Time To Test The Time-Saving Gadgets

It's three weeks after Christmas, Hannukah, whatever—and there's the nagging feeling that we should test the new gadget(s) we got as gifts.

That way, we can finally

• write a genuine thank-you note (it's so late now)
• email a cheery "Hey, Forgot to mention earlier how great that (insert gadget) was..." or
• be prepared for that phone or in-person chat with the gift-giver.

On occasion, it looks like these gadgets have been re-gifted, especially if the open tab on the box is worn. Better yet, maybe it's a clearance item?

Anyway, it's a good time to try out these time-and-money-saving gadgets.

Mini-Donut Maker: It took over an hour (nearly two) and made for a lot of dishwashing afterward.

(And that's how doughnut is spelled on the Mini-Donut Maker. Ketchup-Catsup. Baloney-Bologna.)

Buy milk and eggs for the recipe, if you're lactose intolerant and don't keep them around. There was white, processed sugar in the pantry, hard and clumpy.

Oiling down the cooking plates was messy, but anticipating Krispy Kreme-like creations helped me stay the course.

The first batch was misshapen, greasy, white and rare on one side, and too crispy brown on the other.

But the cookplate oil-job proved worthwhile. By the time I was scraping the bowl for batter, those minis were turning out of the plates just fine.

The recipe made 30 mini-donuts, three minutes a batch cooktime.

Mini-donuts are the size of what used to be "a half-dollar." Now, I'd describe it as about the size of the control wheel on my iPod.

The donuts were fresh, but not Krispy Kreme.

I highly recommend eating the mini-donuts along the way, after you dip them in melted butter and cinnamon-sugar—otherwise you have to use another plate, and that just adds to clean-up.

It was all a good time, once—okay, twice.

Yesterday, we tested the Sodastream® gift. I won't go into the dangers of CO² under pressure in my kitchen. Try it yourselves.