IN MY KITCHEN: DECEMBER 2013

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

I am excited to join my friend Celia in her super-fun series “In My Kitchen“. Stop by her site to look at what’s happening on kitchens out there in the blogosphere.

I start my virtual tour with gifts. As usual, I am the lucky recipient of wonderful gifts from special friends… At our last dinner party, we were surprised with a beautiful package!

Inside, a set of two beautiful Le Creuset baking dishes, to match the sexy-red atmosphere of our Supernova! Such a thoughtful gift, thank you V & K!

But, they did not stop there! Just a few hours before this post was supposed to go live our friend V. surprised us with another red-hot gift to color our kitchen! The most beautiful Poinsettia ever… The photo doesn’t do it justice, it is a bit too dark already, but I wanted to include it in this post. Too beautiful to pass…

From France, a very interesting ingredient found by the same friend who provided me with saffron, Ras-el-Hanout and vanilla beans. What can I say? I have a special talent to pick generous friends. Powdered cepes mushrooms. He had the opportunity of enjoying a dish prepared by a French chef using this delicacy, and went into an expedition to get some, then shared it with me. I can hardly wait to put it to use, it smells AMAZING.

From Phil, two cute bottles of sprinkles. He felt sorry for me because I saw some sprinkles that would be perfect for a recipe I wanted to make, but did not buy them. When I went back to Marshalls a couple of days later, they were gone. These are different, but will work just fine… stay tuned…

In our kitchen…. Just in time for holiday season, 6 pounds of a favorite coffee, Peet’s… Our day doesn’t start until we sit down to enjoy an early morning cappuccino!

In our kitchen… a beautiful pasta bowl that I found on ebay. A little larger than I anticipated, but it should come in handy in case we serve pasta for 22 guests and their pets. 😉

In our kitchen… a stainless steel rack for small appliances and special baking dishes. After searching for options that would not make us go broke, we ordered the same type of racks we have in the lab, from Global Industrial. The shelves can be customized according to our needs. Perfect to lodge the microwave.

In our kitchen… from Bed Bath and Beyond, napkins that are stain-resistant and don’t need to be ironed. I was skeptical when I bought a set of two just to try. I went back and got a few more. They have a soft, nice texture, and do wash very well.

In our kitchen… a delicious tea. I featured this brand before at IMK with their chamomile saffron blend. This one also contains pomegranate. I am addicted. Caffeine-free, soothing, I go through at least three cups during the day.

In our kitchen… a product I haven’t tried yet. I was intrigued by this Mexican canned yuca root, and decided to buy one can. In Brazil we can find frozen, cooked manioc root, but here in the US it is not common. Maybe this canned version could work as a starting point for “madioca frita” which we love so much!

Note added in January 2014: I just tested it, and unfortunately it doesn’t work well for “mandioca frita”. The canned product has too much moisture and I made a fantastic mess on the stove trying to fry it. The best way to enjoy this is by simply warming them with a little butter, salt and pepper. If you want “mandioca frita”, better cook the root from scratch…

In our kitchen… one of Phil’s favorite lunch items: an Ak-Mak cracker spread with a small amount of almond butter, and loaded – and I mean LOADED – with whole walnuts. That might explain why the bag of walnuts I bought at Trader Joe’s and was hoping to use in a special recipe is almost empty. 😉

In our kitchen… some racks to organize our cabinets a little better. Also bought at Bed Bath and Beyond, you can imagine that those folks at the store are starting to address me by my first name… “Hi, Sally, nice to see you AGAIN!” 😉

Not to worry, the cabinets won’t be this empty for too long. We still have a few boxes in the basement with dishes and baking stuff stored during the hellnovation. One step at a time, we move on…

And now, a message from our faithful canine friends, obviously a very important part of our kitchen!

Buck says that the allegations of him sticking the nose into a bag of peanuts are preposterous. What on Earth could possibly have caused such unfair treatment?

Osky says he loves his Mom more than any bag of peanuts. In fact, while she is watching TV, he turns his back to the tube so he can watch her instead… Too sweet for words!

Chief wants to set the record straight. He expects peanuts handed to him, and thinks his brother’s sappy demeanor is a shame. The senior Jack Russell’s main mission in life is to find a sunny spot in the house to lay down and snooze. Two months shy of his 15th Birthday, we believe he’d owned that right. 😉

I hope you enjoyed this month’s walk through our kitchen…

ONE YEAR AGO: Sourdough Mini-Rolls

TWO YEARS AGO: Do you eat your books?

