A cookware assembly including a cooking vessel comprising an interior, an exterior, a vessel side wall and an elongated handle extending outwardly from the exterior, a cover, and an opening in at least one of the vessel side wall and the cover above the elongated handle.

A cookware assembly including a cooking vessel comprising an interior, an exterior, a vessel side wall and an elongated handle extending outwardly from the exterior, a cover, and an opening in at least one of the vessel side wall and the cover above the elongated handle.

A baking tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the base, and an open upper end defining an interior volume. A splatter guard is removably securable to the tray, wherein the splatter guard is configured to cover the open upper end of the tray when secured thereto. At least one pour spout projects upwardly from the perimeter wall of the tray, such that a tip of the pour spout is positioned above an upper edge of the perimeter wall. The splatter guard may include small cut-outs that define a pour spout opening for excess liquid to flow to the pour spout from the interior volume of the tray even when the splatter guard is secured to the tray. The baking tray assembly may include multiple pour spouts to easily drain excess liquids from the tray as needed.

A baking tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the base, and an open upper end defining an interior volume. A splatter guard is removably securable to the tray, wherein the splatter guard is configured to cover the open upper end of the tray when secured thereto. At least one pour spout projects upwardly from the perimeter wall of the tray, such that a tip of the pour spout is positioned above an upper edge of the perimeter wall. The splatter guard may include small cut-outs that define a pour spout opening for excess liquid to flow to the pour spout from the interior volume of the tray even when the splatter guard is secured to the tray. The baking tray assembly may include multiple pour spouts to easily drain excess liquids from the tray as needed.

In a portable container system for heating a beverage generally, the system includes a container for containing a beverage to be heated. The container generally has a bottom and a side wall together defining an internal reservoir containing the beverage to be heated. A base of the system is operable to heat the container at the bottom thereof. The base is constructed of multiple layers generally including at least a top barrier layer, an electrically non-conductive bottom barrier layer and a thin film heating element intermediate the top barrier layer and the bottom barrier layer.

In a portable container system for heating a beverage generally, the system includes a container for containing a beverage to be heated. The container generally has a bottom and a side wall together defining an internal reservoir containing the beverage to be heated. A base of the system is operable to heat the container at the bottom thereof. The base is constructed of multiple layers generally including at least a top barrier layer, an electrically non-conductive bottom barrier layer and a thin film heating element intermediate the top barrier layer and the bottom barrier layer.

A baking tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the base, and an open upper end defining an interior volume. A splatter guard is removably securable to the tray, wherein the splatter guard is configured to cover the open upper end of the tray when secured thereto. At least one pour spout projects upwardly from the perimeter wall of the tray, such that a tip of the pour spout is positioned above an upper edge of the perimeter wall. The splatter guard may include cut-outs that define a pour spout opening for excess liquid to flow to the pour spout from the interior volume of the tray even when the splatter guard is secured to the tray. The baking tray assembly may include multiple pour spouts to easily drain excess liquids from the tray as needed.

A baking tray assembly includes a tray having a base, a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the base, and an open upper end defining an interior volume. A splatter guard is removably securable to the tray, wherein the splatter guard is configured to cover the open upper end of the tray when secured thereto. At least one pour spout projects upwardly from the perimeter wall of the tray, such that a tip of the pour spout is positioned above an upper edge of the perimeter wall. The splatter guard may include cut-outs that define a pour spout opening for excess liquid to flow to the pour spout from the interior volume of the tray even when the splatter guard is secured to the tray. The baking tray assembly may include multiple pour spouts to easily drain excess liquids from the tray as needed.

A roasting and glazing apparatus comprising a housing, a bowl assembly having a bowl support and a roaster bowl, an agitator rotatably mounted within the roaster bowl, a heater to heat the roaster bowl, and a cantilever arm disposed external to the housing. The cantilever arm, when moved, moves the roaster bowl between fully lowered and fully raised positions. A first piston is coupled to the bowl support and provides, when engaged, a counterforce to the weight of the bowl assembly. The first piston is engaged at least during the raising of the roaster bowl. A second piston provides a counterforce during the lowering of the roaster bowl from a partially lowered position to the fully towered position. The second piston is not engaged during lowering of the roaster howl from the fully raised position to the partially lowered position. After producing roasted and glazed nuts using the apparatus, the roaster bowl is raised to facilitate removal of the roasted and glazed nuts, and then the roaster bowl is lowered. After the roaster bowl is lowered to the partially lowered position, the engagement of the second piston results in additional downward force to further lower the roaster bowl thus preventing injury or damage during the final lowering of the roaster howl into its fully lowered position.

A method of producing roasted and glazed nuts includes the steps of providing a roaster apparatus having a roaster bowl, placing water and a mixture of nuts and sugar in the roaster bowl, mixing the water and the mixture, heating the roaster bowl while mixing to produce roasted and sugar coated nuts, adding water to the roaster bowl to produce roasted and glazed nuts, and lifting a cantilever arm coupled to the roaster's housing to raise the roaster bowl from a fully lowered position to a raised position. A first piston coupled to the bowl support is engaged during the raising of the roaster bowl to provide a counterforce to the bowl assembly's weight. The method further includes removing the roasted and glazed nuts from the roaster bowl when in the raised position, lowering the cantilever arm to lower the roaster bowl from the raised position to a partially lowered position, and then lowering the cantilever arm to lower the roaster bowl to the fully lowered position. A second piston is engaged during the lowering of the roaster bowl from the partially lowered position to the fully lowered position to provide an additional counterforce thus preventing injury during the final lowering of the roaster bowl. The second piston is not engaged during the lowering of the roaster bowl from the raised position to the partially lowered position.