Celebrate Spring with The Home Depot Garden Club: #DigIn

So, I bet you’re wondering why a food blogger is talking to you about The Home Depot today.

Make no mistake, I’m not a gardener. I don’t even really have a green thumb. But when it comes to springtime, my absolute number one thing to do is entertain outside. As soon as the weather starts warming up, we’re sweeping away the dirt and debris from the patio doors, lighting up the charcoal grill, and relaxing under our pergola with friends and family and watching the kiddos run around the yard.

swingset

And I want that yard to look good.  Lush.  Welcoming.  Relaxing.

As you can see, we haven’t yet started our spring lawn clean-up.  While we were blessed with gorgeous weather for Easter, our temperatures are supposed to drop down again during the beginning of the week, with some light snow in the forecast.  Isn’t that crazy?  My grandfather, a Kansas farmer, advised never to plant here before April 15–and that’s the rule I’ve always followed.

Right now, this lone bloom on my Purple Plum tree is about the only sign of spring in our yard.

purple-plum

But I’m chomping at the bit to get going – this has been the longest winter ever!  We have about a million landscaping projects on our list for spring, and one of the top is getting our outdoor seating area ready for entertaining.

Yikes, we have a loooooong way to go:

pergola

And that’s where The Home Depot’s Garden Club comes in.  They make it easy for non-outdoorsy people like me to tackle gardening and landscaping projects.   This  world’s largest garden community will send me advice and reminders, including to-do lists focusing on specific regions.  As I mentioned, I’m not planting here in Kansas (yet!), but I bet many of you in warmer climates are already well on your way.

Plus, the Garden Club offers sneak peeks and reviews to help you plan your garden purchases in advance.  This is perfect for a planner like me!

:-)

With the Garden Club Membership you can get $5 off your next purchase of $50 when you sign up and they’ll provide you with 8 project ideas to help you #DigIn to spring, as well as monthly to do lists, expert advice, and how to videos.

Cool, right?

And even better?  It’s free!

Tell me this Flower Tower isn’t one of the prettiest things you’ve seen!  I think I could sit outside and admire a backyard like this all day long.

image courtesy Home Depot

image courtesy Home Depot

 

Join me as I work on my spring outdoor DIY home improvement and together, with The Home Depot, we can each create a beautiful outdoor living space.

What projects do you have planned for Spring?

 

It’s home improvement time, and The Home Depot has everything you need for spring. No matter what projects you want to tackle, The Home Depot has you covered.

Spring is the perfect time for all your outdoor home renovations. Shop The Home Depot for terrific values on new patio furniture, landscape supplies such as fertilizer and potting soil and outdoor grills. Keep your lawn and garden looking great, too, with the huge selection of lawn mowers, edgers and trimmers, and garden tools.

Visit The Home Depot Garden Club for product ideas from kick-starting your Spring with seed starter kits to building a window birdfeeder.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Home Depot.  All opinions are my own.

XO, Ashley

Pin It


Honey-Vanilla Granola

Granola used to be one of those things that I thought only health-conscious people ate, so of course, I was never really all that interested in it.

But then I realized you could add chocolate to it and now…well, now it’s a whole new ball game.

Honey-Vanilla Granola with blueberries and white chocolate from www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com--a perfect topping for yogurt, cereal, or just eating straight out of the bowl!  #recipes #granola

Plus, there’s honey in this granola, along with dark brown sugar, yogurt-coated raisins, and dried blueberries.

I’m in.

Brown sugar is just a mixture of sugar and molasses.  However, dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light brown sugar.  While light brown sugar has more of a delicate flavor, dark brown sugar has a more intense molasses flavor.  I prefer using dark brown sugar, but you can use them interchangeably depending on your personal preference.

Honey-Vanilla Granola with blueberries and white chocolate from www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com--a perfect topping for yogurt, cereal, or just eating straight out of the bowl!  #recipes #granola

I actually made this granola to sprinkle on top of my grown-up, health-conscious Greek yogurt, but then Doodle got a hold of it and just straight-up ate it like popcorn.

I thought that was a pretty good idea.

