Christmas Party Suggestions from DealDash

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Are planning your Christmas party for the year? There’s still a little time to get some items from DealDash!

Christmas parties are so much fun! I enjoy attending them rather than throwing them myself, luckily my family gets invited to a few Christmas parties every year, so I am not usually obliged to be the hostess. However, every couple of years we end up hosting, and I always need to get new things for the Christmas party because I tend to lose, give away, or throw away items from the previous years. DealDash always has great party items, let’s browse the auctions and see what we can find that would be great for your next Christmas party.

Food really makes the party, so you’re going to need some quality kitchen equipment. DealDash has some very high-end quality knives imported from both France and Japan, as well as stand mixers, juicers, blenders, pots & pans, and just about any small appliance that you can think of for your kitchen to cook your party food. Cooking is so much easier and more fun when you have quality knives and appliances to use.  If you are in need of anything other kitchen supplies check out DealDash’s Kitchen & Appliances section.

How else can DealDash help make things a little easier when planning your Christmas party? DealDash can help you decorate! Decorating both the outside and the inside of your home in a tasteful and classic way can make your party seem much more festive to your Christmas party goers. If you need some beautiful flatware and serving dishes, DealDash has them available for auction. Beautiful art, scented candles, and decorative clocks are also available on DealDash to get your home in shape for your Christmas party.

Having out-of-town guests in for your Christmas party can make it even more special. If your house isn’t quite guest friendly yet, you can always get a few items to make it more inviting. DealDash has some beautiful and ultra soft sheet sets, and even air beds and portable cots for kids if you don’t have enough beds to go around. Be sure that you’ve stocked up on the toilet paper and tissues as well – you’re going to need extra if you’re having overnight guests.

I hope that this article was helpful in getting some ideas for your next Christmas party.  If you need more supplies for your party you need to check out DealDash. Visit DealDash at this link here. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

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Time to Feed the Baby With DealDash

When a baby has moved past the bottle and is ready for table foods it’s important to have the right tools for the job. DealDash has what you need.

Most babies start eating some very simple table foods around the age of 6 months, and the goal is to have your baby mostly eating table foods rather than formula and baby foods by the time they hit their first birthday. You don’t want to rush your child, but when he or she is ready it’s time to break the bottle habit and learn to eat. The goal is a healthy baby who is happy to eat a variety of foods. Having the right items so your baby is comfortable can be a huge help. DealDash is here to help.

You’re going to need either a high chair or a booster seat. Typically a high chair is for a younger baby and a booster seat is for an older child, but they both have seatbelts and as long as your child can sit by themselves either one is fine depending on what space you have available to devote to your baby’s seating arrangement. DealDash has both high chairs and booster seats available for auction fairly often. Just click on this link here and it will take you to see a few options.

Fischer-Price Healthy Care Deluxe Booster Seat

 

If your baby is ready for some grown up food you should definitely start with some soft cooked veggies, fruits, and pastas. For example, sweet potatoes, peas, and broccoli are all veggies that you can cook until they are soft and then mash them up for your baby. If you’re looking for mashable fruits, try bananas, avocados, and peaches. Sometimes it’s difficult to mash these foods up with a spoon, so I suggest getting a Mash and Serve Bowl.

You can mash up just about any food that’s soft with the Mash and Serve Bowl, such as potatoes, beans, steamed veggies, fruits, eggs. You mash the food and serve your child right from the bowl, which has handy hand holds on the side so they can hold it themselves.

If you’re worried about cleaning the Mash and Serve Bowl – don’t. The Mash and Serve Bowl can be cleaned easily by putting it in the top rack of the dishwasher. If you’re interested in the Mash and Serve Bowl check it out here on DealDash.
Annabel Karmel FreshFoods Mash and Serve Bowl

 

After reading this article I hope that you have a better idea of what you might want to get your baby when they are regularly eating table foods. If you are in need of anything for your baby, including kitchen items check out DealDash. Try the Hobbies, Toys, Outdoors, and Games section to see what awesome baby products they have coming up. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

DealDash

Continuing Your Quest for Fitness With DealDash

 

On Monday we talked about getting a great body in time for the summer using exercise. Today we are talking about the second part of the equation – eating healthy.

We all have a pretty good idea of what it means to be a healthy eater – everyone know that they should be limiting their carbohydrate and fat intake and boosting their veggie intake. However, sometimes making healthy food choices can be difficult because you are accustomed to eating your favorite junk foods, sweets, pastas, and other delicious but so so healthy foods.

