Progressive Nut Chopper

I use nuts quite a bit in baking and cooking and usually purchase them in whole in multi-pound bags. While economical, this can lead to a large time investment chopping them for individual recipes. I recently picked up a gadget that significantly cuts down on prep time, the Progressive Nut Chopper.

I picked this gadget up quite a few weeks ago at Orange Tree Imports, but didn't get around to using it until I made Zucchini Bread, which required 1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts. (It also came in quite handy for Sugar Snap Peas with Walnuts and Feta). It took less than a minute to chop the nuts I needed for the recipe. Just drop the nuts in the top and turn the handle clockwise or counterclockwise (depending on if you want a fine or coarse chop) until you have the desired amount in the measuring cup reservoir. The grinder top unscrews from the measuring cup reservoir to remove add the chopped nuts to your recipe. I only wish I had bought this much sooner! I can't speak to it's durability yet, but for only $7.56 on Amazon (I paid a bit more at Orange Tree Imports), it will pay for itself quickly considering the significant difference between the price of chopped and whole nuts in the baking aisle.

Chef'n Cheese Slicer

I LOVE kitchen gadgets. And as my husband will tell you, I own too many. I have the brands that I can always depend on like Cuisinart and Kitchenaid (I'm a sucker for anything red and Kitchenaid), but I'm open to almost any brand that has a useful and sturdy-looking tool. A few weeks ago on an unintended detour to Williams-Sonoma (I couldn't help myself while I was in the mall) I picked up the Chef'n Cheese Slicer.

 I buy most of my cheese from the farmer's market in big blocks but I always end up cutting slices on an angle. Being an extremely type-A Wisconsin girl, properly preparing cheese is very important, especially when cutting slices for a sandwich. This tool is fantastic! It easily cuts through a big block of cheese and delivers nice, even slices every time. The dial on the side allows you to select from three different thicknesses-I generally use the thinnest for slices for sandwiches and the middle thickness for when I want a bit thicker slice and for slices for grilled cheese. I haven't had occasion to use the thickest setting yet, but with a deep and profound love for cheese, I don't think it will be long before I do. It also makes cutting through big blocks of cheese a breeze! The only downside is that your slices are limited by the width of the slicer, but for most uses the size is just fine with me.

At only around $10, this slicer is a steal! If you eat a lot of cheese it'll actually probably end up saving you money since it will no longer be necessary to pay a premium for sliced cheese instead of buying blocks. I was a little hesistant at first about buying a tool for something I can do myself (although not superbly), but this has been well worth the small investment.