Honey-Vanilla Granola with blueberries and white chocolate from www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com--a perfect topping for yogurt, cereal, or just eating straight out of the bowl!  #recipes #granola

Honey-Vanilla Granola

Honey-Vanilla Granola

Ingredients

  • 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup yogurt covered raisins
  • 1/3 cup dried blueberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, brown sugar, honey, oil and extract until smooth. Add oats and stir to coat. Spread onto your lined baking mat in an even layer.
  3. Bake for about 20 minutes or until granola is golden, rotating pan halfway through. Remove pan from oven onto a wire rack. Sprinkle with white chocolate chips and stir to coat, allowing the chocolate to melt.
  4. Let the granola cool on the baking sheet. Once cool, break granola into chunks, and sprinkle in your raisins and dried blueberries.

recipe adapted from Pure Vanilla, by Shauna Sever

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/breakfastbrunch/honey-vanilla-granola/

XO, Ashley

Pin It


20 Awesome Dips for Superbowl

Personally, I think dips should be their own food group.  Who’s with me on this?

20 Awesome Dips for Superbowl #dips #appetizers #gameday

Years ago, I used to make actual food for Superbowl parties, until I realized most of my friends/family ate so much of the appetizer stuff that we never really made it to the main course.  Since I’m of the opinion that I’m covering all the food groups with fruit dips, hummus, and dairy-based dips, I don’t see a thing wrong with serving only dips at my game-watching parties.

Here are some of my favorites from around the web that you may want to make for your own party.  Even if football isn’t your thing, no one can resist an awesome dip, right?

Hot Mexican Style Spinach Dip - jazz up spinach dip with Mexican flavors - it's a total crowd pleaser!  #recipe #appetizers #game night - find the recipe at www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com

 

Hot Mexican-Style Spinach Dip

 

Jalapeno Popper dip - perfect for snacking or entertaining!  #recipe #dip #gamedayfood www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com

 

Jalapeno Popper Dip

 

five-minute-salsa-title

 

5-Minute Salsa

 

jalepeno hummus 1

 

Jalapeno Hummus

 

corn dip 2

 

{Cilantro-Lime} Mexi-Corn Dip

 

Individual 7-layer Mexi-Dip

 

7-Layer Mexi-Dip {Individual-Sized}

 

Guacamole-Hummus-2

 

Guacamole Hummus with Football Chips from Inside BruCrew Life

 

white-queso-dip-recipe

 Creamy White Queso Dip from Buns in My Oven

roasted chile con queso w words

 

Roasted Chile con Queso from A Kitchen Addiction

 

hamburgerdip1

 

Crock Pot Hamburger Dip from Chef In Training

 

Pizza Dip 1 500

 

Pizza Dip from Closet Cooking

 

bbq-1-2

 

BBQ Chicken Dip from How Sweet It Is

 

spinach-parmesan-caramelized-onion-dip-47-560x373

 

Reduced-Guilt Parmesan Caramelized Onion Spinach Dip from Bake Your Day

 

Cheesy-Beef-Taco-Dip

 

Mom’s Cheesy Beef Taco Dip from A Farmgirl’s Dabbles

 

fundip

Skinny Funfetti Dip from The Domestic Rebel

peanutbutterdip-685x1024

 

Peanut Butter Football Dip from Crazy for Crust

 

peanutbutterdip-685x1024

 

 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Dip from Shugary Sweets

 

Skinny-Snickerdoodle-Dip-5

 

Skinny Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Dip from Sally’s Baking Addiction

 

Skinny-Cannoli-Dip

 

Skinny Cannoli Dip from Back for Seconds

 

monster cookie

 

Monster Cookie Dough Dip from Something Swanky

 

 

XO, Ashley

Pin It


5-Minute Salsa

I am a salsa eating fool.

Five-Minute Salsa from kitchenmeetsgirl.com - perfect for Superbowl!  #recipe #dip

We’re also huge fans of Mexican food in my house, so we go through a lot of jars of salsa. Maybe two jars a week?

I know. It’s a sickness.

