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Whimsical Kitchen

Bamboo Pig Cutting Board…. Yes, Please!

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I have always had a total, complete, and all-consuming love for pigs. If my cats (the one animal I have an even greater affection for) allowed it, I would have one – a female I’d name Patsy Swine. Come on, how could I not?

I often blog about pig collectibles and kitchen items on the food blog because I’ve heard from so many readers who love them almost as much as I do. I say almost because none of y’all have a name picked out for a pig you’ll never have.

This gorgeous bamboo pig cutting board is from Amazon and I am in love with it. It speaks to everything my own kitchen’s decor is about – a rustic/whimsical approach, heavy on pigs.

Here’s the thing – I have always loved pigs greatly. I even began “collecting” pigs for the kitchen over 12 years ago. Then something happened that made me fall even further in love with them and made me want to have them outside of the kitchen as well as inside of the kitchen…. this “something” that happened is a precious, lively, adorable 2 year old named Maddox and he (along with the rest of my family) makes my world go round.

Since he was about 6 months old, he has LOVED pigs and cats (I keep telling people he IS my spirit animal). While he loves all animals, there is a certain, palpable joy that comes over his face and into his voice when he sees a pig or cat (real, stuffed, drawing, figurine…). If it’s a cat, he laughs and meows. If it’s a pig, he laughs and oinks.

Why wouldn’t I want more of that in my life??!


Adorable Kitchen Gadgets for Kids who LOVE Dinosaurs!

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I was on Amazon earlier (full disclosure, I’m never really officially off Amazon), looking for dinosaur-related plates for my grand-babies. I have three grand babies and they’re all little boys – one is 2 years old, one is almost 6 months old, and the youngest? Well, he isn’t officially here yet, but he IS officially loved!

I found three WONDERFUL Dinosaur Food Holders from Funwares:

The TriceraTaco (the triceratops is one of kids favorite dinosaurs) is pictured on the left. It can hold tacos – or sandwiches, waffles, toast, English muffins, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, etc.

On the right is another one I’m kind of freaking out over, the NachoSaurus. I love that he comes with his little food dish for dunking and dipping. He could be used for fries with ketchup just as easily as chips with salsa or cheese. He could also hold candy, carrot sticks, or other snacks.

Last, but in no way least, is TacoSaurus Rex (pictured below). This guy can hold tacos, sandwiches, bagels… whatever the little “boss” has consented to eat that day!

I can’t wait to whip these out on my 2 year old grandson – he is WILD WILD WILD about dinosaurs and will love these.


Pig Paper Towel Holder: Pig Collectors will Lover This

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As someone who is both obsessed with and a collector of pigs, I feature a lot of pigs on this food blog. What’s funny is, I hear from SO many of you who feel just as strongly about them as I do.

They’re whimsical, fun, and impossibly cute… what’s not to love, right?!

The adorable Pig Paper Towel Holder, pictured here, is pretty much a MUST HAVE as far as I’m concerned.

Not only is she a beauty, she serves a very useful function – she give that ever-present and ever-wandering roll of paper towels an attractive place to call home.

  • Bring a farmhouse accent to your kitchen with this delightful paper towel holder featuring a fun-loving pig
  • This standing paper towel holder features a dark brown, rustic color that blends cleanly with your country-themed decor
  • The perfect housewarming or birthday gift for animal lovers, and anyone looking to add a country rustic aesthetic to their kitchen
  • Four hooves keep this holder standing evenly on your kitchen
  • Pig Paper Towel Holder, 6-1/4″W x 18-1/2″D x 6-3/4″H; Cold cast ceramic and wood

Click here for a closer look.


Adorable Retro Kitchen Aprons (How Can We Pick Just One??!!)

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The black and white Retro Kitchen Apron, pictured above, would make a perfect Mother’s Day gift idea (whether you’re buying it for your own mother or dropping hints for your own present!).

  • 100% Cotton,Made of high quality material, fashionable and practical with Pockets
  • Length: 72.5cm * Waist Width: 53.5cm
  • Waist Strap: L111.5*W3cm,Neck Strap: L54*W3cm
  • Ties at the waist and has an adjustable neck strap.Recommend to slim and medium height girls and women.
  • A wonderful household necessity for choice. Perfect for the home entertainer or adventurous gourmet , Also suitable as a work apron for restaurant, hotel ,cafe, shop, etc

The Red and White Retro Apron (pictured above) is equally adorable – as is the Black Retro Apron with Bow Pockets (pictured below). The red and white apron has a Minnie Mouse vibe that makes me weak in the knees. I absolutely love both Minnie and her famous boyfriend.

