Reviews by Friends of WhitechapelMaiden

Meri says "So long overdone rolls, so long burnt cookies... " about Pampered Chef Stoneware

Meri — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:10:32 GMT

Pampered Chef Stoneware turned me into an awesome baker. If I had not experienced baking with it I probably would be quite skeptical. So long overdone rolls, so long burnt cookies... truly amazing.

I have never burned baked goods while using the Pampered Chef Stoneware pieces. In fact, my cookies look as if I bought them at a bakery- perfectly baked to a golden brown. The secret to the way it browns is in the way the stoneware is made- each piece of stoneware is formed from a natural stoneware clay that evenly distributes heat and draws moisture away from the stone. As if that isn't enough of a sell, the stone retains heat so it acts like a warming dish after the items are baked. Somehow, it doesn't burn the baked item.

Seasoning the Stone:

It takes a little getting used to baking with any piece of Pampered Chef Stoneware. After receiving one you first need to wash it with hot water. The next step is called "seasoning" the stone. This is done by either baking a couple batches of high...

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Meri says "overwhelmed and under manned..." about Sears Appliance Repair Service

Meri — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:42:21 GMT

We purchased all new kitchen appliances less than five years ago. They were all Kenmore products that we bought through Sears. We have had great luck with Kenmore appliances in the past and so we gave them our loyalty. It was not deserved loyalty however.

Several months ago we had to call the Sears Appliance Repair Service number to make an appointment as our dishwasher was not draining. We were given an appointment nearly three weeks into the future. The day arrived and the service tech man came and repaired the dishwasher at a tune of nearly $400. [if we had not let him repair it we would have had to pay a $65 service call fee] The dishwasher works fine again and all was well until our refrigerator went out.

One night I smelled an electrical fire smell. I went through the house trying to locate the source but couldn't find it. I decided maybe it had come in from outside. I went to bed. I noticed that the fridge was not staying cool and the food in the freezer side was thawing. I called...

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Meri says "love the concept- service needs improvement" about Primetime on Demand

Meri — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:18:42 GMT

I have Time Warner Cable, telephone and internet [roadrunner] service. One of the features of the cable service is Primetime on Demand. The concept of the free service is to make primetime television shows available for those who have missed episodes for whatever reason. I LOVE the idea. The service can use some improvement though as not all of the primetime shows are archived. This can get quite frustrating so you have to know which shows will be saved on the service and pick and choose which ones you view on live TV.

The Primetime on Demand service as it exists right now covers FX, NBC, CBS, and USA networks. ABC does NOT participate in the service. The number of shows listed vary between the networks. The great part about the service is that the shows are stored up to four weeks so you could even go back and watch four shows in a row if you wanted to.

In addition to Primetime on Demand TWC also has A&E on Demand, BBC on Demand and a few others. There is also a Free Movies on Demand...

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this2shallpass19 says "Great Mexican cookbook that's very informative and instructional" about Mexican: Healthy ways with a favorite cuisine

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:09:59 GMT

I really have an addiction to cookbooks. I love cooking and eating a huge variety of ethnic cuisines, so the more cookbooks I can reference the better! A cookbook that I have used for several years is Mexican: Healthy Ways with a Favorite Cuisine. I wouldn't necessarily call the recipes in this cookbook healthy, but they are good!

The book starts out with information about Mexico and their different cultures and regions, and the different food that comes out of those cultures and regions. I found that part of the cookbook to be very interesting and informative.

Another great section of this book includes Mexican food staples like: masa harina, rice, tomatillos, salt cod, papayas, black beans, etc.....and how you store, prepare and eat each item. What I really like about this book is that there are tons of pictures. Not only pictures of the finished recipe, but also instructional photos too.

The recipe chapters in Mexican: Healthy Ways with a Favorite Cuisine include:

Salsas...

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Meri says "worst phone I've ever owned" about Samsung - A737 Slider Cell Phone

Meri — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:51:44 GMT

A year and a half ago my son and I bought the same phone- the Samsung - A737 Slider Cell Phone in different colors. Neither one of us has been happy with them.

