Product Review: Calphalon Unison Wok

Product: Calphalon Unison Wok, 13"
Price: About $100
Where to get it: Macy's and Amazon

The Jersey Girl's new wok, still in the box.

The new wok out the box and ready for its first wash up. Woo-hoo!

The wok taking care of some pepper steak business.

What it does: Cooks delicious stir-fries on your stove top.

Why I love it: Easy to clean; heats up evenly and efficiently; rocks a see-through lid so you can see what's going on up in there; fulfills a lifelong dream of being a wok owner.

What's not to like: It was a little bit wobbly on my burner, but I was about half-way into a bottle of wine, and I'm pretty much a wok amateur. So, you know, some practice and some sobriety and all should be good in my hood. Oh, and it's kind of awkward to store.

Don't forget: Since the wok is non-stick, be sure to cook with nylon or wooden utensils. Metal utensils will jack it up, big time. Ditto for cooking sprays. Use a light flavorless oil.

What I made: I tried out my wok by whipping up a fab pepper steak. Recipe will follow real soon!

Product Review: Cuisinart Party Pop Popcorn Maker

What it does: Makes super awesome fluffy fantastic popcorn, please see below:

A bowl of delishness. I add a bit of melted butter and a sprinkle of salt, natch.

OK, I admit it: I used a high-falutin' popcorn kernel. But The Husband deserves only the best.

White Cat Corn is available at Sur la Table.

Watching the kernels spin round and round provides minutes of entertainment.

Baby Evan has nothing to do with popcorn, but he is super cute, so

I thought I would share his loveliness with all y'all.

Why I love it: The popcorn produced is divine. I mean, you could go with a bag of microwaved mediocrity, but why would you when perfection can be made from this amazing piece of equipment? It is so worth the splurge if popcorn is your snacky poof of choice. Plus the popcorn maker is red, and red is my fave.

The backstory: This was a Christmas gift for The Husband, who is a huge fan of popcorn. The Jersey Girl could take or leave popcorn prior to eating popcorn made in this gadget. The popcorn coming out of this machine has cracklike qualities. Seriously.

I bought the popcorn maker while on maternity leave in an effort to get some Christmas shopping checked off my checklist before popping out a baby. Chances are the order was made during a 3 a.m. spell of insomnia/obsessing about pending baby (please see above.) After the bambino came out and I had a moment to reflect on my pregnant decision-making re: holiday shopping, I declared in a hormone/pain-killer induced haze, “Did I seriously buy a popcorn maker for The Husband? He’s going to think this is the lamest gift eva eva.” But in addition to the beer-of-the-month club subscription and authentic photo of Roy Halladay throwing a no-hitter during the Playoffs (The Husband was at the game), the Husband was all smiles about his ho ho gifts in 2010. Yay, me.

The bottom line: The Cuisinart Party Pop Popcorn Maker produces super yum yum popcorn that beats the pants off of faux microwave popcorn. Plus, it makes your house smell awesome. Plus, you can watch the kernels go pop, pop, pop, so you can amuse your 5-year-old, or 35-year-old. Gah. I’m going to be 35 in a few months. Yikes.

Anywho, The Jersey Girl household lurves our snazzy popcorn maker. Here are the deets and a link to its awesomeness.

Cuisinart Party Pop Popcorn Maker
Cost: $59.95
Where to buy it: Sur la Table
Comes with: a serving bowl, measuring cup and nifty recipe book.

Product Review: Le Creuset Square Grill Pan

Use: The Le Creuset Square Grill Pan lets you grill right inside your own home. It’s great for grilling vegetables, paninis and meats. The pan is easy to clean and comes in fantastic colors. The pan may also be used on your outside grill or in your oven.

The Back Story: The Jersey Girl received her rockin’ grill pan in the beautiful Cassis color from my numero uno mother-in-law for my last birthday. Be sure to oil it up really well so that your food does not stick. The pan heats up very evenly, which makes for more consistent cooking. Like most cast iron products and more specifically, Le Creuset products, this pan is quite heavy.

Cost: $89.95

Colors: Caribbean, Cassis, Cobalt, Flame, Kiwi and Red.

Where to Buy: Sur la Table

On the Wings of Love

The Husband grooves on Buffalo Wings.