Plus, I dump it on pretty much anything and everything: my salads, wraps, baked potatoes, you name it. And in the summer when I have lots of great fresh produce at my fingertips, I always have a jar of homemade salsa sitting in my fridge.  When using fresh tomatoes to make salsa, Roma are my first choice because of their rich flavor and low moisture flesh–I prefer my salsa a little chunky.

But if you haven’t noticed, it’s not summer–it was a balmy 20 degrees here yesterday morning when I dropped Doodle off at school.  Needless to say, the tomatoes at my local market aren’t looking super impressive right now.  But I was really, really craving homemade salsa.  Thank goodness for Rotel.

Here’s how it played out:

{Minute 1}: Assemble your ingredients.

{Minutes 2 -4}: Give ‘em all a rough chop.  Nothing too fancy or small–you’re just going to throw ‘em in your food processor or blender.  This may take you less time than it did me; I’m not a super-fast chopper.  Dump everything in your blender/processor.

{Minute 5}: Pulse 5 to 7 times, or until your salsa reaches your desired consistency.

5-Minute Salsa

5-Minute Salsa

Ingredients

  • 2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes (I used Rotel Hot) or 3 large tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 jalepeno, including seeds and membrane (de-seed if you don't want it too spicy)
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • juice of one lime

Instructions

  1. Place your ingredients in a food processor or blender, and pulse to combine.
  2. Eat 'til you're stuffed.

recipe adapted from my mom, previously posted here

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/appetizers/5-minute-salsa/

XO, Ashley

Pin It


Jalapeno Popper Dip

I know. I just posted a dip last week.

Jalapeno Popper dip - perfect for snacking or entertaining!  #recipe #dip #gamedayfood www.kitchenmeetsgirl.

A Mexican-inspired one, even.  So you’re probably thinking, Enough with the Mexican dips, already.

But I can’t help it.  It’s football playoff season, which equates to party-food in my book.  Actually, I can pretty much justify eating warm and creamy dips any day of the week:

Bad day?  Console yourself with chips and dip.

Too tired to do any real cooking?  Don’t worry, just use some veggies as your dip vessel and call it dinner.

Need to celebrate?  Start with tortilla chips and dip.

:-)

My assignment for this month’s Secret Recipe Club was Heather’s blog over at Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks.  By day, Heather is an elementary school teacher who works with at-risk children as well as children with special needs.  Can you say rock star?

Heather had so many great recipes to choose from: like garlic beef enchiladas and glazed apple cream pie and cafe au lait bars.  But when I saw that she had a recipe for jalapeño popper dip, I knew right away that was what I had to make.

Had to.

Jalapeno Popper dip - perfect for snacking or entertaining!  #recipe #dip #gamedayfood www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com
I made only a few small adjustments to Heather’s recipe…I’m not a big mayonnaise/Miracle Whip fan, so I don’t typically keep any on hand.  Instead, I swapped the mayo for Greek yogurt, which worked totally fine.

Also, I have this annoying habit of overbuying bags of shredded cheese.  The cheese/deli drawer in my refrigerator is overflowing with almost empty bags of cheese, so I tried to use up what I had on hand.

And yes, it was all good.

;-)

Jalapeno Popper dip - perfect for snacking or entertaining!  #recipe #dip #gamedayfood www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com

 

 

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Ingredients

  • 3 slices bacon, diced (I used turkey bacon)
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (light or Neufchâtel will work just fine)
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 2 (4-ounce) cans green chilies
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot
  • For the topping:
  • 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter, melted

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Cook bacon in a small saute pan until almost brown. Add in the diced jalapeno and cook until soft. Remove from heat and set aside. If using regular bacon, blot off grease with a paper towel.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese, yogurt, 1/2 cup Mexican blend cheese, green chilies, garlic powder and Red Hot, stirring to combine. Add in the bacon and jalapenos. Spoon into an 8x8 baking dish.
  4. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and remaining seasonings. Pour melted butter over the top and mix well. Spread evenly over the dip. Bake for 20 minutes, or until brown and bubbly.
http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/entertaining-2/jalapeno-popper-dip/

XO, Ashley

I’m partying here!

