Unique Black & White Salt and Pepper Set for R2-D2 Lovers

R2-D2 and R2-Q5 unique salt and pepper shaker set

If you collect salt and pepper shaker sets, and especially if you are an R2-D2 lover, this unique pair is going make your Star Wars friends jealous. Or they might just run out and get one, too.

You could surprise them with this gift because when they see black R2-Q5 and white R2-D2 on your counter, you might need a bribe to avoid mayhem and filching. At least boxed sets are easy to wrap…

I like the fact that they’re washable. No hassles for once. I’ll bet you hate cleaning some fancy ones as much as I do. Here’s to ceramic and simple! Check them out before other fans get there first.

If these are out of stock at Amazon, you can also try ThinkGeek to see if they have R2-D2 and R2-Q5 in stock.

Cool Kitchen Timer For Star Wars Fan Cooks

R2-D2 kitchen timer for Star Wars droid lovers

If you’re here at Cook’s Measure, I’d bet you’re either a cook looking for a cool kitchen timer or shopping for a gift for a Star Wars R2-D2 fan.

And this guy is much more fun than your average kitchen timer. You rotate his head to set the time you want, and then his head rotates around until he signals the done deal. How can an R2 lover not fall in love with that?

Amazon can even gift wrap it for you for the person you’re giving it to. Of course, wink, wink, we wouldn’t say anything if you buy one for yourself, too.

I also like the fact that this is a licensed Star Wars product, so you know it will not be a piece of knock-off junk when you get it home.

If these are out of stock at Amazon, you can also try ThinkGeek to see if they have the R2 Timer in stock.

Awesome Droid Measuring Cups For R2-D2 Lovers

fun R2-D2 measuring cup set for Star Wars droid lovers

If you’re a Star Wars lover like I am, you’ll absolutely wow your friends with these awesome R2-D2 droid measuring cups.

You may not ever use them and just display on your counter because you can’t bear to take poor R2 apart. But he’s definitely a winner in the measuring department. You’ll get all the standard measuring spoon sizes plus the usual ones for dry goods.

It’s amazing how they got all those parts into one small droid. And if you’re looking for Star Wars gifts for a big fan, I think this is a great gift.

all those amazing pieces coming out of a small body

fall in love when you see how many different individual pieces there are in this set

If these are out of stock at Amazon, you can also try ThinkGeek to see if they have R2 in stock.

Can You Cook Baked or Mashed Potatoes in a Slow Cooker? Best Ways to Cook Potatoes in a Slow Cooker

I love potatoes. All kinds of potatoes. You might even call me an addict. 🙂

My brother-in-law makes the most delicious au gratin potatoes I’ve ever tasted (I’ve got to niggle the recipe out of him). And so I’m always looking for an easier way to make them. So I set out to see if you really could make tasty potatoes in a slow cooker.

Are Slow Cookers Good For Baked Potatoes?

At first, I thought it wouldn’t work. I’m so used to either baking them forever in the oven or tossing them in the microwave to make them fast that I never thought about my slow cooker.

But I found out that I was missing out.

A friend introduced me to her favorite recipe for baking potatoes in a slow cooker, and I tried it out.

Although slow cookers aren’t fast, they sure are easy and maintenance-free during cooking. It takes a couple of minutes to prep the bakers, and then toss them in and let them go. No standing around waiting for the microwave to test them for doneness, or tying up your oven just for the potatoes.

What About Mashed Potatoes?

Delicious mashed potatoes with greens in bowl isolated on white

Delicious mashed potatoes

That one had me a bit puzzled, but I was eager to find the answer.

Holiday dinners around here are hectic because my family loves both sweet and mashed potatoes, and they all want both at Thanksgiving and Christmas. And mashed potatoes every time we do roast.

Plus, we need the oven for the turkey and the stove for the gravy and vegetables. There just isn’t enough room in our kitchen to cook more around the stove. As one member in my family says, “This is a two-butt kitchen.” 🙂

So every year we juggle things, and every year we have to leave some dishes in the warming drawer where they don’t always maintain their best texture and flavor.

However, we are a slow cooker family. I had an old and small slow cooker from my Grandma, and then we got one as a gift. Neither were really roomy enough to prepare a large recipe, so this year we bought the Crock Pot slow cooker with the mini-cooker add-on. I love it! And we have a big kitchen island with outlet plugs, so I could even borrow another one from my mom.

And with three different slow cookers on call, my mind has turned to ways to maximize their use. “POTATOES,” I thought. “I can do all the potatoes that way.”

So after a bit of research online, I found a couple of good recipes. They weren’t quite the way we like our mashed potatoes, so I made some modifications to meet my family’s exacting standards, and I can honestly report that mashed potatoes are doable in a slow cooker.

You can find our personal recipe for homemade mashed potatoes in a slow cooker here.

If you’ve got a recipe you want to try, but you’re having issues figuring out cooking time and temperature on your slow cooker, CrockPot has some good conversion charts and cooking times on this page.

