The Original Kitchen Cooperative: Straight Wooden Rolling Pin #Review #RollingPin

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I bake on a weekly basis and sometimes even twice. From baked goods that range from sweet to savory, I have come to the point where I rarely even buy baked anything from stores. When I do, I regret it. The one thing I learned over the years, is the tools you use matter. It’s not the cost but how they perform. I have a french style wooden roller that has lasted me over a decade. Simple to care for and I am one of those that if it needs a wash, a wash is something it better handle because this wipe and store idea to make it last…….well, I find it gross. Butters, fats and oils age and if your crust or dough has them, they will oxidize and go rancid on the wood. Not something I exactly wish to share with my next baked creation.

 

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Retail Price Point: $13.75 via Amazon with free shipping if you have Prime Membership.

 

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Verdict:

The straight rolling pin from The Original Kitchen Cooperative is made of 100% Beech wood. The roller arrived smooth and with zero imperfections. Has a nice weight that is balanced and easy to roll even when your pie crust is between having cold spots and softer warmer ones. It plays nice with most dough types and because it’s so smooth, it almost acts like if it had a nonstick surface, allowing the dough to softly stretch without tearing. I have used the roller and washed it and what was nice, no split wood or separations the next day, so this roller is not only fairly priced but should last with regular use. I do not have to worry about treating it softly, just as long as I wash it (never fully submerge in water), quickly dry it and then allow it to air dry on the rack before storing. The company also offers a 100% money back guarantee and that means they stand behind the quality of the products they produce. I don’t see myself needing to use the guarantee but there is something to be said about a company standing behind their products.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from The Original Kitchen Cooperative. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Starling’s Heavy-Duty Trunk Organizer (With Bonus Sun Shade!)

 

If you’re like me you need to make more than a few stops to get groceries. Like, sometime 5 or 6 stops. All in different cities. And the one thing that gets Hubby’s goat more than anything are the “nickle-and-dime tactics” of markets that want you to pay for a bag. So thankfully, Starling’s offered us a car trunk organizer that has made our shopping trips a little less frustrating.

 

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See, we both get when a city has decided to ban plastic grocery bags. The reasoning is specious at best and the results are marginal, but hey, it’s pure profit for everyone involved (except the consumer). And charging for paper bags? When they’re made from the cardboard boxes they get their products delivered in? Give me a break! So I’m sure I’m not the only person who had things rolling around in the trunk or back seat because you’ve gotten tired of everyone having their hand in your pocket. And Starling’s is a lifesaver, because their organizer is big, spacious, sturdy and oh-so-helpful getting stuff from the truck to the house. It’s well-built and strong enough that we stuffed all our Costco purchases in it, and could easily carry everything in with no fear of dropping anything or the organizer being strained. It’s covered in water resistant nylon fabric, which means cold things sweating, or light spills, are not a problem.The bottom is rubberized to minimize sliding around, and the carry handles on the sides are strong and sturdy. You can customize the divider inside, or only open up half to minimize the space it takes up. I’m in love. And the dividers have done a fantastic job of keeping cold, warm, and non-food items all away from one another. There’s room in the pockets for more stuff, on all sides, and should one feel the need, you could store everything you’d need for any roadside emergency in Starling’s organizer, with room to spare. and when you’re done with it, it folds right back up, nice and flat and takes up practically no space at all. Starling’s even included a sun visor for the front windshield at no extra charge.

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We’ve bought cheap-o organizers for the car and truck before. They always fell apart, broke down, or weren’t made to last and got tossed. But for only $27.99, you get a rock-solid trunk organizer that holds way more than you’d think, and does more than you can imagine, and a 100% lifetime warranty? Uh, yes please! This product is a steal and when we get our new car, I know what the very first accessory we’re buying for it is: A Starling’s Trunk Organizer!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Starling’s. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Beautiful Scarves Black Gray and White Winter Scarf with Gift Box

You want to talk about timely? How about this gorgeous “Beautiful Scarves” Winter Scarf they sent me to try? Winter has arrived in Southern California, and it’s wet, windy and cold for a change. And there’s few better ways to beat the cold than a toasty, soft scarf. And Beautiful Scarves sent me one that is just to die for, and it’s so unbelievably soft I find myself wearing it around the house.