Pin It


Hot Mexican-Style Spinach Dip

I’ve made this dip twice in the last five days.

Hot Mexican Style Spinach Dip - jazz up spinach dip with Mexican flavors - it's a total crowd pleaser!  #recipe #appetizers #game night - find the recipe at www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com

I originally made this hot, creamy, cheesy dip last week for our Fiesta Bowl party. As it turned out, this dip was the best part of the night. While I tried to remind myself that it was awesome that my team made it to the bowl game, I was still disappointed we didn’t win.  Fortunately, I was able to cheer myself up by shoveling quite a bit of this not-so-low-calorie dip into my mouth.

Mexican style anything is my happy place.

Let me break this dip down for you:

It’s got your standard spinach dip ingredients–spinach, cream cheese, half-and-half, and Monterrey Jack cheese.  But since we like it Mexican-style around our casa, we added in tomatoes, black olives, jalapeño, cumin, and some cayenne pepper.

This dip is a total crowd pleaser.  It’s also guy approved.  My dad and the Tall Boy completely devoured this stuff.

Looking for something to take to your next party?  Planning ahead for the Superbowl?  Make this dip.  No, seriously.

 Make this dip.

Hot Mexican Style Spinach Dip - jazz up spinach dip with Mexican flavors - it's a total crowd pleaser!  #recipe #appetizers #game night - find the recipe at www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com

Thanks to the Tall Boy for serving as my hand-model.

Hot Mexican-Style Spinach Dip

Hot Mexican-Style Spinach Dip

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and well-drained
  • 1/2 cup fat-free half and half (or milk)
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cute into 1/2 inch cubes (I used fat-free)
  • 2 (2.2 ounce) cans sliced black olives, drained
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2-3 dashes Tabasco sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • dash cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400.
  2. Cook onion in oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomato and jalapeno; cook another 2 minutes.
  3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add spinach and the remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish.
  4. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve warm, with tortilla chips.

makes 6 cups - recipe from Southern Living Ultimate Book of Appetizers

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/entertaining-2/hot-mexican-style-spinach-dip/

XO, Ashley

Pin It


Rosemary Roasted Almonds

I’m a snacker.

roasted-almonds-title

Snacking doesn’t really pose a problem for me on Thursdays and Fridays, when I’m in the office. I just don’t stock my desk drawers with anything that might be too tempting.  However, I work from home the other three days of the week, sitting for 8+ hours in front of a computer screen. Do you know what I often do when I need a break?

Having a pantry full of candy or a stockpile of baked goods from blogging is not a good thing in this case.

Since I’m trying to make better food choices, I decided to roast some almonds to keep handy during my work-at-home days.

Almonds are a superfood, you know.

Some studies have suggested that almonds may assist in weight reduction, cholesterol reduction, and lowering the glycemic response of a high-carbohydrate meal.   Even better, a statement from the FDA indicated that eating 1.5 ounces per day of many types of nuts, including almonds, may reduce the risk of heart disease [source].

So let’s get snackin’!

rosemary-almonds-1

Rosemary Roasted Almonds

Rosemary Roasted Almonds

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon chile powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Dash of cayenne pepper
  • 1 (10-ounce) bag whole almonds (about 2 cups)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Arrange nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool to room temperature.

recipe from Cooking Light

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/entertaining-2/rosemary-roasted-almonds/

XO, Ashley

Pin It


Honey-Chipotle Meatballs

Here is the thing about me.

Honey-Chipotle Meatballs from Kitchen Meets Girl #recipe #appetizer

I don’t diet.  At all.

I don’t work out, either.  I actually got on my elliptical machine last Friday for 15 minutes and about died.  Not pretty, you guys.  Doodle and the Tall Boy were cheering me on and all I really wanted to do was jam a cupcake in my mouth.

I’m not one of those people who make resolutions at the beginning of the year about completely changing my eating habits or vow to work out a prescribed number of times per week.  I can’t set myself up for failure like that.  However, regardless of the sweets and goodies I tend to post here, most of the time, I do try to eat at least semi-healthy.

