Don’t limit your toaster to just sliced bread. The Black & Decker Brushed Stainless Steel Toaster (TR1280S) is designed to do a variety of toasting with great results. Plus, its stylish brushed exterior matches any décor.
Toasting versatility starts with the slots, which are extra-wide adjusts to fit thick or thin slices. This allows you to toast anything from skinny pastries to Texas toast. The lift lever makes it easy to remove foods without getting fingers close to the heating coils.
The simple controls offer special functions for bagels and frozen foods, plus an option to reheat toast that’s gone cold. A digital display shows toast shade setting for precise preferential taste. The controls also automatically shut off. The stainless steel surface wipes clean with a cloth and the removable crumb tray makes cleanup fast.
This stylish model is available in major retailers nationwide or online.
Break out your blender this summer to make refreshing drinks for all your family and friends. Black & Decker makes it easy to prepare the best drinks right at home with these 10 tips on getting the most out of your blender.
#1 High-power = better performance
The right blender will help make drinks faster and easier. Use blenders with over 450 watts of power, because they let you blend ingredients and ice at once. Remember to put in ice and frozen ingredients first to keep them close to the blades.
#2 Pulse + speed = perfect texture
Getting the perfect texture requires pulse control and speed. Press the pulse button several times in 2-second intervals, and then put it on high to blend everything. This helps crush ice before blending.
#3 Use fresh ingredients for better taste
Everyone loves the delicious taste of fresh ingredients in frozen drinks. Fresh berries and fruits like strawberries, peaches and mango gives everyone an extra serving of fruit for added nutrition.
#4 Use the center cap as a shot measure
You never have to stop the blender to remove the lid for adding liquor again. The center cap in your blender lid doubles as a 2-ounce shot measure. Just remove the cap, measure and add liquor as you blend.
#5 Make non-alcoholic drinks pop
You can make non-alcoholic blended and frozen drinks special with a splash of seltzer or club soda to make it fizz. This works best with any ice-based or sorbet-based drinks.
#6 Give guests options
For a full-service bar experience, your guests need options. Have a variety of fruits, juices, sorbet and liquor on hand and ready near your blender, so you can make drinks to order.
#7 Don’t forget the garnish
Garnish makes frozen drinks more festive. To turn your backyard into a party, garnish your drinks with fresh fruit slices, mint leaves or drink umbrellas to add whimsy.
#8 Easy clean between drink batches
Don’t take your blender apart to clean between batches—you can fast-clean. Fill the carafe with water, add a drop of dish soap and then use a low or medium speed. After a few seconds, empty the carafe and rinse.
#9 Give your blender time to rest
Although your blender is designed to work all day, it’s not designed to do it continuously. To make sure it doesn’t burn out in the middle of a party, don’t run it continuously for more than 2 minutes at a time.
#10 Let your dishwasher do the real cleaning
You don’t have to clean your blender by hand. All of the removable parts (jar, lid, gasket and blades) are dishwasher-safe. You can take everything apart and put it in the dishwasher for easy after-party cleanup.
If you’re the planner in your house, summer can be stressful with extra meals to cook and parties to organize. Make summer easy this year by letting your appliances do most of the work on three typical occasions.
#1 No fuss party planning
You don’t have to spend all your time planning summer parties if you have the right appliances to help. While a lot of cooking is done on the grill, plan so it isn’t the only thing you use—otherwise the grill gets backed up, and guests are left waiting.
To ease up the demand at the grill, make some dishes in the kitchen to keep guests satisfied. Take advantage of the large capacity of your blender and/or food processor to make dips and spreads. For easy drinks, see this month’s article on becoming a bender master.
#2 Home lunches for kids made easy
When the kids are home from school during the summer, adding an extra meal to prepare can be a challenge. Your appliances make summer lunches easy by taking the hassle out of creating lunch.
Use the one-touch functions on your digital countertop oven to make kid-favorite frozen food like chicken nuggets and pizza bites. Then, use the one-touch cookies function for dessert, too.
If you have more time, get the kids involved and use your toaster for easy customizable sandwiches. The kids can pick their own ingredients and put their sandwiches together. All you need to do is toast some bread, and the kids do the rest of the work.
#3 Picnic prep in a snap
Make your summer picnic memorable by prepping the food at home. Pack the components separately, then put the food together once outside.
Use the appliances at home for picnic prepping. Liven up your sandwiches by baking fresh bread in your bread maker then slice it. Then use your food processor to pre-slice ingredients, so everything is prepped and ready to serve.
You can also use your food processor to make popular chopped salads, like a fresh Cobb. For snacks, use your processor, chopper or blender to make salsa. Just put all the ingredients in, press the button and you’re ready to pack up.
- 12 oz. breakfast sausage
- 1 cup chopped green and red peppers
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh marjoram leaves
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tbsp. butter or margarine
- 14 1-inch slices French bread (enough to fill the bottom of 13 x 9-in. shallow baking dish)
- 1 cup shredded Jack cheese
- 6 eggs, slightly beaten
- 2½ cups milk
- ¼ tsp. garlic pepper
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
In Black & Decker® Electric Skillet preheated to 350ºF cook sausage with peppers, onion, marjoram and ½ tsp. salt until sausage is cooked through, stirring often to break sausage into bits. Remove from heat and allow to cool for several minutes.
Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Lay bread slices touching to fill bottom of baking dish. Top with sausage mixture. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.
In measuring cup, combine eggs, milk, remaining ½ tsp. salt, garlic pepper and pepper flakes. Pour evenly over mixture in baking dish. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
Remove plastic wrap and place in Black & Decker® Toaster Oven preheated to 350ºF. Bake 40 minutes or until knife inserted into the center comes out clean and cheese is golden brown.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: This is a perfect brunch or dinner dish. It can be assembled the night before. Simply add a salad and a large bowl of fruit and the meal is complete.
- ¼ cup finely diced Manchego cheese
- ¼ cup diced purple onion
- ¼ cup chopped kalamata olives
- ¼ cup diced red pepper
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. instant minced onion
- ½ tsp. seasoned salt
- ½ tsp. spicy Montreal steak seasoning
- ¼ tsp. garlic pepper
- ¼ tsp. seasoned pepper
- 2 New York strip steaks (about 8 oz., ea.)
Preheat Black & Decker® Toaster Oven on broil.
In a small bowl, combine first 4 ingredients; add 3 tbsp. olive oil and blend well. Let stand at room temperature while preparing steaks.
In another small bowl, combine minced onion, salt, steak seasoning, peppers and remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil; blend well. Brush half seasoning mixture evenly over one side of steak.
Place steak, seasoned side up, on ungreased broil/bake pan and broil for 8 minutes.
Half way through cooking, remove steaks from oven. Turn over and brush steaks with remaining seasoning mixture.
Return steaks to oven; close door and continue cooking to desired doneness.
Tent loosely with foil and let beef stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Serve steak topped with olive mixture. Add cooked rice and a mixed green salad for an easy yet elegant dinner.
Makes 2 servings.
Note: Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the steak to test the doneness:
120º to 125ºF for rare; 135º to 145ºF for medium.
- 2 cups cold milk
- 1½ cups vanilla or banana ice cream
- 1 medium banana
- 2 tbsp. chocolate syrup
Combine all ingredients in blender container. Close cover. Pulse for several seconds three or four times. Press HIGH and let run until mixture is smooth and well blended, about 1½ minutes.
Makes 2 thick shakes.
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