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A Colorful Kitchen
Besides cooking, collecting bright and fun kitchen gadgets is high on my list of hobbies. Anthropologie has some of the most unique pieces and I admit that I own probably too many. These are my favorite kitchen gadgets that I have in my own house (except for the mini fruit baskets, which I want!) and use on a regular basis.
- Mini Donut Pan – I just ordered this one and I’m psyched to make whole wheat pumpkin donuts, look for them in the next few weeks!
- Stemless Wine Glasses – these are handblown and each one is unique in size. I like funky. All my wine glasses with beautiful skinny stems broke so I decided to start with no stems this time around.
- Mandoline – for slicing up thin veggies and potatoes!
- Hobnail Pitcher – I got this during the summer and made plenty of sangria. It’s also great for filling with water during a dinner party.
- Le Creuset Dutch Oven – mine is actually bright green, but this piece is amazing. It works as a slow cooker too and I don’t know how I lived without it. Especially during the fall when I’m making soup & stew!
- Napkins – I love these bright cheery napkins!
- Measuring Spoons – they’re not only functional, but really pretty too.
- Ceramic Fruit Baskets – so I don’t actually have these, but they’re perfect for storing fruit in the fridge or on the counter!
- Helianthus Goblet, aka juice glasses – perfect size for juice and so beautiful. Very vintage looking!
- Keurig – perfect for those of us who live alone. Makes one cup of delicious coffee rather than a whole pot that goes to waste.
- Latte Bowls – seriously the best bowl I’ve ever owned. I love them for cereal, soup, ice cream, pasta, chili. Basically anything you can put in a bowl.
What are your favorite kitchen gadgets and why?
How To: Chop an Onion
1. Start by cutting off the end opposite of the root end. You want the root end to remain intact to hold the onion together.
2. Flip it over on the flat end so it doesn’t roll around!
3. Slice it crosswise, right down the middle.
4. Peel back the skin, but don’t rip it off! It provides you with something to hold onto. If you have sensitive eyes, put those onion goggles on now!
5. Slice several planks, cutting almost all the way through, but not totally. Again, you want the onion to stay together. For a finer dice, cut thinner planks.
Here you can see the planks go almost all the way through, but not completely!
6. Now chop planks the other way.
Almost done!
7. Slice down the onion to dice it. It’s quite nice and you end up with uniform-sized pieces.
8. Repeat with the other half of the onion and start showing off your new onion chopping skills! This also works well with dicing tomatoes, but use a serrated knife (the same one you’d use for bread) so that you don’t smush the tomato!
Making Chicken Stock
Your kitchen will smell fabulous after 5 hours of slow simmering!
Making homemade chicken stock is easier than you probably think. It’s not an exact science, so don’t be too concerned if you’re a carrot or celery stick shy. The slow simmering draws the flavor out of the vegetables and leaves you with stock that’s perfect for braising, reducing or making homemade soup! I save the chicken meat from my bones and use it to make whatever soup I’m craving!
Fighting Cancer with Food
my dad & I at the beach a couple of months after the surgery
Today I’m getting a little personal.
My dad has prostate cancer, and he probably wouldn’t appreciate me going ahead and posting this online for the whole world to read, but it’s for good reason, I swear! After a prostatectomy last year and 8 weeks of radiation this summer, there were still traces of cancer cells left, and my dad, a mister-fix-it-type, was not pleased to hear that the cancer wasn’t totally gone. Understandably.
So rather than wait around and hope for the best, he started seeking out different ways to try and slow down the cancer’s growth.
mom & dad on Thanksgiving before going vegetarian — no more turkey now!
After some book reading (The China Diet) and lots of skepticism he was finally convinced that a diet adjustment could really change the pace at which prostate cancer grows. I haven’t done quite as much reading myself, but I’m more convinced than ever that your diet plays a huge HUGE part in your health. I mean, I know the benefits of eating light, cutting down on fat and calories, but the type of diet change he’s decided on isn’t for the faint of heart.
One thing I admire about my dad is his determination. It seems that too many people diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol or other deadly diseases don’t take that information to heart. My dad always says, ‘ they haven’t been properly motivated’ aka, told they will die if they don’t make a change. I just heard on the radio a few days ago that doctors weren’t giving their obese patients any advice on losing weight… Hello? Isnt that why you go to the doctor??
In a matter of weeks, my dad went from enjoying a turkey burger and fries once a week to a strict vegetarian diet. According to The China Diet, the countries who consume the most fat and animal protein are also the ones with the highest rates of disease and cancer. Go figure.
my dad & sister this past Christmas — settling into vegetarian life
Since beginning his diet, my dad has lost 14 lbs. in about 3 months. He wasn’t a big guy to begin with, so his latest challenge is finding foods that keep enough weight on while sticking to his new way of life.
Dad, I couldn’t be more proud of you.
Recycled Flower Vase
I love when I can reuse old jars and cans to create something beautiful & functional. This is as simple as opening a can of tomatoes for some marinara sauce!
Metallic Pumpkin Table Design
Decorating your table during the fall is so much easier! The grocery is practically begging you to buy pounds upon pounds of those cute miniature pumpkins and gourds. Just add some candles, pretty plates, napkins, a tasty dinner and great company and you’re set.
