It's November. That means it's officially "the holidays".  With holidays comes food and cooking. In most families that means cooking large scale meals for extended family and friends. It also can mean making things you don't normally make. Cooking for a crowd can be a pleasure for some and a burden for others. Some can do it effortlessly while also being the life of the party. Others may feel changed to their stove or kitchen.  Thankfully technology has some clever helpers to make hosting your next holiday less stressful.

Today's kitchens are starting to resemble the Jetson's family kitchen or the kitchen portrayed in Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress.  Smart Appliances and connected homes are the way of the future. Last year on the blog, we talked about the iGrill meat thermometer my brother-in-law used on Thanksgiving.  Let's see what gadgets are available this year, shall we?

1. Prep Pad. The prep pad is a smart kitchen scale. This fancy scale works with a corresponding app to assist you in tracking the nutritional value of your meals, as well as portion sizes.

2. William Sonoma iPad set.  Do you like to recreate recipes you see on your favorite cooking show? Now you can do it via your iPad in your kitchen. This clever stand has a Bluetooth speaker so you can listen to your favorite chef while you cook.

3. Smart Cocktail Shakers. If your guests enjoy cocktails or perhaps you are like my brother-in-law and I who sip cocktails and laugh while we cook then this device is for you.  The B4RM4N is a splendid idea.  There is also "The Perfect Drink" by Brookstone.

4. Perfect Bake.  Make baking easier with this digital scale and measuring baking bowls with accompanying app make baking even for novices simpler.

These devices paired with your favorite recipe or cookbook app can allow you to spend more time with your guests while whipping up fabulous creations. Don't spend your next holiday chained to your stove unless that's what you want to do.  Are you a chef with a grand idea for an app that would make any chefs must have device list? Talk to a developer today to bring it to life!  Do you have a great cooking app or smart cooking device I might enjoy?  Feel free to share it with me! Happy Holiday cooking!