After we had the phones for a two days we took them back into the Best Buy where we had gotten the phones to trade them for different phones. We explained that the reception range was horrible on them and that we had too many dropped calls. The rep installed internal antennas [at our expense] to help with the range problem. It did seem to help for a while.

My son then went back to Utah to college and of course, I stayed here in Upstate, New York. We spent a few phone calls to each other complaining about the phones but decided to suck it up and deal with the problems. As soon as the 30 day exchange period expired the phones started acting up again. My son would complain that his battery would get really hot after speaking for a few minutes. I didn't believe him and thought he was exaggerating until my phone started doing the...

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Fardreamer says "Alien Resurrection flirts with excellence but fails to get it" about Alien Resurrection

Fardreamer — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:45:31 GMT

One of the most annoying aspects of the movie industry is Hollywood's penchant for taking a successful "property" such as Airport, Jaws and other one-shot films and offering remakes and sequels that were never planned for by the original screenwriters, novelists or directors.

Universal Pictures, for instance, gave the world not only the ridiculous Airport "quadrilogy" of one interesting film and three lame-to-beyond awful remakes/sequels, but it took Steven Spielberg's classic man-versus-white shark summer movie Jaws and saddled it with such unworthy follow-ups as Jaws 2, Jaws 3-D and the inanely idiotic Jaws: The Revenge.

Of course, Universal is not the only major studio to commission "franchises" where no franchise was originally intended; Paramount Pictures, MGM-United Artists and 20th Century Fox have all fallen prey to the lure of Sequelitis.

That the studio which reluctantly released Star Wars in 1977 and suddenly had a big moneymaker in its hands would want to squeeze every buck...

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this2shallpass19 says "There's NOTHING sweet about Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea!" about Tazo - Wild Sweet Orange Herbal Tea

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:50:40 GMT

I love fruity teas, so I always have my eyes open for flavors I haven't seen before. I got excited when I saw Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Herbal Tea at my natural market because Wild Sweet Orange sounds so refreshing and bright. Unfortunately, this tea is disgusting and I won't drink another sip of it.

When I imagined "wild sweet orange", I pictured something like Lipton's Green Tea with Mandarin Flavor or Celestial Seasonings Mandarin Orchard Green Tea. I did not imagine it would taste sour and not sweet at all.

When you smell the tea bag before putting it in water, it does smell like sweet oranges, however, once submerged in water to steep, the herb and spice flavors take over and dominate the tea. It tastes sour, spiced and nothing like sweet orange. It actually made my mouth pucker as if I had bitten into a lime.

Ingredients: lemongrass, blackberry leaves, citric acid, rose hips, spearmint, natural flavours, orange peel, safflower, hibiscus flowers, rose petals, natural...

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bkovacs says "Great location and efficient care" about Inova Woodburn Surgery Center -

bkovacs — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:23:29 GMT

My wife recently had foot surgery, and she had it at the Inova Woodburn Surgery Center. Located just 100 yards from the intersection of the Capital Beltway (I-495) and Gallows Road in Annandale, VA, the Inova Woodburn Surgery Center is close to my home. I do not know if it is associated with nearby Inova Fairfax Hospital, a huge and highly regarded hospital in this area.

Inova Woodburn Surgery Center supports a lot of different outpatient surgery, taking cases that free up the operating rooms at the hospital. I spoke to a woman at Inova Woodburn and she said that the center used to specialize in eye surgery, but that it now does a variety of surgeries. She said that she appreciated the variety.

As for my wife, she had foot surgery by a foot specialist that she's seen a few times. The physician is an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in foot and ankle problems. My wife really likes the doctor but doesn't particularly like his office, which she finds chaotic and inefficient. However, she...

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TheBard says "Delve deeper, if you dare, into the world of the supernatural" about Living Dead in Dallas

TheBard — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:43:02 GMT

By the end of the HBO series True Bloods' first season I had become intensely interested in reading the series of books upon which the show is based, and so I bought the boxed set of (7) books, the second of which is Living Dead in Dallas.

