In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see what everybody else is sharing this month. I join four times each year, on the first day of January, April, July and October. If you are a food blogger, consider taking part of this fun event. It is a chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.
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Starting with a gift from my beloved husband…
Phil surprised me with this beautiful cup, from our favorite artist, Mary Rose Young. He is always searching for her pieces, that can be quite expensive, but every once in a while he lucks out and finds a reasonable deal on eBay. I might have to make a cookie inspired by this beautiful design, like I did in the past (see my cookie post here).
In our kitchen…
This is my favorite acquisition of the season! I used to have to find boxes to put my bakes to take to the homeless meals on Fridays, always a bit of a hassle. Now I simply use this multi-layer system. I can fit all the cookies, brownies, it is fantastic. You can find it here.
In our kitchen…
My second set of bread stencils! I shared my first adventure with this type of stencil in a recent post, you can get these stencils here. I just love using them…
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In our kitchen…
This is my improvised enclosure for air-brushing. It does not have high sides, which is great for maneuvering the gun, but it is big enough to enclose the spray. When the paper inside gets too full with paint, I toss it and put a new one. I cannot tell you how much I love this! You can find special air-spraying boxes and they are expensive and hard to clean. This is just perfect for me…
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In our kitchen…
This was a huge task but I am so glad I finally did it! Organized all my cookie stencils in binders. There is a method to the madness, so they are organized according to patterns, styles, in a way that I can find them without too much hyperventilation.
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In our kitchen…
I love this powder, which is available here. I’ve been using it often in sugar cookies, usually with a little orange zest. Smells amazing as it bakes!
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In our kitchen…
I’ve had these rolling pins for a while, cannot remember where exactly I got them, but they make the most adorable cookies… Speaking about rolling pins, my favorite source by far is Pastrymade, and they do need all the help we can give them. A fantastic Ukrainian company that makes the very highest quality products. Most of mine come from Pastrymade, so I highly recommend them!
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In our kitchen…
Every year I like to get a new Springerle mold for the season, and this was my choice for 2025. I intend to put it to use very soon… Ordering information here (don’t forget to add the specific cutters, made exactly for that shape).
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In our kitchen…
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We love this one! An extra-wide spatula, that works wonderfully for things like salmon on the grill. You can order it here.
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In our kitchen…
This is called a Gyro-Cut tool and I am quite happy with it. Sometimes getting the Cricut out just to cut a simple shape seems like too much effort. For a template that can be used and discarded, a simple piece of paper works, and the Gyro-Cut does a great job to make it happen. Available here. I just blogged about the cookies made with those templates, and you can see them in my cookie blog (click here).
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In our kitchen…
A Nordic Ware Pirouette Bundt pan… Available here. You simply cannot go wrong with Nordic Ware. The cakes un-mold like a dream. Here is my first adventure with this pan, a little Apple Cider Bundt Cake.
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In our kitchen…
Another great little gadget to hold your phone to make photos or videos. I highly recommend it, simple to assemble and works like a charm! Available here.
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And now it’s time to let our furry friends bark their piece,
as they’ve been patiently waiting…
Mr. Osky wants to bark first…
OF COURSE I DO! I am the Oldest, Wisest, THE UNCHALLENGED ALPHA DOG, the one who rules all dogs of All Known Kingdoms in the Known Universe!
I patrol our domain with a slow but determined walk. And I bark the bark
that pierces ears without mercy.
Star would like to point out that she patrols it all much much better, navigating edges of precipices without hesitation. Pack rats know no peace in the Kingdom of Tatarrax! Frogs, squirrels, birds, the eventual careless grasshopper, nothing is off-limits to this incredible huntress…
It is hard to believe so much power and might lies behind those sweet dark eyes…
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I am a great patroller myself, particularly of the Higher Territory of our Palace!
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But to be honest, I prefer to play ball with Mom and Dad. I play until I am spent, and then I play some more…
Every evening after my humans are done with some silly dishwashing and kitchen tidying up, I make sure to ring the patio door bell over and over until they realize it is time to go out and play with the Prince!
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I find it all profoundly silly. I prefer to just be my Badass Self… The ball can chase itself, for all I care.
Well, we all know he likes to play Bad Ass but he can also be pretty mellow and cute, even at his advanced age (he will be with us 15 years next month, so we believe he is close to 16 years old now).
Cute? Do you really think he is cute? Cuter than me? Cuter than my cute little sister?