Are You Hungry For Slow Cooker Potatoes Yet?

So whatever type of potatoes you love best, I think you can find a solid recipe for them online. Another good place to check is recipe books specifically for slow cooker recipes like the ones here at Amazon

No matter what, happy cooking! And I hope you like our recipes for baked and mashed potatoes to prepare in your slow cooker.

Save Time & Hassle – Easy Slow Cooker Cleanup Tip

I love my slow cooker. Actually, I love my THREE slow cookers.

Yes, I’m an addict. I’ll admit it.

But I’m also a neat freak, and a bit obsessive about easy cleanup after cooking.

Want To Know My Secret Whammy?

Easy-peasy slow cooker liners — I was in heaven from Day 1. If you haven’t used them before, you will be, too. Just pop in the liner, cook, remove the lid to let off steam, and serve with the liner in place. When it’s cool and you’ve removed your meal, pull it out. And Magic — No Mess. Try them out!

If you do have a gummy, messy slow cooker after you’ve finished cooking, here are some useful cleaning tips from CrockPot themselves.

My Recommendation – Try Them Out and Report Back Here

Come back and add your own tips. Tell us all if you liked using slow cooker liners or if you didn’t, and why…

Top 5 Highly-Rated Gold Flatware Sets – Service for 8 Some Come With a Strong Bonus of Hostess Pieces

We’ve sourced out some incredible gold flatware for you to drool over. Imagine one of these sets proudly displayed on your holiday table for everyone to “ooh” and “aah” over. Your friends and family might even be afraid to “break them in.” Paired with your best china, any one of these sets will add a shine to your holiday table presentation.

All of these sets are rated well above 4.0 stars on Amazon, and all of them except the Lenox ones come with free shipping. And there’s Amazon’s incredible return policy, of course.

With all Top 5, you will receive:

  • 8 salad forks
  • 8 dinner forks
  • 8 dinner knives
  • 8 dinner spoons
  • 8 teaspoons

Our #1 “Wowser” Pick: Mikasa Cameo Gold 65-Piece Gold Flatware Set

This sterling silver flatware set comes with golden accents in a gorgeous edging pattern. You also get a bonus of not only a service for 8 but actually a service for 12. Extra pieces come in handy over time in case of damage or loss. (Or giving a couple of place settings to friends for their very own).

What really makes this set stand out for me is that the pieces are made of sterling silver with 24K gold accents rather than stainless steel. Most flatware sets are sterling silver (not quite as high-grade as fine sterling silver but high-content silver at over 90%) or even stainless steel of varying grades or silver-plated. But this is well-crafted flatware has included 24K gold instead of 18K gold accents so they’ll make a classy statement on your table.

You’ll also get a 5-piece Hostess Helper Set which includes:

  1. Tablespoon
  2. Pierced Tablespoon
  3. Sugar Spoon
  4. Butter Knife
  5. Cold Meat Fork

My other favorite part is definitely the pattern. I love the subtle edging design. Whether you’re after a stunning decorative set or one for formal dinners, you’ll rake in compliments for them. If you have a fancy china pattern or design, sometimes the “simple flatware” patterns make a good combination. And if you have gold-rimmed china, these gold sets can be stunning. Be sure to take a close look at this one to see if it is a good match.

So if you fall in love, be sure to check out other sellers at the “new” price level.

Sometimes the pricing can be significantly better on some sellers, especially when the set has such exceptional value like this one.

But given the price, make sure you’ve chosen a reputable seller.

This isn’t an inexpensive set by price or quality, but if you’re looking for upscale, high-end, fabulous quality flatware, I encourage you to take a look.

Check Amazon Price

Our #2 “Fabulous” Pick: Oneida Golden Juilliard Flatware

Looking for something simpler? Try this 18/10 stainless steel flatware — it comes with 18K gold electroplate and has golden tip accents in a romantic fleur-de-lis pattern. If your china or stemware is trimmed in gold and would look good with an understated flatware pattern, be sure to check out this set from Oneida’s Heirloom Collection.

If you’re looking for a classic pattern that will never go out of style, I believe this will be your icing on the cake for an enviable holiday display. The big thing with formal place settings is that it always comes down to your china design. You want a good match. So check out this pattern if you think it might be a good complement to your china set or stemware and add elegance to each place setting.

Do you want something less expensive than fine sterling silver as the base metal (Wowser #1 above)? Or even sterling silver? Then the 18/10 stainless steel you see here is the next best bet. The metals in this alloy help reduce corrosion, increase durability, and provide a soft sheen that looks similar to silver. (For more technical information, read here.)

The 18K gold electroplate is a thin sheen of 18K gold added to the stainless steel to provide some additional “amazing” to the basic pattern.

For 18/10 stainless steel with gold electroplate, the price is surprisingly reasonable at Amazon.