Synopsis

Living Dead in Dallas picks up where Dead Until Dark left off. The book revolves around the life of a waitress, 26-year-old Sookie Stackhouse, who makes her home in the Northern Louisiana town of Bon Temps.

Living Dead in Dallas opens as Sookie finds the dead body of Lafayette, the openly Gay short order cook at Merlotte's the bar in which she works. Sookie soon learns that Lafayette had been frequenting local sex parties and she believes members of the group might know something about her associate's murder so she uses her "disability" to start tuning into people's thoughts as they come into the bar.

About this time Bill informs her that they have been summoned to Shreveport to appear before Eric Northman at his bar named Fangtasia. ...

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this2shallpass19 says "This cranberry mud mask makes your skin feel fresh & clean!" about MyChelle Cranberry Mud Mask

this2shallpass19 — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:31:36 GMT

I am a huge fan of MyChelle products. In fact, I have used over twelve of her products! Like all MyChelle products, Cranberry Mud Mask is all natural, not tested on animals and paraben-free.

MyChelle says: "Cranberry Mud Mask is a detoxifying, healing, antioxidant rich mud mask excellent for oily and blemish prone skin. Totarol from New Zealand is an exceptional extract neutralizing bacteria, while kaolin and bentonite gently detoxify the skin."

The texture of MyChelle Cranberry Mud Mask is very firm and gets harder the older it is. It is a gray color with very small pieces of cranberry in it. I wish it did, but it doesn't smell like cranberries. To use, just spread a thin layer of the mask over your clean face and let sit there for ten minutes. After you rinse the mask off your face, your skin will feel soft, clean and refreshed. Every time I wash my face or rinse off a mask, I always spray my face with MyChelle Fruit Enzyme Mist to refresh my face and apply a little...

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AnnaBanana says "Mashed potatoes which are convenient but delicious!" about Ore-Ida Steam N Mash Russet Potatoes

AnnaBanana — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:22:38 GMT

I can hardly believe that there was a time, decades ago, when nearly everybody who cooked ended up peeling and boiling potatoes at least two or three times a week. Those were the days ... when it just seemed a routine thing to do ... and the end results were almost always delicious. Nowadays, with busy two-income families or casual cooks like me, there are a lot of mashed-potato lovers who yearn for the homemade item but have neither the time nor inclination to make them. For those people, help has arrived -- Ore-Ida Steam n' Mash Potatoes.

Ore-Ida is the gold standard for potato convenience and quality and this product is no exception. You don't even have to puncture the microwave-safe bag to vent -- just stick the darned thing in there with the seam side up and microwave on high for ten minutes (meanwhile, there is one less boiling pot to take up a burner on your regular stove -- a fact which can mean a lot during the preparation of a big dinner). For safety's sake, wait a while...

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Fardreamer says "Senator Palpatine is a nice but not great Episode I figure" about Hasbro Star Wars - Episode I: Senator Palpatine

Fardreamer — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:30:24 GMT

A political and tactical mastermind, Senator Palpatine represents the people of Naboo in the Galactic Senate and engineers his own election as Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. - From the package blurb

Star Wars fans -- especially those who have read the novelizations of A New Hope and Return of the Jedi -- have known that the evil Emperor was once Senator Palpatine, an ambitious politician who cleverly maneuvered his way up the ranks of the Galactic Senate and into the Republic's highest elected office.

In the Prequel Trilogy writer-director George Lucas showed audiences how Palpatine worms his way into power, by cleverly manipulating the democratic process, pushing Queen Amidala to call for a vote of "no confidence" against his one-time friend Valorum, and (in his true Sith form of "Darth Sidious") fomenting a crisis involving the greedy Trade Federation and his own backwater home world of Naboo.

Hasbro's Star Wars Episode I: Senator Palpatine 3.75-inch scale action figure depicts...

