Tag: christmas

4 Kitchen Appliance Tips For The Holidays

Your kitchen is a hub of activity throughout the year, but this is particularly true during the holiday season. If you plan on hosting a holiday gathering, you’ll definitely want to get the most out of your premium kitchen appliances, and there are plenty of small tips and tricks you can employ to ensure your kitchen runs smoothly.

To help, we’ve compiled some suggestions for kitchen appliance use this holiday season.

1. Do Not Self-Clean Your Oven Before Holiday Cooking

The self-cleaning feature on your oven is intended to make cleaning easy, but if used right before you begin cooking for the holidays, it could cause a major disaster.

Many homeowners do not use their oven’s self-clean option frequently, and if you use this feature right before a big event, you risk causing an oven malfunction that can seriously damage your appliance. If your oven’s self-cleaning feature isn’t used at least every six months, you run the risk of damaging the appliance when it is activated.

You should also avoid using chemical oven cleaners right before holiday cooking. These products can be effective, though they often leave a layer of chemical residue that needs to be burned off before heavy oven use. This residue can be cooked into your holiday dishes, creating a foul taste while providing a health risk to your holiday guests.

 2. Use Your Oven’s Convection Settings

Many homeowners have a convection oven, though they are unsure of how to properly use its convection setting. Your unit’s convection option helps it cook food faster and more evenly, and is generally better for browning dishes — making it a great choice for a host of holiday favorites.

If you want to take advantage of this feature, be sure to reference your appliance’s owner’s manual for instructions. In general, you should try to follow these basic rules on how to use a convection oven:

  • Lower the recommended cooking temperature by 25 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or cut the baking time by 25 percent.
  • For small pastries, reduce the cooking time by 10 to 15 percent
  • For large roasts, reduce the cooking time by approximately 30 percent

3. Do Not Overwork Your Dishwasher

Once your holiday feast is done, it’s time for the dishwasher to do its job. However, you don’t want to risk ineffective wash cycles by overworking your appliance.

When washing dishes post-holiday dinner, be sure to use the proper amount of soap for each cycle. Too much soap will fill your machine with excess suds, making your cycles less effective. You should also be sure to scrape off all food residue from plates, bowls and silverware, as excess food particles can clog your unit’s jet streams. You should also be sure not to over-rinse dishes, as enzymes in dishwasher detergent require the presence of food residue in order to activate and be effective.

 4. Empty Your Ice Maker Before Gatherings

Nothing ruins a delicious drink like dirty ice, and you’ll definitely want to supply your holiday party with a steady stream of fresh and clean ice. If you notice that your ice maker produces chalky or smelly ice, you’ll have to take action to ensure your guest receive what they deserve.

As air moves throughout your refrigerator and freezer, the unit’s ice maker can become polluted by the flavors of food stored in the appliance. This often results in chalky, smelly and odd tasting ice. To prevent such impurities, you should first empty out your entire ice compartment and allow it to refill with fresh ice. Once the compartment if full, empty the fresh ice into a plastic bag and store it on your freezer shelf. The bag will protect your ice from air that circulates in the unit. You can feel free to continue this process until you have enough ice for your holiday party.

Meet Your Home Appliance Needs This Holiday Season

Your kitchen needs to work at peak efficiency during the holiday season, meeting your cooking and cleaning needs at each and every turn. Armed with a deeper understanding of how your kitchen appliances operate, you’ll be in the perfect position to have a memorable holiday season.

If you notice any issues with your home appliances, the holiday season is also a great time to upgrade to more modern options. You can browse this online collection of cooking appliances to explore your choices, or contact a home appliance expert for further details.

 

How to Decorate Your Kitchen For The Holidays

The holiday season is in full swing, and you’ll want to fill every corner of your home with festive decorations and holiday cheer. Many homeowners focus their decorating efforts on the outdoors, or on their Christmas trees, but there’s no reason you can’t bring some fun décor to your kitchen.

Decorating the kitchen can be a tricky task considering the number of useful appliances that fill the space. You don’t want to get in the way of accessing your refrigerator, and you definitely don’t want to put decorations too close the flames of your gas cooktop. However, there are plenty of ways you can decorate your cooking space for the holidays. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a helpful guide on how to decorate your kitchen for the holidays.

Display Cards & Photos On Your Refrigerator

You’ll likely receive a host of cards from family, friends and loved ones this year, and there’s no better pace to display them than right on your refrigerator.

Many of today’s best refrigerators feature stainless steel designs, or another form of metal exterior, allowing you to easily place holiday cards on the unit using small magnets. You can find refrigerator magnets at many convenience stores or hardware stores, and you’ll even be able to find holiday-themed magnets for added style. With these magnets, you’ll be able to arrange cards along your refrigerator however you please. You can even display photos from previous holidays on your appliance, sharing fond memories with all who enter the kitchen.

Festive Linens For Christmas

Everyone knows that green and red are the traditional colors of Christmas, and an easy way to incorporate these colors into your kitchen décor is by investing in festive Christmas linens.

Many popular home brands produce holiday themed towels, potholders, aprons and more, and adding these to your kitchen is an easy way to bring some festive flavor to the cooking process. Most holiday decorations are not designed for easy placement in the kitchen, and holiday-themed linens are a simple way to add some Christmas style to the kitchen without getting in the way of everyday cooking tasks.

Create An Island Or Table Arrangement

Most homes have an island, a kitchen table or both, and the flat surfaces these fixtures provide make them a great location for arranging holiday decorations.

For elegant and understated style, we recommend creating a floral arrangement using traditional holiday plants like poinsettias, ferns or small pines. You can also place a wreath on the flat surface and build a centerpiece within the wreath using plants or other decorative elements. Feel free to let your creativity run wild, but just be sure that you have ample space to eat at the table or prepare food on your island.

Keep Things Simple

Decorating your kitchen is a great way to get into the holiday spirit, but it’s important that you don’t go overboard. The kitchen is always a major hub of activity, but this is especially true when holiday parties and gatherings are near. While you’ll want to impress guests, you definitely do not want to be tripping over holiday decorations when preparing a meal.

When decorating the kitchen, it’s best to keep things simple. Ensure that your festive touches do not block access to your appliances, and that flammable decorations are not too close to your oven, cooktop or cooking range, as this can create a major fire hazard in your home. With some strategic planning, there’s no doubt that your holiday kitchen decorations will look amazing.

Holiday decorations are a great addition to any home, and the holiday season is also a great time to gift your home with some new appliances. You can explore your options using this online collection of cooking appliances, or contact a home appliance expert for additional assistance.