So for a quality offering in high-end stainless steel with gold trimming, I like the looks of this one. I think you will, too, if you like the simpler touch.

Check Amazon Price

Our #3 “Larger Than Life” Pick: Oneida Golden Aquarius 45-Piece Fine Flatware

This 18/10 stainless flatware comes with 18K gold electroplate and has golden accents twined throughout the handle. It’s an elegant pattern worthy of the Aquarius age itself and it’s sure to go well with the fanciest china. This set catches attention the moment you feast your eyes on the table and decorations. And, if you’re big on fancier gold patterning, it’s probably the best set of the five.

You’ll also get a 5-piece Hostess Set which includes:

  1. Serving Spoon
  2. Pierced Serving Spoon
  3. Serving Spoon
  4. Sugar Spoon
  5. Butter Knife
  6. Meat Fork

The 18/10 stainless steel, as I mentioned in the Oneida above, is the best stainless steel choice for your flatware. Unlike the 24K gold electroplate in the older Golden Juilliard set, this is a step down with 18K gold. My guess is that this is to keep the cost down because the gold plating is more extensive.

As a reviewer put it, “Even more beautiful than the picture, and we’d buy again in a heartbeat.”

With that recommendation, you owe it to yourself to take a look.

Check Amazon Price

Our #4 “Subtle Elegance” Pick: Hermann Miller Royal Family Collection 72-Piece Fine Gold Flatware Set with Gift Carrying Case

This 18/10 surgical grade stainless flatware comes with gold engraved accents on the handle in an intricate display.

If you have gold-rimmed china or gold-banded crystal glassware, this set looks like it will be a beautiful but understated complement to them.

Common to larger sets, but unlike sets with only 8 or fewer place settings), a gift-style storage case is included. It is a good one for gifts and also carrying this flatware safely to avoid any damage. It includes a lock to make the lid stay on firmly. This also makes it easy to store this massive quantity of flatware easily.

This set is not your usual place setting combination. But with service for 12 you’ll get everything you need, just with some slightly different names. And with service for 12 people, you can always have extra pieces to substitute for a missing fork or spoon that you need for a place setting. You will get 12 each of:

  • Knife
  • Fork
  • Spoon
  • Teaspoon
  • Tea Fork (salad fork)

You’ll also get an Incredible 12-piece Hostess Set which includes:

  1. Sugar Tong
  2. Meat Fork (2 included)
  3. Cake Spatula
  4. Gravy Ladle
  5. Soup Ladle
  6. Serving Spoon (2 included)
  7. Soup Spoon
  8. Salad Fork and Salad Spoon (1 pair for serving)
  9. Sugar Spoon

As a reviewer put it, “Everything is beautiful. I was afraid they could look barroque but instead this flatware looks elegant. I was concerned also about the weight; however they are not too heavy or too light, and perfect weight for my taste…” Overall, this set has a 4.6 rating as of our review with over 90 ratings to date.

If you’re looking for good quality, nice-looking flatware with a reasonable price, be sure to consider this one.

Check Amazon Price

Our #5 “Unique Design” Pick: Venezia Collection ‘Milano’ 40-Piece Fine Flatware Set

This 18/10 surgical stainless steel flatware comes with 24K gold trim and has an banded ring on the solid and well-balanced handle.

If you have gold-rimmed china or gold-banded crystal glassware with an unusual edge, this might complement them better than complicated designs or overly traditional simple designs.

Unfortunately, this set does not come with a Hostess Set, which for sets this size is a bit unusual.

The flatware has a mirror polish on it so you don’t have to re-polish the pieces. And although they say they are dishwasher safe, I always wash mine by hand and dry right away anyway to be safe.

If you’re looking for high quality and nice-looking flatware with a reasonable price, be sure to check this one out further.

Check Amazon Price

Our Final Recommendations — Care and Handling

Most people are aware that fine sterling silver and regular sterling silver flatware require careful handling. But it’s worth repeating when you’re spending a fair bit and wanting them to last.

You should always hand-wash these pieces with a softer, less-abrasive soap. Dry them right away to avoid spotting, and use a soft chamois or soft cloth to prevent scratching or damage. Also, silver needs to be polished regularly, at least twice a year even if you don’t use it. That will help keep it in top shape for years to come. Some makers say that polishing is not necessary, but I recommend not taking the risk.

While people believe stainless steel is dishwasher safe because it is “stainless,” I strongly believe — just like cooking knives — that it is still a good idea to wash them by hand. Like silver, you should also immediately dry your good flatware. Long experience has taught me that even “stainless” items can spot and corrode in the dishwasher no matter what they say.

And since gold is a softer metal, even in electroplate, it can damage more easily. Not to mention the terrible potential for bending or distorting items put in the dishwasher just because they were pushed against other residents of your dishwasher.

So take a look at some of these if you’re looking for gold flatware with service for eight. They’re gorgeous, with a nice range of prices, and a good place to start in your hunt for excellent table settings.