IN MY KITCHEN, SUMMER 2024

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

This post is dedicated to Eha, one of my most supportive readers, hoping she will soon join the online world again and be back to brighten my blogging world..

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 chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.

In our kitchen…

A little tiny blue frying pan I found at Marshall’s. It somehow jumped into my shopping cart and refused to leave! Odd how these things happen, right? It is perfect to fry a single egg…

In our kitchen…

These are pizza pans that you can use either to bake the dough in a super hot oven, or to serve pizzas straight from the grill, which is what we normally do. I was always struggling to find ways to get multiple pizzas served and cut, and these pans are fantastic for that. Order info here.

In our kitchen…

A very timid attempt at cappuccino-art… We cannot quite make those beautiful patterns with the foam, but using the icing needle to pull some details on a blob of foam was not that hard…

In our kitchen…

Three small rolling pins from Poland were added to my collection, they were from this store at etsy. I have not yet put them to use… so many cookies, so little time!

In our kitchen…

A Wilton collapsible silicone bowl, perfect for candy melts and chocolate… You can find it here. Of course, the color called my name really loud.

In our kitchen…

Fleur de Lis wax stamp, ordering info here. I have recently blogged about using these stamps not only for chocolate but also for fondant (see posts here and here), so I got a new one to play with. You cannot go wrong with a Fleur de Lis!

In our kitchen…

Isn’t that the coolest gadget? You can make your own sprinkles in all sorts of colors. Cookie Countess has many shapes available, you can get tempted with a click here.

In our kitchen…

An electrical spiralizer from Hamilton Beach… I am really in love with it, works much better than the hand-cranked ones I’ve tried over the years. You can find it on eBay (if you are lucky) or that place to order all things desired (click here for amazon). I love to spiralize 3 medium zucchini, leave the spirals in the fridge inside the plastic container that comes with the machine and have it ready for my meal.

In our kitchen… a few things from our trip to France and Spain

These crackers are absolutely amazing and I wish we could find the exact same kind in the US. They were sold at a tiny grocery store near the house we stayed in Avignon. They made it back to Manhattan, KS although a little beaten by the plane ride. Still tasty, though! NOTE ADDED AFTER PUBLICATION: they are available at amazon and I am now a happy camper… Check it out here.

How can you go to Provence and not stock up on the real deal? We have enough Herbes de Provence to last for a while…

From a great street market in Barcelona, I could finally get wonderful saffron, as my reserves were getting dangerously low…

And now, it is time to allow those who own tails
(and are not afraid to wag them) to bark their piece…

Life was going smoothly in the Kingdom of Tatarrax once the weather warmed up… We worked hard in training, doing all the routines we excel at, from shaking to rolling over, laying down, twirling, high-fiving (well, that one only The Royal really gets)…

Ziggy Star Barker often demands her training to involve more sophisticated machines, but so far her wishes have not been granted.

She also got in considerable amount of trouble because her hunting instincts, particularly good at all things insects caused quite a bit of commotion late one night in the backyard…

Speaking of the backyard, we worked hard to inspect all the work The Dominant Alpha Human made in the backyard, making sure all the dirt he hauled in was properly leveled and “seasoned”.

Our brother Grumpy Osky is no help for that. He is partial to air-conditioned spaces and leather sofas. We are afraid to death of him, but truth is we think he does not know how to have fun.

We ate well, took our beauty sleeps several hours each day, enjoying all the amenities The Kingdom has to offer…

And we are now proud to be a team of two dashing through the golf course with our humans…

And we are lobbying for a new competition for the Olympic games: The Synchronous Roll-over on Grass! We should take Gold.

But then, chaos, tragedy, horror came out of nowhere! The three most dreadful words in canine universe: LUGGAGE… TRIP… KENNEL!!!!

It was A Nightmare on Tatarrax Street. Our sordid humans seemed quite sad when they abandoned us. I think I even caught glimpse of tears on Zenless’ face, but truth is, we gathered evidence of their crimes. We have solid, undeniable proof that the two of them actually HAD FUN while we were locked in the Depths of Hell. You don’t believe us? Get a load of this:

SO. MUCH. SUFFERING.

Soooooo, in light of these recent developments, we introduce and will be enforcing
THE NEW RULES OF THE KINGDOM.

Rule #1: no more shaving of my beautiful fur, and I shall be allowed to roll on rugs right after they’ve been vacuumed. That’s when they are at their best!

Rule #2: The Red Pillow belongs to Star, and so does the sofa where said pillow is resting. When she is done with her beauty sleep, Humans might be allowed to profit from that piece of furniture.

