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Gift Ideas for Cooks

Gorgeous Knife Set with Wooden Block from The Pioneer Woman

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I’ve probably mentioned it a hundred or two times on the food blog, but I love and collect everything Rachael Ray and have for too many years to count. A few years ago, I began collecting another favorite Food Network star, Ree Drummond, and now my Pioneer Woman collection rivals my Rachael Ray collection.

Cookbooks, magazines, dishes, pans, napkins, mopines, cutlery, spatulas, garbage bowls, EVOO bottles… you name it, if the name Rachael Ray or Pioneer Woman is on it, our kitchen has it (sometimes multiple times).

What can I say, I spend a GREAT deal of time in the kitchen and want to be surrounded by bright, colorful, whimsical, and beautiful things that make me smile. Plus, to be the best cook possible, you have to surround yourself with the best tools possible and these are some of the best you’ll find anywhere.

I also love that many of their kitchen and cooking items come in my favorite colors: Purple, red, and turquoise.

I like to keep things fun and as colorful as possible!

This gorgeous turquoise Rustic Pioneer Woman Cutlery Set (Amazon link) is on my radar. Most of the Pioneer Woman items I have are turquoise, so I’m absolutely thrilled these come in this wonderful color.

The Pioneer Woman Cowboy Rustic Forged 14-Piece Cutlery Knife Block Set includes a GREAT variety of knives including a chef knife, bread knife, Nakiri knife, utility knife, paring knife and steak knives.

The blades are stainless steel and have ergonomically designed handles.  LOVE that!  I also love that the set comes with a beautiful wood block for easy storage.

See Rustic Pioneer Woman Cutlery Set (Amazon link) for a closer look!


Possibly the Most Beautiful and Elegant Tableware Set EVER Created…

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This Tableware Set (Amazon link) is BEYOND gorgeous! I mean, come on, I’d consider it an honor to eat with these beauties. Pretty sure I’d feel like a modern day, Kentucky version of Cleopatra… you know… without murder and snakes.

I was originally thinking of this set for my own use (there’s that Cleopatra mindset again).. of how much better this set would look  on the kitchen counter for a Thanksgiving or Christmas buffet (than a splattering of forks and knives spread out like weapons of war). But, after thinking about it and looking at them a little more closely, I realize they’d also make wonderful gift ideas.

As your family admires them at your holiday get together, opening their own set would be even sweeter.

Mind you, I still simply must have my own set – and the sooner, the better – but I also have my eye on these for gift ideas. After all, don’t we all enjoy surrounding ourselves with as much beauty as possible??

This beautiful set is…. here come the six magic words… safe to use in the dishwasher!

More Features of the Tableware Set: 

  • Each stainless steel silverware set contains 6 steak knives, 6 dinner forks, 6 dinner spoons, 6 teaspoons and a flatware holder.
  • Each piece of tableware has been carefully designed to meet the ergonomically appropriate size and weight, so that you can use it with ease and comfort, forget the silverware and enjoy dinners.
  • This flatware set is made of high quality food grade 410 stainless steel, Compared with 304 stainless steel has better strength, as well as hardness. It will not bend, break or be damaged by heat. Its sturdiness ensures that it will not bend easily, providing you with long term use. 
  • The whole set of cutlery comes with a stainless steel sideboard, which has the function of storing and properly sorting the cutlery, breaking the disordered drawer, and providing good protection for your cutlery. Beautiful and gorgeous appearance, let you put it in any place in the house is like the existence of art (oh, yeah, that part really resonates with Joi-patra).
  • Highly mirror finish followed by an electroplating finish that gives it a more lustrous finish than normal tableware, with a smooth edge that ensures safety and no scratches. Elegant design and exceptional quality make this silver set ideal for kitchens, restaurants, hotels, banquet events and daily meals, as well as a great gift choice.

See Tableware Set (Amazon link) for a closer look.

Also See: More Christmas 2021 Gift Ideas for Cooks and Foodies!

Beautiful Indoor Herb Garden Kits… Santa, are You Listening?? (Delicious Gift Ideas)

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I have officially given Santa my first gift request of the season… the Indoor Herb Garden Kit (Amazon link) I just saw on Amazon. For too many years to count, I have planted herb gardens each spring and lovingly used them throughout the summer and even into the fall. But I’ve always wished for an attractive way to grow them indoors as well – year round.

