Reviews by RoobyBegonia

RoobyBegonia says "Civilized professional-quality machine" about Janome Memory Craft 6600 Professional

RoobyBegonia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:15:51 GMT

If you are serious about garment sewing, crazy for quilting, a hard-core heavy fabric sewist, or you want to make delicate heirloom baby clothes - this machine will do it all. Janome scored bigtime when they designed this machine - as evidenced by selling the same machine for the last five years without modifying it.

Wth a maximum speed of 1000 stitches per minute (on a straight stitch) means you'll power through long straight seams. (The average home sewing machine stitches 600 spm.) With adjustable speed you can slow it down for detail work - or teaching folks how to sew without scaring the heck out of them.

Janome added a feature to this machine called the Accu-Feed system - essentially a built-in walking foot that feeds both the top and bottom layer of fabric through the machine at the same rate, eliminating seam puckering on even the most slippery fabrics.

It also handles different threads with ease - including specialty decorative threads that are often more delicate. If...

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RoobyBegonia says "Terrific capacity and plenty of power for stiff doughs" about KitchenAid Professional 6qt Bowl Lift Stand Mixer

RoobyBegonia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:05:57 GMT

Oh, I do love my KitchenAid stand mixer! Need to double a cookie recipe? You won't have dough falling out over the sides of your mixing bowl with a 6 quart bowl. Tired of hearing (and smelling) the motor bogging down while mixing stiff doughs? Won't happen. Already killed your old mixer? Replace it with this one.

My grandma had a 4-1/2 quart KitchenAid mixer - my 30-yr old daughter is still using it. Seriously, these things are one of the few remaining high-quality American-manufactured appliances.

I had a 5-qt mixer but I passed that along to my son who loves to cook after receiving this as a Christmas gift from my husband. I know some women take offense at receiving cooking-related gifts, but I'm certainly not one of them!

One of the things I use it for a LOT is mixing meatloaf. I really hate doing it by hand - the meat is cold and hurts my joints, and I have to remove my jewelry so I don't have crusty dried meatwads in it. I use the dough hook - meatloaf is a BREEZE...

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RoobyBegonia says "You'll never miss a shot again with this in your handbag" about Nikon - Coolpix S550 Digital Camera

RoobyBegonia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:40:29 GMT

The greatest, most hi-tech, zillion megapixel camera in the world does you no good if you don't have it with you because it's too big and you don't want to drag a camera bag around all day. We have a fabulous digital SLR that I use when I'm specifically going out to shoot pictures - and I have this one that is always in my handbag. It's more than a point-and-shoot, though, and takes exquisite photographs.

With 10 megapixels and a 5x optical zoom, a Nikkor lens (glass, unlike the plastic lenses in some digitals), and some pretty impressive in-camera software, you'll won't be sacrificing picture quality. Comparing the abilities of this little gem with your cell phone camera is like comparing a Cadillac with Pinto.

Most cameras have red-eye reduction now - the flash briefly flashes before the flash picture is taken, causing the subject's pupils to contract. The S550 has that - and it also has in-camera software to correct red-eye after the shot. This is a real bonus for folks who...

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RoobyBegonia says "Most versatile and often-used appliance in my kitchen" about Cuisinart TOB-195 Toaster Oven

RoobyBegonia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:48:13 GMT

My grandmother turned me on to toaster ovens years ago - she and my grandfather trekked all over the country in a camper and then a small trailer after Grampa retired. She was a marvelous cook, and relied on her toaster oven for most of her baking and cooking on the road.

Toaster ovens have come a long way since then! I've had three over the years, and this is the best one I've had so far. Seriously, not a day goes by that we don't use it for SOMETHING. Of course there is the morning English muffin, but this appliance does SO much more.

Interior size: with a roomy 12" x 12" interior, you can even heat frozen pizzas in it. My favorite 9" x 9" Le Creuset baking dish (also reviewed) fits perfectly and I can bake cornbread, chicken breasts, and fish portions without heating up the whole kitchen. Want a quick tray of nachos? Your oven-proof dinner plates will fit right in.

Crumb tray: NEVER, and I mean it, never buy a toaster oven without a removable crumb tray. This...

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RoobyBegonia says "Really a 'can't live without' kitchen appliance" about Cuisinart Limited Edition Metal 14-Cup Food Processor

RoobyBegonia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:32:47 GMT

I purchased this food processor last year, having given my ex the custody of my previous 11-cup Cuisinart food processor. This is truly a heavy-duty appliance and I expect it will last me the rest of my life. Speaking of time - the warranty is 3 years 'bumper to bumper' and 20 - yes - TWENTY - years on the motor! When was the last time you saw anything with a twenty-year warranty?

With 3/4 horsepower (more than my first car, I think), you can chop, blend, shred and grate through just about anything. The cutting disks are all metal - no cracking plastic disks after the first couple of years. (Remember - NEVER put your cutting blades and disks through the dishwasher - treat them like you would your high-quality knives.)

