Kitchen Gadget Fun!

Kitchen gadgets... just the thought of fun new kitchen accessories puts a big ol' goofy smile on this girls face. Seriously, the possibilities are endless - spatulas, serving spoons, cake pans, oh my! A quick trip into Sur La Table on a Wednesday afternoon usually ends with me clutching a bag filled with treats wondering how I could have ever lived before my new... ummm... heart shaped egg poacher. (OK, I don't have a heart shaped egg poacher.... yet).

Seriously cute right?? Right?!

All joking aside, it is a great feeling when you find that one gadget that makes your life easier. The obvious choice for my favorite gadget is the KitchenAid mixer... but for this blog posting I'm going to consider that a full on appliance. (But I will say it is wonderful, it is amazing and I really don't know how I ever lived without one!).

During the summer months I am ALWAYS making fresh lemonade. There is something about a tall, cold glass of lemonade that is so refreshing on a hot and humid summer day. The downside to making fresh lemonade?? Squeezing all of those lemons. I've tried every way possible - squeezing by hand, the fancy (expensive) electric juicer, the the hand operated stainless steel juice press, the hand held juicer and finally... the one that worked best... the citrus reamer! It may seem old fashioned but for just about $6 you can pick one up and not feel guilty about splurging. I find that they are great for getting out every last drop of juice and are super easy to use.

Simple, easy to use, and best of all - cheap!

So what's your favorite kitchen gadget?

Easy Lemonade Recipe

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (depending on the size of the lemons this could be 6-8)
6 cups of cold water
1/2 - 3/4 cup of sugar (feel free to add more or less to taste!)

Mix all ingredients in a pitcher, chill, enjoy!

You can take this basic lemonade recipe and make flavored lemonades by straining in fruit purees. Raspberry is a great, refreshing addition.