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Fardreamer says "This Darth Maul action figure is nicely rendered by Hasbro" about Hasbro Star Wars - Episode I: Darth Maul (Tatooine) with Cloak and Lightsaber

Fardreamer — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:41:45 GMT

I've been collecting Star Wars action figures ever since some friends of mine gave me, as my 15th birthday present, the first version of Kenner's Landspeeder vehicle and the original R2-D2 and C-3PO figures over 30 years ago.

For the next seven years I was constantly going on what I now call "figure runs" to such stores as Lionel Play World, Sears, K-mart and the then-new Toys R Us. Every time Kenner released a new 12-figure "collection" of characters from Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back or Return of the Jedi, I'd be feeling both anticipation and frustration; I wanted them all, but my life was becoming more complicated as I grew older and the responsibilities of college life loomed in my horizon.

By a strange twist of fate, Kenner ceased producing new Star Wars toys in 1985, which was also my freshman year of college. I still liked the figures I had managed to get and was a bit vexed that I had not gotten them all, but my load of classes and my long hours on campus working on...

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AnnaBanana says "A delicious way to cheat a little." about Kraft Stove Top Stuffing for Turkey

AnnaBanana — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:06:43 GMT

Now may be the time to confess all and share a shameful secret with the rest of you -- when I roast a turkey, I cheat a little and use Kraft's Stove Top Stuffing for Turkey. (Three packages is perfect for a 12 to 14 pound bird, with a little left over to bake in a separate pan.) Martha Stewart would probably cringe at the thought of this but that's okay because Martha Stewart I am not. Until yesterday, it never occurred to me that there could be anything of value (aside from sheer convenience and ease of preparation) in Kraft's famous (or infamous, depending on your outlook) product. Then I checked out the ingredient and nutrition information and it is not as disastrous as you may think. If you aren't a threat to Martha Stewart either -- and you just want to get the gol-darned bird in the oven -- then Stove Top Stuffing may be for you.

STATS:

Information is given for either the "dry mix" or "prepared stuffing" but ... because no one wants to eat the dry mix ... I will share the...

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AnnaBanana says "If you didn't try to depend on THIS, be thankful!" about Hoan Ten Inch Poly Turker Baster

AnnaBanana — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:05:22 GMT

I was fortunate enough to be invited to eat someone ELSE's turkey on Thanksgiving but yesterday what went around came around and it was my turn to cook. This year I tried my best to be organized, to avoid last-minute desperation runs to the store, misplaced items, etc. As part of this campaign to Be Prepared (as the Boy Scouts would say), I had made absolutely positively sure that I was equipped with a turkey baster -- the Hoan Ten Inch Poly Turkey Baster to be exact, which had cost $1.49 at Peapod. There I was in the morning with a 14 lb. turkey which nearly filled the roasting pan which was almost impossible to pick up (God gives us strength we don't know we have for occasions like this!) and only then did I realize that the Hoan Ten Inch Poly Turkey Baster didn't work.

You may be familiar with this type of device which consists of a plastic sheath topped with a rubber bulb. One squeezes the bulb, forcing air out of the bulb and the sheath, then plunges the other end of the...

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AnnaBanana says "Mail enhancement!" about photostamps.com

AnnaBanana — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:48:30 GMT

No matter how much you love exchanging gifts with a special person, it is easy to get into a rut where you keep buying the same things again and again. My favorite Auntie and I are a case in point -- after sharing nearly 68 holiday seasons together, we still look forward eagerly to each other's presents but my own contributions were beginning to get a bit routine -- surprises which weren't really surprises any more, i.e., the B&G Christmas Plate, books, cologne, apparel, etc. Those things will always be on the agenda, of course, but this year I decided to "live dangerously" and try something different too ... personalized postage stamps bought from Photostamps.com.

EASY AS ONE, TWO, THREE

Following the simple directions at Photostamps.com, just upload a photo, customize it as you wish and place your order. The cost of a sheet of stamps depends on the postage value, plus an additional fee. As it so happens, I had a cute Christmas Past picture of Aunt Tatty sitting by her tree,...

