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Maytag Mom: My final thoughts

19 Feb By 4 Comments

Last year when I was invited on the Maytag Moms campaign I was really excited.  Getting a kitchen upgrade is a dream for most people and as we already had (and liked) Maytag appliances, I knew it would be interesting to check out all the advancement in technology and the different ways these newer appliances made life in the kitchen easier. If you missed any past posts, you can read them here:

As you may have noticed the past few months, MomDot has yet to publish anything about the stove. Unfortunately when I first received my new stove,  I noticed it had an issue. The stove seemed to heat up on the outside as well. With an infant in the house I knew that was going to be an issue. I gave it some time thinking it was me doing something wrong but eventually I contacted Maytag and they agreed that that should not be happening. They were very forthcoming with getting the stove out and replacing it.

A few weeks later, Maytag sent over a new stove model and it was a double oven!

I was major MAJORLY excited. Thrilled.

Gemini® Electric Double Oven Range with EvenAir™ True Convection

Whether you’re cooking snacks or multiple courses for a special gathering, this double oven uses the industry’s largest available capacity2 at 6.7 cu. ft. to cook several items at the same time. Perfect the rest of the meal using the Power Center cooktop with a 3,200-watt Speed Heat™ and a 12″/9″/6″ Triple-Choice™ elements that handle almost any size pan. Keep the process efficient with EvenAir™ True convection in the lower oven that roasts up to 30% faster than a thermal oven and Power Preheat which preheats the upper oven 40% faster than a conventional 5.3 cu. ft. conventional oven.

stove

As you can see, it’s quite attractive.

I went from an all black kitchen to stainless steal.

maytag-fridge-review

But it pains me to say this….the new double oven broke within days of having it. I noticed when I turned on the regular portion of the oven (the large area), I was experiencing loud bangs. I recorded it and sent it over to Maytag and they sent out a repair person. He let me know that the fan was broken and they had to order the part. Of course this was over the Christmas holiday so while they were very helpful, and so was Maytag, I was out of an oven over the holidays.

Now that I have had a chance to use my new oven for the first time in a few months from the beginning process till now, here is what I have learned.

The Positives:

1) Having a double oven has its benefits. Being able to make two completely different meals with two temperatures at the same time is fantastic. You can ready rolls, a separate meal for the kids, side dishes and all while the larger portion of the oven is still cooking.

2) Speed heat on the range is very fast. That means a lot when the kids are hungry NOW.

3) The convection helps in keeping the baking even. Even last night when my spouse attempted to make dinner and forgot about something he put in, the entire thing was burned…evenly.

4) The range space is used in a really great way. One of the range spots for a pan is adjustable, so you can use a small pan, medium pan or large pan. All you do is turn the knob to the dial of the pan you use.

The Changes I would make

1) The seal around the edge gets caught with food a lot..it’s pretty hard to clean out unless you use a butter knife. I think this is just an aesthetics thing but if I were redesigning, I would make that area nonexistent.

2) Putting the big oven on the bottom seems like a poor design. If you are pulling a turkey or heavy casserole out, bending way over and getting it isn’t practical. If you are older or have bad back/knees, this can be a real issue. The larger portion is REALLY low to the floor.

3) My last Maytag had a slide lock on it, this one only locks when you clean it. That means my son has discovered he can OPEN the oven. I think locks should be standard features on all ovens.

4) This may be a quirk of mine personally but I am constantly turning on the wrong burner. The one on the far left seems to line up to me on the top burner, but it actually goes to the bottom burner.  The second burner to me lines up with the front burner but actually goes to the back burner.

stove-knobs

Recommendations

Out of everything, I would say my Dishwasher was the best kitchen improvement.  I have yet to find one dirty dish in the time I have been using the new dishwasher. And while we still load like wild animals, the dishwasher seems to get around that and keep the dishes clean.

Maytag_Jetclean_plus

Overall I was pleased with Maytags customer service. I got to experience what happens when an item isn’t exactly as expected. Lets face it. Mistakes happen, transport issues happen, installation issues happen, and at the end of the day a company that takes responsibility and assists you ever step of the way till its right is what counts. You can learn more about Maytag and get to know all their products here:

The Maytag Page
Maytag’s Twitter Page
Maytag’s Facebook Page

I want to thank Mom Central and specifically Kasey for her patience and assistance and Maytag for constantly checking up and making sure that all my questions were answered. Thank you also to my audience for allowing me to share with you about these appliances and assist you in the features and deciding what is right for your house hold.

