We are coffee people.  The people who we entertain frequently in our home are coffee people.  Setting up a coffee station time and time again in our small kitchen and dining area can become a bit of a problem.  We have limited counter space available, and most often that is needed for munchies or dinner, served buffet style.  There really isn’t any one place where I can spread out a selection of coffee mugs, creamer, sugar bowl, honey, carafe, napkins, spoons, etc.  That takes up a lot of space! With serving space at a premium, I needed a solution that was better than not serving coffee altogether.

On a recent trip to Cost Plus World Market, I found the greatest tool to help me set up a small coffee space- a stackable mug set.  Six brightly colored coffee mugs come neatly stacked in their own chrome holder.  The holder itself is sturdy and can be used to transport the mugs from cupboard to counter.  The dishwasher-safe mugs stack neatly within the holder and take up no more space than one or two mugs would.  Available in a chic multi-color set, or solid colors, this set is also available in jumbo cups and espresso size cups.  The espresso cups come with the demitasse plates that match the cups in color.  Prices range from $9.99-$19.99 depending on the set.

These mugs are very durable, and have withstood the rigors of young children drinking warm cider on more than one occassion.  We also love the fact that the multi colored set easily keeps your mug distinguishable from all the others.  No more sipping at mugs, hoping you picked up the correct one.  With the inexpensive price tag, these are definitely a bargain, and well worth the investment in a great space-saving tool.

Lingonberries can be found growing in the wild in many places in Eastern Europe. Here in the United States, Washington State is home to a cultivated variety. The berries themselves are very tart and are almost always turned into preserves, juice, or syrup where sweeteners will be added. Lingonberries are also a nutritional powerhouse, packed with vitamins A, C, B, as well as the nutrients potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium. The seeds of the lingonberry are a rich source of Omega-3 acids, and much like its cousin, the cranberry, contains the photochemical known to treat and eliminate urinary tract infections.

Aside from all those benefits, lingonberries are delicious! They are also becoming much more popular in this country and are easily found in specialty stores and in many grocers’ aisles as well. Most often found in the form of preserves, the gorgeous ruby-red color makes lingonberries an excellent addition to any dessert. They add a bright surge of color to anything from cheesecake or rice pudding, to ice cream or a simple trifle.

I’ve even been known to dip a spoon straight into the jar for just a little taste of something. Lingonberry preserves are well worth the trouble to seek them out. They make a wonderful addition to any pantry, and can be found in specialty grocery stores or online at Lingonberry.com.

Imagine this. You lovingly spend an afternoon slowly cooking butter and sugar into toffee-perfection. It’s the perfect toasted brown color, and you go to pour it into your foil-lined pan. You’ve had to coat that foil with butter to keep the toffee from sticking, and as the toffee cools and sets up, an unsightly pool of butter forms around the edges of your beautiful toffee. Breaking apart the toffee with your fingers results in greasy fingerprints and the toffee is no longer beautiful and gift-worthy. Not so with Reynolds Release. You can pour out your toffee into the pan lined with this foil, and there is no butter, no spraying necessary. The toffee sets up into perfection and you now have the perfect holiday gift.

A specially designed aluminum foil, Reynolds Release is specially coated on one side to prevent sticking. Thirty-five square feet of this attractive foil will set you back about $3.50 at your local grocer. This is definitely worth the price and worth seeking out. My candy-making spree has become a pure pleasure, knowing that I no longer have to spend hours picking off bits of waxed paper or aluminum foil. It has my vote for the most indispensible tool this holiday season. I dare you to give it a try if you haven’t already. I promise you’ll never go back.

**Reynolds Wrap Release Foil photo courtesy reynoldskitchens.com

1. Holds and slices butter with a squeeze and is safe for children to use
2. Slices can be cut and dispensed with one or two hands
3. Easy to control portions
4. Takes up less shelf space in the refrigerator
5. Seldom needs to be washed
6. Keeps hands and butter clean
7. Measures out butter with 4 slices per tablespoon
8. Easily cleaned in warm water or a dishwasher
9. Tastefully replaces the ever-greasy butter dish
10. Can cut an entire stick of butter in about a minute

I gave the One Click Butter Cutter a full trial in my kitchen.  I was a little skeptical about this product, especially when I saw how large it actually is. The cutter stands 8 inches high and is a full 3 inches deep at the base, and just 2 inches wide.  It was very easy to get my stick of butter installed in the cutter, and I simply started squeezing away.  Sure enough, pats of butter began dropping from the cutter.  Each one exactly the same size, which according to the package is ¼ tablespoon apiece. It works well, and does exactly as it says it does.   It is also a safe product to use, as the slicing blade is not particularly sharp, and in order to do any damage, you’d have to get pretty creative at inserting a finger into a small space.

I just have two issues with the One Click Butter Cutter. My first issue is with the large size.  I found it quite difficult to squeeze the cutter with just one hand.  My husband, however, had no problems with his larger hands.  My children, ages 6 and 3, wanted to try the cutter, and both struggled with it.  Small hands will find one-handed operation a bit of a challenge.  My second issue with this cutter is the fact that it doesn’t have a cap for the base.  The bottom end of the butter is not covered in any way, and to me that is a sure way to absorb those fridge odors right into the butter.

Caveats aside, I kind of like this gizmo.  It is excellent for managing portion control without having to think about it, and I like not getting the butter all over myself wrangling it from the wrapper.   The One-Click Butter Cutter has its own website at www.oneclickbuttercutter.com, and has several colors to choose from.