My countertop gets great reception in the morning. I won’t take this strong signal for granite. Thanks, AT&T!

Of course, if I lean up against it “the wrong way,” the bars seem to disappear – which would lead me to believe that there’s a problem with the counter.

More Bars in More Kitchen Places

I hate cooking the same things over and over. Being a bachelor, I tend to get in that rut at times. It just seems easier to cook simple meals that you can whip up from memory in an instant. That gets old pretty fast, though. I started looking at alternatives not long ago, trying to come up with some new ideas for my dinner menus. After coming across the BigOven app earlier, I have a feeling my iPad is going to be used quite often down in my kitchen.

BigOven is far more than just a recipe finder. Once you find a recipe you’d like to try, you can bring up the list of ingredients. Let the app help you figure out which of the items you don’t have on hand, and then create a grocery list in seconds. You can then sync the list to your iPhone or Android device and head to the market. That alone is worth the cost of the app to me. I have trouble figuring out what I need to buy and how much of it I need once I hit the store.

If you have no idea what you want to cook up, tap a couple of ingredients you like and let the app find matching entries for you. With more than 170,000 to choose from (and more being added daily!), I’m pretty sure you’ll find something that works for you. You can even submit your recipes, photos and reviews.

I plan to grab this app for myself tomorrow, and will report back to let you know if my culinary skills have improved.

How to Cook With the iPad

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed

Being the gadget-lover that I am, I have been on the cookout for the Geekiest rice cooker out there! I finally found it, and I love it! It’s the Zojirushi Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer. I bought it in the stainless steel finish, to match the other appliances in my kitchen. It’s easy to use, Geeky enough to make me happy, and makes delicious rice!

There are several different ways I can cook my rice, with just the touch of a button. I can choose to change the consistency from soft to medium to hard! I can even change up the type of rice I cook: white, sushi, porridge, brown, and quick cooking! There’s a built-in timer if I want to watch the minutes go by, and it comes with a rice spatula and measuring cup. A rice spatula what?? I’ve never even heard of one, but apparently I need it!

I love to eat rice, flavored in many different ways. This handy new Geeky cooker makes it ten times easier on me to make sure that I cook it to perfection.

[awsbullet:zojirushi rice cooker]

Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video:

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2v42A2-6Urs"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2v42A2-6Urs" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a>

World’s Geekiest Rice Cooker

As your family and friends gather for the holidays, you’ll want to have on hand all the essentials for entertaining and preparing memorable meals. Save big on thousands of products for your kitchen and home in Holiday Markdowns. Also, you can start browsing the Kitchen & Home Gift Guide for everyone on your list, from the master chef to the entertainer.

I know that my kitchen could stand to be a bit geekier. Why don’t they make products like:

• WiFi-enabled Toaster (b/g/n)
• Microwave / MP3 Player Combo Unit
• USB Salt Shaker
• 8GB Dinner Plates (Solid State)
• Battery-powered Cheesecloth
• Inner-oven Video Surveillance Camera
• Potholders with Kung-Fu Grip
• Caffeine-infused Dishwashing Liquid
• Bluetooth Teapot
• Rechargeable Orange Peeler

Maybe next year? Until then, check out the Kitchen & Home Gift Guide for great gift ideas.

Kitchen and Home Holiday Markdowns