Get Cookin' to this Playlist!

I love listening to music while I cook. I tend to get it pumpin' in the kitchen and then, as I finish up the dish, calm it down with a few low-key songs. Check out this playlist!

Source

Bartender by T-Pain (feat. Akon): The best way to start any recipe is with a glass of wine! Who better to serve it than T-Pain as bartender?!

Burn It Up by R.Kelly (feat Wisin & Yandel): Now, we don't really need to be burning things in the kitchen, but this song gets me groovin', and when I'm groovin', I'm COOKIN'!!

Fuego by Pitbull: Ah, now we're getting hot! On the same theme of burnin' it up, in a metaphorical sense.!

Breakin' Dishes by Rihanna: If this song doesn't get you bumpin', I don't know what will. But again, don't break the dishes, unless they just can't handle your culinary creativity!

Kitchen by Mary J Blige: To be honest, I just love that Mary J is talkin' about her kitchen...regardless of the double entendre. Protect your kitchen!

Hot N' Cold by Katy Perry: Whether you're making a hot meal or a cold dish, Katy Perry will definitely rock through it with ya!

Pour Some Sugar On Me by Def Leppard: Everything's better with a little sugar! ;)

Green Onions by Booker T and the MG's: As you follow more and more recipes, you'll find that tons of things are garnished with green onions! They make the plate look pretty and add a nice bite! What kind of playlist would this be if there was no garnish?

Syrup & Honey by Duffy: I love Duffy's voice and what better way to start putting things away while your meal cooks and start winding down from your busy day, then with a little syrup and honey?

Horchata by Vampire Weekend: Horchata is a Mexican delicacy, made with rice, vanilla and cinnamon, and Vampire Weekend is a great way to relax at the end of the day!

Lemon Meringue by Poe: What's dinner without dessert? ;)

I hope you enjoyed this playlist and it gets you jammin' in the kitchen! It doesn't have to be a chore to come home and make dinner each night! Make your own little party in your kitchen and enjoy yourself!

Go-Go Gadget: Citrus Squeezer

There are so many kitchen gadgets out there, and it's hard to determine which ones are necessary, and which ones will sit in your gadget drawer for years to come. We all have a few gadgets that don't work as well as we had hoped! I am as guilty of this as the rest of us, if not more so. I have a mango splitter that I have used once...I'll be honest, its usually easier with a knife. I thought it was a GREAT idea at the time though!



One gadget that I purchased awhile back is a citrus squeezer. This gadget is extremely handy for a number of reasons. The most important of these reasons is that you get the most juice out of each citrus half! The way the squeezer is designed also prevents seeds from falling into your dish. Nobody wants to find a lemon seed in their meal! I have the lemon squeezer because it's larger enough for both lemons and limes. The squeezer designed for limes is a bit small for a lemon half, so it's better, if you are only going to invest in one, that it be the lemon one. There is also one designed for oranges, but I tend to use orange juice from a carton in recipes calling for orange juice. However, if you like your fresh squeezed oranges, you can always pick one of those up as well.



There are larger, electric juicers that would accomplish the same effect, with even less physical strength but it's yet another appliance that will sit on your counter. I would recommend an electric juicer if you make a lot of smoothies, or fresh squeezed juice drinks. However, if you have recipes that call for a little citrus, these affordable citrus squeezers are the way to go. It saves time, gets more juice out of each half, and saves your dishes from those perilous seeds!