Every once in a while, I think I’d like to share some of my favorite things with you. They may be gadgets that help make my baking/creating process easier. Or they may be food products that I rely on in a quick pinch. Some things are special and sentimental to me. And other things may help me in the blogging process. I’d love to know if you’ve tried any of these and what you think. What’s your favorite kitchen gadget, go to product, or sentimental item that you can’t live without?
MEASURING SPOONS
I love these beautiful measuring spoons! They were a lovely and unexpected gift from Mike, my ‘hometown friend’. Mike found these while vacationing in Cape Cod. The bowls of these spoons are little sea shells, while the handles are little fish! I just LOVE them. I think it’s so important to use things you feel sentimental about in the kitchen. Everything turns out so much better when you truly make them with love and with a happy heart. In case you missed it, please go to my recipe for Boston Creme Cupcakes, and you will understand just why these spoons will always be so special to me!!!
STICKY, CHEWY, MESSY, GOOEY…by Jill O’Connor
This is one of my most favorite cookbooks! Everything I have made from this book so far has been fabulous! She breaks down her chapters into Sticky Chewy Chocolate, The Pudding Club, Cookies Cakes and Pies Oh My!, and Do Try This At Home. Her recipes are just outrageous and unique!
To glimpse what I have adapted from this book so far….see my Sophisticated S’mores and Heart of Darkness Brownies!
CHERRY PITTER
I love this little gadget! I found this on my strawberry picking trip to Butler’s Orchard. This is a great farm in my area which sells produce, along with pretty dishes and pie plates, baskets, garden art and kitchen gadgets. I love this thing! I love cherries but dislike that annoying little pit! So I remove the pits and then just enjoy popping them into my mouth….much like an olive! And though it is a little more time consuming, it is useful when working with dessert recipes that include cherries.
LEMON CURD
I always try, when presenting my recipes, to make things totally from scratch. And lemon curd is incredibly easy to make. It is something I prep in advance and keep chilled in my fridge. But let’s face it, sometimes in the middle of the week, you want to throw together a quick dessert and just don’t have the time to make each ingredient individually. This is my favorite store purchased lemon curd to keep on hand. It is made by Sticky Fingers Bakeries in Spokane, WA and I find it at The World Market. You can also look for it online at www.StickyFingersBakeries.com. It is sweet and tart and “made in small batches, with premium ingredients and lots of love in every jar!”
SCRAPBOOK SHEET PAPER
One of the most fun aspects of food blogging is setting up the scenes for your photo shoot. I have no photography or food styling skills. I am still using a simple point and shoot camera. And while I know that food often looks best on white dishes and on white tablecloth backgrounds…sometimes you just need a pop of color. I have a huge variety of cloth napkins. But not many tablecloths. But what I found that works for me, especially when taking a close up where you don’t need to see much of your table…are the scrap book papers that I find at Michael’s craft stores. They come in many colors, patterns and themes. I also got some of the plastic sleeves to store them. If you don’t spill on them, you can reuse them. But if you have to throw one out…no big deal since they only cost 1-2 dollars per page. Visit my post on Lemon Lavender Cookies for a perfect example of how I’ve used this pretty paper!
Anne, I love your measuring spoons. They are so cool! I can just imagine how happy you feel every time you reach to use them. I have to laugh because your favorite cookbook…. I just bought it the other week at Borders. Isn’t it sad they are going out of business. : ( I found the cookbook and they had it at a bargain price. The picture on the front of my book looks different, but it’s the same title and same author. How funny… Now I have to really cook/bake something out of it so we can compare notes. : ) I am a gadget, cookbook, cookware nut. I love it all. I can just look at pages upon pages of cooking stuff. LOVE IT! : ) Thanks for sharing your favorite things. : )
Hi Ramona! I think you will love that book! She also wrote one, similar style and cover…but for kids! It is a shame that Borders is going out of business. So many bookstores have closed down near where I live and work. I don’t mind buying something on Amazon if I know what I want. But there’s nothing like wandering a bookstore and especially thumbing through cookbooks! I bought 5 cookbooks today! I’m a gadget, cookbook, cookware nut too! I just can’t help myself! Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend! : )
Anne… you’re right. I bought the kid’s version of her book. That’s why the cover is different. : ) I just saw “treats for kids” on the cover. I thought it would be a fun book to bake/cook with my kids. Well, I’m sure the recipes are good now that I know you recommend her. Hope you’re having a great weekend. : ) I love your latest recipe. Now, I’m off to Costco and I’m craving something sweet…. I don’t think that’s a good idea.
You know, I thought she wrote a kids recipe book, too. I remember seeing it while in line at Borders, but I didn’t want to get out of line(and lose my place) to take a closer look at it! I imagine any book she writes will be awesome….and your kids will love it! Have fun at Costco! : )
Anne,
I am so happy you liked the spoons, I was hoping you would. Thanks for putting them on your list! When you use them mix in a little laughter, happiness and love and enjoy the results!
Mike! Thank you once again. I will use the spoons often and I will try to always add the ingredients you suggested! : ) xoxo
The measuring spoons are great! I am a fan of my cherry pitter, too! I can’t imagine making anything cherry without it! The workhorse of my kitchen is my Kitchen Aide Mixer. The item that – when used – is a lifesaver is my SilPats. The most used kitchen item is my non-stick pan….I invested some money in two new ones that are incredible!
Hi Ann! The workhorse in my kitchen is my Mixmaster as well. It was actually the one thing that started this frenzy of dessert making for me. There are so many things on my wish list. I’m trying to just purchase and accumulate things as I need them. SilPats are on my list!!! Saw your Top 9 today!!! Congrats! : )
I need a cherry pitter something awful. My hands are red tonight from doing a batch. I love the scrapbook paper. I’m like you, not many props yet so I use it too. Those spoons are really beautiful.
Kim! My fingers turned red today too with these delicious cherries! It reminds me of when we used to have red pistachios when I was a kid! Why were they red?! HA! : )
Anne, I LOVE those measuring spoons. I use my (humble) measuring spoons every day. The scrapbook paper is a great idea and I’ve bought that book for various friends who have just started baking. Lovely post.
Thanks Hester. I was using humble plastic measuring spoons before I received these as a lovely gift! : )
Love your list. Muy favorite has to be those measuring spoons!
Thanks Maris! Those are my favorite, too! : )
I love all of these items, thanks for sharing! I use colorful napkins for my food photos too. And that cherry pitter looks perfect! Love tools that make tasks like those easier!
Thanks Cassie. Those colorful napkins are a lot easier to store, too! : )
Oooh! I’d love to have one of each
Those spoons are super fun. Buzzed!
Awww…Thanks…..and too bad this wasn’t a give-away! ;- )
Great list – your spoons are so cute! Scrape book paper – great idea!!
Thanks Erin! That scrap book paper makes it much easier. And you can get lots of variety, too! : )
Forgive me if this a duplicate comment, my computer is PMSing today. My KitchenAid mixer and angled spatulas make my kitchen play so much easier. I also love using scrapbooking paper for my photos.
Hi Sandra! Actually, my kitchen aid mixmaster is the bomb! I’d be lost without it! I love those angled spatulas, too! And I hope your computer starts behaving! : )
Oh, yes! Scrapbook paper works really well to add that special effect to any picture! I checked out the Lemon Lavender Cookies photo…that really looks amazingly purple! I loved your measuring spoons!! So artistic.
Overall, I loved reading this post! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Purabi! I LOVE using scrapbook paper! So versatile. Thanks for your kind comments! : )
LOVE this post! It shares so much about your personality!
Awww….Tiffany…..you are always so sweet! Thank you so much! : )