While it’s certainly possible to set individual pots around the kitchen (something I do during the cold months), they aren’t necessarily attractive and don’t look like they have a plan, you know? Yet I’ve always been loyal to the practice because, frankly, I use fresh herbs with just about every meal – even if it’s just topping something with a little chopped fresh parsley or chives.

The ridiculously handsome Indoor Herb Garden Kit (Amazon link) pictured here promises to take care of three of my favorite herbs for me: Basil, Oregano, and Thyme. BUT it gets even better… there are also matching kits (equally handsome) for…

  • Basil, Cilantro, and Parsley (I use cilantro and parsley about as often as I use salt and pepper)
  •  Cilantro, Parsley, and Chives

My first thought was… in a perfect world, each of the three kits available would have completely different herbs, with none overlapping (as basil, cilantro, and parsley do)… but then it hit me – I use these particular herbs often enough to NEED more than one plant! Besides, who’s to stop someone from planting rosemary, dill, or stevia seeds in one and labeling it such?!

Why You Need an Air Fryer (and Why They Make IDEAL Gifts for Cooks)

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Cosori Air Fryer

Cosori Air Fryer

The air fryer pictured above (nevermind the little Matchbox truck… I have three grandbabies, all boys, so there are little cars, trucks, and dinosaurs everywhere… and I thank God for it daily!) is the latest picture of proof that… well… sometimes I’m wrong.

You see, when air fryers (Amazon link) first became a “thing,” I never thought I’d ever want one, yet alone use one. When it comes to some things, I can be very, very, very old school – this is never more true than in the kitchen. Now, mind you, I still think a cook should stay sharp with all forms and techniques of cooking – that is to say, he/she should regularly make omelets, saute’, make gravy, broil, poach eggs, etc… not only does repetitively using a cooking technique keep your skills sharp, doing so allows you to develop the absolute best way of making something. Relying solely on one small kitchen appliance (at the expense of other styles of cooking) doesn’t serve one well. I know a family member who became SO dependent on her microwave once that she had to go out and buy a new pan to boil water in when her microwave decided it no longer wanted to work for a living!

I didn’t ask if she remembered how to turn the stove on again – I was afraid of the answer!

However, the other end of the spectrum is also very true and can also make you an even better (and more creative) cook: Having a variety of fun kitchen appliances encourages you to cook different meals and experiment with different foods and styles of cooking… both of which make your kitchen a much more delicious place to be!

So, if we’re numbering the reasons you need an Air Fryer, I’d put Creativity at the top of the list. The ones that follow it, however, are just as important.

  1. Creativity. New appliances and gadgets encourage creativity and can, by their very nature, shake you out of the all too common kitchen rut! There are so many wonderful air fryer cookbooks (Amazon link) and even magazines on the newsstand that provide even more channels for creativity and fun.
  2. Crispiness. While I love, love, love experimenting with different techniques and recipes for the air fryer, want to know the one thing I love it for the most? The one thing I’d fight someone for if they came to steal our air fryer? Hold onto your seats, this is a very high brow, food blogger food…. tater tots! Hear me out, fellow foodies, the air fryer will make you fall in love with tater tots all over again. It gives them a crispiness that the oven simply cannot muster. If you want just a little crispiness, you pull them out sooner… if you want a lot more crispiness, you leave them in a little longer. Personally, I think a perfect tater tot is a little crispy on the outside and soft inside. The air fryer gives you that restaurant quality tot you never knew you missed until you make it yourself. Air fryers are also IDEAL for fries, chicken strips, onion rings, and just about anything else you can think of!
  3. Coronary Health! Obviously, anytime you can replace fried foods with “air fryed” foods, your heart and arteries will thank you for it. Fried foods are horrific for your heart’s health – something I (as a southerner) am pained to admit, but it’s true. When you air fry the food, it is just as delicious and SO much healthier.
  4. Convenience. Remember the three grandbabies I mentioned earlier? I have a lot of blessings in life (wonderful husband, three beautiful daughters, three beloved sons-in-law, three perfect grandbabies, precious cats…) and one I never take for granted is the BLESSING of watching my grandbabies while their parents are at work during the week. The boys are all under 4, so this is a blessing that keeps MiMi hopping! Needless to say, meal prep and quicker meals are big on my list. The air fryer cuts cooking time in half for many foods – allowing me to fix quick meals for the little guys and quick suppers for me and my big guy! It’s also an excellent way to cook frozen foods such as fries, fish sticks, and chicken strips. They go into the air fryer frozen and come out, minutes later perfectly delicious – often even better than when cooked in the oven. Quicker, always as good/often better, and no preheating is necessary.