Rule #3: A bandana shall be part of my daily outfit, and the color scheme should change to match upcoming holidays and/or seasons.

Rule #4: When The Prince requests sampling of treats, The Prince shall get sampling of treats. Same rule applies to his siblings, including The Grumpiest.

Rule #5: The Higher Territory should be open to our visits as often as we feel like it.

Rule #6: Once in the Higher Territory, bed prohibitions shall be a thing of the past.

With these new rules in place, we feel that The Kingdom of Tatarrax is getting closer and closer to paradise! And yes, we forgive you for leaving us behind. How could we not?

That’s all for now, friends, see you in October!

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, Summer 2023

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, Summer 2022

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2021

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2020

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2019

SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen – July 2018

SEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2017

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Secret Recipe Club: Falafel and a Bonus Recipe

NINE YEARS AGO: Chocolate Toffee Banana Bread

TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2014

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Baked Coconut and “The Brazilian Kitchen”

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Honey-Glazed Chicken Legs

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: French-Style Rolls

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Breasts, Coffee, and Serendipity

3Apr2024

IN MY KITCHEN, SPRING 2024

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

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In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see whateverybody 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, considering taking part of this fun event. It is chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.

Starting with gifts….

As you will notice, my friends know very well what moves me…

In our recent trip to Brazil, my sister Norma and my niece Camila offered us these super special gifts, inspired by our beloved pups… Notice the black patch on the eye… Reminds you of someone? And yes, my sister did the embroidery… amazing, right?

From our friends Lorne and Wasu, a super cool Birthday gift for this humble baker! Decorating pens (and also a nice bag of vanilla pods from Madagascar!). Thank you, thank you, thank you!

The best Birthday cards ever, from my dear friend Elaine! Look at those cutie pies!

From my friend Caro, a Birthday gift to warm my heart forever… It is already hanging in our kitchen, of course!

Yet another Birthday gift, from The Haydens, this super special (and with the right amount of flexibility) spatula to inspire my bakes! THANK YOU!

In our kitchen…

We have dreamed of a Marzocco espresso maker for what seemed like forever. Finally, the husband took a deep breath and ordered one. It does take a while to arrive, as they build the machine, test it, and then finally ship it from Italy, but wow, we are totally in love with it! Here you see the very first espressos we made…

In our kitchen…

A concha press, which I intend to try very soon… I do have a recipe in mind, so stay tuned for a blog post once I go for it.

In our kitchen…

I finally caved and bought containers to proof bread dough, from King Arthur. They come in sets of two, and are the perfect size for most baking projects. On the left you see dough for kolache after overnight fermentation, and on the right the initial stage of fermentation of pizza dough. I am totally in love with these containers… Link to get them found here.

In our kitchen…

Total impulse buy from yours truly. I could not resist it. Do we entertain a lot? No. I have no explanation for falling into temptation. If you have a good therapist to recommend, contact me ASAP.

In our kitchen…

I do a lot of chicken parmigiana and have always wanted to get a nice set of pans to use as “breading station”. They are perhaps just a tad too big, but the advantage is that things stay contained and by the time I am done, there is no mess on countertops. I found mine on eBay, they don’t seem to be available anymore, but they are also on amazon, although quite a bit more expensive. Check them out here.

In our kitchen…

This was not cheap, but it is a game changer for cookie decorating. It is from The Sweetest Tiers, and available on etsy. I am so glad I bought it, because I can finally use stencils with Royal icing and get perfect results. It also works great for air-brushing. Excellent quality product.

In our kitchen…

A gift I offered my beloved husband. We have oysters often when in they are in season, and he works super hard to get them ready for us, so these gloves make his job a lot safer. You can order them here, several sizes (I have one to use with my mandoline).

In our kitchen…

These are too cool! I saw them online and realized I could not live without them. Ok, at least I could not bake brownies, loaf cakes, sheet cakes without them. You clip them to the edge of the pan to hold the parchment paper folded away from the surface of the cake. Works like a dream! Order them here.

In our kitchen…

This is a simple gadget recommended by America’s Test Kitchen to sharpen knives. We love it so much we bought a few to take as gifts to family and friends in Brazil. All our knives are back into great shape, and it is so simple to use! Ordering info and a video showing how to use it can be found here.

Take a look at this old knife we’ve had for 10 years!

In our kitchen…

These are licky-pads for the pups… You smear peanut butter or cheese (from spray cans) and let them have some fun. Unfortunately, Osky does not care for them, so we got a set of four, but two would have been enough. Many styles, sizes and shapes available online, just google them.

Speaking of pups…

Well, I guess I have no choice but to allow them into my blog.
Reluctantly, I shall do so…

As you may have read in my last post, we had a fun backyard party for our Little Shiny Star, as she turned one year old on March 25th. Check out the festivities and the special cake recipe baked by yours truly with a click here.

