Heart of the Home

Eggs are a high priced commodity in the USA at the moment and many families aren't willing to forgo their Easter traditions despite the increase in pricing, so here are a few tips to save you a little dough if you can't live without decorated Easter eggs!

In lieu of purchasing the cute box of egg dye fizzy coloring tablets with the tiny wire egg holder, try using Food Coloring and Vinegar that you already have at home! This is a classic and very inexpensive method. Mix food coloring with hot water and a tablespoon of white vinegar for each color. Soak hard-boiled eggs until the desired shade is achieved.   

Feeling that eco-friendly vibe this Spring? Save money AND help mother nature by utilizing Natural Dyes: Use produce items you might already have in your kitchen to create unique colors: 

• • Light Blue: Red cabbage   
  • Dark Blue: Carcade Hibiscus tea leaves
  • Purple: Blueberries
  • Green: Spinach leaves
  • Yellow: Turmeric/Saffron
  • Brown: Coffee beans or tea
  • Orange: Onion skins  - Boil yellow or red onion skins in water to create a range of orange to brown hues. 
  • Pink/Red: Beets or onion skins 
  • Light brown: Pomegranate seed  

Decorating with Supplies Around the House:

Crayons: While the eggs are still warm from being hard-boiled, draw on them with crayons. The heat will slightly melt the wax, creating a unique textured design.

Paints: Utilize a variety of paints to decorate the shells after you've colored the eggs! 

Markers: Use permanent markers or paint pens to draw intricate designs, patterns, or even write names or Easter greetings on the cooled, dyed eggs.  

Rubber Bands: Wrap rubber bands around the eggs before dyeing them. Once dyed and dried, remove the rubber bands to reveal stripes or geometric patterns where the dye was blocked.   

Stickers: Use inexpensive stickers you might already have or purchase Easter-themed stickers to easily decorate the eggs after they are dyed and dried.   

Washi Tape: Use decorative washi tape to create stripes, patterns, or wrap sections of the eggs.   

Glitter: Apply glue to sections of the dyed egg and sprinkle glitter for a sparkly effect.   

Paper Napkins: Separate the layers of decorative paper napkins. Cut out desired images or patterns from the top layer. Apply Mod Podge to the egg and carefully smooth the napkin pieces onto the surface. Seal with another thin layer of Mod Podge.

Remember to always use food-safe dyes if you plan to eat the decorated eggs. Have fun and let your creativity shine! We hope your Easter is eggstra-special this year! 

Life in our fast-paced world is only getting busier; and the temptation to order takeout or take-in delivery is undeniable. When we order in (or go out), we lose out on the benefits of cooking at home...

It's almost Halloween and at Range Kleen, we're keeping it real with some tasty, spooky delights! From monstrous stuffed peppers to yummy mummy cupcakes, we’ll share some tricks for your favorite treats to ensure a hauntingly good time!

Surprise your family with a quick breakfast treat! Whip up a batch of pancakes, then use chocolate syrup to create spooky designs. Your loved ones are sure to get a chuckle out of this ghostly start to the day.

For a quick, kid-friendly lunch, start by toasting two pieces of bread. Then, top the toast with some pizza sauce. Next, take separated string cheese (or mozzarella) and lay it across the sauce to resemble mummy bandages. Finally, add olives on top, and place the toast on a baking sheet (we love using our Broil and Bake Pan). Broil until the cheese is melted.

If you're looking for a devilish delight, add sliced olives to traditional deviled eggs. For a spooky dinner, cut Jack-O-Lantern faces out of bell peppers before stuffing them.

Add a touch of mummy madness to your Halloween treats by piping white icing onto chocolate cupcakes. Top them off with candy eyes or coated chocolate candies, and you’re all set!

If you want to include healthier snacks, consider bringing bananas and clementines. Decorate bananas by adding chocolate chip eyes and a mouth. For a pumpkin look, add a small celery stem to each clementine.

You can also spread peanut butter on apple wedges and sandwich mini marshmallows between two wedges to create “teeth.” Adda toothpick with a marshmallow eyes(you can use a food coloring marker or a dab of chocolate frosting for the eyes).

You use it often, likely on a daily basis in your kitchen, but have you ever thought of how the oven came to be?

