Favorite Kitchen Gadgets

A friend recently asked me for some gift ideas for his wife, who just got a new Kitchen Aid Mixer and was getting into baking. I had so much fun putting together a list of my can't-bake-without kitchen tools that I thought I'd share them here! Some of these are already kitchen standards, some I've discovered more recently, all are items that I would replace within days if ever anything broke or disappeared. This is also my first Amazon Associates post, let's see how it goes!

  
1. Pyrex Measuring Cup: I believe my original measuring cup pre-dates my husband, which means I've had it for almost 20 years and probably use it every single day, for not only measuring, but mixing sauces and melting chocolate or butter. I've also found the eight-cup version to be invaluable … the first two things I'll pull out of the cupboard on pancake days!



2. Mini Scoop: Perfect size for drop cookies, and waaaay easier than the old-fashioned two-spoon method. I've recently started using the larger version for cupcakes after having too many batches come out in varying sizes. I also use scoops for meatballs (mini) and burgers (maxi).




3. Silicone Spatula: Speaking of replacing tools, this is one that I just purchased last week, after my last one cracked (Target/Michael Graves brand, good but not great). I've mentioned my perfect rubber scraper features before: heat-resistant, firm, one-piece (doesn't get gunky) and this one totally fits the bill.



4. Flour Shaker: This cheese shaker is the perfect size for bench flour (the flour that you sprinkle on the counter when rolling out cookies and pie crusts). Really, this one little container makes the cutout process SO much easier.



5. Rolling Pin Spacers: Speaking of making the cutout process easier … my sis got me a set of rolling pin spacers years ago which I love, love, love. I used them so often, that I sweet-talked my hubby into getting me the adjustable version with built-in spacers for Valentine's Day. If you've already got a good rolling pin, get the spacers. If you do lots of cutouts, go for the deluxe version.



6. Pastry Scraper: This is great for its original purpose - scraping dough remnants off the counter - but I use it waaay more often for cutting sandwiches and brownies. If cutting the crusts off pbj's stresses you out, get one of these!



7. Grid Wire Cooling Rack: This may also pre-date Jeff! Grid rack is much better than slats - no worries about cookies accidentally falling through the gaps during the transfer process. I use this at least weekly.



8. Half Sheet Baking Pan (with lid!): My mom bought me a set of half-sheet pans forever ago, and they are the best for cookie baking. The sheets never need to be greased … if I'm baking something really messy, I'll throw down parchment, but cookies have never, ever stuck to these pans and bake perfectly. A few years ago, I found some with lids and went bananas, buying two each for me and my sis. I don't use the lids as often as I use the pans, but they do come in handy from time to time (most recently for protecting baked goods from sniffy dogs!)


9. Flexible Spatula: This isn't the exact one that I have - I think mine is from Pampered Chef - but it's great for transferring cookies and removing brownies from pans.


10. KitchenAid Mixer: How could this list be complete without my most treasured tool of all? My mixer was a wedding gift from my co-workers way back when, and was such an amazing surprise. This never leaves my counter, because I use it several times a week. Mine is a grey five-quart - I don't think they had the wide color selection then like they do now - but if I could choose a color today, I'd have to go with Gloss Cinnamon, mmmm.

So that's it! Hope it was fun for you as it was for me to put together! I'm thinking about a part two that's just for cookie decorating … stay tuned!

Baking Monday – Peanut Butter Cupcakes

This was a project that I had in my mind before searching for a recipe. I wanted to do a peanut butter cupcake (most recipes I find are for chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting) with chocolate frosting and filled with something. I volunteer at a local theatre that has just started selling stuffed cupcakes which are amazing, so I've had them on the brain. Look for more coming soon! 

I can't remember where this recipe came from - which is okay, because it wasn't great. Unfortunately, the cupcakes spent about three minutes too long in the oven … I set the timer and didn't check on them often enough, so they turned out slightly tougher than desired. Each one was filled with a blob of Nutella plus more Nutella added to the chocolate buttercream frosting.

I've since seen other peanut butter cupcake recipes, and would be happy to try again, too bad these didn't turn out as well as hoped. Oh well, not every attempt turns out to be a winner! 

Christmas 2013

Happy New Year! We had a really great month of December. It was super busy - someone had an event or activity almost every night of the month - but I wanted to make sure everything was enjoyable and not stressful. Therefore, some things were left to the side … baking didn't get done, cards waited until after our traveling, and I only did about 1/3 of the decorating I'd usually do around the house.



