Background:  I had been using Ulta’s “Professional” brush cleaner - until I read the ingredients and found out it contains parabens.  I got one of those cool 20% off anything” coupons from Ulta and decided to use it to buy a huge bottle of Japonesque brush cleaner. (Review here: http://wp.me/p1Z8Rq-cZ)

16 oz. bottle for $30 at Ulta

Bad Luck:  I have terrible luck when it comes to spray bottles.  It seems that no matter what kind I buy or what I’m using them for, they don’t last very long.  Also, the bottles I was using for brush cleaner made the stuff spray all over my sink and faucet, which is a waste of brush cleaner!

More Background:  A while back, I bought Misto brand sprayer to use with my Urban Decay De Slick oil control spray.  (They’re marketed as “olive oil sprayers” and I have a couple in my kitchen as well.) It didn’t work so great for the De-Slick.

Misto Olive Oil Sprayer. Approx. $10.

Solution:  I use the Misto sprayer for brush cleaner.  It’s SO much better than the regular pump bottles for several reasons:  1.  It hasn’t broken yet.  2.  It allows you to create an aerosol spray that’s easier to control and gets into brushes better.  3.  It’s reuseable and eco-friendly because it uses air pressure to create the aerosol – not chemical propellants.

In Conclusion:  I’m glad I kept this sprayer around.  After using it (unsuccessfully) for the De-Slick spray, I didn’t want to use it in the kitchen, so it was collecting dust in my bathroom for a while.  Luckily, it works perfectly for cleaning makeup brushes.  Totally worth the $5 I spent on it!

I got the idea for this recipe while dining at Cafe 123 in Opelika, AL years ago. That night I had a wonderfully prepared filet with grilled okra on the side. It was phenomenal, and I have been making it at home ever since.

Roasted Okra

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh okra
3/4 tsp olive oil (olive oil sprayer highly recommended)
House seasoning to taste, or other desired spices

Slice okra in half lengthwise. Remove stems first if desired. Arrange in a single layer, seed side up, on a cookie sheet. Spray okra with olive oil. My sprayer measures 3/4 tsp per 10 pumps. Season with House seasoning to taste. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. If okra pieces are “slimy” they are undercooked. You want them light golden brown but not extra crispy.

Cooking in the oven is the easiest, so that’s what I usually do. However, if you have the grill fired up already, throw this on there and enjoy! Grilled okra is fantastic!

Yield: 2 servings, 1 Points Plus Value per serving as calculated using Recipe Builder

These are my top 5:

1.  Grip EZ Chopper, Slicer

This handy little device is only $6.22 from Amazon and makes it easy to slice or chop veggies and scrape them from your cutting board into your pan. It’s stainless steel and dishwasher safe.  Anything that will save me some time is high on my list!

2.  Chef’s Knife

Another handy little device for less than $10.  This knife is perfect for slicing, chopping, and mincing. It’s easy to clean, dishwasher safe and ergonomically designed to be comfortable.

3.  Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer

I use a lot of olive oil and am not a big fan of aerosol spray cans.  This looks like the ideal solution to have the convenience of a spray can without actually having a aerosol can.  At under $10, it’s a pretty good value too.  Other types of oil can be used in this sprayer as well.

4.  Mandolin Slicer 

I bought a very inexpensive mandolin slicer serveral months ago and love it!  But now I’m ready to upgrade and try out some other attachments to see what interesting things I can do with fresh veggies.  I especially like this slicer because the safety guard can also be used as a juicer.  I just love multipurpose tools like this!  And at only $15.85, you can’t beat the price for the convenience and all the attachments that come with it.

5.  Spiral Vegetable Slicer

This is definitely my favorite gadget!  I really, really need one of these!  It’s only $29.99 and quickly and easily makes fancy spirals from fruits and vegetables.  It comes with three different sized blades and is dishwasher safe.  The possibilities are virtually endless….I am thinking sweet potato curly fries and veggie “pasta”.

What kitchen gadgets are on your wish list?  What other gadgets do you use that you can’t live without?

Misto Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer, Brushed Aluminum
by Misto International LLC
1692 days in the top 100
(655)

Buy new: $15.99 $8.34
30 used & new from $6.98

(Visit the Best Sellers in Home & Kitchen list for authoritative information on this product’s current rank.)

Misto Gourmet Olive Oil Sprayer, Brushed Aluminum
by Misto International LLC
1692 days in the top 100
(655)

Buy new: $15.99 $8.34
30 used & new from $6.98

(Visit the Best Sellers in Home & Kitchen list for authoritative information on this product’s current rank.)

http://www.amazon.com/rss/bestsellers/electronics?tag=wanasbisnis-20

Prepara' Olive Oil Sprayer. A very useful gadget.

I was sure it’d get one try and be gone.  (I just make things disappear in the night! Kind of like the creepy bad toys in Toy Story…I digress).  This thing works great.  It puts a nice even coating of olive oil on something – like the chicken I’m roasting tonight – and that saves me time and energy doing it with my hands.  (I also probably use less oil).   I’ve had these before and they always break.  This one seems sturdier.

With it's cap off ... Sitting next to stuff so you can see how big (small) it is.

The other thing I like about this one is that it doesn’t hold too much oil.  Olive oil – especially good EV oils, will go rancid very fast.  So make sure you clean this out when it’s running out, but keep it on the counter and enjoy it…  Cool little thing!

Over the last few years, I have been using olive oil instead of other oils whenever possible in cooking. We purchased a rather large container of extra virgin olive oil at Costco, which was a great deal, and is lasting us a long time. One thing we did not like about the container was that when we wanted to pour just a little bit out, on top of pasta, it would come out way too fast, we would have too much on our plate, and would end up wasting some.

I had been on the look out for a spray bottle (specifically for EVOO) that I could put some olive oil in, which would keep us from wasting oil. I found a plastic spray bottle for $4 or $5 and it works nicely. Although I do still have Pam (cooking spray), when I finish it, I plan to only use EVOO in my new spray bottle. It will be cheaper, healthier, and less waste, since I will not be spilling too much EVOO, and I will not be throwing away a can each time I finish it, I can just refill my bottle.

It’s always great to find little ways to live more economically.

I remember growing up, my mom would buy spray oils such as Pam or Crisco, but now that I know about the harmful aspects of those oils, I decided to try something safer for my body and for the environment.  The Misto Oil Sprayer is a very good buy.  I have been using the Misto for about a year now and I really love it!  It is excellent for those recipes that require you to oil the pan prior to cooking, as well as for portion control.  This handy gadget is very easy to use and looks fabulous in the kitchen!  You can fill the Misto with olive oil or any other healthy oil.  The Misto is available in stainless steel and aluminum.  

Click to purchase or learn more about the Misto Oil Sprayer:
(Oil Sprayer – Stainless Steel – Black)