Who doesn’t love grilled cheese sandwiches?  And using thin sliced bread, fat-reduced cheese and light butter allows you to enjoy a treat that you may not otherwise try.  But how do you make the best grilled cheese sandwich?  Just follow along on this video over at CNN.

Don’t like making grilled cheese on a pan? Why not try one of these sandwich makers! Makes the job easier, not as messy and a cinch to clean…

I use the Cuisinart GR-1 Griddler Panini and Sandwich Press.  I bought if for around $50.00 on Amazon and it works great!  With over 150 positive reviews on Amazon and a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 this is the sandwich press you should buy.

It does more than just sandwiches!

Creating restaurant-quality paninis–as well as grilled sandwiches, veggies, pork chops, and more–is simple with this convenient panini press and sandwich maker. The unit’s upper and lower 11-by-7-inch nonstick, non-removable grill plates provide even grilling and toasting, plus offer a drip spout that makes it easy to drain grease away from food for healthier cooking. Designed like professional units, its floating hinge adjusts to accommodate any thickness for perfectly grilled thin or thick panini and sandwiches. In addition, the panini press and sandwich maker features “power-on” and “ready-to-cook” indicator lights and a preset temperature to ensure crisp, golden-brown results. An instruction book with recipes and a cleaning

Features include:

• Panini press and sandwich maker in brushed stainless-steel housing
• Upper and lower 11-by-7-inch nonstick, non-removable grill plates
• Floating hinge adjusts to accommodate any size sandwich; preset temperature
• Helpful indicator lights; instructions, recipes, and cleaning tool included
• Measures 14-1/2 by 6-1/2 by 12 inches; 3-year limited warranty

Another great one is the DeLonghi CGH800-U Retro Panini Grill, also found on Amazon. The other one that I liked is the Cuisinart GR-4 Griddler Stainless-Steel 4-in-1 Grill/Griddle and Panini Press – almost 500 4 star reviews cannot be wrong – again you will also find this on Amazon.

Here is a picture of the DeLonghi CGH800-U Retro Grill:

Here is a picture of the Cuisinart GR-4 Stainless Steel Grill:

I buy almost everything on Amazon, great (best) prices and most items are delivered FREE OF CHARGE right to your home. What more could you want?

Regardless of which one you buy, they are all great machines and all make fantastic grilled cheese sandwiches along with many other items.  The stainless steel looks really sharp, and is pretty easy to clean.  Stylewise they are all nice to look at and will look good on your counter.

If you are seriously looking to buy – just click the pictures of the different grills.  When I last checked earlier today the Cusinart GR-4 was on sale at 62% off the regular price!  It was selling for $235.00 and was on sale for only $88.50.  Don’t forget to pick-up a Panini Recipe Book if you don’t have one.  They had a deal on the GR-4 along with two recipe books for only $119.00 – definately a good deal.

ALERT: There is a newer version of the GR-4 our that is less expensive.  Check out the newest Cuisinart GR-4N 5-in-1 Griddler.

Bon Apetite!

Technorati Tags: Aaaah, Book, brushed stainless steel, Cheese, Grill, grilled cheese sandwich, grilled cheese sandwich maker, grilled cheese sandwiches, grilled sandwiches, indicator, light butter, panini maker, panini press, preset temperature, Press, professional units, recipe, sandwich maker, sandwich makers, smell, Stainless, temperature

Related posts:

1. Great Summertime BBQ Recipes
2. Recipe – Grilled Salmon Sandwich With Dill Sauce
3. Recipe – Glazed Grilled Salmon with Onions and Garlic

These are bite sized “chips” that come in a few flavours – I opted for BBQ – you know, summertime and all.  They come in standard chip-flavour formulas, like ketchup, salt and vinegar, crunchy dill, and even sea salt and lime.

I really enjoyed BBQ.  Sweet, smoky and tangy, they really hit the spot when you need a flavour pick-me-up in the middle of the day.  Stash a bag in your desk at work for when you feel like hitting the cafeteria vending machine, but don’t want to suffer the waistline consequences.

