Cool as a cucumber

Cool as a cucumber
This Chillzanne server from The Pampered Chef contains a freezable insert that fits in the bottom to keep nibbles cool and crisp. The tray has two uses: one side (pictured) can hold dips, crudites and other small foods with dividers that can create four or six compartments; the other side can hold 24 deviled eggs. The freezer core fits in standard or side-by-side freezers. It costs $30; to order, call (800) 266-5562.
Rice at the ready
Chicago Tribune testers had good results with Uncle Ben's Ready Rice, a microwave-to-table product that clocks in at 90 seconds. They preferred the original long-grain, whole-grain brown and blend of long-grain and wild rice to the Spanish and roasted chicken varieties. Each 8.8-ounce pouch costs $1.70-$2 in select stores and online at peapod.com.
Doing it right
Eating healthfully doesn't mean forgoing flavor. Frito-Lay's new Gold Heartzel Pretzels have received the American Heart Association's "Heart-check mark" for meeting the association's guidelines as a heart-healthy food.
The heart-shaped pretzels contain no saturated fat, no cholesterol, less sodium than regular pretzels and have been formulated to be a good source of fiber and iron. The new snacks are now available in grocery stores.
The devil made her do it
It's true that cookbooks can get too specific, but when it involves a topic we love -- we're happy to delve deeply. Such is the case with Debbie Moose's "Deviled Eggs" (Harvard Common Press, $12.95). The 50 recipes cover the classic approaches (lots of family favorites here), then venture into an "eggsorbitant" lineup of flavors, with pizza-, jerk- and salsa-inspired eggs, to name just three. It's a cute read, and its petite size would fit nicely into a hostess basket. The book is sold at some Barnes & amp; Noble bookstores and amazon.com.