever & Grand Plastic Drinkware by Prodyne
We stocked Prodyne brand kitchenware for many years and their Forever & Grand unbreakable plastic drinkware lines are tops in my drinkware Top Faves. We no longer carry Prodyne since they sell direct on Amazon now, but we sold it for over a decade, so I know it well. I definitely recommend Prodyne’s Forever and Grand […]
Fave! Napa BPA-Free Plastic Wine Glasses & Stemware
The plastic stemware collection we once sold under the Napa brand now goes by many names — Sonoma, Leadingware, even Wine Enthusiast on occasion. But whatever the name, these plastic wine glasses are a Top Fave in my book. They’re simply the closest match in size, style and feel to quality glass wine stems — […]
Fave! Clarus Brand Plastic Drinkware
The Clarus plastic drinkware collection is a Top Tableware Fave in my book for style, quality and durability – and I know it well since we stocked and sold it since its introduction nearly 10 years ago. Clarus is now sold direct from the manufacturer through Amazon so we longer stock it, but I still […]
Faves! NordicWare Plastic Microwave Cookware & Dishes
NordicWare Plastic Microwave Cookware is amazingly versatile, offering many specialty pieces that take full advantage of microwave cooking patterns. We stocked most of the line here for well over a decade and still use it daily both in our office kitchen and in our own homes. It’s definitely my Top Fave for plastic microwave dishes […]
Fave! Cakepops Made Easy with the Cake Pops Baking Pan
If you’re a fan of cakepops (and really, who isn’t?), then you’ll love this kitchen fave. It’s the Cake pops Baking Pan, proudly made in the USA by bakeware leader, NordicWare. Making cakepops usually involves rolling crumbled bits of cake together with frosting to create the “pop”. While this method works, it’s a messy process […]
Faves! Tailgating Party Essentials for Sports Fans on the Go
The tailgating party is a main attraction on game day. Whether its a parking lot potluck or a snazzy sit-down affair complete with RV, canopy and outdoor kitchen, tailgating is always one thing — a party! And we’ve found some great ways to serve up your favorite fans in style. Kick off serving with mingle-friendly […]
Video DIY: Easy to Make Wine Glass Charms
Help party guests keep track of wine glasses and other stemware with these easy-to-make wine glass charms. A pair of needlenose pliers and a quick trip down the beading aisle at the craft store is all it takes to make these stylish and inexpensive dangles. They make a great gift, too! Best of all… NO crafting skills […]
Faves! Disposable Partyware
As if you don’t have enough to worry about when planning a party! Have you SEEN the vast array of disposable tableware options online? Not to mention the number of places selling disposable partyware and dishes? My head spins. Frankly, I say hit the dollar store for most party needs these days. Our Dollar Tree […]
Faves! Plastic Stemware & Specialty Glasses
If you’re in the market for plastic martini or margarita glasses, champagne flutes, or specialty stemware like hurricanes or dessert dishes, you’re in luck. Once considered summertime wares, plastic stemware is now available all year long, and with ample choices to fit any need. We sold many different plastic stemware lines for years, but most […]
Faves! Durable Plastic Mugs for Beer, Coffee & More
If you’re in the market for plastic mugs that look great and hold up to years of use, check out my reviews and top picks below before you go shopping. For over 15 years, we carried a nice variety of beer and beverage mugs in durable, dishwasher-safe plastics. Most of our lines (in fact, all) […]
3 Super-Easy Super Bowl Party Menu Ideas
The last place any Superbowl party host wants to be on game day is stuck in the kitchen wondering about the latest score. Since we host annual Superbowl parties with upwards of 60 guests I have, in the past, found myself stuck in the kitchen doing just that. But no more! Now I serve up […]
Easy Hummus Recipe: Better Than Store-Bought
The best hummus recipe! 5/5 Hummus… this versatile dip essential to middle-eastern cuisine is moving mainstream. Rich, creamy and protein-packed, it’s a great way to add a healthy and flavorful kick to your next party or get-together. Store-bought hummus is delicious but is often made with far more fat than needed, so I always make my […]
Super Easy Guacamole Dip Recipe
I’m a born-and-bred Texan, so guacamole is essentially my fifth food group (together with salsa and queso). It’s a staple as necessary as olive oil in my kitchen. Seriously, what’s not to love about this healthy, yummy, easy-to-make dip? Loaded with nutrition and healthy fats (yes!), it spices up or cools down any number of […]
The Miracleware Microwave Rice Cooker: Easy Cooking Instructions
If you’ve lost your MiracleWare or PrepSolutions Microwave Cookware Instructions and need a replacement copy, you can find them below. MiracleWare and PrepSolutions plastic microwave cookware collections are made by a terrific brand — Progressive Intl. — and we stocked and sold it ourselves for years. We recommend both collections if you’re looking for durable […]
How to Cook Up the Perfect Easter Egg
