Archive for the ‘Cooking, Food & Wine’ Category

If you never used Romertopf Clay Cookware, then it might be something worth investigating, especially if you enjoy cooking. While many have never heard of cooking in clay, those who do use it find they can’t live without this lovely and unique kitchenware. You might have a variety of pans that you use in the oven, made of stainless steel, aluminum, or silicone, but cooking in clay is quite a different experience. There are some important and basic things to remember about cooking with this method, including a few essential tips to always keep in mind. (more…)

We have quite a few food allergies in our family including egg and nut allergies, so I often end up having to make our desserts and special occasion cakes. I really don’t mind since I like knowing exactly what is in the food we’re eating, plus I tend to make healthier choices on ingredients compared to the store-bought versions. Of course, I sometimes run into problems of not having the right cake pan on-hand when I want to make a specific kind of cake. One of my families favorite cakes recently was a simple ice cream cake made with a graham cracker crust. Having to use a pie pan made the cake a little smaller than I would have liked and I realized that next time I’ll make a big ice cream layer cake instead using a Commercial-Weight Kaiser LaForme Springform Pan. (more…)

If you’re an orange cappuccino fan, like me, you’re going to get hooked on this Orange Nutmeg Coffee Mix. By using real orange peel, there is no escaping the decidedly citrus aroma and taste. The nutmeg adds a nice warm fragrance and flavor to the coffee. Even though you can just stir this mix together, I prefer to use my blender so the mix gets nice and smooth. You might also want to tweak the sugar just a little to suit your own taste. The nutmeg is so nice, you don’t want to hide the flavor with too much sugar. You may also have your little ones drooling over your cup of coffee, so watch out! (more…)

I’ve been taking a good look at some of the kitchenware in my home and considering what items might need updating or replacing. I didn’t intend to buy new items, but it all started when I began running out of cabinet storage space in my kitchen. So I started pulling pots and pans and gadgets out to figure out what I was and was not using. I found a few items that I thought I could probably sell and other items that would be good for donation. The items that bothered me the most were my plastic containers. Many had become stained from years of use and a couple of lids had gone missing for some of them. I really don’t like storing my food in plastic anymore, so I’ve decided that it’s time for me to buy a good glass food storage container set. (more…)

What would Thanksgiving be without a turkey? I vividly remember the first time I got to cook the entire feast by myself. We’d just moved across country and I was more than a little nervous about cooking this big bird. Thankfully I came across a perfect roasted turkey recipe and it turned out to be great. I just wish I’d realized earlier that a 13 lb turkey is a bit much for 2 people. We must have had leftovers for a month, including sandwiches, soup and casseroles all made with plenty of turkey. (more…)