THREE YEARS AGO: Mediterranean Skewers

FOUR YEARS AGO Fettuccine with Shrimp, Swiss Chard, and Tomatoes

4Nov2013

IN MY (NEW!) KITCHEN: NOVEMBER 2013

Posted in General, In My Kitchen by sallybr

Remember our old kitchen? Well, we barely recognize the place now! Weeks of renovation struggles are over, and we could not be happier with the outcome! So I join Celia, from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial in her series In My Kitchen revealing our new space…

In our kitchen…

We now have a 6-burner Blue Star range, powered by gas, with a convection oven,
and a gorgeous coral-front panel… We named it Supernova 😉

and you can customize yours with a click here

In our kitchen…

A new look for our tired cabinets, with new front doors and a green, antique treatment to the frames. We love the hardware too. It matches the stainless steel look of the appliances.

In our kitchen (and dining room)….

(click to enlarge)
A new hardwood floor, light, bright, and comfy on our feet. It has a light semi-gloss finish. That alone made our kitchen into a completely different space, joining smoothly with the dining room next to it.

In our kitchen…

A new fridge that actually makes ice! Isn’t that something? (when this photo was taken, the new granite countertop had not been delivered yet). But, just a couple of days later…..

A gorgeous piece of Yukon White granite, born and raised in Brazil, found its permanent home in the center stage of our favorite place in the house. The cabinet underneath was enlarged to accommodate the bigger stone. We absolutely love this addition, it makes cooking and hanging out in the kitchen so much nicer!

In our kitchen…

A colorful light fixture on top of the sink… With a window frame painted in antique yellow.
No, we are not afraid of color! 😉

In our kitchen…

A dish drying rack from Simple Human. I’ve flirted with this piece for 8 years, decided it was time to get one. Very functional, very stylish. You can change the orientation around to fit your space, and the dripping spout works like a charm…

In our kitchen…
A trash can also from Simple Human, perfect size to fit in the space between the fridge and the little hall that leads to the garage.

In our kitchen…
A Bosch dishwasher that actually cleans the dishes! Can you imagine that? 😉

In our kitchen….

A drawer to hold our knives, with cleverly designed inserts sold by Bed Bath and Beyond. The storage is completely flexible, you can customize to the size of your knives and drawers.
Three inserts did the perfect job for us.

In our kitchen…

A drawer with wooden dividers (also from Bed Bath and Beyond) to make storage a little more organized. Don’t you love the light yellow frame that we chose for the central island cabinet? Brought even more light to the place!

In our kitchen…

A little ceramic pot that is oven-friendly, and makes me smile every time I look at it. One of those happy little containers… found it at Marshalls.

To wrap up the post, a before and after short series…

A completely new look, that matches our mood, our style, our personalities.

Now, a final message from a four-legged friend who probably struggled the most with the ordeals of the hellnovation: Chief. He stayed inside with the workers all the time, but sometimes searched for peaceful places to sleep, as far away from the noise as possible. A laundry basket (with freshly washed garage towels), or an empty luggage seemed perfect to rest his tired body… 😉

I hope you enjoyed the tour through the New and Revamped Bewitching Kitchen!

ONE YEAR AGO: The Lab Move and New Beginnings

TWO YEARS AGO: Honey-Oat Pain de Mie

THREE YEARS AGO: Carrot and Leek Soup

FOUR YEARS AGO: Chicken Parmigiana 101

8Oct2013

IN MY KITCHEN: OCTOBER 2013

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

Don’t get all excited, folks, this post is not about the renovated kitchen, we are not quite there yet. But I have a few things to share with you, joining the fun virtual event hosted by Celia, from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

In our kitchen…

Health Warrior Chia Bars! I first learned about them through Joanne, from Eats Well with Others. She is a long distance runner, super-fit Md/PhD student who recently reviewed these high-protein, low sugar bars. They come in plenty of flavors, her favorite was coconut which is the one I tried first. I had to order online because our grocery stores in town don’t carry them, but I hope at some point they will. They are delicious! I have one as my breakfast every day.

