Me likey...

I'm desperately trying to pull in the shopping reins but it is completely unfair that stores like Anthropologie continue to put out the most drool-worthy items. Here are a few things that have caught my eye lately.


Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California


Mastering the Art of French Cooking (2 Volume Set)


Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients

 

Owl cookie jars from Anthropologie. Too cute!

 

Beautiful aprons from Anthropologie. Dreamy and feminine.

  

 Charming plate set from Anthropologie in a cool grey color.

 

Since I like to make homemade ice cream, this would be an adorable place to store new creations.
Ice Cream Keeper, Monique Epstein 2008, Moma Store

Classic and elegant cake stands from  Pottery Barn.

The daily show...

I caught myself a lovely cold a couple days ago. It's almost impossible not to with a child in school. On the playground, germs fly around faster than rubber balls. Although this time I seem to have caught one all on my own since my kids are both healthy. I miss those days when you could call in sick to work and spend the day on the couch with a box of tissues and a romantic comedy. My hubby is a saint and tried to keep the kids at bay most of the day. Needless to say I did not cook. It was takeout Vietnamese phở for lunch and "must-goes"(leftovers that must go) for dinner.

I have no cooking to talk about today but I did want to share a few kitchen tools that I am quite fond of and use on an almost daily basis.

1. Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Everyday Pan with Medium Dome Cover                                                                                                                           It has definitely become my go-to pan. I use it several times a day. An appropriate pan for almost anything. Love it!                                                                                                
   
   
2.   Pyrex Prepware 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set, Clear                                                   I do most of my mixing in these bowls. Glass is great because it doesn't scratch like my stainless steel bowls. They are also simple enough to use as serveware.                
3. Demarle Silpat 11-3/4-by-8-1/4-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat              Whether baking cookies or broiling chicken breasts, nothing sticks to these. Your baking sheets will stay pristine and you'll save on foil usage.                              
4. MIU 4-Piece Silicone Spatulas Set, Pastel Colors                                              They are perfect for scrambling eggs and made of silicone so they don't melt in the pan. The smallest one scrapes the remnants out of a jar like nothing else can.                
5. Bosch TAS4511UC Tassimo Single-Serve Coffee Brewer, Silk Silver                      I don't drink coffee but it makes my hubby a glorious cup of Joe every morning. That's enough to make me happy!                                                                                      
   
6. Pop-Up Toaster, 4 Slot/ 4 Slice, Extra-Wide Slots, Stainless Steel                       This aids us in breakfast making almost everyday. Toast, bagels (there is a bagel button), waffles and English muffins cook up nicely. Yes, we love our carbs.                              
   

All in the pantry...

In the dictionary, "pantry" is defined as "a small room or closet, usually off a kitchen, where food, tableware, linens, and similar items are stored". That would be nice but no such luck in this house. For me "pantry" is just a general term I use for the items I keep stocked in the cupboards, fridge and freezer. These are items that I almost always have on hand and allow me to throw together a bunch of different dishes without having to constantly step out to the grocery store.


Pantry favorites:

eggs
Parmesan cheese
milk
heavy cream
flat leaf parsley or cilantro
other fresh herbs
dried herbs
onions
jar of chopped garlic in oil
capers
olives
lemons
assorted pastas
couscous
rice
mac and cheese
panko bread crumbs
canned chicken noodle soup
canned chicken broth
canned whole tomatoes
tomato paste
canned beans
cornmeal
flour
baking powder
baking soda
vanilla
cinnamon
sugar
brown sugar
powdered sugar
chocolate chips
pine nuts
walnuts
salted and unsalted butter
peanut butter
olive oil
vegetable oil
sesame oil
soy sauce
chili sauce
ketchup
mustard (whole grain Dijon)
assorted vinegars (balsamic, red wine, champagne, apple cider, rice, malt, sherry(I'm like a vinegar hoarder!!!))
maple syrup
frozen shrimp
frozen chicken
frozen meatballs
frozen peas
frozen grilled veggies
good bread
red and white wine


Examples of what I could make with these items.

Breakfast: scrambled eggs, waffles, pancakes, French toast, omelettes, frittatas
Sauces to go on meat/fish and/or pasta: piccata, marinara, Asian peanut, mustard cream, rosé
Desserts: chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies, yellow cake with vanilla buttercream frosting
Quick kid meals: mac and cheese of course; I boil up some extra pasta noodles and add them to the chicken noodle soup (there are never enough noodles for my kids in the can), breakfast foods
Sides: cornbread, polenta, couscous, rice, pasta, crepes, popovers, 
For salads: lemon juice, vinegars and oils to make dressings; nuts; beans

Dream a little dream...

It's funny how longing starts at such a young age. I witnessed my son go from a two-year-old who didn't understand Christmas to a three-year-old who made a huge list of things that he wanted Santa to bring him.

As a child I was crazy about dolls. My most memorable and beloved gifts were my Barbies, the Cabbage Patch Kid that I'm pretty sure my mom beat up another mom for, the plush Smurf that was bigger than me at seven-years-old (which was no big feat) and the stuffed Garfield that I brought everywhere. Now that I'm a big girl I realize that material goods are not the things that fulfill us in life. It's family, friends, magical moments. Not to say I don't long for pretty things still. I'm just trying to be good during this colder economical climate. So here are a few things that I think are marvelous but I can live without (for now!).

The Belmont Kitchen Island, Crate & Barrel

I don't have a lot of counter or storage space. I dream of a having a kitchen island one day. This cart has such a smart design. You can wheel this baby into the middle of your kitchen and you have an instant island. There is a ten inch ledge that folds down for storage but when lifted up, you have almost three square feet of work space. Plus extra storage space.

 

Le Creuset Round French Oven, 7 1/4-Quart: White

I can't believe I don't have one but these beauties are almost $300. I guess I've been managing without one for so long that it's hard to justify. I've only recently seen them come in white; another big selling point for me since most of my serveware is also white.

Joyce Chen Pro Chef 14-Inch Wok Set with Cherry Wood Handles

Not going to break the bank like the Le Creuset but I'm just not sure how often I will use it. Oh and where the heck I'm I going to store this behemoth? It still would be cool to have one though.

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Round Grill Pan

Again, not sure how necessary another large pan is. I already use the actual gas grill year round. I think I have excessive cookware cravings!

American Modern Pitcher, Russell Wright 1939

This is more of an art piece. I absolutely love the lines and the fleshy pink color makes me delirious!

AeroGrow AeroGarden 6 with Gourmet Herb Seed Kit, Silver

What can I say? I've never successfully grown herbs outdoors.

No more whining...

One of the coolest things I received for Christmas was a Metrokane Rabbit Wine Aerating Pourer.  It's a device that you insert right into the bottle opening and pour into a glass as you normally would. The wine swirls through the aerating pourer and opens up its bouquets before it reaches the wine glass. If you are like me and always forget to uncork your wine several hours before drinking to let it breathe, then this is for you. It even dares you on the product's box to do a taste test. So naturally I obliged. I opened up a pretty good bottle of Zinfandel. The glass that I drank straight from the bottle was aggressive and a bit too acidic. Next I poured it through the aerator and it was noticeably different. It was smoother and had more body; as if I had let it breathe for a while. I must be quite cynical because I'm always surprised when things do what they're supposed to. Here's to better tasting wine in my future! Thank you for the wonderful gift, Kath!!!

 Metrokane Rabbit Wine Aerating Pourer, $22.33