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Bye bye, sticky pie
A pie bird (also called a pie vent, pie chimney, pie whistle, or pie funnel) is a small ceramic or metal figurine placed in the center of a double-crust pie before baking. Using a pie bird when baking will prevent the dough from becoming soggy and ensure that the filling cooks evenly. How does it work? The pie bird allows steam to escape from the pie as it bakes, preventing the filling from becoming too soggy. It also helps the dough bake more evenly by circulating hot air around the pie.
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cool it cool
With a portable ice maker, you can never run out of ice for your drinks or cocktails. Enough ice can be produced quickly to meet demand. Some models can produce ice in as little as 6 minutes, and some can produce up to 50 pounds of ice per day. Unlike traditional ice makers built into refrigerators, portable ice makers are compact and easy to move, making them ideal for holiday gatherings and events.
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Upgrade your gadgets
Investing in quality kitchen appliances will save you both time and energy during this already busy time. What equipment is worth buying or upgrading? A food processor and a hand blender (pictured). A food processor helps you work smarter by chopping, slicing, and julienne vegetables and fruits for salads and side dishes, as well as making dips, sauces, and spreads. Hand blenders are great for making soups and sauces, and the ability to mix ingredients right in the pot makes it easy to puree hot ingredients without the hassle or mess of transferring them to a blender.
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stack the decks
Perfect for the holiday and gift-giving season, this set of two food and drink decks will inspire new levels of creativity for home chefs and entertainers. Additionally, the individual cards take up much less space than a complete cookbook, making this deck perfect for those with limited kitchen counter space. Priced at $24.99 each, the “Cheese Boards to Share” and “Cocktails at Home” sets consist of a 50-card deck and a 64-page paperback book with recipes, shopping and preparation tips, and more. It has been. (Available wherever books are sold and at bookshop.org.)
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low and slow
A slow cooker is the perfect tool to keep food warm and ready to serve throughout the festival. A removable slow cooker insert makes it even easier. From soups and appetizers to vegetables and dips, these silicone liners will keep your food separated and warm for hours after cooking, all while saving valuable counter space. Most inserts are dishwasher safe, making cleaning easy.
