1) How to make croutons, tortillas, vegetable stock, and a bunch of other stuff. I have been cooking up a storm lately. With learning to cook comes lots of hits and misses. Thankfully, I've had several hits as of late, so I'll have several good recipes to share with you soon. A few basic items I learned to make that are easy and delicious are croutons (found HERE), tortillas (found HERE), and vegetable stock (found HERE). I will try my hardest to make all of these at home from now, instead of buying them pre-made as they turned out so much better than the off the shelf stuff.
2) How to clean my yoga mat. The other day I noticed my yoga mat was hurtin' for a cleaning. I tried wiping it down with a rag and some all-purpose cleaner but that did not do the trick. So I decided to put it in the washing machine (alone) on the delicate cycle. It worked wonders.
3) Fancy kitchen equipment is not for me. As I cook more and more, I'm beginning to feel it's time to invest in more kitchen equipment. I recently purchased a fancy mandoline in the hopes of making restaurant grade french fries and such. When I brought it home and started using it, I realized it was way more hassle than it was worth. For now I'll be sticking to a knife and cutting board. Are there any kitchen tools you cannot live without? Please share in the comments section.
4) Slow cookers are splendid! I bought a slow cooker off Ebay a few weeks ago for not too much money. I am enjoying the heck out of that thing. Why didn't I purchase one of these earlier?!? For a busy parent who is trying to eat healthier this thing is amazing. I've been making all types of yummy soups and stocks in it. I can't get enough.
5) I really enjoy Bells of Ireland. I picked up a Bells of Ireland bouquet from the grocery store a few weeks ago. It was my first time having any in the house, and I really enjoyed looking at them. The pop of green they added really lifted my spirits.
What's something you learned this month? To learn from others visit CHATTING AT THE SKY.
I love your bells of ireland and your lantern! So pretty! What I've learned this month is I might have a green thumb after all! I hope you have a wonderful and happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteThanks Fran. It's great that you have a green thumb. I wish I had one. Have a very Happy Easter!
DeleteMy oven died a fiery death last month, so the slow cooker has become my new best friend. And the toaster oven. And now that the snow has vanished, the grill will be on duty!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the motivation, my friend. And happy Easter to you!
Hi Linda. I hope you had a marvelous Easter. Sorry to hear your oven is out :-(
ReplyDeleteThe lantern is fabulous! And like you, I've been relying heavily on our slow cooker, too. Until spring weather arrives (and our grill can get more user) , it's nice to have meals hot and prepared after a long day at work!
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley. I'm not much of a grilled. I love the taste of grilled food, just have never grilled anything myself. I'll have to put that On my list of things to learn this summer.
DeleteI LOVE bells. My favorite is to mix them with delphinium. I don't own a mandoline, but am all about most cooking equipment. My advice is to begin by investing in multi-purpose items of exceptionally high quality. The number one for me is a Le Creuset Dutch oven in a large size. You can use it for everything from a thanksgiving turkey (if it's not like a 25 pounder)down to scrambled eggs for breakfast. I use mine every single day and it is such a pleasure to use. Easy to clean and really is worth the $. There are lots of imitation enamel on cast iron pots out there but the enamel isn't fired at as high of a temp which opens the door to much more staining and chipping of the coating. I went tenish years of being a serious cook before I got one and I wish I wouldn't have waited so long. A non-enameled cast iron Dutch oven is also great, just harder to keep seasoned and takes some maintenance after each use.
ReplyDeleteA small and inexpensive luxury kitchen item I will never be without is a marble rolling pin. I got mine for $10 and I adore it. I keep it in the freezer at all times and it's always ready to roll out a crust with far less sticking.
I think bells mixed with delphinium would make for a very striking arrangement, I'll have to give that a try one day. I've been considering Le Creuset Dutch oven. The one I have now was not a very thoughtful purchase, and isn't the best of quality. thanks for the tips.
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