This Commercial-Grade Blender Is Currently on Sale and So Much Cheaper than the Vitamix — Amazon Deal of the Day

Nothing justifies a big splurge on a pricey item you’ve had your eye on like a Cyber Monday sale. But even at a steep discount, some Cyber Monday deals can still cost you a pretty penny. We get it.

And while we highlighted an awesome Vitamix blender as an incredible Cyber Monday deal (marked down 46 percent from an original price of $550!), we’re also highlighting this Blendtec blender, which is significantly cheaper and has a lot of similar features as the higher-end Vitamix.

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6 Lessons to Steal from This Unrealistic Container Store Pantry — Organizing for Bakers

Look, I love The Container Store. I could spend hours wandering the aisles thinking about which bins would be just the right size for my many disorganized zones. But sometimes their idea of how organized I could possibly be is so far off from my reality that I have to chuckle. Take this pantry, for instance: It’s modeling an elfa pantry kit that comes with all the shelves, brackets, and accessories you need to replicate this pantry in your home. But when I see this pantry, I don’t think about how it would work in my home — I mainly wonder, who has this many cake stands?

Once I get past the many pastel-hued serving pieces and enviable square footage, there are actually lots of good lessons to steal from this configuration. Even if the whole thing isn’t realistic for you either, try incorporating some of these tips to make your own pantry just a little bit better.

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Even More Things You Can Clean with Baking Soda — Cleaning with Baking Soda

You may already know that baking soda has many properties that make it an amazing cleaner, including the fact that it absorbs odors and is just slightly abrasive, so it can scrub delicate surfaces without scratching them. Plus, it’s inexpensive and probably already in your home, making it a good candidate for impromptu cleaning sessions when the mood strikes or you find yourself with a few minutes.

We already ran a list of 10 things you can clean with baking soda. Here are 10 more things.

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Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork and Cider Stew — Recipes from the Kitchn

Like any great stew should, the aroma of this hearty pork and apple stew will seep from the slow cooker and waft through the kitchen and beyond, long before you ladle it into bowls. And the anticipation is well worth it because this family-friendly stew delivers, big time. It tastes even better than that mouthwatering fragrance you’ve been smelling for hours.

It’s deeply savory with a subtle tang, and just the right balance of sweetness from apple cider and chopped apples. Serve it with a generous chunk of bread (even egg noodles or cauliflower rice) — you’re going to want something to help you savor every last drop of the sauce.

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This 20-Minute Pasta with Spinach and Chickpeas Is a Miracle Meal — Delicious Links

You cooked an elaborate Thanksgiving feast, you ate up all the leftovers (even though, by day three, you thought they’d never end), and now you’re ready for some lighter, easier meals. This spicy pasta with spinach and chickpeas is just the ticket. It comes together in 20 minutes and doesn’t taste remotely like turkey, stuffing, or mashed potatoes.

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5 Things Our Editors Are Buying Today for Cyber Monday — Cyber Monday

Don’t tell our bosses, but we’re not getting much work done today at Kitchn. Between sharing stories of our Thanksgiving feasts (what we cooked, what we ate, and what we ate again the next day) and all this Cyber Monday hoopla, our editors have a lot of not-work-related stuff to talk about. Luckily, we can turn the latter topic into a post and then it looks like we’re hard at work! Plus, said post might even be helpful to you.

With that, here’s a list of the things our editors are buying today.

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The Aha Moment That Helped Me Kick My Paper Towel Habit to the Curb — Cleaning Tips from Kitchn

My name is Susan and I’m a former paper towel abuser. I recycle and compost and use LED lightbulbs. I buy non-toxic cleaning products, sustainable clothing, aluminum-free deodorant, clean mascara, and organic tampons. The only thing bursting my eco-bubble was my Bounty habit. Yeah, I said it — BOUNTY. No thin, gray, non-absorbent recycled paper towels for me. I liked my PT’s plush and bleached. The Quicker-Picker Upper or death.

I was a walking hypocrisy, filling landfills all over New York with my evil, unenlightened ways. But now, I’m proud to say, I’m reformed — and I have my friend Lauren and a pack of microfiber cloths to thank.

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What to Buy During Urban Outfitters’ Cyber Monday Sale — Shopping

In most brick-and-mortar stores, Urban Outfitters is all about the clothes, with a smattering of goods for apartment living. But online, the retailer has got a pretty amazing, curated selection of cheeky, unique, and straight-up stylish goods. For Cyber Monday, Urban Outfitters is offering $15 off purchases of $75 or more and $50 off purchases of $150 or more, plus free worldwide shipping for all orders totaling more than $50.

Here are our picks of giftable goods for the cooks, food-lovers, and party-throwers in your life.

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20 Quick & Easy Winter Suppers — Recipes from The Kitchn

Winter weeknights are just like all other weeknights throughout the rest of the year — busy, busy, busy. Which means the season brings a desire for quick meals that get to the table without fuss. The cold weather also brings a desire for some level of comfort to the table, however. These 20 recipes are just that: They’re quick, easy, and extra comforting, whether it’s a big pot of soup, a hearty steak dinner, or a cheesy pasta.

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I Went to Italy and Learned How Real Parmesan Cheese Is Made — Cheese!

The Parmesan cheese I grew up sprinkling on my spaghetti came straight from a green tube labeled “Kraft.” This was before anyone worried whether those jars of Prego sauce were authentic, before we wondered if we should be eating fresh pasta instead of dried, and long before the green tube of “Parmesan” was discovered to contain wood pulp.

Wood pulp or no, I maintain a nostalgic love for the pebbled cheese of my youth and would happily toss it on my noodles. But it’s definitely not real Parmigiano-Reggiano. In fact, very few cheeses packaged and sold as Parmigiano-Reggiano are.

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