Preparing For The Holidays

We're a week away from the beginning of a holiday season that stretches over the course of the most brutal part of winter. In my house, we'll be celebrating five birthdays in addition to Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Epiphany between now and the middle of February. Needless to say, we've got a lot of work ahead of us! 

The work of making holidays memorable and special is something that I learned well from my Mom. Even when we didn't have much, holidays have always been a big deal in our family. She taught me to plan and prepare and then to ease up on the stress of having everything figured out in order to join in on the celebrating. 

One of the key ways to be able to let go and celebrate is to make sure that you are prepared. Make the lists, plan ahead of time, delegate (she's a GREAT delegator), and make sure that you've got the right tools and supplies on hand. 

Today, I'm partnering up with Cave Tools to help you get prepared for the holiday season! I'm not big on kitchen gadgets, but there are a few that I CANNOT live without - especially when it comes to cooking for a crowd. Cave Tools has a broad line up of kitchen and grilling equipment that you are sure to love. 

Cave Tools' meat thermometer is one that I can highly recommend! I've used a variety of meat thermometers and have developed a feeling for what I'm looking for in a good one....I am not exagerating when I say that this one is EXACTLY what the meat thermometer of my dreams is made of...

Large and easy to read display? Check!

Simple to operate? Check!

Sturdy and yet not HUGE? Check!

Cover that is easy to clean? Check! This one even has an opening in the end so that SHOULD it get dirty, you can make sure that it is actually clean.

Quick reading? Check!

Another thing that I love about Cave Tools' meat thermometer is the design of the sharp, tapered end. Sooo many meat thermometers are sharp, but taking the temperature of your meat with them requires you to PUNCTURE your meat in a way that leads to a steady stream of liquid to flowing out of it at the puncture point. That is NOT the case with this one made by Cave Tools. I slid the thermometer into the pork chops and was hard pressed to find the puncture point later.

In my opinion, every kitchen needs to have a meat thermometer. If you've got entertaining ahead of you, having a way to make SURE that the meat has reached the safety zone will set your mind at ease. You can get yours directly from Cave Tools or from Amazon.

Cave Tools is offering my readers a 15% discount code that can be used on Amazon where this item includes free two-day shipping for Prime members!!! When you check out, simply enter:  LH58KB66

What are some ways that you prepare for the holidays?

What's one kitchen gadget that you cannot live without?

*This post was sponsored by Cave Tools. All thoughts are my own honest opinion.