This Mama Cooks! Reviews

A month with my Frigidaire Range: oven review

In the month that I’ve owned my Frigidaire Gallery Freestanding Electric Range, the oven is the thing I used the least. We haven’t been entertaining much, and since it’s summer, we’ve been grilling a lot outdoors.

Ironically, the oven is the part of my new range that has the most features, such as:

• Fits-More™ Oven – The range comes with four racks, one of which I had to remove since I didn’t need it and probably won’t unless I conducting a cookie baking marathon. Still, having that option is very cool.
• Effortless™ Oven Rack – The bottom rack extends when you open the door for easy access. I’m still trying to remember to put dishes on that rack to take full advantage of this feature.
• SpaceWise™ Half Rack – I’ve actually shown this to friends who’ve come over. (Yes, I”ve conducted a few range and microwave tours.) You can remove the half rack, which gives you extra height for tall dishes like beer can chicken, while giving you a half rack to put other dishes on. Bet this will come in handy on Thanksgiving.
• Quick Preheat – You can pre-heat the over in less than six minutes. I used this and it works well. You can even watch the temperature zoom up on the oven dial. Neat.
• Keep Warm Setting – I use this a lot, even more than the Keep Warm Zone on the stove top.
• Keep Warm Drawer – You know the drawer you keep your muffin tins in? It’s a warming drawer with a rack. Again, perfect for Thanksgiving, pot lucks and parties. I’ve shown this to friends, and everyone thinks this is awesome.
• Cooking timers – There is a regular timer, of course. There’s also a way to set the baking time, so the oven shuts off and keeps the dish warm when cooking time is over. Setting this up is a bit challenging to figure out without having the manual near by. The only thing I didn’t like about it was that it doesn’t give you a count down to when your dish will be ready. So unless you set the timer on the microwave as a backup, you don’t know exactly when dinner’s ready unless you note the exact minute you put the dish in and wrote it down.
• Push buttons – It’s like the Starship Enterprise (Next Generation). However, I’m not used to setting something and then having to press start. I often set something and forget to press start and wonder why the oven isn’t getting warm. I’ll get used to it, I’m sure.

A month with my Frigidaire Range: cook top review

It’s been over a month since I received my Frigidaire Gallery Freestanding Electric Range. I’m still getting used to my new appliance, but for the most part I love cooking with it.

Taking less time to cook

Frigidaire has a More Me-Time Guarantee that states that moms will save time with their products. You know what would save me time? Not having to cook or clean up afterwards at all. Maybe Frigidaire can send Rick Bayless and his staff over.

But seriously, I finally do understand how my new cook top saves me time. It cooks things fast. Almost too fast. I’m not used to how quickly a pan will heat up on my new stove. Several times I would turn around from chopping veggies to find a pan smoking. Whoops, there goes the smoke detector! On my old stove the pan wouldn’t have been warm enough to start cooking yet.

So while the learning curve of my new Frigidaire Gallery Freestanding Electric Range has actually cost me more time, in the long run, pans will be ready sooner and food will cook quicker and with less heat. I’m cooking more efficiently, too, since I can change the heating area size to fit my pan.,

However, I’ve almost burnt a few things, too, not realizing how well my new stove top heats up my cookware. My Le Creuset cast iron French ovens and pans get especially hot, so I’ve learned to turn the temperature down and keep a stricter eye on my cooking.

Daisy Fuentes Pilates for Nintendo Wii

Daisy Fuentes Pilates for Nintendo Wii was released earlier this month by SEGA. Pilates is great for toning and strengthening your core (abs and back) muscles, something that EA Sports Active lacked. (See my review here.) As the first Pilates game for Wii, I was eager to try it and asked SEGA to send me a review copy.

So why try a Wii Pilates game, especially one by Daisy Fuentes? According to the press release:

• It provides customizable programs and instant feedback, something that traditional DVDs lack.
• It allows players to track their results and customize their workout routine.
• It can be used with the Wii Remote and the optional Wii Balance Board, making it an inexpensive ($29.95 or less) option for Wii owners looking for a new workout routine.
• Daisy is no stranger to exercise instruction as she was the spokesperson for the best-selling Winsor Pilates DVD series for many years. 
• Daisy Fuentes Pilates can be played in English or Spanish, which makes sense since Cuban-born Daisy made her mark on MTV and MTV Latino, and was the first Latina worldwide spokesperson for Revlon.