They’re all so cute AND inexpensive, in fact, that a lot of people are buying them two/three at a time. They’d make a wonderful gift idea for Mother’s Day, Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries… any time, for any lovely cook in your life.

The apron above is also available in red and white checks (below).

Click through any of the three links above to view more retro aprons. So adorable!

There are even more impossibly cute aprons pictured below. So many to choose from, right?!


Whimsical Whisks for the Whimsical Cook’s Whimsical Kitchen

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Fred & Friends Carrot Whisk

I am all about the whimsy! ALL ABOUT IT… so, as you’d expect, I don’t just have a whimsical kitchen, I have a whimsical home.

Scratch that – I have a whimsical LIFE.

Fred & Friends King Kong Whisk

So, naturally, these Whimsical Whisks on Amazon have caught my eye. It’s just a matter of deciding which one I want first:

The Carrot Whisk

  • Whether you’re whipping up a crepe or a carrot cake, Fred and friends the cooks carrot will help make it happen
  • We’Ve coated the wires with green durable, and easy-cleaning silicone making for easier whisking and so it looks like a carrot
  • The handle is plump, cushy silicone too; fits perfect in the hand for those long tough whisk jobs
  • The whisk is completely safe on the top rack of the dishwasher
  • Add a touch of garden design and whimsy to your kitchen crop with Fred and friends

The King Kong Whisk

  • Highly evolved whisk
  • Stainless steel whisk
  • Silicone cushioned handle
  • Gorilla is pure silicone
  • Easily cleaned

The Bird Whisk

  • Silicone coated tail feathers work wonders as a whisk.
  • Whisk is molded from heat-resistant, easy-to-clean virgin silicone.
  • Add just the right amount of”swish” to any sauce.
  • Make your recipes take flight with WING IT.
  • It’s a product that combines fun and functionality in one.

Each time I think I’ve made up my mind, I change it again. Seems whimsical isn’t all I am – indecisive tops the list as well.

See each of these adorable whisks on amazon by visiting Whimsical Whisks.

Fred & Friends Bird Whisk

More fun in the kitchen from Fred & Friends Below…


Last-Minute Gift Idea for Cooks in Your Life: Rachael Ray Moppines

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Rachael Ray Moppine

A while back (actually quite a while, I believe) I wrote a review or Rachael Ray’s Moppines. Loved them then, loved them now. This morning, while thinking of great last minute Christmas gift ideas for cooks, I thought of these moppines and how much I love them. I checked Amazon and, sure enough, if you order them asap, they’ll arrive before Christmas.

Speaking of love, I’ve got NOTHING but mad love for Amazon, too.

Since reviewing my own red moppines, A LOT of gorgeous new colors have been added to the Moppines Collection – meaning you can go all matchy matchy with anyone’s kitchen color scheme.

  • brown
  • mustard
  • celery green
  • blue
  • brick red
  • smoke blue
  • orange
  • purple
  • red
  • burnt orange
  • lavendar
  • green

And they are all gorgeous. Click here to take a closer look.


Beautiful Non-Slip Kitchen Mat Sets: Lots of Styles to Choose From

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Coffee Design Kitchen Rug Set

While the 2 Piece Non-Slip Kitchen Mat Set (pictured above: Coffee Design), is shown here under the category Christmas Gift Guide, it may be more appropriate to consider it “FOR MY Kitchen…  Before Christmas”  because most of us like to do a little “sprucing up” before company arrives.

While I love the beautiful designs these mat sets come in, the thing I love the most is the fact that they’re “non-skid” and that their edges won’t “dog ear” like some mats do. Even those with the best intentions tend to do that and it drives me batty.

  • Non-Skid latex rubber backing, fade and wear resistant
  • Absorbs water and dries quickly, protect your kitchen from moisture and stain
  • Package includes 2-piece rugs. Size: 15.7×47.2 inches and 15.7×23.6 inches (40x120cm+40x60cm)
  • Machine Washable, low pile height for easy to clean and vacuum , thin design to fit under doors
  • See Below for some of the other designs available, then click through for the rest!


Handbag Cookie Jars???? Handbag Cookie Jars!!!

