Food Lush

Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies

By A'Dell

I know we're getting into that holiday special-cookie baking season, but there's not much that soothes my soul like a warm chocolate chip cookie. I've tried a ton of recipes over the years and my favorite can be found at Annie's Eats: Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. 

This recipe makes BIG, bakery-style cookies that are thick and soft and fantastic. I use Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips in mine and they're just PERFECT. It also calls for the butter to be melted, which makes these SO FAST to put together in the mixer. No waiting for butter to soften!

This recipe doesn't make a lot of cookies - each one is a half cup of dough, so I usually get about a dozen. I make 4 or 6, then freeze the rest as balls of dough to pop in the oven later. (I find if I actually freeze them as spheres then I'm far less likely to take a scoop of frozen dough out of the freezer as a snack.)

Ice Bucket for the Holidays

By A'Dell

 

I'm a big fan of the Oxo line of products and when I throw a party (small OR big) I consistently wish I had an ice bucket. It's such a simple, silly thing really. I mean, there's a big freezer over there FULL OF ICE. But, sometimes it's nice to have the ice right next to the glassware and beverages!

So, this is definitely something I wouldn't use too often, but over the years I've wished for it often enough that I think I actually want to make room for one in my house.

Oxo Ice Bucket, $30

I like this one because it would match almost any decor scheme I come up with, and it has a lid PLUS a spot to keep the ice tongs which can be a little more awkward than you'd think. (Where do these semi drippy tongs go now that I have filled my glass with ice? On the table? That seems..wrong.)

So, yes it's a little boring and terribly grown-up to want a dumb ICE BUCKET, but...I kind of want a classy ice bucket!

*Note: the above link was to a clearance price for this item and they seem to be out of stock online, you could try instore or you can find them available (for a little bit more) here or here 

(Photo from: Bed, Bath & Beyond)

Potato Ricer: Worth It?

By A'Dell

With The Season Of Mashed Potatoes coming upon us, I've been wondering if it's time to upgrade my potato mashing tool of choice. I've wanted a Potato Ricer for several years, but I've never really been able to justify all of the space it takes up in a drawer.

It's also a one-job tool, and I try to keep those out of my kitchen as much as possible. These things are not exactly slim and trim and it's not like I'm making mashed potatoes twice a week. This is definitely a specialty kitchen item and I'm not sure my mashed potato skills/desire are at a specialty level.

Oxo Good Grips Potato Ricer, $25

AND YET. I love silky-smooth potatoes that have been run through a ricer. They're just so much FANCIER and honestly, this seems to make a semi-messy job a bit more controlled/contained. I'm thinking I could also run steamed fruits/veggies through it for baby food. If I could just figure out one or two more uses for it, I might be able to award this sucker a spot in a drawer before Thanksgiving is upon me.

If you have a potato ricer, how often do you use it, and what do you use it for? Or, is this the dumbest purchase you've ever made for the kitchen?

(Photo from Amazon.com)

Snowflake Ramekins

By A'Dell

I don't buy a lot of holiday-specific decor or kitchen items, but I DO purchase special things for Christmas. (And before you start to tell me it's too early to be thinking about holiday-themed purchases, IT'S NOT! Things are already selling out! The good stuff goes fast!)

I have a few things I'd like to get this year: coffee mugs, an embroidered tree skirt, and a set of kid-friendly holiday dishes. But, there is always an item or two that surprises me as an OHHH I NEED THAT and these Snowflake Ramekins from Crate and Barrel are, I think, that item for 2012 in my world.

Observe:

Adorable, no? A set of two (one big, one little) is only ten bucks. I can picture these used for a ton of different things: filled with candies, used as a place to put jewelry at the end of the day, a spot to corral the millions of hair clips my girls seem to have, and so on. I LOVE that they are snowflakes and could be used ALL WINTER, straight through February.

They'd also make a cute gift, filled with baked goods, a Target gift card, or some other small item. (I'd love to receive these solo, no further additions necessary in my book!) You can also use them to BAKE, if you're a purist about kitchen items.

Seriously, $10 for two and they're already listed as "quantities are limited." I don't think these will make it to Thanksgiving, folks. I'm getting mine today.

Craft Paper for Holiday Tables

By A'Dell

I saw this pre-printed craft paper table runner at Pottery Barn Kids the other day and it really stuck in my head. While I'm not ready to throw $19 toward a disposable tablecloth for children this November, it did remind me what a GREAT idea it is to make sure kids have something to do at the table for dinner events where the adults often drag it out over pie and coffee. Sure, the kids can run around and play when they're finished eating, but aren't quietly occupied children SO much more enjoyable? Yes, yes they are.

Craft paper is super cheap when you buy it plain and from the hardware store. I saw a giant roll for $10 at Lowe's recently and it looked like it would last my kids MONTHS. Tape it to a table, floor, or patio and most kids start salivating.

Beyond basic crayons and markers, you could give them a few rubber stamps (bonus points for self-inking!), glue sticks and craft supplies, or even logic puzzles that are sure to have them flummoxed for hours. (This one is best if you have older kids on your hands.) Or, save a few paper towls rolls and cut them into napkin rings for kids to decorate. 

Best part? When you're finished, just roll it up and stick it in the recycle bin. It'll be the easiest thing you clean up that day, I promise.

Halloween Cookie Cutters

By A'Dell

Cookie cutters are one of those oddly simple kitchen items that you can spend almost as much as you want on, and even then they don't seem to LAST. They're easily bent out of shape, mashed under heavier holiday decor in a box or simply misplaced. Cookie cutters are not an "Investment Kitchen Item" to me.