Okay, I’m not going to list the following “bonus” with the ones above, and not just because it doesn’t start with a C… although I am absolutely anal enough to be bothered by that! Anytime we (any age) can learn something new and take on a new challenge, we do absolute wonders for our brains. The brain loves a challenge and, frankly, most of us don’t offer our brain nearly enough challenging opportunities. When I have a new kitchen gadget or appliance (or a new toy to put together for my little buddies) that I have successfully put together or learned how to use, I can literally feel my brain buzz with excitement. It’s kind of a rush, if we’re being honest.

I love that learning new things like this makes my brain set up and take notice. In the same way we all need to be more mindful of our heart’s health, we absolutely need to be more mindful of our brain’s health.

The air fryer will make an excellent addition to your family, if you don’t already have one. It would also make an excellent gift idea for anyone on your Christmas list (or gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Anniversaries, birthdays, graduates…). It is an extremely thoughtful gift idea and one the recipient will cherish and think of you each time they use it!

If you’re lucky, they may even make you some tater tots.

While our brand is the Cosori Air Fryer, I’m linking you to a newer model. This one has the coveted Amazon Choice label and something I generally find just as lovely – a $20 off coupon. Whoot!


Wonderful Sandwich Cutters for Delicious “Uncrustable-Style” Sandwiches

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Uncrustable Style Sandwich Cutter

Sandwich Cutter (Amazon link)

If you have kids of any age in your family, you may already be familiar with the wildly popular, delicious, and… well… a little costly… Uncrustables. They’re sold frozen and you can conveniently thaw one or more as needed (they thaw VERY fast.. much to the pleasure of hungry kids). My oldest grandbabies absolutely love them. They fit in their little hands perfectly, allowing them to roam from one thing to the next to the next to the next.

My grandbabies love the peanut butter and jelly ones, so I buy the strawberry and grape varieties often. Only problem is, they don’t come cheap when compared with good old-fashioned jelly, peanut butter, and bread. But the sandwiches (even when cut into winsome triangles) don’t make these little cuties smile as much and, frankly, my world is consumed by making them smile.

I found something on Amazon that makes us ALL smile even more. Me because they’re fun, economical, and (most importantly) make my little buddies smile EVEN bigger because they’re involved with creating their own “Uncrustable-Style” sandwiches!

The Sandwich Cutter (Amazon link) allows you to choose your own fillings – just be sure you don’t overfill because the goodness will come through the roof! Peanut butter & jelly, Nutella – with or without the peanut butter, ham and cheese, cheese blends, pimento cheese, chicken salad, tuna salad… the options are nearly limitless.

The instructions are given very clearly and simply on the back and there’s even more information on the Amazon page when you click through.

One of the coolest things is you can use this tool to make up a LOT of handheld little sandwiches and freeze them. They’re just as good after being frozen as they are when fresh. It’s kind of magic, if we’re being honest.

The fact that kids can help you make them is one of the biggest attractions. I am ALL for getting girls and boys involved in food preparation and in making discoveries in the kitchen. These handheld sandwiches are IDEAL for school lunchboxes, taking to the office, afterschool snacks, and even a quick breakfast.

They’re available on Amazon….. Sandwich Cutter (Amazon link)… and can be used again and again and again and again. Each “again” adds up the money saved! This would make a wonderful gift idea for anyone on your list.

Uncrustable Style Sandwich Cutter Instructions

See Sandwich Cutter (Amazon link) for a lot more information and photos!


Have You Invested in a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer Yet?! Here’s Why I Think You Should….

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Ironically, in spite of ALWAYS saying, “You’ll only be as great a cook as your tools and ingredients allow you to be,” I put off buying a KitchenAid stand mixer for years. And years.

The very person who consistently pays more for most ingredients and who grabs every new kitchen gadget that hits the market put off buying something because it, “… seems so high.”

