Q: My roommate recently used my aluminum baking sheet and instead of cleaning it with soap, he let oven cleaner sit on it for about an hour to break down the grease. Now the finish on my pan is dull and splotchy and I'm not sure if it's safe to use anymore. Did he ruin my baking sheet? More

Q: I am looking for a smoker to make smoked salmon and have no idea where to start. I'd like to cold-smoke the salmon Norwegian-style. Can you help? It's smoked salmon season in my home!

Sent by Paige More

Q: I am looking for a DIY punch bowl for our wedding. I don't really want to buy (and store) a punch bowl I will rarely use. I have some huge stainless steel bowls and a ladle, but I don't think they're heavy enough, and they'd scooch and slosh around when in use.

Sent by Chris More

Q: I am looking to buy a good quality pair of chopsticks for my boyfriend for Christmas. We don't use them for cooking, just for eating (mostly noodle dishes). He has talked about wanting some ceramic ones, but I have been reading that wooden ones might be the way to go. More

Q: I am making homemade tonic syrup (of the gin and tonic variety) to gift to family and friends this year. I have been scouring the internet for some inexpensive bottles (about 150-250 ml in size) in which to gift the tonic. I can't find anything. More

Q: Last time I was home, I noticed that my mom and my sister had piles of recipe clippings, and I thought a recipe binder would make a great gift for them. To personalize it, I wanted to get some nice recipe cards customized for them. Any recommendations on where to find those online? More

Q: I recently moved into a new place with a convection oven. I've never cooked with this kind of oven before and have no idea when or how to use it. Do you have any tips for using a convection oven and how to adjust recipes?

Sent by Andrea More

Q: I have recently been contemplating getting a cookie jar for the sake of nostalgia. I understand that traditional jars aren't the best thing for keeping cookies fresh but I want the feeling that having a cookie jar invokes in the kitchen if you will. Something quirky and fun to look at... More

Q: My sister recently had a baby and is slowly becoming fed up with her husband's lack of cooking skills. Do you have any suggestions for a simple, quick, whole foods cookbook for a new dad? More

Q: How do I pick a grill press/steak weight? There are so many out there that I don't even know where to begin. What are the pros and cons of one over another? What things do I need to consider when looking for one?

Sent by Gordon More