The feed tube system has been changed from my older model - this one is much more convenient. The included whisk attachment makes fabulous whipped cream in no time flat.

The base is shiny stainless steel - real metal, not plastic painted to look like metal. ...

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RoobyBegonia says "We renamed this the Rubber Chicken Machine!" about George Foreman Super Large Value Grill

RoobyBegonia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:11:02 GMT

I bought this grill at Costco and thought it was going to be a really awesome addition to my collection of kitchen small appliances and gadgets. I used it approximately five times and sold it on eBay for $5 with the title "Rubber Chicken Machine". At the time I bought it I had five adults to feed on a regular basis, so I wanted the biggest one they made. I was thinking it would be nicer to use an indoor grill during our rainy Seattle weather than standing out at the barbeque.

Problem #1: Because the grill is so big, the 'lid' is naturally heavier. That has the effect of completely pressing any moisture out of the meat being cooked. Yes, it presses the fat out of cheap hamburger (which I don't buy), but it also presses out all other liquid. The result - rubber chicken in record time!

Problem #2: Absolutely one of the most difficult to clean appliances I've ever had in my kitchen. A couple of times I cooked teriyaki-marinated chicken breasts on it, and the teriyaki sauce,...

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RoobyBegonia says "My favorite coffee maker" about Keurig Platinum Brewing System

RoobyBegonia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:52:04 GMT

We bought this coffee-maker over a year ago after reading about it on someone's blog - now there's a first! :) As a Seattle native, I like good coffee - and that doesn't always and only mean Starbucks. I like a good dark roast, and I like it fresh. There's no better way to get a fresh cup of coffee than to make one cup at a time. The brewer I have is a little different from the newer version of the Platinum Brewer on the Keurig website (www.keurig.com) but works essentially the same. You use a single K-cup - a small plastic container with a foil lid - that is filled with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. You open the machine with a lever and put the K-cup inside and close it - the top and bottom of the K-cup are pierced and hot water from the internal reservoir is pumped through it, much like an espresso machine. You can program the machine to turn on and off at specific times of the day, or just leave it on so there is hot water on demand at all times (which is what I do.) ...

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RoobyBegonia says "Not the shampoo for color-treated hair." about Garnier Fructis Moisture Works Shampoo

RoobyBegonia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 01:12:16 GMT

I have my hair colored by my stylist and it is pretty expensive - so I am very careful about the shampoo and conditioners I buy. My hair is reddish brown with blonde highlights, and red is the most fade-prone color you can dye your hair because the red dye molecule is the smallest. I chose this shampoo because it specifically said on the label that it was for 'color-treated hair.' Alas - my newly-colored hair faded in record time. It was winter and I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I know it wasn't from too much time in the sun (and I'm a natural redhead and don't 'do' sun anyhow.) The shampoo smells good and my hair had a nice feel - but I ended up giving away the remainder of the Costco-sized bottle to a friend who doesn't color her hair (except purple sometimes - lol.) On the other hand - if you ever dye your hair and the color is too much - this would be a GREAT shampoo to use! :)

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RoobyBegonia says "No wonder Obama wouldn't give up his Blackberry!" about Blackberry - Storm Cell Phone

RoobyBegonia — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:05:48 GMT

My fiance and I each got a Blackberry Storm as soon as they came out. The quality of the product is excellent, albeit there is definitely a learning curve. I love having a QWERTY keyboard for texting - I hated texting before on a regular cell phone keypad and now it is the most common way I communicate with my 30-yr old daughter who resides another state. I appreciate having my Outlook contacts and calendar synchronized so that my information is always at hand. I can read the new at CNN.com while I'm waiting in a doctor's office or take my grocery list (and recipes!) with me. With 8gb of memory, I can have lots of MP3's and pictures - the MP3 player is wonderful. I used to carry a PDA, a cell phone, and an MP3 player - now one device does it all and marvelously. The only downside is that it is NOT a good choice for women with long nails. You actually have to use your fingertips, not your nailtips, to type. I actually gave up my nail-salon habit because it made it so difficult to...

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RoobyBegonia says "Le Crueset's stoneware baking dishes are simply the best!" about Le Creuset Stoneware Baking Dishes

RoobyBegonia — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:24:49 GMT

I purchased my first piece of Le Crueset stoneware after accidentally breaking a stack of baking dishes while packing for a move. If I'd have known how much I would love the Le Crueset bakeware, I'd have dropped those other dishes a long time ago! :) The 9x9 pan makes the most perfect cornbread EVER - evenly browned and nicely crispy around the edges. The 12x9 baking dish is perfect for four large chicken breasts, a nice filet of halibut, or even a spiral-cut ham. I use one or both of these dishes just about every time I cook. And here's the best part - they are a snap to clean. I couldn't believe how easy they are to wash. What would be a burned-on mess in another pan is a piece of cake (literally!) in the Le Crueset bakeware. They look great on the table, too, and are available in a variety of colors - I chose the 'Kiwi', which is a lime-green. Now if they'd just make them in eggplant! :)

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