We spent a relaxing hour at the Home for the Holidays exhibit at our local science/historical museum. They have over 250 trees (we asked!) decorated and on display, it was really lovely. (Not pictured in photo: one child was being a bit of a pill that afternoon and another was doing a share of eye-rolling, but I took pictures and enjoyed myself anyway!)



We also didn't get around to making ornaments this year, but did spend one afternoon making cards for teachers. I would never say that Clark is an artsy-craftsy kid, but he does really get into drawing when we do projects like this.



Christmas Eve was Santa, pageants, musical performances, visiting with family.



And everyone had a favorite gift, all surprises, which made giving extra fun. We had a two-week long school break this year. I wished that we had the foresight and finances to go somewhere warm, but it was not meant to be. We spent one week away with family and the following week for the most part cozy at home, with a few extra fun activities along the way, including visits, meals, and games with good friends.

Snow tubing with cousins, which turned out to not the home-run event we thought it would be. Two out of three kids loved it, Mom & Dad did not (but we were good sports). 

Dora's chose her birthday activity: We spent New Year's Day at the Destiny USA mall, doing the ropes course, visiting the science museum/arcade, dinner of burgers and milkshakes, and a drive through Lights on the Lake.



Jeff and I split up, he got to watch the older kids go on crazy spinny simulator rides, while Clark and I did the more low-key activities. The arcade is a little much for the sensory kid. Happily, we had thought to bring earplugs and the exhibits were not very crowded.

Our days at home were COLD … I didn't leave the house for two days straight, leaving all the dog-walking and shoveling duties to Jeff. And the kids and I all needed a few lazy mornings and pajama days. This week has been a bit odd due to the weather - one day back to school, one day at home, a two-hour delay, one day back, then a half-day. Next week we'll really be back into the old routine.  

Baking Monday – Gingerbread Cupcakes

By request: something Christmas-y with frosting. These gingerbread cupcakes with cinnamon buttercream were super yummy.



I used my large scoop to fill the cupcake papers and they poofed up over the edge of the pan, boo. Filling the papers about halfway would probably be about right. I made cinnamon buttercream instead of cream cheese frosting, because that's my preference (1 stick softened butter, 4 cups sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, add milk until piping consistency) and the cinnamon flavor was juuuuust right. Gingerbread isn't usually a favorite of mine, but the icing really sold these for me.

Plus, I had an excuse to buy cinnamon jellybeans (the BEST flavor, in my opinion!)

Clarkey's Barkey Bones

I've got a little story to tell today, my favorite thing that happened all last week. 

A few weeks ago, Clark checked a book out of the school library about making pet treats. He was SUPER excited about it, but we didn't have time to make them before the book was due back, so I scanned some of the recipes to use later.



The boys had a day off of school on Friday, so I put "Make Dog Treats" on our calendar for the afternoon. The recipe Clark wanted to try was for Peanut Butter Pooches, dog-shaped cookies. He was insistent that the cookies NOT be shaped like dogs, because "that wouldn't be good training … to think it was okay to bite another dog." So we agreed on bone-shaped treats instead.



He helped me mix the ingredients and cut out the treats. As we were working, he was trying to think of a new name for them, and decided on "Clarkey's Barkey Bones."



After giving one treat to Penny for a taste test, Clark had the idea to share them with all the neighborhood dogs.



He wrote out labels for all our furry friends.



And made a name tag, that I scanned, printed and tied to each bag.



We delivered the treats on Saturday. He was so excited to hand them out. Turns out, he didn't just want to drop treats and go … he wanted to personally give one to each dog we visited!

What a fun time we had with this. Clark sometimes struggles with his human relationships, but has such a soft spot in his heart for dogs. 

Baking Monday – Coffee Chip Cookies

These cookies from Taste of Home were a total last-minute treat. As of 3:00 on baking day, I still hadn't picked out a recipe. These cookies sounded good, were quick to make, and I had everything on hand.

Sorry for the flecks in the pic - these turned out super soft and cake-like, more like whoopie pies than cookies. The coffee flavor is subtle. The recipe makes a ton - had I read the recipe a little more carefully before starting, it would have very easily cut in half. These were good, but not great. I think the texture threw me off. However, they would probably be good sandwiched with chocolate buttercream, mmm.

Belated Thanksgiving Treat

These are the cookies that traveled with us to Maryland this year, inspired by this turkey cookie platter from Sweet Sugarbelle. The feathers are made from a carrot cutter, the turkey from a #8, decorated with chocolate-covered sunflower seeds. The embellishments were a last minute addition. I was originally planning to pipe the details, and found the seeds when I was looking for the eyes … and I think they look even better than the piping would have! 

 

Gobble, gobble!