The perfectly dry brownie maker

Originally, I was going to borrow a Perfect Brownie Pan but decided to just purchase one. I feared I may like it despite being told by friends and co-workers that the brownies cooked in the pan were both rubbery and dry. The pan came in a very large box and included the decorating stencils and a small recipe book for $19.99. The price seemed to be at least reasonable.

I rushed to Meijer to get the ingredients for a batch of brownies-from scratch mind you, not a box. I would recreate the brownies I made in a regular brownie pan the previous week. While I drove home, I started to worry that the pan would be too large for the amount of batter the recipe made. How could the batter for a batch of nine brownies made in an 8" x 8" square pan fill a pan that said it would make 18 brownies? The picture on the box showed large delicious brownies. I decided I would make a second bowl of batter if needed.

I opened the box and my smile quickly dissipated. The pan inside was about half the size of the box it came in. I would definitely have enough batter. The browines would end up measuring about 1" x 2", much smaller than the ones made in a normal pan.

All the instructions were carefully followed, and it was a good thing too. Although the brownie pan had a nonstick coating, it still needed to be sprayed with cooking spray-even then there was some slight sticking, not terrible though. The brownies came out cooked evenly. Unfortunately, evenly cooked means no gooey center. These brownies were a little dry, but that's just in my opinion. I tend to enjoy most of my baked goods being a little under done.

The tiny browines looked quite nice on display. The pan would be great for a person that participated in a lot of bake sales. All the baked goods would come out evenly cooked and equal in size. I thought the pan would be a great option for cutting down on the paper mess of cupcakes. In the end, I decided to keep the pan. I enjoy baking for work and friends. The pan would make travel and display much easier. Overall, the pan was pretty good-despite the slight dryness and tininess of the end result.

Up next -----> Detox Foot Pads

**On another note...I received a Shake Weight for my birthday from my friend Jessica. I would love to be able to blog about it now, but it will take some time to get results. I started my six minute a day workout, complete with before photos. After day one, I feel the burn more than with my simple free weight routine. There could be some potential in this. Stay tuned...

It's Straptastic!

I may have found the perfect solution for stubborn bra straps, the Strap Perfect. This product was praised by a few of my friends who have owned the little plastic clips for months. All I have heard is how great the clips work. I finally decided to try them, and it looks like I will continue to use them, especially once tank top and dress weather hits.

I picked up a box of the Strap Perfect clips from

Walgreens for $9.99. Now, I think a price of $5.99 would better suit the product. The box contained six clips: two each of clear, black and nude, along with a pack of clear tape strips for adhering revealing clothing. I can see the tape being very useful for those nights out when the cleavage shirt has the potential to malfunction. I am sure many women know what I am talking about, and it's never fun to spend the entire evening fidgeting with your shirt.

To put the product to the test, I first tried it with a racer back tank top. It worked like a champ, no straps. Then I tried it on a dress that from the front the straps are almost concealed but a quick look at the back shows a less than classy look. The Strap Perfect solved the problem in about 10 seconds. It is so easy to clip on and I was able to do it alone without even having to awkwardly stand and try to look at my back in the mirror.

The final test was simple. I have a bra that no matter how I adjust the straps, they always seem to fall. It makes for an annoying and uncomfortable night at work when I am constantly adjusting and pulling my straps up. After an evening with the Strap Perfect-No problems! Well, maybe one small problem. I would suggest loosening the straps on your bra if you plan to wear the Strap Perfect clip for an extended period of time. I failed to do so and got a headache from the pressure and by the time I got home, had strap lines embedded across my shoulders and back. It was a little painful but of no fault other than my own.

The claim to better posture seems to hold true. the added pressure of the clip does seem to force the shoulders back a little, so I guess I'll give it some credit. Now the claim to a better cleavage line, um yes please. Pair the clip with a good push-up bra and you have an amazing push-up bra. The girls will look fantastic.

I am going to say this is a great product, a little expensive, but overall great. It's a quick, simple solution to a nagging problem.

Up Next: The Perfect Brownie?

The ShamNotWow

This time I tried the ShamWow. I have actually had a set since right after it came out. The ShamWow has always been used to dry and detail the cars at my house. It really works no better than any towel. I would say a chamois probably leaves less water spots than the ShamWow does. Rather than write about the product and my experience with it, however; I thought I would put the ever so annoying infomercial to the test.

Please enjoy my little video. It's not perfect, but I am sure I will get better and better with time.

Consumer Reports on the Sham Wow

-------> Strap Perfect or Perfect Brownie...I haven't decided yet.