In reality, here’s what I found instead…

Look your best with The Girls Tummy Control Collection

Now that I’ve dropped a few dress sizes, am working out regularly and getting toned, I feel better about the way I look. But there are some days that I don’t feel my best like after a recent vacation where I overindulged too much or when I bumped into an old friend who looked amazing and made me feel like a dumpy, old toad.

On days like that you could use a boost to your confidence> I know wearing a great outfit can help, but since I’m a work at home mom, I rarely get out of my yoga pants. Why put on something nice if no one but the kids are going to see me, right? Well, now I have a favorite new work at home outfit from The Girls Apparel. Not only is it comfortable sportswear – perfect for relaxing, working out, or spending the day blogging – it makes me look and feel slimmer, too.

Comfortable yet slimming

The Girls Apparel’s Blu-Tec Control System is part of their The Girls Tummy Control collection, which comes in both leggings and tops. It’s a special fabric system, constructed with high quality yarns and nylon and spandex that slims, shapes and contours your body in just the right places. This special power mesh system is discreetly placed inside their clothing, so only you know it is there.

I was sent a Tummy Control boot cut pant ($34.99) and short sleeve Tummy Control top ($26.99) to try out and review. I have worn them several times in the past few weeks. They have held up very well in the wash. The color (black) hasn’t faded and the material hasn’t stretched out at all.

Usually, I don’t like constricting clothes, so at first I thought the outfit was too tight. But I quickly got used to it and liked how the clothes kept all my “jiggly bits” in line – especially my butt, my tummy and my upper arms. I usually don’t like wearing workout clothes to the store because I feel a bit “loose” and naked. Letting the world seeing every bulge and my VPL (visible panty line) is a bit embarrassing. With The Girls Tummy Control collection, everything is held nicely in place and VPL is almost eliminated. I don’t mind wearing them in public either, though they are form fitting. I feel “put together” and not like a slob who couldn’t get her act together.

Also, I felt I looked sleeker and that The Girls Tummy Control collection clothing made me look my best and did it comfortably. Unlike a lot of body shapewear, The Girls Tummy Control collection breathes – I didn’t feel hot and sweaty even though it was 80+ degrees out and I was wearing long workout pants. The power mesh layers stay in place unlike other pieces of shapewear that I own that have to be constantly adjusted. Finally, they’re practical and affordable since all their styles retail for under $40.

I will be ordering a few more outfits from The Girls Apparel. (My only complaint was that I wished they offered more colors.) Use the code “summer” from now through September 7, 2009 to get 15% off your purchase! There's also free shipping with orders over $75. These will make nice holiday gifts, too, so take advantage of the discount code and stock up!

Enter the Pepsi Natural “Au Natural” Giveaway

Pepsi Natural is a new cola made with all-natural ingredients, including natural sugar, natural caramel, kola nut extract, natural apple extract, and lightly sparking water. It also comes in an old fashioned glass bottle like when we were kids (well, when I was a kid) and is currently available across the country.

If you’re wanting to go a bit more natural, but don’t want to give up your occasional sweet treat (everything in moderation!) Pepsi Natural may be a great alternative to regular soda.

The Pepsi Natural “Au Natural” Giveaway

The nice folks at Pepsi-Cola are helping me give away a Pepsi Natural “Au Natural” Giveaway prize pack (valued at $50) to one of my lucky readers.* The Pepsi Natural “Au Natural” Giveaway includes:

• Pepsi Natural re-usable canvas bag - 100% organic cotton
• Yoga mat
• Yoga mat tote
• Pepsi Natural canvas hat made from 100% organic cotton
• 4-pack of Pepsi Natural premium cola drinks

Already have a yoga mat? I don’t know about you, but I have one in the car for class, one downstairs to use with the Wii and one upstairs to work out in my bedroom. Guess you can never have too many!

This is going to be a short contest since I’ll be traveling next week, so you have until midnight Monday, August 24, 2009 to enter.

**CONTEST CLOSED: Congrats to Carolyn G. who won the Pepsi Au Natural Giveaway Prize Pack!**