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Red and Black Handbag Cookie Jar
I have collected salt & pepper shakers for quite some time and find it a challenge to know where to keep them. I mean, when you’re a collector, you want to display your lovelies and there’s only so much space available. That’s why I am always completely and utterly floored when I see people who collect cookie jars and actually find shelves and space to display their beautiful collection.

I remember seeing a woman’s collection once in a magazine (probably Taste of Home) and her gorgeous cookie jars were neat as a pin arranged by season on shelves PLUS they filled up a floor to ceiling cabinet. With glass doors, of course.

I guess it takes one collector to be impressed with other collectors, but cookie jar collectors are all kinds of cool.

Beige and Gold Handbag Cookie Jar
The Handbag Cookie Jars, pictured here, would make perfect additions to anyone’s cookie jar collection OR each one would make a fantastic “only child” cookie jar.  We all have space for that – heck even our first apartment would’ve had room for a cookie jar.

  • Ceramic cookie jar
  • Stylish red with gold accent, classic Black and White, or elegant Beige and Gold
  • Not recommended for dishwasher and microwave
  • Measures 9″W x 6″D x 9″T

Black and White Handbag Cookie Jar
Take a closer look at each here: Handbag Cookie Jars!


The Pioneer Woman on Amazon: Colorful, Beautiful, and Fun (and Her Merch is too!)

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The Pioneer Woman Flea Market Oven Mitt and Pot Holder Set
The Pioneer Woman Kitchen Set Pot Holder and Oven Mitt
Sigh. As if I don’t spend enough money on Amazon on Rachael Ray products, now they have another obsession of mine right there in plain sight for me to splurge on – The Pioneer Woman is primed to jump in my cart a few times a week.

Everywhere you look in my kitchen and dining room, you see Rachael Ray and The Pioneer Woman. Ironically, they’re two of the celebrity cooks I turn to the most for recipes and television entertainment as well. I love that their kitchen merch compliments one another so beautifully.

Everything is so bright, colorful, and happy – like the ladies, themselves.

My family knows that when it comes to buying gifts for me, they can’t possibly go wrong with these two collections.

The Pioneer Woman Iron Cookbook Holder

The Pioneer Woman Cast Iron Cookbook Holder

The Cast Iron Cookbook holder above is definitely something I need. It’s already available on Amazon, so no waiting is involved. Whoot!

The Pioneer Woman Flea Market Salt and Pepper Shakers
 

The Pioneer Woman Flea Market Salt & Pepper Shakers
While a lot of The Pioneer Woman is already on Amazon, others – like the salt & pepper shakers above – are coming in just a few days (you can go ahead and throw merch in your cart, though, of course – a trick my husband often wishes I hadn’t figured out).

Click through any of the links above or below for more gift ideas for cooks in your family – especially the one you see in the mirror. You know that one’s on the “nice list” after all!


Pepper Appreciation Post: Peppers, Peppers, and More Peppers!

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Chili Peppers Salt and Pepper Shakers

Hot Chili Peppers Salt & Pepper Shakers

Ever have a food obsession sneak up on you? This is the case with peppers and me. I’ve had a life-long love affair with certain foods….

  • chocolate
  • coffee (don’t try telling me it’s not a food, I will not listen)
  • tea (see above)
  • coconut
  • seafood – specifically shrimp, cod, and catfish
  • eggs
  • onion rings
  • sweet potatoes
  • cream cheese


But peppers are one of those foods that came looking for me. This particular all-encompassing fascination with all things peppers actually just came about in the last two years.  I always found them to be beautiful, tasty, and very serviceable – but the appreciation never hit full tilt fanaticism until recently.

And yet, here I am, currently unable to get enough of them. It’s one of those situations where I have to reign myself in or I’ll put them in everything. They simply take whatever dish they’re in and kick it up notches.

Take tossed salads, for example. I buy those colorful little bags of sweet mini peppers (organic) and chop them up with the rest of my salad ingredients. They add more flavor and crunch than you can imagine. They also perk up potato salads, soups, scrambled eggs, and meatloaves. Stuff them with cream cheese or any cheese combination and they become show offs.

Love it when that happens.

 


Next time you’re in your produce section, find the little bag of mini sweet peppers or grab a couple of chili peppers or jalapenos and experiment with them. They add a lot of kick and excitement to so many dishes. Try roasting them before using them in recipes, too, for a real knock out experience.