During this year of life, and 9 months with us, Star has been one amazing pup! Fun, loving, full of personality and enough energy to power the known universe… Sometimes, just sometimes, she does get in a bit of trouble… Particularly when faced with uncooperative dog beds, mud, and wool gloves left too close to her territory.

But how on Earth could we resist such a face?

Oscar begs to differ…
That face? If you want irresistible, I’ve got irresistible for you!

Oh, THAT is hilarious!!!!

Star does have a point. Clearly, our boy was in desperate need of grooming…

But grooming did happen, and right after that ordeal was over, what can only be explained as The Grooming Miracle! A very rare image of Osky laying next to another, lesser canine. Mind-blowing stuff.

It is far more common for our Dominant Alpha Male to claim all beds for himself…

Yeah, let me bark very clearly now:

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Prince and Star are just inseparable, and bonded in ways that make us so happy! They are great golf companions, both outside and inside!

They hang out together 24/7 and will often fall asleep in the exact same position, after getting exhausted from playing hard…

We could not get a more compatible pair of pups…

Yes, for sure! Clouds only gather on the horizon because Prince is a slow-chewer, and well, his sister does not take well to the fact she is done with hers… So we close this post with one small example of the Opera Singing we go through, pretty much on a daily basis… Wanna move in with us? Never a dull moment, my friends… Never a dull moment…

That’s all for now, folks!

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ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, Spring 2023

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2022

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2021

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2020

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2019

SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2018

SEVEN YEARS AGO: First Monday Favorite

EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2016

NINE YEARS AGO: Spring has Sprung with Suzanne Goin

TEN YEARS AGO: Chai Brownies

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Pomegranate-Molasses Glazed Carrots

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Peach Glaze

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: The Real Vodka Sauce

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Spring Rolls on a Spring Day

1Jan2024

HAPPY NEW YEAR IN MY KITCHEN!

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

This post is dedicated to Kathy McMorrow, who left us on October 19th

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, considering taking part of this fun event. It is chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.

Many gifts this time and a few things I bought myself, so let’s start this virtual walk,
shall we?

From our friends Tanya and Jamie…

When they came to visit us, they brought us this amazing honeycomb! It is like honey on steroids, I had never tried it before. Absolutely lovely!

They also gave us a bottle of honey which I used to make London Fog in one of my favorite tea cups… Thank you, TANYA & JAMIE!

From our friends Marijo and Vlad…

They sent us a huge basket of oranges and grapefruit… my beloved husband made this special treat for me every morning until the grapefruits were gone! He is a keeper, but you knew that already…

From my friend Jennifer…

All the way from California, a set of PERFECT kitchen towels, I just adore the border at the bottom, what a cute detail! Thank you, Jennifer!

From our friend Dave…

Most amazingly juicy pears, they were at perfect stage of ripeness when the family visited, and everybody loved them!

From our friends Pat and Bill…

A nice soy candle and a Christmas-y kitchen towel…. We love them!

From our friends Hal and Becky…

A huge box of Leonidas chocolate…. OMG in chocolate form!

From our friends Ines and Ben…

We are addicted to this delicacy from Siena, and they made sure we enjoyed it again this year! THANK YOU! If you’ve never had panforte, you NEED to try some.

From the beautiful Hayden family…

The world’s coolest apron! Thank you so much, the fabric is perfect and wipes clean like a dream (not that I am a messy cook, of course NOT!)

From our friends Keith and Sarah…

The most exquisite Christmas tree ornament… we made sure to place it high, so that the real Dalmatians would not hurt it…

As if all that amazing honey wasn’t enough, Tanya and Jamie sent me a total beauty of a Bundt pan for Christmas!

I intend to put it to use this coming week with a special bake for Friday! Tanya (and Jamie) I don’t even know how to thank you, but Jamie, expect a constant flow of nice puns (wink, wink). It is the MINIMUM I can do!

And now my unexpected special Christmas gift from the best husband in the universe…

MEET HELEN, my new Breville mixer!

I named it Helen, as my friend and virtual mentor Helen Fletcher was the one who got me interested after she wrote this great review about it. I was not sure if I should get it, as I have some KitchenAid attachments that obviously don’t work with that mixer, but Phil splurged and I must say I adore it! Thank you Phil, and thank you Helen!

Moving on… some home improvement stuff

Speaking of a real keeper of a husband! Phil built this set of shelves for the garage and organized all his tools. It is a French cleat system, in which the little things can be moved around freely. Super awesome!

