If this happened with my big kids, I’d probably add some milk to cool it off but my little guy makes enough mess with his lunch already – soupy, cheesy, pasta would only increase my clean-up later.  So I reached for one of my favorite cheap tricks.  Plastic ice cubes.

I’m not exactly sure what there were intended for (who would want a big hunk of plastic in their glass?), but at our house we use them as instant coolers.  When food is too hot I grab a few of these from the freezer and toss them in.  They don’t water-down the food like regular ice cubes and they offer an instant cooling effect that saves me from loads of “Mom, can you blow on this?” questions.

My favorite part is that they’re cheap – really cheap.  I bought a whole big bag of them at the dollar store for…well, a dollar.  They’re not just for hot foods, of course.  We’ve used them for lunch boxes, sport bottles, first-aid ice packs, and baby teethers.  Plus, they’re dishwasher friendly.  Just toss them into the utensil basket and you’ll be good to go.  It’s a cheap and easy trick that makes a big difference at our house.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

My family was thrilled with the change but there was a small problem.  Each Monday I’d make four perfectly puffy loaves of whole wheat bread only to watch them be hacked to pieces throughout the week by my family.  It didn’t seem to matter what type of knife we used, we could never get smooth, even slices and my counters suffered from the constant crumbly mess.  I looked on Amazon for bread slicing tools and found several clunky contraptions.  However, none of them had good feedback ratings and they generally had a price tag of $25 or more.

Then, while I was perusing the “as seen on TV” area at WalMart, I came across this handy tool.  It’s a battery operated, twin-blade electric knife and it works like a charm on my bread.  The sharp blades slice without any added pressure so your bread never gets mashed or mangled in the cutting process.  The blades pop out with a push of a button and fit easily in the utensil basket of my dishwasher.  Plus, it’s cordless so it’s easy to use at the kitchen table and stores neatly in my cupboard.  Whether I need to carve up a roast or slice a birthday cake this handly tool is a must in my kitchen.  It’s called the OneTouch Cordless Knife.  I bought mine for $12 because it was marked down at WalMart.  You can also find it on Amazon by following this link.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

Are you craving a big batch of Honey Wheat Bread too?  I’ll be posting my scrumptious recipe tomorrow so be sure to check back soon.

Speaking of Halloween, if you’re in the market for a sweet treat to send in for your kid’s Halloween party next week, you might want to check out this cool site.  I first came across Bakerella a few months ago when I was following links from a ‘photography tips’ site.

I was quickly won over by her adorable collection of cupcake pops.  Not only are they clever and fun, but they’re made from a cake mix – which is right up my ‘quick and easy’ alley.  I tagged the site but sort of forgot about it until yesterday when I was searching for fun food ideas for elementary school parties.  When I caught a glimpse of her awesomely bad Halloween pops, I knew I’d found what I was looking for. 

They’re the perfect sweet treat for elementary-age kids…easy to handle, colorful, and a huge step up from the boring orange cupcakes you can pick up at the grocery store.  I was able to buy all the supplies I needed to make a big batch at WalMart for under $8.  I haven’t put them together yet, but thanks to Bakerella’s detailed instructions, I’m hopeful that I can pull them off.

If you’re on the list to send in treats next week, you might want to give these little charmers a try.  Just thought I’d pass it on.