In our kitchen…

Hatch Pepper Cheese! You probably know that Hatch chiles are pretty hot right now (pun intended). Lots of bloggers rave about their wonderful taste. These peppers are not that easy to find in some parts of the US, but here in Kansas we are lucky to have them often at the grocery store. This cheese won my heart! A mild, soft cheese, with a nice heat of these special peppers in every bite. Awesome!

in our kitchen… Gifts from special friends…

From our dear friend Gabi, a special spice mix from Brazil, called “Tempero Baiano”, that she uses to season pork cutlets, chicken, beef. The name refers to the state of origin, Bahia, famous for its cooking with a heavy African influence. I haven’t used it yet, it’s been waiting for our kitchen to be functional.
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From my former husband, a jar of peppers that, according to him, are THE authentic pepper to use in dishes like Hungarian paprikash, which is a recipe his Mom cooks like no one else. Fond memories of the many outstanding meals I’ve had at his parents’ home decades ago.

From my friend Cindy, a cool gadget to hold recipe printouts… sexy red, the way I like it! The little ball is a strong magnet, so the page stays up over your counter top, easy to read.

In our kitchen…

Gifts I bought for myself…. in anticipation of our new kitchen, I could not resist getting a few things that popped up on sales here and there.

This set of bowls were too cute to pass… I love their size, perfect for serving nuts, olives, dips, for dinner parties. They are happy. They make me smile…
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A set of stainless steel coated knives in all sorts of shapes and colors, a great deal from One Kings Lane. I find their stuff for the most part terribly expensive, but these knives were quite affordable, so I brought them to our kitchen. They are still in the box, to avoid getting all dusty like everything else in our home. 😉

And speaking of dust, let me share a few photos of our renovation, in pictures taken in the past couple of weeks.

In our kitchen, chaos before bliss…

Our cabinets are going through a total make-over! A carpenter built new doors in a more modern style. This double picture shows one such new door, as we study a color composition for the frame, and the crown molding installed a day later.

The central counter top will be bigger, and the black granite will be gone, replaced by a lighter alternative. A stone from Brazil will take the center spot of our new kitchen… How cool is that? This change allowed us to build one extra cabinet for (much-needed) storage.

Take a look at the cute storage space for baking sheets and cutting boards, love it!

This wall has the gas line installed, and all the electrical wiring in place, waiting for the new fridge, range (be still my heart, it is going to be awesome!), and the venting hood. I stare at this empty wall and dream…

And now, time for a message from our four-legged friends!

Renovations can be very stressful, but some folks don’t seem to mind it that much. Oscar, for instance, finds that a rug rolled all the way underneath the table is a lot more convenient to rest his long legs while waiting for a treat or two.

And Chief, looking mighty good for his age, thinks the new floor halfway installed in the kitchen matches his fur very well, and gives a nice bounce to his favorite toy. Two old paws up for the renovation!

Buck is quite fond of his new spot in the dining room. “Daddy is so nice! He is always ready to give me some goodies….”

“With Mom it’s a different story, I need to endure a lot of hugging to get the treats I deserve…”

Oscar has a different opinion on the subject:

“Hugging? I should be so lucky!
I have to sing my lungs out to get ANYTHING! Don’t believe me?
Click here…

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I hope you had fun with the little tour of our kitchen. We are still on the road, so I might have a bit of trouble answering to comments and visiting blogs. But, these too shall pass… 😉
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ONE YEAR AGO: Bourbon and Molasses Glazed Pork Tenderloin

TWO YEARS AGO: Crimson and Cream Turkey Chili

THREE YEARS AGO: Taking a break from the nano-kitchen

FOUR YEARS AGO: Chocolate Chip Cookies

2Sep2013

IN MY KITCHEN – SEPTEMBER 2013

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

Time for another little tour of our Bewitching Kitchen, to join the virtual party started by Celia, from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial.

LET ME START WITH THREE SPECIAL GIFTS…

Freshly picked blackberries from a colleague at KSU… As you might remember from a recent post, they were put to excellent use in a blackberry-cherry sorbet... Hummmmmmm…..

Vanilla beans straight from France, a surprise package, courtesy of the same dear friend who sent me a huge load of saffron in the past… My first use of one of these incredibly potent pods was the Apple-Cinnamon Bread you read about last week.