We got a new rug for the kitchen, as a certain puppy damaged the old one pretty badly. Now that she outgrew the chewing phase (fingers crossed), we felt we were ready for the upgrade.

We also got a new rug for the living room, as ours was almost 20 years old and getting really beaten (and chewed by a certain female Dalmatian). Oscar approved the color scheme!

In our kitchen…

Two pretty nice ingredients to play with: Chestnut honey from Italy (I do have a weakness for honey), and Stem ginger from the UK. Stay tuned for adventures with both.

In our kitchen…

A set of bell shaped cookie cutters. I also have a weak spot for shapes in different sizes. I needed a large bell for a recent project (featured here), and this was the best option.

In our kitchen…

A new turkey-size roaster. Ours was super old, and I wanted to make sure we had something nice for this year. Guess what? We ended up roasting NO bird at Thanksgiving and NO bird on Christmas. Oh, well. There is always 2024.

AND NOW, LET’S SEE WHAT OUR FURRY FRIENDS HAVE TO BARK…

We simply cannot get over the funny ways in which Ziggy Star Barker sleeps or gets comfortable…

Funny, who me????

Hey, I can be funny too!

Yeah, let them be funny. I am FIERCE. POWERFUL.
THE ONE AND ONLY ALPHA-DOG!

The dogs were absolutely spoiled this holiday season, as we had two of the stepsons here with the kids (and one bun in the oven, to be born on March).

Here is our crowd at dinner, our house had never been so full!

Did the pups love their visit? Judge for yourself….

Hi, this is my friend Campbell! Guess what? He was a little scared of doggies, but I made sure to be super nice and gentle so that fear is now history! We are buddies for life!

Hi, my name is Sutton, and this is my big furry friend Oscar… he loves to be hugged and even though I am a little too small I do my best!

This is our friend Star, she loves to cuddle on the sofa to watch TV. She had a blast with The Grinch Who Stole Christmas…

Prince is actually partial to 101 Dalmatians…

My name is Greenlee, and Prince is my best buddy, he does tricks for me and I give him treats. Is that going to spoil him? I hope so!

All pups were absolutely gentle with the kids, in this picture Sutton was crying and Star did not know what to do to console her… it was super sweet….

Unfortunately, contrary to our pups’ expectations, their visit had to end…

But what matters is that we had a ton of fun together. Undoubtedly, dogs and kids are a match made in heaven… We wish you a wonderful New Year, and we will see you again in the Spring for another chapter of In My Kitchen, aka Life in the Kingdom of Tatarrax.

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, January 2023

TWO YEARS AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen!

THREE YEARS AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen!

FOUR YEARS AGO: Happy 2020 In My Kitchen!

FIVE YEARS AGO: Happy 2019 In My Kitchen!

SIX YEARS AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!

EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen: Happy New Year!

NINE YEARS AGO: And another year starts…

TEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen: January 2014

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Tacos with Pork in Green Sauce

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Maui New Year!

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Natural Beauty

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Sunflower Seed Rye

1Oct2023

IN MY KITCHEN, FALL 2023

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see whateverybody 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, considering taking part of this fun event. It is chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.

In our kitchen…

Unfortunately, there is no “before” picture, but this table was in horrible shape, as we used it during pandemic times to clean all our grocery stuff with 10 to 20% bleach, so it got all stained and scratched. The husband sanded it and finished with Benjamin Moore Stays Clear and it is now looking absolutely great!

In our kitchen….

Still thanks to the hard work of the husband, the final harvest (or almost final) of poblano peppers. We do have about 10 more to be brought back inside in the next few days.

In our kitchen…

Let’s hope this is the final version of an olive oil container, after yours truly broke yet another ceramic one that had been featured only 3 months ago. You cannot break stainless steel. And this one works great, it does not pour too much, it does not pour too little. Available here.

In our kitchen…

My favorite black cocoa to make chocolate cutout cookies, or Oreos. Intense, dark, perfect. Available here, if you cannot find where you live.

In our kitchen….

If you decorate cookies or even cupcakes, you know how hard it is to make a nice black color. Recently someone in a cookie decorating site recommended this black color and it is indeed a game changer. No more mixing black hours or a day in advance, no more emptying the bottle of dye into your icing… This is fantastic, I highly recommend it. Black Diamond from Chefmaster.

In our kitchen…

Speaking of gel colors… this is the way I organize my “small” collection. First and second rows are organized by brand, as those bottles have different shape. Below that they get organized by color following the rainbow… The bottom two rows are for luster powders and dusts. I’ve had this shelf since 2018, it is not available in amazon anymore, but it is originally to store nail polish.

In our kitchen…..