If I didn’t do a great deal of baking, it’d be more forgivable but with a large family, there are always birthday cakes to make, homemade icing to throw together, candies, pies, and whatnot. And that in’t even counting Thanksgiving and Christmas – my annual grand finales!

I knew Kitchenaid stand mixers were gorgeous and knew the brand had one of the best reputations in the business but I  honestly assumed my handheld mixer could do anything it could and I knew it was far cheaper. More on the faulty assumption in a minute.

Earlier this year, my youngest daughter got a Kitchenaid stand mixer (Amazon link) and immediately began to rave about it. She’s one of the rare humans who does as much baking and cooking as I do, so when she recommends something, I listen. I decided to test her Kitchenaid out with something I make each week – Homemade Whipped Cream. My husband and I love it in our coffee (as well as on ice cream, cakes, cookies… heck, I’ve even seen him eat it right out of the bowl!).

(Continued Below the Whipped Cream!)

Homemade Whipped Cream

Homemade Whipped Cream (Recipe) 

First of all, I fell in love with the fact that all I had to do was put all of the ingredients into the bowl and that the Kitchenaid did the rest. My right arm marveled at something being beaten without it feeling the burden.

However, if the results had been the same, I would have stayed loyal to my handheld for the rest of my life.

The results were not even remotely the same. My homemade whipped cream has always been delicious but this time it had a MUCH better consistency – a consistency that made it look better and, somehow, even taste better. I remember picking it up with a spoon and thinking how much it looked like store-bought whipped cream. My handheld never did that!

Then it hit me… if the Kitchenaid stand mixer (Amazon link) makes this big of a difference with something as simple as whipped cream, imagine the difference it can make with cakes, pies, cookies, brownies, divinity, fudge… that was it. I was sold.

Yes, a Kitchenaid stand mixer  is more expensive than hand held mixers and, yes, for most of us, they’re somewhat of an investment. But here’s the thing, if the meals we make for our loved ones aren’t worth it, nothing is.

I would never recommend anything to my readers that I don’t absolutely love and use. I’d never suggest you buy something unless I knew you’d love it – I’m just not built that way.

I 100 percent believe you will love a  Kitchenaid stand mixer (Amazon link) and recommend buying one before Thanksgiving and Christmas show up in your home! From what I’ve read, other stand mixers do not hold a candle to the Kitchenaid brand, so I wouldn’t get sidetracked there, if I were you. Kitchenaid is a household name and know I know why.

See Also: Recipe for the Best Whipped Cream!

KitchenAid

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

Halloween Dishtowels: Yes… My Mind IS Already on Halloween!

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How cute and colorful are these Halloween dish towels (Amazon link)??!! From everything I’ve seen (online and in stores), plaid is huge this year. Personally, I love it every year, but I’m seeing it everywhere this year – especially in black and white.

One of my biggest kitchen quirks and obsessions is dish towels. I celebrate each season with coordinating towels on the oven handle for show and in the drawer for go!

I can’t wait to add this set of three beauties to the rotation.  They’re 100 percent cotton, machine washable (tumble on low in a dryer) and measure 18×28 inches.

While I plan to use them in the kitchen, they’d also be ideal for a bathroom.

See Halloween dish towels (Amazon link) for a closer look and for more information. These are just so darn cute!

 

ADORABLE Halloween Candy Dishes

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It’s September 1st so, in my little world anyway, that means it’s officially Halloween Season! It’s such a deliciously fun time of year, why wait for October when you can start now and have TWO months of fun instead of one?!

This incredibly creative and adorable Witch Broom with Hats (Amazon link) set is available on Amazon and I couldn’t throw it into my cart fast enough. I, personally, envision candy in the little hat dishes but they’d be just as wonderful with pretzels, popcorn, nuts… just about anything you can imagine.

Features:

  • Perfect for a Halloween buffet or to sit out all autumn.
  • This great-looking, tabletop broom props three ceramic, pumpkin-shaped bowls for serving up all kinds of goodies from candy to popcorn.
  • Very unique… I’ve never seen anything quite like this!
  • It brings a fun and festive Halloween atmosphere to your whole home.
  • A beautiful, eye-catching addition to any room… okay, maybe not the bathroom… unless, of course, you put colorful miniature soaps in the hats.

See Witch Broom with Hats (Amazon link) for a closer look. You’re going to love this as much as I do!

