If you don't already own these, make sure you buy them for yourself before Hanukkah/Christmas/Kwanzaa!

This year, treat yourself to two of my favorite kitchen gadgets, both brought to you by Crate & Barrel.

First, the Rub Away Bar. I love this thing!! I cook with a lot of onions and garlic, and we also try to eat a lot of fish rather than red meat. My pet peeve is that my hands always reek after throwing dinner together! Lemon juice sometimes helps, but it makes my hands dry and if you have a cut, WATCH OUT! This bar sits at my kitchen sink right next to my Mrs. Meyers hand soap. I lather up then grab the bar and rub it around. Does the trick and does it fast! LOVE LOVE LOVE (and no, Crate & Barrel didn't make me post this)!

Second, pie crust protectors. I love to bake all kinds of things, but pies especially. It really gets my goat when the pie itself is perfect, but the crust burns. I used to wrap long skinny pieces of foil around the edges, but they'd fall off in the middle of the process and/or I'd burn myself trying to fix them mid-bake. These stay on and I can throw them right in the dishwasher afterwards. Since I have already baked 3 pies for today, they've basically paid for themselves!

What are the kitchen gadgets you can't live without?