The packages are small – 20g and are 90 calories per packet.  2.5g of fat with 0.3g being saturated and 0g of trans.  A lot of sale – 240mg, plus there is some sugar 2g and 15g of carbohydrates.  They even contain some fibre at 1g.

If you’re looking for vitamins, take a pill – only 4% Vitamin A and 2% Iron content.

The chips taste great, if you like that smokey BBQ scent and flavour then you’ll really enjoy this.  Because the chips are small in circumfrence – about 1″ there is a lot packed into the bag and the fact that it’s a bag you will feel satisfied once you’re done.  They are smaller versions of their rice cakes, but pack a nice crunch and great flavour.  If I had to guess how many “chips” were in a bag, I’d say around 40 – more than enough to satisfy cravings.

If I remember correctly they were around $4.00 + taxes for a box of 6 packages (20g in each package).

These are so good that you should be able to pack these in the kids lunchbox without too much shouting from them – I tried with my son, but he hardly eats chips and is not a fan of BBQ (give him ketchup!)  – but even then he did enjoy them.

I think that these are only available in Canada though – but you could check your local supermarket to see if they carry them.

I think these are great, and for me they satisfy my need to c-r-u-n-c-h!  They offer just the right amount of flavour to make them comparable to chips, and as far as I can tell – no funny aftertaste.

Technorati Tags: bite sized chips, quaker, quaker crispy minis

Related posts:

1. Cooking Course Takes a Bite Out Of Obesity
2. Should I Buy Controlled Servings of Food?
3. How To Eliminate Fast Food Entirely From Your Diet

Over the years as I went to eye doctor appointments and my eyes started getting better (the doctor made a bad move by even suggesting that my astigmatism was very moderate) I decided I’d no longer wear them.  So it has been that way for years now.

I went to my eye doctor again a few months ago to get my eyes checked.  Could you believe it – he said my eyes were pretty bad and that I really should be wearing glasses and he even hinted that it should be more than just once in awhile.

Sigh.

So he wrote my prescription and took me over to see all the frames that they had in stock.  Of course, none have a price on them but usually a price code.  He said to pick the ones I liked the best.  So I did.  Grabbed the ones that looked best on my, had the nicest shapes and colors.  He also directed me to some of the discount frames.  Well, I could see why they were discount frames.  They were UGLY!  Who would want to wear those?

So I took about 10 different frames and sat down with the optometrist.

He looked at each frame, and the price code.  Looked it up on his computer and plunked them down.  I kid you not, each frame that he dropped was at minimum $500.00 !!!!  Being a big guy, he said that I would need a bigger frame and those usually carried a premium.  Fine, I can understand that – but $500.00 for a frame!

…and yes, it was only the frame.  The lenses were atleast $200.00 depending on what I’d want to put on them… you know, anti-scratch coating, anti-glare coating, UV protection… By the time all was said and done I would have spent about $800.00 on glasses.  To add insult to injury, he asked if I wanted to purchase a second pair at 10% discount.  WHAM!  Jeez at that rate, I’d have to take out a small loan for glasses.

Now I know what you’re thinking “what a cheap bugger” – well, yes.  I know I need glasses, but NOT for $800.00.

Besides I know what kind of mark-up is on the frames.  Years ago I looked at importing frames and selling them on the internet like the folks over at http://www.ZenniOptical.com do – and the mark ups are HUGE on frames, especially if you look at designer branded frames like Gucci, Dolce Gabanna, Tommy Hilfiger and the like.

I looked at the frames that http://www.ZenniOptical.com carries, and you know what – they are stylish and most of all – THEY ARE VERY INEXPENSIVE.  I saw some great frames that would look good on me, the right shapes and colors for under $50.00 — yes that is right less than FIFTY BUCKS.  They may not be designer branded frames, but the look and style is what I am looking for — not whether it’s a Tommy Hilfiger frame or DG.

