I know, I know. You've got to shop and chop, cook and clean. How are you going to get it all done?!

Here are some products to help you through this week and next. And don't worry - it's all going to be absolutely wonderful, like it is every year!

Bar Keepers Friend

Bar Keepers Friend is a powdered household cleaner that cleans and polishes stainless steel, porcelain, ceramic tile, plastic, copper, china, fiberglass, imitation marble, grout, chrome and composition sinks.

In other words, everything that you need to get your place spic and span before company arrives!

And the great thing is that their products are environmentally friendly. It contain's no phospates, bleach or abrasive crystalline silica and the active ingredients are biodegradable!

Bar Keepers Friend is a great all-purpose cleaner that you can use in the kitchen and bathroom and cleans up in a snap. Bar Keepers Cookware is fabulous for getting your stainless steel cookware looking like new. And if you are a copper lover, be sure to get Copper Glo to get your pots and pans gleaming in time for the holidays!

Want products that will clean as heavily as you would, without the aches and pains of scrubbing? Then Bar Keepers Friend is for you!

p.s. I even used it on our clawfoot bathtub with amazing results - the rust disappeared, the chrome gleams and the bathtub (and sink) sparkles! All without any of that powdery, dusty residue that comes with powder cleansers! It can work anywhere on anything...

Rubbermaid

So after you've cooked all of that food, you've got to do something about storing it.

Recently I tried Rubbermaid's Easy Find Lids. The Medium has been serving me well and I have to say, they are really durable and reliable. I love that the lids snap together as well as to the base of the container so the right lid is always readily available. And the super-clarified base allows me to see what's in each container so that I don't have to waste precious time taking out the container of butternut squash soup when I was really after the asparagus risotto!

They are microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe, which means I can cook something, store it and then heat it up without having to transfer it to different pots and pans - and saves me time and energy washing more dishes!

Now leftovers can be quickly reheated and enjoyed again, which really, isn't that a lot of what the holidays are about?

I also tried the Produce Saver, which is a great solution for those with a busy lifestyle.

It keeps fruit and vegetables fresh and crisp up to 33% longer, and keeps the items off the bottom from moisture with a unique ventilated shelf. These too have the easy find lids and are microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe.

I really appreciate being able to keep the salad I spent time making while dinner was cooking a little longer. And this means that I can have chopped, fresh pineapple waiting in the fridge for whenever we feel like a healthy snack and not worry about it going bad before we can enjoy it.

It allows us to continue with our busy lives and yet, not waste the produce that we bought and still want to have.

La Maison Le Grand

During any busy entertaining time, my goal is always to make good food, but I don't always have time to make everything from scratch. So I spend a lot of time scouring and sourcing out great products that will add to my cooking without causing me too much time in front of the stove.

I found all that and more with with their Le Grand's pestos and tapanades!

I love pesto, but I rarely make it (even though it is one of those tasty things that you can whip up quickly). I have a go-to pesto that I get from the health food store which I like and it doesn't have cheese, which I like even more.

But it just cannot compare to the fresh vibrancy of Le Grand Garden Pesto! It is so green and delicious that I could honestly eat it right out of the package! The Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto is a great Mediterranean change from the basil version and my fella can't get enough of the 4 Nuts & Cheese Pesto.

I am a big fan of their tapenades too - Mild or Spicy Olive Tapenade and Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade. They are a fun change from mayo or mustard on sandwiches, great on crackers with cheese and spreads and I've used it in my meatloaf, pasta and rubbed on chicken breasts - all with outstanding results!

Try them for yourself and see how tasty and fresh a packaged product can really be!

See's Candies & Chocolate Gifts

Chances are you're going to want to put some chocolates out this season for your guests, neighbours, friends and family that are dropping in.

If you're a smart cookie, you'll put out See's.

You can custom mix your own, pick from assortments or do as I did, and indulge in a pound of dark chocolates.

Handmade chocolates that are rich and sweet and so decadent. There is love in these here candies! There are nuts, creams, nougat - something for everyone. Check out the best sellers and order yours now!

Business gifts and chocolate candy for the holidays and new year is a must, so be sure and get See's - a company that has been around since 1921 making sumptuous chocolates that are pure quality and absolutely d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s!