Decorating and hunting brightly colored eggs tops many Easter to-do list, and it all starts with the simple boiled egg. Here are a few tips for cooking up the perfect egg without cracking shells, and how to keep them fresh so they don’t go to waste after Easter. To boil up the perfect Easter egg, […]
When Life Gives You 100+ Degree Temps, Make Lemonade! Here’s a great recipe…
Hi ya’ll — from Texas! My car thermometer hit 100 for the outdoor temp when I parked a second ago, and I have a hankering to make lemonade. And yes, I do actually use the term “hankering” on a regular basis, so this is authentic me — Texas bred, baby! Homemade lemonade is really a […]
Video DIY: Make an Easy Summertime Centerpiece with a Galvanized Bucket
Dress up summertime tables or add a pop of color anywhere you need it with this super easy summertime centerpiece! Start with a plain galvanized bucket from the hardware store (or a fancier version from the crafts store), add a few bunches of faux sunflowers or colorful daisies, and finish it off with a ribbon […]
Video DIY: Fun Golf Themed Party Table Idea
Does someone in your life spend the afternoon chillin’ (or getting serious) on the back nine? If you’re scratching your head for ways to celebrate the love of the game, here’s a fun golf themed party table we put together for our friends at eHow.com to get your creative juices flowing! This table theme comes […]
RECIPE: The World’s Easiest Stuffed Bell Peppers
This recipe invented itself last night out of necessity and I’m so, so glad for it. I had a stack of beautiful red, green and yellow bell peppers left over from a video shoot Friday (used them in a vegetable centerpiece, fun!), and I thought, Yum! Stuffed bell peppers for Sunday dinner. Well, as usual, […]
Video DIY: How to Decorate a Table with Calla Lilies
We filmed a series of fun table setting videos for eHow.com recently and our How to Decorate a Table with Calla Lilies creates one of my absolute favorite table looks — elegant Calla Lilies paired with silver, white and green. I think it’s a great look for summer weddings or special occasions… elegant, formal and […]
Video DIY: Decorate a Fun Basketball Themed Party Table
Here’s a fun Basketball Themed Party Table idea we were asked to do for eHow.com. It’s so easy to put together and fun for any game day table, complete with an interactive basketball centerpiece sure to please any fan. Our basketball goal centerpiece centerpiece works great on both sit-down tables and buffet tables if you’re […]
Video DIY: Girls Dance Party Table Ideas
Got Ballerinas? Here are some fun little girls dance party table ideas that will make any ballerina-princess spin with glee! We were recently asked by eHow.com to come up with some fun and easy party table ideas… including this one for a little girls’ dance party. Here’s how we did it: Table runner: Just cut […]
Create a Family Movie & MYO Pizza Night that Begs an Encore Performance
Looking for a little family time? Try luring everyone in for an evening with a movie and make-your-own pizza night. All it takes is a quick stop at the store for a few pizza essentials and a great movie to have family night in the bag. Here are a few ideas to get you started. […]
Home Alone with a Banana Pudding… a Recipe with a Confession
Despite the title, I am not right now at home, alone, with a banana pudding. If I were I’d be home alone, but the banana pudding would be long gone — all of it, down the the last pudding-soaked ‘Nilla-wafery crumb. I love it that much. No, instead I’m at work suffering through the knowledge […]
Faves! Plastic Dishes and Glasses Made in the USA
In the age of endless imports filling store shelves, it may surprise (even shock?) you to know that yes, there are still a few things being made right here in the good ‘ol U.S.A. That includes plastic dishes, glasses and other tableware items. Nice ones, too! Since we’ve specialized in sourcing great-quality plastics for kitchen and […]
A Superbowl Party Menu Idea That’s Easy on the Cook!
If you’re like me, the last place you want to be on game day is in the kitchen yelling into the family room to get the latest score. But I’ve found myself there in the past – especially since hosting Superbowl is a bit of a tradition in our home. For example, last year we […]
Video DIY: How to Make Custom Recipe Binders & Card Boxes
Recipe binders are a great way to organize all of those clipped recipes from magazines, recipe printouts, and cards all in one convenient go-to cookbook. Customized recipe binders with a few family favorites tucked inside are also wonderful gifts for brides, new moms, kids starting out, or friends and family. Plus we have some ideas for making custom recipe boxes, too! Here’s a look […]
Tips to Keep Dishwasher Safe Plastic Glasses Looking Good
Oh, the promise a plastic glass labeled “top rack dishwasher-safe” holds! Carefree kitchens with drinkware that’s not only unbreakable, but dishwasher-friendly. But anyone with a dishwasher less than ten years old may hold a different view. Their “top rack dishwasher-safe” tumblers often come out of the top rack crackled, scaly or clouded – sometimes after just a few wash cycles. What gives?
Four Quick & Easy Kitchen Organization Tips for Holiday Entertaining
With a little planning, a quick clean out and some handy tools made to work in tight spaces, busy cooks can make the most of stingy kitchen storage and conquer clutter status-quo – in just a few easy steps.