Luckily you can take the sting out of cutting back on your favorite foods by substituting something similar that has less fats and calories. The best way to do that is to try and do a lot of cooking at home.

A few years ago I tried the Atkins diet to lose some weight. It was extremely difficult giving up so many different foods, and now that I am a little bit more well informed I know that the Atkins diet is possibly not the healthiest diet around, but when I was following it I learned a lot about food substitutions. For example, you can make an AWESOME tasting cheesecake filling with Neufchâtel cheese (lower fat and calories than regular cream cheese), Splenda instead of sugar (0 calories), a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract – throw that all into your KitchenAid stand mixer that you got from DealDash, whip it up, and there you have a cheesecake filling that is just as delicious and significantly lower in fat and calories than a traditional cheesecake filling recipe.

KitchenAid Artisan® Series Aqua Sky 5 Quart Stand Mixer

 

Another great way to attempt to eat healthier without feeling like you’re sacrificing too much is making delicious smoothies! You can make smoothies out of just about any yummy tasting fruit like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc, and then add in some healthy vegetables such as spinach or kale and you won’t even be able to notice – and neither will your kids if you’re trying to get the whole family on board with healthier eating. Simply find any smoothie recipe online such as:

Simple Smoothie

  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 cup frozen cherries
  • 4 ice cubes
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 3/4 cup vanilla yogurt

Just blend it all together in your blender from DealDash, sip, and enjoy!

 

 

 

Hamilton Beach 70950 SaladXpress Counter-top Food Processor Electric w/ConesKitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Apple GreenT-Fal Initiatives 18-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out Cookware Set

I hope this article has encouraged you to try some of my strategies for trying to eat a little bit healthier. If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make you and your family a little bit healthier. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Living Healthy: How to Pick the Best Fresh Produce

 

Welcome back to DealDash Blog’s Living Healthy series. Today’s blog is all about the tips and tricks to choosing the best produce items at the supermarket.

 

I don’t know how many times I have gone into the supermarket, and picked out some great looking produce, got it home, and it tastes…Not bad, but tastes like nothing, like cardboard. This was happening to me way too often, so I started doing a little research to figure out how to get the best produce at the supermarket that I was able to find.

Of course, the number one way to get the freshest and best tasting produce is to buy things when they are in season where you live. If you’re somewhere warm like California or Florida, you’re in luck! Not only are there some great things grown right in your own home state, the distance that other things have to travel up from Mexico or South America is considerably shorter than someone who lives in Maine or Montana.

Here are some quick and easy tips on picking great tasting produce at the supermarket even if the items are actually in season:

Apples: Choose fruits that are deeply colored, firm, naturally shiny, and heavy for their size.

 

Artichokes: Choose globes that have tight leaves and feel heavy for their size. The leaves should squeak when pressed against each other.

Asparagus: Choose firm, smooth, and brightly-colored stalks with compact tips. Avoid limp stalks. Choose stalks of equal thickness to ensure even cooking times.

Avocados: Choose avocados that feel slightly soft to the touch. Firmer avocados may be ripened at home, but avoid rock-hard ones. Also avoid avocados with cracks or dents.

Bananas: Choose bright yellow bananas to eat right away or green bananas to ripen at home. Avoid fruits that are bruised or split.

Blueberries: Choose berries that are firm, dry, and blue (not red or green). A white sheen is natural. Also check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries.

Broccoli: Choose broccoli with firm stalks, tight florets, and crisp green leaves. Avoid yellowed or flowering florets.

Celery: Choose firm, unblemished stalks. The stalks and leaves should be green, not yellow.

Corn: Choose corn with bright green husks and moist but not slimy silk. Peel back the husk to ensure the kernels are plump and not dry.

Cucumbers: Choose cucumbers that are uniformly green (not yellow).

Grapefruits: Choose fruits that have smooth, thin skins and are heaviest for their size. They should feel firm but slightly springy to the touch. Don’t worry about color.

Grapes: Choose fruits that are firm, plump, and heavy for their size. They should be firmly attached to the stems without wrinkled or brown spots.

Lemons and Limes: Choose fruits that are fragrant and heaviest for their size. Avoid fruits that are shriveled.

 

Lettuce, Spinach, and Other Leafy Greens: Choose greens with fresh, crisp leaves. Avoid any that are wilted or slimy.

Mangoes: Choose fruits that are slightly soft to the touch and fragrant near the stem end.

Onions and Shallots: Choose dry, firm bulbs that feel heavy for their size. Avoid any with soft spots or green sprouts.

