Light Houses Galore

patterns to make lighthouses
Everyday Dishes -- Does it make of Difference whether your spend a lot or go with the least expensive?

Right now I have some Corelle ware and I've had them for a while and through either breakage or just getting lost, I'm to a point where I want to get something new. I've just been looking on-line at some different brands; corelle, pfaltzgraff, lenox, denby etc. There is a whole spetrum of price ranges. I know that all dishes can break, but if I go with a more expensive brand like Lenox or Denby, are my dishes less likely to break? What make some dishes so costly?

I recommend a neutral solid color plate such as corelle. You want the food to be the centerpiece, not the plate it's on. Although corelle will break, they are pretty tough. Beware of stoneware...many have high lead levels. I do not recommend glass because if it does not heat evenly, it can basically explode on you. Example, if you nuke a serving of say mashed potatoes on one spot of a large plate, that area of glass is going to heat up and try to expand. If the rest of the plate doesn't expand at the same rate, then the plate shatters China chips easily leaving sharp edges and you have to worry about the possibility of lead again. They say you get what you pay for...sometimes you pay to get ripped off then. You can find corelle on clearance or sale and get a really good deal. You can use cheap dishes and save the money for quality where it truly matters, like your knives. Wustof knives are the best on the planet, are safer to use, easier to control and hold a razor sharp edge for a long time.

	Making Great Gingerbread Houses: Delicious Designs from Cabins to Castles, from Lighthouses to Tree Houses List Price: $14.95 Sale Price: $6.82
	Miniature houses have an undeniable appeal, especially when they're made out of food. But the architectural achievements in this guide are so charming and sometimes so elaborate that it's hard to imagine actually eating them; they're meant to be admired, not devoured...