Porcelain Butter Dish for Perfectly Spreadable Butter Every Single Time

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Most of the time I write about products, foods, or drinks I have already tried but ever now and then (like today) I have something on my mind I’m so excited about I have to tell you about it or bust.

The handsome Porcelain Butter Dish with a Bamboo Lid (Amazon link) you see here was just tossed in my Amazon cart with the flair of someone who spends entirely too much time on Amazon.

I can’t wait for it to arrive to put it to use. When it’s safe and sound in its new home, I’ll come back here and add photos and thoughts, but for now, I was simply eager to tell you about this beauty as well as butter dishes in general.

Butter dishes used to be a common thing in kitchens. I’m really not sure how or why we gravitated away from them! They originated sometime in the 1800s and, while it certainly didn’t go that far back (!!!), I remember them being used by both of my grandmothers.

I love the idea of butter being available to be used JUST as it should be used… completely spreadable! I’ve run into the cold butter blues three times recently:

  1. My youngest daughter made me some delicious gluten-free strawberry and blueberry muffins a few days ago (no idea how I got so lucky to have her for a daughter, but I’m never sending her back!). Even when the muffins were warm, the cold butter didn’t spread – it just sort of chucked itself on there. It was an even bigger disaster when I tried to butter a cold muffin. I had to break off pieces of butter and place them strategically onto said muffin.
  2. I had a piping hot bowl of oatmeal and, after adding butter, it was no longer piping hot but just kind of warm.
  3. Okay, three words: gluten-free bread. Or would that be two words?? Anyway, if you’re familiar with gluten-free bread, you know it’s not at all easy to live with. If (Heaven forbid!) you want to butter it, it will fall apart faster than a 13 year old girl who’s certain her life is over when her friend moves away.

Each of these situations would be completely taken care of with a butter dish – the butter will be room temperature and ready, willing, and able to be spread on bread, muffins, or biscuits or added to a hot bowl of oatmeal without giving it the big chill.

Anyone who (like me) only uses butter would never even think about asking, “Why not just use margarine?” but others unfamiliar with the superiority of the taste and health benefits of butter might be tempted to ask this very question. If you’re still in the margarine crowd, I beg you to start buying and using real butter. The taste is so superior it’ll blow you away.

A few of the things I love Most About this Butter Dish:

  • Perfect Groove for the Knife Right in the Lid. The knife is always handy to use when you need it, so you don’t have to go digging through drawers like a frantic kitchen elf. There are few roles I hate assuming more than a frantic kitchen elf looking for something she needs right now!
  • Large Size. I’ve seen some butter dishes where you’d do well to get half a stick inside – this one has more than enough room.
  • Porcelain. This gorgeous Butter Dish is porcelain, meaning it’s easy to clean and made to last.
  • Perfect for any Decor, or Color Scheme. I admit it, I change the “vibe” or “energy” of my kitchen often – each season and holiday brings with it its own special colors, knick knacks, and festivity. This great looking butter dish will go with cupid’s hearts, spring flowers, Easter eggs, summer bouquets, Fourth of July flags, ghosts and goblins, turkeys, snowmen, Santa, and everything in between. In fact, the notorious elf on a shelf might just use this for his first perch this season. Seems like something he’d do.

Click through for a closer look at the beautiful Porcelain Butter Dish with a Bamboo Lid (Amazon link).

 

Wooden Salad Bowls: I am Completely on a Mission to Find One!

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Salad

Bacon Salad

One of the things most associated with me is my intense love for salads and soup. In winter and fall, it’s soup… in spring and summer, it’s salads. We are officially in salad season now, so my mind is utterly consumed with new vegetable and ingredient combinations and possibilities, new ideas for dressing recipes, etc.

This year I have something else consuming my salad-loving mind…. wooden salad bowls – large AND individual serving size. Basically I want ALL THE WOODEN BOWLS and I want them now!

I just bought a small set of wooden bowls on Amazon for food prep, yogurt, and sundaes. When they were delivered, I discovered that I loved them even more than I expected to. So… yeah… now I’m on a mission to greatly expand my wooden dish collection.

Below are a few of my favorite ones I’ve seen on Amazon. When you click through, of course, you will find a goldmine of others to choose from.





See why I’m so obsessed?!?!?!