Well, well, well… We don’t play favorites in the Kingdom, you are all adorable and well-behaved…..
EXCEPT… when you steal food from the countertop!
Or when you come back from the backyard covered in burrs, and we all know how much “fun” it will be to get them off your delicate fur…
But, all things considered,
Summer has been pretty nice for the pups…
They watched a lot of TV…
Ziggy Star Barker took extended naps in her favorite spot…
And Prince Freckles of Tatarrax did the exact same thing…
At times, when the stars were correctly aligned, The Alpha Dog allowed himself to relax next to a lesser Whippersnapper…
That’s all for now, folks! We will see you again when the New Year of 2026 starts… Until then, have a wonderful time!
ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, Fall 2024
TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, Fall 2023
THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, Fall 2022
FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2021
FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2020
SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen (and Beyond), October 2019
SEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2018
EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2017
NINE YEARS AGO: Little Bites of Paradise
TEN YEARS AGO: Coxinha de Galinha: A Brazilian Delicacy
ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp Skewers
TWELVE YEARS AGO: A Simple Dinner
THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Brown Butter Tomato Salad
FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Spelt and Cornmeal Rolls
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Roasted Potato and Olive Focaccia
SIXTEEN YEARS AGO: Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire
Bewitching Kitchen 
Love your blog, love your dogs, love your stuff. And if your embossed rolling pins are from Pastry Made — just for your consideration — they’re having trouble keeping the doors open (tariffs) and are running some specials now, just to try to stay in business. I’ll probably buy something; maybe your ensemble needs a little supplement?
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Great idea, I will edit the post later today and include a link to their company. These two mushroom ones are not from them, but most of my collection (I have quite a few, what can I say?) is from Pastrymade. Cannot beat their quality.
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So you really think I should be looking at and commenting on your darling husband’s gift or that gorgeous bundt pan when I can join that twosome watching TV or having a snooze together or not pinching cheese (what kind was on the table, Prince ?) . . . or saying hello to Osky, who surely did not need to cover himself with all those burrs to get attention . . . well, Ma’am, I know where my eyes are travelling . . . 🙂 !
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Thrilled to see you here.. if I had a tail, it would be-a-wagging!
hope all is well!
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Shall write tomorrow if the ruddy system allows – and DO give my regards to your darling husband and wish him well 🙂 !
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I really enjoyed your post. Not being a baker, I am intrigued with all your marvelous tools. Love the bread stencils (never knew there was such a thing) and the rolling pins and tool cutter !! I need to get some of that chia spice! The dogs are special and joyful!
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So glad you enjoyed this post! I have a lot of fun composing In My Kitchen, so your feedback is greatly appreciated!
Dogs say “woof woof”, which means – thank you for the compliments!
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What a wonderful life those lucky fur babies lead 🥰🥰🥰
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they deserve it, they make our life so special too! 😉
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Your baking is a treat to see. I’d love to taste it, too.
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Thank you so much!
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First things first, your dogs are SO cute! I love that storage box, it’s just genius and I love the rolling pins. I’ve got a patterned rolling pin but have never used it! Do you find they work better on certain types of dough? And that bundt pan is a real beauty. I am a sucker for a pretty bundt!
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Yes, you need a dough with no leavening agent – it can be chocolate or sugar cookie but no leavening agent is a must for me – roll the dough with a regular rolling pin until a little thicker than you want, then go with the embossing rolling pin and roll pressing down – cut shapes, freeze for 10 minutes before baking… that should maximize the pattern staying during baking
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Those burrs must have been awful to remove. I am going to try a stencil on my next loaf of bread, and enjoy your Mary Rose Young cup 🙂
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Thanks for all the puppy photos! I’m fascinated by all the stencils, especially the one for the top of the bread. That has got to be on my wishlist for Christmas 🙂 have a great October!
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Love all the doggy photos! Those stencils are great, and love that rolling pin with the mushies. You may have heard about the mushroom killer here in Australia, so mushies are quite the meme atm. You have reminded me i have a new bundt pan that i got for my birthday months ago (love yours!) so i must make a cake to go in it soon :=) Your hubby got you such a beautiful mug. Just lovely. And what about that gorgeous loaf with the stencilled top? so gorgeous. Thanks so much for joining in again this month. Always lovely to have you here. Take care and have a great October. See you in January!
regards
sherry
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