Comfort Grip cookie cutters from Wilton are my favorite brand these days. I have several shapes for Christmas and I'm thinking about getting a few for Halloween. These pumpkin, bat, and ghost shapes look super cute. At just $4 each, they're not breaking the bank at $12 for a set of three and I often see them at TJ Maxx for $1.99.

Now, I'm not making such an enormous volume of cookies that I NEED a comfortable cookie cutter but, I don't know, it's kind of NICE! I like it! It also seems to make them easier for a child to use, which is a huge plus.

Their simple lines make cookies that aren't too hard to transfer to a baking sheet and they have easy and obvious shapes that require very low-level decoration skills to make look nice. In other words, my four-year-old can ice them and I won't be embarrassed to send them to work with my husband.

The plastic "grip" part helps them keep their shape MUCH better than spendy copper ones and I toss them in the top rack of my dishwasher to clean. Highly recommend this line of products. I've seen them EVERYWHERE from Walmart to Macy's, so shop around for best price and selection.

(Need a great roll out sugar cookie recipe? This Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookie recipe is my very favorite!)

S'mores Lattes at Home

By A'Dell

I love my Nespresso Citiz an awful lot. We're almost a year into ownership and I'm SUPER happy with the machine, product, performance, and ease of re-ordering capsules. Good buy, that Nespresso Citiz Espresso machine.

I like the coffee well enough with a splash of steamed milk, but what I really like to do is load up my cup with flavored syrups. We've amassed quite a variety of your standard falvors (Vanilla, Almond) plus some offbeat bottles (Macadamia Nut, Raspberry, Cinnamon). My favorite these days is Toasted Marshmallow from Monin.

It's really good. My husband bought this one and I rolled my eyes because COME ON that sounds sounds a little gross. But if you pair it with chocolate? YOU HAVE CREATED A S'MORES LATTE. (No graham flavor, but you can add some vanilla syrup if you feel like it.) Would you care for an official list of ingredients?

Espresso and Steamed Milk (whatever ratios float your boat)

One teaspoon to one tablespoon of Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix, depending on your desired level or chocolate-y

One-half to one pump of Monin Toasted Marshmallow Syrup 

Optional: One-half pump of Vanilla syrup

This sounds like The Next Big Coffee Thing at Starbucks, doesn't it? (S'MORES LATTES! OMG! PEOPLE WILL FLOCK!) Well, now you can save yourself a stack of five-dollar-bills and make them at home before they get around this hot flavor profile.

I buy my syrups for about $7 for a 750ml bottle from Lollicup USA and I have always had a great experience with them. Their shipping can be spendy if you only order one or two bottles, so the trick is to stock up on all you'll need for a long while.

End of Season Sale Shopping

By A'Dell

Since summer seems to last forever here in Texas, summery kitchen items are something I don't mind having a lot of. Shopping August sales always seems to net fun things I can use NOW and again next year. Tops on my list this year?

Summer Pops Dishtowel, $1.95

Less than two bucks! So cute!

(Editor note: This item no longer shows on their website, sorry! But you can see their other cute dishtowels here.)

Lemonade Spoon, $1.95

This is kind of silly but I like it. (A set of four would also tuck into a stocking pretty nicely for someone who enjoys sweet tea.)

Set of 4 Acrylic Tumblers, $6

Good for kids in the house, good for adults in the yard.

Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker, Soft Serve Mix-it-in, $79 

Okay, this is no steal but it IS $125 regular price, it's very summery, and holy wow how much FUN would this be?! I kind of want to buy it for my three-year-old as a birthday present.

 (Photos from: Crate & Barrel, Sur la Table, Macy's)

Silicone Ice Ball Molds

By A'Dell

I've talked before about how to get spheres of ice out of your home freezer. It's been about a year since I recommended the Prepara Ice Ball Molds and, well, MEH. We have been using them (well, my husband has been using them in his scotch) and they're kind of a pain.

 

They're tough to break apart and get the ice out of. We usually have to run them under the tap for a minute to pry them loose, which is a pain.  They're definitely a DEAL at $10 for a set of four, and we did use them for an entire year before thier fussiness got to us, but I can no longer recommend Prepara molds.

Pack of Four Ice Ball Molds, $28

Instead, let me show you these bad boys. First of all, they're silicone and they're SO EASY to break the mold off and get the ice out. They're also bigger and far easier to fill up. They're about three times as much as the other ones, but they're totally awesome. 

I know it's only August, but a smart gift giver would just go ahead and order these and package them with a nice bottle of Scotch or a set of glasses for someone special come December. Big, big winner at our house.

Funfetti Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Buttercream

By A'Dell

Last week I talked about my favorite cupcake carrier, and this week I decided to fill 'er up again with some pretty, rainbow-colored cupcakes.

I've really strayed away from box cake mixes over the years and this recipe from Annie's Eats is one of the reasons why. The cake is not complicated to throw together in my mixer and it tastes SO MUCH BETTER. Really, this cake is bakery-quality for such minimal effort.

I also made her vanilla bean buttercream and while I was initially doubtful about including both vanilla extract AND a vanilla bean ($$), this frosting is SO DELICIOUS. (I...might have eaten a bunch of it with my index finger, straight from the bowl.) I frosted two dozen cupcakes with her recipe and I had about a cup left over, so I froze it. Perhaps I'll make cookie sandwiches with it later. 

As for the Funfetti part, you could totally leave the sprinkles out of the batter. The white cake stands on its own and the sprinkles don't add any flavor, just bright color. But these would be delightful for a birthday party or any special occasion. 

(Photo from: me)