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LisaCarey says "Visiting the grandparents and holiday travel is easy" about Continental Airlines

LisaCarey — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:40:40 GMT

There are many advantages to living in Houston and one of them is that Continental Airlines offers many non stop flights from Houston to were I want and need to go. Much of our family lives in Ohio and without Continental Airlines it would be difficult if not impossible to see our family (with them traveling here or us traveling there) as often as we do. My daughter has flown using their unaccompanied minor system (which is expensive but never messed up); I have flown alone with two preschool children in tow and so far every experience has been excellent.

What I like about air travel with Continental Airlines

at check in they offered my husband a security pass so he could help me get the kids to the gate
they always take excellent care of my unaccompanied minor daughter as she travels back and forth
the flight attendants let ME handle the children - with the occasional helpful suggestion (say about ears hurting)
daily flights back and forth to where we need to go
check...

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bkovacs says "It works but it's messy" about Jig-A-Loo Graphite Extreme lubricant

bkovacs — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:23:35 GMT

The driver's door lock on my 1995 Subaru was getting hard to turn with the key, so I decided to get some lubricant for the lock to see if that would make a difference. I remember little spray cans of graphite lubricant at autoparts stores specifically for lubricating locks. However, the autoparts store I went to didn't have those little cans, so I asked an employee. He pointed me at Jig-A-Loo Graphite Extreme in an aerosol can, which cost $4 for 5.5 ounces.

What it is

Jig-A-Loo Graphite Extreme is a spray lubricant that uses graphite. Graphite is a crystaline form of carbon -- we're most familiar with its use in pencils. Graphite is actually the "lead" in pencils. Jig-A-Loo Graphite Extreme has graphite suspended in a solvent. When you spray the lubricant out, the solvent carries the graphite out of the can and the graphite stays behind as a solvent.

Using it

Jig-A-Loo Graphite Extreme has an agitator ball inside the can, so I shook it for 10 seconds or so. The can came with a long thin...

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bkovacs says "Comfortable, inexpensive orthotic inserts" about Profoot Triad Insoles 1 Pair For Women

bkovacs — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:35:37 GMT

My wife has problems with her feet, to the point where she has had surgery on both her feet. (In fact, she had surgery about 10 days ago on her left foot and is still recovering.) To make walking and standing more comfortable, she bought orthotics -- first as prescribed by a doctor, then over-the-counter in stores. Just a couple days ago, she bought a set of Profoot Triad orthotics at Walmart for about $4.65 for the pair. Amazingly, Profoot Triad orthotics are made in the USA, which was the main reason why she chose Profoot Triad orthotics over a similar made-in-China product sold under the Dr. Scholl's label.

What's an orthotic?

An orthotic is a supplimental arch support for the foot. It slips into a shoe (click on the thumbnails to the right to see) and helps the foot maintain the proper arch. When the arch of the foot is correct, the foot's bones can align properly. This will help avoid foot problems such as bunions, which occur when the foot's bones are shifted uncomfortably toward...

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Fardreamer says "Long Snoot is a cool figure from The Power of the Force line" about Hasbro Star Wars - The Power of the Force Garindan (Long Snoot)

Fardreamer — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:08:38 GMT

In March of 2010, I will not only celebrate my 47th birthday, but I will also mark the 32nd Anniversary of becoming a Star Wars action figure collector.

Since I have been collecting those small replicas of major and minor characters from the six live-action Star Wars movies for over three decades, I have many memories and tales about the good, the bad and the frustrating sides of my hobby.

Because Kenner and its successor Hasbro have made so many action figures, vehicles, playsets and accessory assortments, I do not have a complete Star Wars collection. Not even during the Kenner figures' heyday (1978-1985) did I stand a chance at being a completist; some of Kenner's offerings never enthused me much, and my freshman year of college coincided with the end of the original figures' production run.

One of the vexing things about collecting Star Wars action figures and knowing the movies backwards and forward was knowing that Kenner had ignored certain characters - both major and minor...

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