Not that meatballs are the epitome of health food, but if you make ‘em with ground turkey, they are at least a step in the right direction.

I have a love-hate affair with ground turkey.  Early in my marriage, the Tall Boy and I attempted to make turkey burgers…and subsequently ended up ordering a pizza.  While we now use ground turkey in many things (tacos, chili, etc), I haven’t yet been brave enough to try eating it again in patty-type form.

Until now.

When I found this recipe for honey-chipotle meatballs, I was intrigued.  With a glaze using chipotle chilies and honey, certainly there was enough flavor in these to make these palatable for us!  And as a bonus, I didn’t have to feel so guilty about eating a few of these meatball appetizers when the ingredient list was fairly short and healthy.  :-)

 Honey-Chipotle Meatballs from Kitchen Meets Girl #recipe #appetizer

What’s your favorite healthy appetizer?

Honey-Chipotle Meatballs

makes about 16 meatballs

Honey-Chipotle Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground turkey (or substitute ground beef, if you prefer)
  • 1/3 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 3-4 tablespoons honey, plus more for dipping
  • 2-4 tablespoons chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (we used 4 since we like it spicy; if you're not sure, start on the low end and add more if needed)
  • 3 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375. In a medium bowl, mix together ground turkey, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper until just combined. Form into meatballs - I got about 16 meatballs when forming mine. In a separate bowl, stir together honey, chilies, and vinegar.
  2. In an ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, pour honey mixture over the top of the meatballs, and swirl to coat. Cook until liquid is reduced and meatballs are coated.
  3. I do not have an ovenproof skillet, so I transferred mine to an 8x8 pan before placing in the oven. I kept my skillet warm, and then transferred the meatballs back to the skillet for glazing after removing from the oven.
  4. Serve with additional honey for dipping, if desired.

just barely adapted from Martha Stewart

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/entertaining-2/honey-chipotle-meatballs-2/

XO, Ashley

Pin It


Outside My Kitchen {with Panera Soup}

If you’re like me, you’re still reeling in shock, disbelief, and devastating grief over the tragedy in Newtown last week.  As a mom of a 5-year old, my heart has been especially heavy.  The idea of losing a child in such a way is completely incomprehensible to me; and those families and the community in Newtown remain in my thoughts and prayers.

I’m not posting a recipe today, mainly because I spent the weekend outside of my kitchen enjoying my loved ones.  So I thought I’d share my weekend with you, Instagram-style.  Are we following each other on Instagram yet?  ’Cause we totally should.

Doodle spent the night with my parents on Saturday, so the Tall Boy and I had a very rare kid-free day.  First, we hit my very favorite shopping center to finish Christmas shopping:

Then we hopped over to Panera, because it’s my very favorite place to lunch ever.  Especially during soup season, when I’m cold down to my bones.  I almost always get the low-fat chicken noodle, but I went wild this time and chose the broccoli cheddar.  The soup was full of chopped broccoli, shredded carrot and seasonings simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. Fabulous.

I also ordered the Sierra Turkey sandwich as part of Panera’s “You Pick Two” menu…and as you can see on my plate in the picture below, I chose an apple as  my side selection.  I love that Panera offers healthy options.  I also love that they show the calorie count right on their menu, so I’m not trying to look up nutritional information on my phone while I’m trying to order.

Then we got cleaned up and went to the Tall Boy’s Christmas party:

And spent the night at a historic mansion turned bed and breakfast in our downtown area, near the river:

The Castle was originally built in 1888 and earned a spot on the National Register of Historic Places as a building of architectural significance.  For us, it is a little more personal…this is where we spent our wedding night 8 years ago.  Unfortunately, the Castle is closing its doors as a bed and breakfast at the end of the year.  We were thrilled to have one last evening to spend there.

With Christmas just over a week away(!), I’m officially in panic mode.  You’re all with me, right?

Have a great Monday, everyone!

XOXO, Ashley

**This compensated post is part of a DailyBuzz Food Tastemaker program with Panera. However, any thoughts and opinions I’ve shared here are my own.

