Bottle BeaksThese 6-inch parrot bottle openers are...

Bottle Beaks

These 6-inch parrot bottle openers are brightly colored-- perfect for summer. Sold in sets of two, they come in green and yellow or red and lime.

Set of bottle openers, $24, from Seaver, 8360 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, (323) 653-8286 or www.seavergifts.com.

Donna Deane

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Hey, I Don’t Knead Pizza

Pizza is a snap to make with this ready-made dough. It takes just minutes to roll out and pat into a pan. Keep good-quality Parmesan, goat cheese and fresh herbs on hand for last-minute meals. Be creative and use what you have in the refrigerator for toppings.

Ready-to-bake pizza dough, 1-pound bag, 99 cents at Trader Joe’s stores.

Donna Deane

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Italian Bread With a Lone-Star Twist

Buona Forchetta gives the traditional Italian filoncino loaf a Cal-Tex twist by loading it with California raisins and pecans from Concho Valley, Texas. It’s great with cream cheese or goat cheese, and it also makes wonderful toasted croutons, to say nothing of bread pudding.

Texas pecan raisin filoncino, $4.49, at Bristol Farms, Gelson’s, Pavilions, Whole Foods, Wild Oats and other markets.

Charles Perry