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This cotton/acrylic blend scarf is not only soft, not only beautiful, it’s functional. Not like those loops of fabric that pass themselves off as a scarf, because I find them functionally useless, a fashion accessory above all else. Not this one. Drape it, wrap it, pull it over you nose to keep warm, it does the job a scarf was meant to do, keep you warm. It’s not so bulky that you find it unsettling your clothes or have to take it off all the time, and not so thin as to not keep your chest neck or nose warm. The color goes with just about anything, and the tassels on the end are reminiscent of your favorite blanket at home. It’s also unisex, so don’t be surprised if your significant other snatches it away and wears it themselves. At about 64 inches long, it’s sufficient to bundle yourself up snugly too. It was delivered in a sturdy white gift box that will double as a storage box for me when the usual hot and nasty weather returns to California. But for now, I’m reveling in this oh-so-soft and lovely Beautiful Scarves Winter Scarf. At just $12.99 delivered you should probably pick up two so there’s no fighting over who look the snazziest or feels the warmest this winter!

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I like this scarf. No, actually I love this scarf. I think you will too!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from .  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

MegaPro Original 15-in1 Screwdriver, Model 151NAS-CS

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There are tools that are essential to any home, toolbox, or tool drawer, regardless of gender, skill level or ability. It’s a screwdriver. And there are some folks that would have you believe that any old screwdriver will do, and that  they’re all the same. I’m here to tell you, they are not. MegaPro is a company that helps prove that a good tool makes the job at hand easier. This could quite possibly be the #BestScrewdriverEver

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See, when we first moved in, we didn’t have a bunch of tools. We set about slowly building up what was needed as the need arose. I bought hubby a cheap set of Stanley screwdrivers, and mentally checked “screwdriver” off the list. Then came, time and again, where that 5-pack of tools came up short, time and again, or failed. The phillips heads peeled and became useless. The corners off the flat heads chipped off. The handles cracked when dropped. There was much swearing heard and many became ballistic missiles, final resting places unknown. Over and over we had “cheap” sets fail, and worse, cheap “6-in-one” screwdrivers from the big box stores drop bits, cam out have a ratcheting gear fail. If you know our pain, I’m here to tell you It’s time to stop hurting, swearing, flinging, and rebuying. MegaPro makes, quite possibly, the last screwdriver you’ll ever own. With a handle manufactured from Triax 1120 (an engineered nyloan/ABS resin), a solid alloy steel shaft, EZ guide collar and palm-saver cap, this unit puts function and form on a level playing field and let me tell you, it functions. I once bought Hubby a nifty $30 Craftsman “all-in-one” screwdriver. It had fancy features and a supposed “warranty”. It rusted, failed, and Sears, much to our chagrin, didn’t live up to the warranty. We were stuck with a crappy, non-functional $30 paperweight. MegaPro’s 151NAS-CS is guaranteed for life, and is made to last for a lifetime. It’s solidly built, easy to hold and use, and doesn’t weigh a ton. The ergonomics are solid, and there’s no hand fatigue when used for long periods of time. And it’s made in the USA, made to the highest standards, for the home DIY’er or the professional tradesman. And it’s best feature, hands down , is the hollow-handle storage compartment that holds up to 6 double-ended bits that are made to the same exacting standards as the MegaPro itself. Simply pull on the tail cap, and in one easy action out slides the 6 tempered steel bits, ready to switch and swap without having to dig around in your pocket, tool bag or box. It comes pre-loaded with the most popular sized phillips, flat, torx and square heads, and the shaft itself can be used as a 1/4″ hex driver, too!

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A bad tool makes every job a nightmare, while a good tool makes every job a joy. MegaPro makes not just a good tool, but quite possibly one of the best tools Hubby’s every owned. He has complete and utter faith in it, and it comes out and goes with him for every job or task, big or small, because he knows it won’t fail him. And this isn’t some fly by night, here-today-gone-tomorrow overseas company with no history or integrity; This is a company with 20 years of history and innovation. This is a company that will stand behind every product they sell 100%. Hubby’s grandfather had a saying, “The cheap comes out expensive”. Sure, you could buy a few cheap sets of screwdrivers for the same cost as a single MegaPro. But for me, and my money, I’d rather buy once, buy well, and know when it hits the fan, our tools will not fail us or let us down. Buying once and well means buying a MegaPro.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from MegaPro.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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