Pin It


My Holiday Wish List

It’s hard typing this post while breathing into a paper bag.  Which I’m basically doing right now since it’s less than two weeks until Christmas and I still have a multitude of things to get done.  Yikes!

So instead of wrapping, shopping, or baking, I’m oogling stuff all over the internet that I’d love for Christmas (Tall Boy, are you reading this??).  If you’re a kitchen fanatic like me, or have someone like me on your shopping list this year, maybe you’ll find some items here that will help spark some ideas.

{If you’re already done and wrapped, please don’t tell me – I’m holding tight to the illusion everyone else is just as far behind as I am.}

Here we gooooooo:

Cuisinart 77-10 Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set: I do a lot of cooking, and my current cookware is totally adequate.  However, what I’m using now is not oven safe – and I’d like to find a set that can go straight from stove to oven.  This set is moderately priced for the home cook, with solid, riveted handles and aluminum in base for even heating; and is safe for dishwasher, freezer, broiler, and oven to 550 degrees F.

 

OXO Good Grips 15-Piece Everyday Kitchen Tool Set: Good utensils are a cook’s best friend in the kitchen.  Make sure you’re stocked with tongs, square turner, spoons, grater, swivel peeler, potato masher, whisk, spatula, and a meat tenderizer (even if you don’t use it on meat, it’s great for crushing hard candies, etc. for baking).

 

Seville Classics Bamboo 16-1/2-Inch by 13.4-Inch Cutting Board, 7-Multi-Color Mats: You don’t have to worry about cross-contamination with these!  This set comes with 7 mats for serving vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, dairy and bread (color coded).  Plus, the flexible mats allow easy transfer of food and are dishwasher safe.  LOVE!

 

Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro S Stainless-Steel 8-Piece Knife Set with Block: If you’re doing a lot of slicing and dicing in the kitchen, good cutlery is paramount – and will save you a lot of frustration.  I speak from experience, here.  Dull knives = a bad cooking experience.

KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Mixer, Onyx Black: While I think of myself more of a cook than baker, I use my KitchenAid stand mixer all.the.time.  Mashed potatoes, bread dough, frosting, cake, cookies, you name it.  I finally broke down a few years ago and traded my old stand mixer in for a KitchenAid, and after just one use, I realized what all the hubub was about.  It rocks.

 

 

Barefoot Contessa, How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips: Hands-down, one of my favorite cookbooks.  The Tall Boy got me this for Christmas last year and this has become my go-to book.  And yes, the recipes really are easy.

 

The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook: 2,000 Recipes from 20 Years of America’s Most Trusted Cooking Magazine: And, this year for Christmas, I’m soooooo hoping the Tall Boy gets me this cookbook.  It’s not just a cookbook–it’s a cooking reference with clear hand-drawn illustrations, including how to prepare the perfect omelet, carve a turkey, remove meat from lobsters, frost a layer cake, shape sandwich bread, and more.  Awesome, right?

 

 Herbes de Provence: hands-down, my very favorite herb to use in cooking.  Herbes de Provence typically contains savory, fennel, basil, thyme, and lavender leaves and it pretty much rocks your socks.  This isn’t something I started using until recently–but now I’m using it in just about everything: eggs, potatoes, soups and stews, chicken–you name it, I’m throwing it in.

 

French Almond Cakes from Donsuemor: I have to admit, as much as I love to bake and cook, sometimes I just don’t have enough time to prepare everything from scratch for every event I have to attend during the holiday season.  A horrible thing for a food blogger to admit, but it’s the truth.  Having some of these little cakes on hand for impromptu get-togethers or as a fancy party finger food is a real life saver.  Plus, these are super good–very light, with just a hint of almond.  Lovely!

What are your favorite things to use in the kitchen?  And what’s on your wish list this year?

If you missed it yesterday, make sure to pop over and enter my giveaway for a $50 Pick Your Plum Box.  Also, What’s In Your Kitchen Wednesday is still live, so make sure to link up what you’ve been cooking up this week!

 

XOXO, Ashley

*In the interest of full disclosure, I was not compensated for this post. However, Donsuemor did provide me with samples to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own. Some links may contain affiliate links.

Pin It