So, I made him a batch very recently.

Help came from Harry and David’s Hot and Spicy Buffalo Wing Sauce.

Oh, hell's yeah. The sauce is awesome.

You can just use your fav hot wing sauce if you don’t have Harry and David’s on hand. But, I gots to say that those fellas Dave and Har sure know how to concoct a mighty fine wing sauce.

And this comes from a gal who lived in Pittsburgh for four years. They make awesome wings in the Burgh. And they put French fries in everything for some crazy Yinzer reason: salads, sandwiches, cereal.

No, not cereal.

But fries are a main component to so much food in the Burgh. It’s very trippy/fattening/really awesome when you’re drunk and starving at 2 a.m. and have the metabolism of a 19-year-old because you are a 19-year-old.

I tried finding you guys more deets on the Harry and David sauce, but it was an epic fail. I provided you the link to the Web site above, but it doesn't look like it is sold on the Web site.

On the QT: The sales associates at a nearby store informed me one fine day that Harry and David carries way more merchandise in the store as opposed to online. So, it looks like this item is available in store only. I bought it back during the season to be jolly so that The Husband had a nice thang or two in his stocking. But lucky for you, I am a saver of receipts come hell or highwater. The 13 oz. bottle cost $7.95. It is really very delish. The flavors are spicy and interesting. The Husband gave it 2 thumbs up.

To make Buffalo Wings, all you need is some flour, some butter and some hot sauce. Seriously. That’s all folks.

I added Cajun seasoning as my secret ingredient.

We bake the wings in a feeble attempt to be less unhealthy.

And with the wings I serve some veggies – your standard carrots and celery – with red peppers because The Husband loves red peppers.

Am I forgetting something?

Oh right. Blue cheese dressing.

I make it. It’s awesome. You need to try it. For reals.

Despite my stint in Pittsburgh, I don’t eat wings very often. That’s because they’re super messy and well, I’m high maintenance and I rock a lot of bling and lip gloss so eating with my hands doesn’t always work out.

Plus, two wings like completely fill me up.

And beer NEVER caught on with me.

Beer and wings are like soul mates.

So, I was destined to not be one with wings. But, when I make them, they really are very yummy. Messy wing fingers aside.

Buffalo Wings - Shaken Not Stirred ... I Mean Baked Not Fried
12 to 14 wings
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup flour
1 tsp. Cajun season.
¼ tsp. black pepper
Pinch of salt
1 cup your favorite hot wing sauce

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, Cajun seasoning, black pepper and salt. Toss the wings in the flour mixture.

Place butter in a large Pyrex rectangular baking dish. Place dish in oven to melt the butter.

Once butter is melted, remove Pyrex dish from oven. Place coated chicken wings in dish. Return baking dish to oven. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven.

Pour hot wing sauce over wings. Carefully coat the wings by tossing them with tongs.

Return baking dish to oven for 10 more minutes.

Serve with Very Manly Blue Cheese Dressing (see recipe below) and cut up veggies.

Very Manly Blue Cheese Dressing
5 ounces of crumbled blue cheese
¼ mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. milk
1tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. dried chives
¼ tsp. black pepper
Pinch of salt.

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients on medium speed until well combined. The dressing should be thick and very blue cheesy.

Serve with wings and cut up vegetables such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, bell peppers and scallions.

Product Review: Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender

Description: The Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender (CSB-77) is great for pureeing foods, especially soups, baby food, smoothies, gravies, sauces and dips. My model also came with a whisk and chopper gadget.

Why I love it: I bought this primarily for the pureeing aspect. I use it when making soups that need to be smooth. Using the Smart Stick is simple, and much cleaner than using a ladle to transfer hot soup to a standard blender or food processor. You can just puree straight away in your soup pot, and return your pot back to the stovetop and best of all, it barely causes spatters.

Other pluses: Easy to store (blender can be separated into two parts); easy to clean; if you don't have a food processor, the whisk and chopper attachment could help you with small food processor duties such as chopping garlic, onions and herbs.

Cost: About $50.