~Trisha

I wrote this post participating in an Maytag Moms Dependable Kitchen Ambassador program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Maytag. I was provided with a Maytag kitchen appliances set, including a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and range to facilitate my post.

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“My Grandma’s Maytag couldn’t do THAT!”

20 Jan By 11 Comments

This months theme “My Moms Maytag Couldn’t do that” fits perfectly in my lifestyle. As you know I am a Maytag Mom and have been working to let you know all the new features on my Maytag appliances. If you missed any past posts, you can read them here:

Now why does that theme work so well, Trisha? Well, because I cant even remember HAVING a dishwasher growing up. The kids WERE the dishwasher, kwim? It’s hard to remember a time before amenities, but its true. And even if you are knew to the dishwasher world, it doesn’t mean that you should settle for a super basic model. Finding the right features is more important in today’s kitchen than anything else.

Do I really have time to pick stuck food OFF my dishes after they were supposedly clean? Um. No. Not with this zoo I call a household around here.

I want to set it, forget it, and pray someone else remembers to empty it. And for the most part that is true…at least the set it and forget it.

(I still often end up emptying the dishwasher on my own though)

What the experts say:

Maytag® Jetclean® Plus Dishwasher with 100% Stainless Steel Tub Interior

The Jetclean Plus Steam cycle utilizes high-pressure spray jets and increased temperatures to power through stuck-on food while reducing spots on glassware. There’s no need to rinse off dried-on food thanks to the ToughScrub™ option and a powerful 4-blade stainless steel chopper. For even more cleaning power,the Jetclean® Plus Steam cycle blasts off food particles with high-pressure spray jets and then adds the finishing touch of steam to clean and reduce spots on glassware. The Auto Clean cycle also uses sensors that monitor soil levels to help get dishes clean. Plus, the 100% stainless steel tub looks great, fights corrosion and improves drying performance.

What Mom says about the Maytag® Jetclean® Plus Dishwasher

My favorite part? Other than the no “cleaning before cleaning” stance that actually DOES work? The fact that Fingers McGee aka Phoenyx cannot reset the dishwasher every time its on! As you can see from my old Maytag, just about anyone, including the dog, with the right amount of pressure could stop or start the process. Now the buttons are located in a nice parents only spot that closes away from any prying hands.

Maytag_Jetclean_plus

And while I would love to tell you all the arranging power the dishwasher has….well, here I will show you what it SHOULD look like according to standards.

maytag_loading

The REALITY of the situation is this:

dishwasher_loaded

It’s like wild animals dropped their dishes and ran.

The irony being that in the early part of my marriage my husband would literally take every dish out and redo the dishwasher till it looked like a military laundry session. He has gotten lax in his old man age.

The dishes come out spotless so all is well and moms have to pick their battles.

—————————-

Maytag Over-the-Range Microwave with Stainless Steel Interior

Go ahead and put that casserole dish in the microwave. Not only will it fit in this 2.0 cu. ft. over-the-range unit, but the WideGlide™ tray is designed to move throughout the microwave for uniform cooking results – even in cookware as large as a 10″ x 15″ pan. The powerful 1,000 watts of cooking power ensures your food will be heated all the way through, while sensor reheat means you can warm your meals without worrying about cooking times or power levels. The stainless-steel interior looks great and cleans easily, while the four-speed ventilation fan will help keep your kitchen clear of cooktop smoke and odors.

I also wanted to take a minute to touch on our Microwave.  We are actually a low maintenance home when it comes to microwave. Our last one had the handle broken off so I am happy to have a handle back, but other than the occasional vegetable steaming, the defrosting of meat, and maybe some milk warming, the microwave has little usage in our house but a really nice looking decor piece.

For some reason I will never understand, I cannot get behind “leftovers” so I only cook what we eat and that is that. I can tell you that I have grown super fond of the “quick defrost” button as its usually 3pm before I am considering dinner thoughts.

maytag_defrost

I also think the sensor reheat is a really cool feature. You can reheat meals without cook times or worrying about what level of power to use, but as we do not eat leftovers, this is something I have yet to try.

Of course if you are considering a kitchen change or upgrade or want to get to know more about Maytag appliances, please learn more by visiting Maytag at

Or visiting other bloggers and their experiences here:

~Trisha

I wrote this post participating in an Maytag Moms Dependable Kitchen Ambassador program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Maytag. I was provided with a Maytag kitchen appliances set, including a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and range to facilitate my post.

