Snappy solution
Cuisipro’s Snap-Fit five-piece plastic cookie cutters (from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches) nest for easy storage. (They’re ideal for linzer sandwich cookies that require a small cutout on the top cookie.) Shapes include stars, trees, circles and a set of geometric cutters. The set is $10 at Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture in Chicago and Oak Brook, Sur La Table in Chicago and Naperville, and Bed Bath & Beyond stores; by mail, visit cutleryandmore.com or call 800-650-9866.
Vacuuming in the kitchen
Reynolds’ Handi-Vac handheld vacuum sealer removes air from specially designed freezer bags to preserve foods’ texture and eliminate freezer burn. A starter kit, which includes 3 quart-size bags and the required 6 AA batteries, costs $9.50-$11; boxes of 14 quart- or 9 gallon-sized bags are $3-$3.50 at Wal-Mart, Target, Jewel and Dominick’s.
Dessert duo
Fannie May and Eli’s Cheesecake have joined forces for a new take on dessert. We enjoyed the eggnog cream cheesecake (pictured) with white chocolate and the vanilla buttercream with vanilla caramel and mousse. We liked the Pixie, too, with caramel and chunks of the candy. The Mint Meltaway was OK, but couldn’t top the candy. A cheesecake is $25 (or three for $70) at Fannie May stores and fanniemay.com.