They are actually better known for their $8 Zenni Optical Rx Eyeglasses and the $8.00 frames are not bad looking either.  Here is a sample of one of their $8 frames:

Not too shabby looking.

If you are looking at spending BIG BUCKS for a frame – their frame top out at around $45.95 – atleast that is the most expensive one I could find:

It is not a bad looking frame either.

So we have concluded that their frames are very inexpensive.  But how about ordering?  Simple.

Step 1 – pick out the frame you like as I’ve done.  Those are pretty smart looking frames right?

Step 2 – when you click on the frame, it takes you to a detail page about the frames.

From the order page select which options you like – change the color of the glasses, select anti-reflection coating, decide on lens tinting, if you want clip-on polarized sunshade you can select that (so your glasses serve two purposes instead of one). 

Once you have made your selections, enter you prescription inormation and you are done.  Even if you decide to go for broke and add all the various options they still work out to be less that what you would pay elsewhere.  My sample glasses worked out to under $100.00 — at that price, I can afford to buy 1 pair of glasses for each day of the week and still have money left over for a nice dinner for my wife and myself!

Now you are probably thinking that they have very little selection.  Wrong – check out the types of frames they stock:

• $8.00 Eyeglasses 
• $9.95 Eyeglasses
• $12.95 Eyeglasses 
• $15.95 Eyeglasses 
• $19 Metal 
• $19 Plastic or Acetate 
• +Sunshade Models 
• Acetate or Mixed Material 
• Aluminum Alloy 
• Bifocal/Progressive Frames 
• Children’s Frames 
• Full Rim Frames 
• Goggles 
• Half Rim Frames 
• Leading Edge Designs 
• Memory Titanium 
• Men’s Classic 
• New Arrivals 
• Pure Titanium 
• Rimless Frames…. 
• Stainless Steel 
• Variable Dimension Frames 
• Women’s Fashion 

Quite a selection.

Now the thing that kills me is that they offer customer service.  I mean, they offer a 1-800 number in fact on their website they say “for a quick and definite response please use the phone” — most companies try to shy you away from using the 1-800 number because if costs them money.  But Zenni Optical actually encourages you to call instead of e-mail!  How crazy is that?!

Here is the guarantee that they provide – you can read this on their website also:

We take great pride in delivering a quality product at incredibly low prices. Every prescription order is meticulously checked by certified technicians for prescription accuracy and optical clarity before shipment. Since all orders are unique all sales must be final so please be extra careful in filling out your order.
Even so since we value your satisfaction above all if you are unsatisfied with your prescription eyeglasses for any reason just return the eyeglass with the order copy and case within four weeks and we will refund 50% of the cost of the glasses. We do not reimburse for shipping and handling.  

Want to know more about Zenni?

Using the latest modern materials, manufacturing and marketing systems we bring our product direct from our factories to you. No Middlemen,no retail overhead,and practically no advertising budget,(we leave it to you, our satisfied customers to spread the word,), we do not pay for or sell expensive, or even inexpensive, brand names, but only our own manufactured brand ZENNI.

Eyeglasses are definitely a personal fashion and style item, and to that end we strive to provide a fashionable and stylish product. More importantly, we feel prescription eyeglasses are a health item necessity for most wearers, and to that end we take considerable pride in being able to bring to all a very high quality product of great durability, safety and comfort at truly reasonable and affordable prices.  

At under $100.00 for a full set of glasses with lenses and all the extras I can think of (did I mention that all their frames and lenses come with Anti Scratch Coating, Full UV Protection, Lens edge polishing and beveling, Quality Hard Eyeglass case, Microfiber Lens Cleaning Cloth, Full Guarantee).

With the prices they offer, you can not go wrong.  Now, I don’t have an excuse not to buy my glasses — and because they are so inexpensive, I probably will buy one pair for each day of the week!

Mohamed

Technorati Tags: frames, glasses, inexpensive frames, zenni optical

No related posts.