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Zoes Kitchen; Healthy takeout

15 Dec By Leave a Comment

I am not someone that overly worries when I am out to eat about eating healthy. Honestly, if I get that worried I should probably be at home cooking, but sometimes I do like to have my fast meal fresh as well. In my city I feel like I have eaten almost everywhere, but a few weeks back while Phoenyx and I were on one of our many (MANY) trips to Gymboree here in Mobile, we took the stroller from end to end in the shopping complex and noticed a restaurant we had never been in! So when we had used our energy on shopping and needed a refill, we headed down and had lunch.

What kind of food does Zoes Kitchen have?

(sample of my local menu, you can see yours by going to the site and putting in your zip code)

zoes-kitchen-menu

They say the kitchen is the heart and soul of the home. You might say fresh ingredients are the heart and soul of Zoës Kitchen. Our tasty, Mediterranean-inspired recipes originate from the southern kitchen of founder Zoë Cassimus, drawing from her Greek heritage. Today, everything is still made fresh daily. Zoës Kitchen is a natural extension of Zoë Cassimus’ lifetime of cooking for family and friends. Inspired by Zoë’s original recipes and her simple, fresh-from-the-garden sensibility, we start every day by making the food from scratch onsite at each restaurant. Our dishes are wholesome; our portions generous. It’s Mediterranean-inspired comfort food with customers’ dietary concerns in mind–nothing fried with gluten-free and vegetarian options. Zoë means “life” in Greek. Why not live it to the fullest with tasty food shared among close friends and family?

Local Zoes Kitchen in Mobile

Our local place was lively and bright and the people friendly! While you do have to wait a tad longer for your food, its because the food is made fresh. Therefore if you are picking out something like steak kabobs (like I did) be prepared to wait for them to be prepared!

zoes-kitchen

zoes-kitchen-takeout

Is the food any good at Zoes Kitchen?

Well, food is always subjective to your own tastes and I really like Mediterranean food, so I say yes. My husband isn’t a fan of some of the cheeses used in many Greek dishes, but he remarked later on how full he felt for hours after and not a full from eating too much, but a full from eating the right amount.  I think that meant he didn’t feel grossly disgusting like he would after a double cheeseburger.

zoes-kitchen-menu

chicken-kabob-zoes

I have been back to Zoes Kitchen atleast twice since the first time and it continues to impress! So next time you are out and about and see one, it’s worth stopping.

~Trisha

Disclaimer: first visit I paid for personally, second Zoes Kitchen invited me back to try a dish, third I paid for. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Reviews, Sidebar News Tagged With: , ,

Holy Cuteness!

27 May By 3 Comments

I know I am not a bride, and I have never been a bridesmaid (I guess I have never had any friends I was that close too…its kinda bumming me out now that I think about it) and I got this in a newsletter today and I ADORED these new vintage apron designs and just had to share.

Rhinestones? Ruffles? Ribbons?

Purrfection!

and

Carolyn’s Kitchen Vintage Aprons

Carolyn’s Kitchen is a designer, manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of retro aprons, vintage inspired kitchen aprons, glamour hostess aprons, sexy aprons, kitchen faux fur gloves, leopard kitchen gloves and sexy romantic gifts.

I actually own one of their aprons…this pink one:

You can see Charlotte modeling here during one of our cooking dealio-s last year…

Also, this company makes all its aprons in the good old USA, which I love.

Check out the entire collection and bring out the retro goddess in you…(or maybe just turn on your husband), either way its win/win.

~Trisha

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Proof we are nothing.

1 Mar By 17 Comments

As parents I mean.

I hear some shuffling around in the kitchen. I yell…what are you doing in there? I expect that she is getting a glass for drinking cause I know damn well she isn’t putting away my clean dishes.

“I’m just doing something!” yells back.

Oooooookkkkkkk. She is generally pretty good so I figured I’ll wait it out. Chances are I wont find her throwing knives or skinning the cat.

She then calls me in to come see her handiwork.

I walk into the kitchen. Nothing appears to be out of place. She tells me to open up the cupboard.

This is what I find:

She has taken all the adult gasses and put them on the middle shelf and all her glasses and added them on the bottom shelf. You know, for her personal convenience cause clearly she is the only one that counts.

Clearly.

I might as well move out.

~Trisha

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: , , , ,