I am a huge fan of the slow cooker. It's not for everyone, but for me, I love being able to assemble a slow-cooker meal in the morning (when I have time) and know that it will be hot and delicious by dinner (when time is in short commodity). I've gotten pretty good at spotting recipes with slow-cooker potential over the years. Here's my best advice.

I absolutely love the smooth chicness of anything matte black, particularly in the kitchen. With so much that's already bright and shiny in that room — stainless steel appliances! Shimmering tile! Glossy ceramic plates! — I find matte textures a welcome diversion. They're understated yet still glamorous. Here are a few matte black kitchen and dining things I've had my eye on lately, from a simple faceted vase to a mind-blowing Bertazzoni range. (Guess which one I will not be purchasing anytime soon.)

Item: Vitamix 32-Ounce Dry Grains Container
Price: $144.00
Overall Impression: Not essential but extremely useful

A Vitamix is a hefty (yet worthy!) investment and if you've taken the plunge, you might now be wondering whether you really need to spend more on an additional Dry Grains Container. How different is it from the Vitamix's Standard/Wet Blade Container? Here's what we found... 

Our four-legged friends may be happy to eat whatever food falls on the floor, but we know they deserve something a little better! Have you ever made homemade dog biscuits or pet treats? You may be perfectly happy baking them in the oven, but if not, you could always try this Pet Treat Maker from Holstein. It looks like a panini press or sandwich maker, but it presses out dog biscuits instead. (And yes, they're bone- and- paw-shaped!) 

Item: Vitamix Professional Series 300
Price: $559.00
Overall Impression: Versatile, powerful, and worth the hype! 

The Vitamix has achieved cult-like status, but I always considered this high-end blender outside my price range. Plus I never cared for the industrial design, which is functional but not particularly stylish. Well, after putting the newer Professional Series 300 model through its paces, you can call me converted. The Vitamix Pro 300 has quickly become an indispensable and beloved tool in my kitchen — one that I would buy in a heartbeat, and possibly save in a fire. 

KitchenAid stand mixers have a devoted following, and those who have one say it's totally worth the splurge. If you have a mixer, love your mixer, and find yourself squealing every year over the new 2013 KitchenAid mixer colors, then do we have a treat for you: fabulous, colorful, oh-so-cute gingerbread cookies in the shape of that beloved KitchenAid mixer!

Item: Hurom HH Series Premium Slow Juicer/Smoothie Maker
Price: $399.95
Overall Impression: This excellent juicer has gotten even better.

The Hurom Slow Juicer became one of my favorite kitchen appliances a few years ago, so I was curious to test out Hurom's new Premium Slow Juicer/Smoothie Maker. Would I want to ditch the old one in favor of this latest and greatest model? And what's this about making smoothies, too...? 

At my house we have a sleek little Nespresso machine and an older, heavy Italian model that belongs to my boyfriend, Sam. Both have prime real estate on the counter: Sam uses his almost exclusively; I use mine almost exclusively. He calls my espresso "faux'spresso," insisting it doesn't taste as good and lamenting the fact that the pods are so wasteful. In a way, I agree. And yet, I wouldn't have it any other way. More

All week long we've been sharing our discoveries from this year's Home + Housewares show. We showed you this awesome new Greek Yogurt maker and Bodum's game-changing stand mixers. We revealed KitchenAid's new colors and Dansk's adorable teacups. But now it's time to round up a few of our absolute favorites, the prettiest and most eye-catching items in the bunch:

More

Q: I have a Kitchen Aid mixer. Do I need a food processor, or can I buy efficient, cost-effective attachments for the mixer that do the same thing? Such as slicing?

Sent by Victoria