A Hamilton Beach electric oven, surprise gift from Phil, who found it on ebay… the thing is huge, and the temperature control pretty accurate. I’ve baked bread in it (the Black Sesame Sourdough), I’ve used it to roast the meat for our French Dip sandwich... Very nice option to keep the house cool during the hot months. His name is Mr. Hamilton, and our patio is his new home.
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AND MOVING ON TO OTHER STUFF GOING ON IN THE BEWITCHING KITCHEN…

Roasted bell peppers made in Mr. Hamilton. I like to cut the peppers and seed them first, the peel comes off very easily after, no need to run under running water or do all sorts of manipulations needed with the whole pepper. Try it, you might adopt this technique too!

When we spent the sabbatical year in Los Angeles the house we rented had beautiful Italian dishes from Jennifer Moore. We loved them! Ever since we left L.A. Phil has been actively searching for places that sell them. Thanks to his persistence, we now have several pieces to remind us of the months spent in California.

We normally prefer clear glasses, but these are so delicate and beautiful with a light pink body and green stems! Those are my favorite glasses to sip some Portuguese green wine. Another great ebay find by Phil, by the way…

A new product, Mycryo… If you haven’t heard anything about it, be ready to be amazed! It is a cocoa butter-derivative, that you sprinkle on food to be sautéed. It has fewer calories than any other type of fat, and is supposed to brown the food like nobody’s business. Fantastic on scallops, by the way, you don’t even have to worry about drying them. Yes, there will be a blog post about it…. stay tuned!

Preparations for one of our favorite ways to entertain: a pizza party! We provide the dough, the toppings, and if needed a quick lesson on how to open the dough. After that, our guests can have a lot of fun creating their own versions and “sharing the love”… Artichoke hearts, fresh mozzarella, sautéed mushrooms, grilled zucchini, and of course those roasted red and yellow bell peppers were also part of this feast.

Another way to preserve sourdough starter, inspired by Celia and Joanna, two of my bread baking gurus who definitely know how to handle their starters! I dried a very active batch of Dan, and stored several “chips” in ziplock bags at room temperature.

AND WRAPPING UP, A QUICK HELLO FROM OUR FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS…

What do you mean “You cannot have dark chocolate?”

I hope you enjoyed the visit to our Bewitching Kitchen… if you’d like to participate of the In My Kitchen series, compose a post and link to Celia’s site. The more, the merrier! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Raspberry Sorbet at Summer’s End

TWO YEARS AGO: When three is better than two (2 years with Buck in our home!)

THREE YEARS AGO: Grating Tomatoes (and loving it!)

FOUR YEARS AGO: A Peachy Salad for a Sunny Day

7Jul2013

IN MY KITCHEN, JULY 2013

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

It is time to have some virtual fun again, joining my dear Australian friend Celia in her series “In My Kitchen“. Every month she publishes a post showing what is going on in her place, and many food bloggers do the same. I wish I could play more often, but better sometimes than never, right? So, let me invite you for a little peek into our home…

In our kitchen…
A collection of glass containers of several sizes and shapes, to bring some sense of peace and beauty to our pantry…

Here they are, fulfilling their purpose…

In our kitchen….
A bottle of Portuguese olive oil I am very fond of… must be my background? Vovó Florinda (my late Grandma) would be happy to see it, I am sure. It is fruity, with a very intense flavor. I use it sparingly, and savor each drop. Excellent on thick slices of juicy tomatoes.

In our kitchen…
Two delicious teas I recently found. Have I mentioned I am crazy for saffron? The saffron flavor is not too strong, just right. Not sure which one is my favorite, sometimes I am happy, sometimes more mellow…

In our kitchen…
A very special bottle of tequila (Anejo). Phil is turning into a serious tequila connoisseur, so I decided to give him a product recommended by the one and only Marcela Valladolid. According to him (and a few guests who tried shots) it is very smooth and complex.

In our kitchen…
A special mustard I found at a farmer’s market in town, cilantro-jalapeno flavored. Sounded too good to resist… 😉

In our kitchen…
The most beautiful fresh dill I’ve ever had! A gift from a colleague at KSU, he harvested it just half an hour earlier. Per his advice, the best way to preserve it is not by drying, but freezing. So now I am a proud owner of frozen dill, ready to use.