Oranges: Choose fruits that heaviest for their size and have firm, smooth skins. Don’t worry about color. For Mandarin oranges, make sure skins are firm, not shriveled.

Peaches: Choose fragrant, deeply colored (not green) fruits that are firm but slightly soft to the touch.

Pears: Pears are usually picked before they are fully ripe, but choose fruits that are free of bruises and look for any that are getting soft just below the stem.

Peas: Choose crisp, green pods. Avoid bulging, dried, yellow, or white pods.

Peppers: Choose firm, naturally shiny peppers that feel heavy for their size.

Pomegranates: Choose fruits that are heavy for their size. Cracks are a good sign that the fruits are bursting with plump seeds; just make sure there isn’t any mold in the cracks.

Potatoes: Choose firm, smooth potatoes. Avoid those with bruises, green spots, or sprouts.

Strawberries: Choose berries that are fragrant, uniformly red (not yellow or green), and shiny with fresh green tops. Also check the bottom of the basket to make sure there aren’t any crushed or spoiled berries.

Summer Squash: Choose squash with naturally shiny, taught, unblemished skin. Avoid squash that appear dull or have soft spots.

Sweet Potatoes and Yams: Choose potatoes with firm, unwrinkled skins and no bruises or cuts, as they are highly perishable.

Tomatoes: Choose tomatoes that are fragrant, smell earthy at the stem end, and feel heavy for their size. Avoid tomatoes with wrinkled skins.

Watermelons: Choose fruits that are firm and heavy and sound hollow when thumped. A properly ripened watermelon should have a yellow spot on one side where it sat on the ground

 

There we go! That’s the list! I personally made a copy of this list and keep it with my supermarket coupons so I know what I’m looking for when I am shopping for fruits and veggies.

Another way to be sure that you are getting great produce is to shop at the farmer’s market. The only downfall there is that you will probably only be able to find things that are in season. In my area, there is a farmer’s market going on in my town and every small town around me. When you go to the farmer’s market you are getting delicious fruits and veggies that are extremely fresh because they are grown locally. In addition to that, the prices are definitely better than any supermarket around, especially if there are multiple vendors selling the same fruits and veggies.

Hamilton Beach 70950 SaladXpress Counter-top Food Processor Electric w/ConesKitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Apple GreenT-Fal Initiatives 18-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out Cookware Set

I hope this article has helped you learn how to pick the best produce! If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make delicious things from your fresh produce. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!

Cooking a Winter Stew with DealDash

 

I don’t know about you, but I know that my family eats differently in winter than in summer. Let’s take a peek at a wintery meal we can prepare with help from DealDash .

My family eats a lot of soups and stews during the cold and wintery months. It seems to be a common theme in cooking magazines, as well as with people I know. Not only are they filling, moderately healthy (depending on what you add), they are also something that you can make with just items that you have on hand in the freezer and pantry. That means if it’s cold and snowing outside you won’t have to leave your cozy little nest of a home to go to the supermarket.

One of my favorite kitchen items in the winter is my crock pot/slow cooker. I actually have 3 crock pots of different sizes – a huge one that can accommodate a roast, a medium one that’s great for a stew or for soup, and a smaller one that can be for a gravy or fondue. I get a lot of use out of these in the winter months, if you don’t already have a crock pot (or three!) check them out on DealDash, here.

Hamilton Beach 5-Quart Portable Slow Cooker

If you are just getting started with using a slow cooker, you might be interested in a simple stew recipe:

Simple Beef Stew

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups beef broth
  • 3 potatoes, diced
  • 4 carrots, sliced
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped

How do you do it? Simple!

  1. Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery.
  2. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

That’s it! And really, one of the great things about a stew like this is if you are missing an ingredient, such as the celery or the carrots you can always exclude that item, or even swap it for a different item such as peas. Personally, since I am allergic to fish and seafood I exclude the Worcestershire sauce and add in a splash of soy sauce instead. It’s delicious!

Hamilton Beach 70950 SaladXpress Counter-top Food Processor Electric w/ConesKitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Apple GreenT-Fal Initiatives 18-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out Cookware Set

I hope this article has encouraged you to try to make a simple winter stew with your slow cooker.  If you’re interested in getting some items to help you with cooking at home head on over to DealDash. DealDash has food processors, stand mixers, cookware, and plenty of other items that you can use. Check out the Kitchen & Appliances category and I’m sure that you’ll find something that you can use to make your kitchen better. Good luck and happy bidding everyone!