Where to buy: Crate and Barrel , Chef's Catalogue 

Product Review: Oliviers and Co. Basil Specialty Olive Oil

Why I love it: This fragrant specialty olive oil by Oliviers and Co. comes in a variety of flavors, but basil is the fav of the Jersey Girl and her husband. We had the opportunity to taste the basil as well as the lemon and chili pepper flavors on our vacay to Paris this past spring. The basil olive oil is fabulous for dipping fresh bread. It also works wonders on a fresh tomato salad. Use it to finish pasta dishes as well. It tastes like sunny Provence on a warm summer day. Love it.

Price: $13-$58, based on size.

Where to Buy: Oliviers & Co.

Product Review: Kuhn Rikon Paring Knife

Why I love it: This tiny, colorful steel-blade knife is heaven sent when cutting ingredients that tend to stick to your knife. Great for slicing butter, cream cheese, goat cheese, mozzarella and hard-boiled eggs. It really works. Nothing sticks to it! The knife comes with a cute blade cover so it’s protected when you store it.

Pros: Many fab colors to choose from, easy to store, many uses. Great stocking stuffers for the cooks in your fam.

Cons: Kind of pricey, but I’ve seen them at discount retailers – like HomeGoods. Yay, HomeGoods.

Where to Buy: Amazon , Sur la Table , Williams-Sonoma

Price: $9.95 each or $29.85 for a three-piece set from Williams-Sonoma.

Product Review: Epicurean Cutting Boards

Why I love them: Lightweight, easy to store, easy to clean, variety of sizes, stylish, dishwasher safe.

The back story: When my parents-in-law bought us the Mercedes of knives – Wusthof – I realized it was high time to be out with the old and in with the new. The Epicurean cutting boards are easy on knives, so they help keep the blades sharp. An Epicurean board would be a great gift for a foodie in your family.

Cons: Expensive

Price range: $13-$130

Where to buy: Sur la Table

Product Review: Le Creuset Silicone Spatulas

Why I love them: These colorful cooking tools are made of awesome. They come in a variety of colors: red, green, yellow, white, sparkly (my fav) and sizes. They are very durable and clean up beautifully.

The back story: After ditching my el cheapo spatulas that I received from my bridal shower and/or purchased as a newlywed, I started doling out bigger bucks for a fabulous Le Creuset spatula. My original spatulas were fraying and bending. Ick Nast! As an avid baker, I knew it was high time to up the ante on this important tool for awesome treats. Unfortunately, the cheap spatulas lasted about a year or so. My Le Creuset spatulas are five years strong and still going.

Uses: Depending on your size and shape, the spatulas are great for folding and stirring ingredients, removing batter from bowls, getting condiments out of jars and bottles, smoothing batter out in a pan.

Pros: Durable, heat resistant, colorful, many different shapes and sizes for different needs, versatile, pretty.

Cons: Pricey.

Cost: $9-$14

Where to buy: Sur la Table

Product Review: Harney and Sons Fine Tea

Why I love it: This delish tea by Harney and Sons is amazing. It comes in gorgeous silk bags in a variety of flavas. It truly puts other teas to shame. The Paris flavor is my fav.

The back story: I first came across Harney and Sons Tea as a gift from my mother-in-law, natch. She bought me the Le Creuset tea pot in Sonoma green from Williams-Sonoma. So, with it she included some fabulous tea that smelled intoxicating and came wrapped in silk. No joke. The flavor was Hot Cinnamon Spice. We both came across Harney and Sons Tea while out at dinner in Stone Harbor a few years ago. It was there, at Jays on Third, when Harney’s Paris flavor was bestowed upon me. It’s been love ever since. It had me at first sip. Mark/Santa filled my stocking with a tin of the Harney and Sons Paris variety in 2008. It is my absolute favorite, and I’m hoping for a repeat in 2009. Fortunately, I found the Paris flavor at the Marlton, N.J., Williams-Sonoma store this past spring a few weeks before our trip to Paris. I bought three containers. It tastes heavenly. It’s a black tea that is as mesmerizing as the city.

Pros: Tasty, cute tins, great flavors, aromatic, silk satchels.

Cons: Expensive, hard-to-find.

Where to Buy: Harney and Sons

Prices: $8 for 20 tea satchels. Harney also sells loose teas and tea in teabags, so prices vary. They often offer free shipping when your purchase is more than a certain dollar amount.