Dating back to 29,000 BC and possibly earlier, some form of the oven has been used throughout history. In Spain, there is documented evidence of campsites that included roasting and boiling pits to cook Mammoth inside of yurts. Thankfully, we no longer need to cook Mammoth (and couldn't if we tried).

As time marched forward, invention and ingenuity took hold and people from various cultures began using clay and bricks to create cooking surfaces.

Ancient Greeks, Jews, Romans and Egyptians utilized some form of a brick or stone oven to bake bread. It is likely that other cultures also utilized this early form of an oven.

The first proper oven recorded in history dates back to 1490 in Alasce, France. Crafted entirely of tile and brick, this oven featured the invention of a flue. Fast forward to 1795 when Count Rumford created a popular version of the Cast Iron stove.

Then, in 1892 a Canadian man named Thomas Ahearn manufactured an early model of an electric oven! As electricity became a staple in North American households, so did the modern oven!

So, what are drip bowls? I asked this question many years ago before I started at Range Kleen. Hi there, I'm Whitney, the Marketing Manager at Range Kleen. And if you find yourself wondering what Drip Bowls are, I assure you that you are not alone. We hear this question often!

 My first experience with drip bowls occurred during my college days in an apartment - which, as rumor had it, was a convent in its past life. The apartment was spacious, the landlord was nice, and it was a great location. My roommate and I couldn't have asked for much more as college students. Also, it was incredibly cheap. Our fiscally conservative landlord ensured everything worked well but didn't replace or update things unless necessary*. Hence, one might describe the aesthetics of our apartment as a time capsule - featuring occasional updates through the decades. 

The kitchen featured an electric coil range from the 1970s, which functioned well; the oven was easy to bake in. Imagine the range pictured in an almond color. As for the stove, it was mostly okay, except the elements banged and rattled against the drip bowls anytime you placed a pot or pan on the stove, stirred vigorously or attempted to separate anything by "chopping" it (i.e., ground beef etc). At the time, I had no idea what drip bowls were. I didn't know that their purpose was to collect drips, spills and crumbs during the cooking process; nor did I know that they help your range function efficiently by reflecting heat toward the cooking elements.

I also didn't know that drip bowls needed to be replaced annually (whoops). I certainly didn't know that an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Quality fit from Range Kleen would provide a level, custom fit for my range and fix the banging and clanging!

I've learned a lot about cooking, working in the kitchen, and maintaining my range since then, and I happily educate friends, family, and readers on the importance of replacing drip bowls. If you need help finding the perfect drip bowl for your range, comment below - I'd love to help!

If you've ever replaced a part on an appliance, vehicle, or machinery, you might've encountered the acronym OEM Quality and might not know what it means.

What is OEM Quality? OEM Quality is an acronym for Original Equipment Manufacturer Quality, which means the OEM Quality piece will fit equivalently today as when the appliance was new.

Why is OEM Quality important? In Range Kleen's Drip Bowls and Drip Pans, we manufacture a variety of bowls and pans to fit the specific needs of many range brands; the OEM Quality fit ensures the correct fit and function for your range. A proper fit ensures cookware sits level on your range and won't rock on top of your range (which makes your cooking experience safer and more pleasant). 

If you're wondering what F.O.G. is, you're not alone! F.O.G. is an acronym that stands for Fats, Oils, and Grease. And EVERYONE has a little (or a lot of) F.O.G. in their kitchen from cooking meats, batches of bacon, sausage, ribs, and so forth. There's also F.O.G. in things like salad dressing and creamy gravy. 

You should NEVER pour F.O.G. down the drain as the fats, oils, and grease congeal, then stick to the sides of plumbing, eventually causing blockages and potentially costly repairs!

What SHOULD you do with F.O.G.? Dispose of it properly! Pour hot F.O.G. (up to 200˚ F) into Range Kleen's Trap the Grease: Fat Trapper Bags! Between uses, you'll fold down the top of the bag and use the locking tabs to close the bag! Closing the bag contains odors from the F.O.G.

 Use these fantastic bags with or without the Fat Trapper container! Use one in your home, and take them while traveling! They're perfect for your vacation home,  Airbnb/VRBO, R.V./Camper, or cabin which tend to have fragile plumbing systems!

How can you get started collecting and disposing of F.O.G. safely? Head to our website! Want to save 20%? Enter discount code FRIENDS20 to save 20% off your next order!