Still in the subject of organization, the way I store cookie cutters. These shelves are easy to assemble, sturdy enough (particularly considering they are not expensive), and do a very good job. Many styles available, you can check the store at amazon with a click here.

In our kitchen….

Some new silicone molds for fondant, small pumpkins and larger ones that might even work for baking a little cookie, need to experiment a bit to make sure.

In our kitchen….

I make chocolate-covered Oreos very often to include in my donation box of Fridays. I am always trying new brand of compound chocolate for that and this one is really nice, make a shinny coating and has pleasant vanilla flavor, no aftertaste. Available (sometimes) on amazon, click here.

In our kitchen…

White Oreos covered with that compound chocolate, part of it dyed with food gel color for the drizzle.

In our kitchen…

This is something we bought to take with us in walks with the pups. It is great, you press the button and water flows into the small cup that they can lick as if from a small bowl. Several sizes available (click here).

Speaking of dogs, here they are to bark their piece….

First, the shocking news! Star is going to be a big, very big girl… She turned only 6 months last week, and we learned that at this age, Dalmatians are at 60% of their final size. We are clearly doomed. She is already very strong, and has turned our house upside down, in many adorable ways…. Please send help, we might need it.

Below, a very rare scenario that needed to be documented so we could all believe our eyes…. Oscar barely tolerates the pups around him, but apparently a pair of soft pillows over a comfy couch can make miracles.

The Gang of Three has enjoyed a very nice Summer, all things considered, but truth be told, the “K-word” floated around once.

Yes, they had to endure a few days in the Dog Prison, where they had access to a lot of grass, playmates, and even a pool, that none of them showed any interest on. Oh, well, such is life… Of course, their good life in the Kingdom of Tatarrax was soon resumed, we cannot stay too long away from them…

Prince is now fully golf-trained: sits while Phil hits his balls, waits for him to putt, and runs to the cart at the end of each hole… Star needs a lot more work before she can be trusted to be a caddy, but we are making progress…

Prince is turning out to be a pup of refined taste..

And when it is all over and dishes are under way….

Oscar clearly believes the Whippersnappers lack class and dignity….

Particularly in light of his little sister’s sleeping etiquette….

His brother’s odd habits…

Or, come to think of it, his non-Royal eating etiquette…

Or the She-Devil’s approach…

No, Osky stands clearly higher above it all…

Not so fast, buddy! Sorry to burst your bubble, but you can be quite messy too!

AM I STILL YOUR NUMBER ONE?

THERE IS PLENTO OF LOVE TO GO AROUND THE KINGDOM, OSKY BOY!
NO WORRIES THERE…

But, if we really want to talk about love, we have a couple of experts…

That’s all for now, folks!

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, Fall 2022

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2021

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2020

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen (and Beyond), October 2019

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2018

SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2017

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Little Bites of Paradise

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Coxinha de Galinha: A Brazilian Delicacy

NINE YEARS AGO: Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp Skewers

TEN YEARS AGO: A Simple Dinner

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Brown Butter Tomato Salad

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Spelt and Cornmeal Rolls

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Roasted Potato and Olive Focaccia

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire

1Jul2023

IN MY KITCHEN, SUMMER 2023

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

In My Kitchen posts are hosted by Sherry, from Sherry’s Pickings. Please visit her site to see whateverybody 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, considering taking part of this fun event. It is chance to share those little things you bought or received as gifts and that make your life in the kitchen easier.

Starting with gifts….

From our dear friends Heather and Tad, all the way from their garden in California, the most spectacular Meyer lemons, that we put to use in macarons, cookies, marinades, and buttercreams! The smell before we even open the box was amazing! THANK YOU!

From our friends Keith and Sarah, a very special mug that I’ve been using every evening for my tea… I did NOT to get to be a Star Baker in the tent, but I can be one in our kitchen!

From my virtual friend Toni, the CUTEST Dalmatian golfer plush toy! Can you believe all the details? He carries a bag with golf “bones”, and I have absolutely NO WORDS! Approved by both resident Dalmatians, one yet to set paw on a golf course, the other a very seasoned caddy for his Dad. This little golfer has fun jumping around our kitchen, showing up in the most unexpected spots, never failing to give us a smile! A little like Elf on the Shelf…

Cannot thank you enough, Toni!

In our kitchen…

A new mat to replace one that lasted for many years, but could not resist the teeth of a certain Dalmatian puppy that attends by the name of Prince… oh, well……

In our kitchen…

I have a weakness for small tiny colorful dishes, and these jumped into my shopping cart the other day. What can I say? I needed them in my life…

In our kitchen…

A cupcake carrier that is a must-have if you need to transport cupcakes around. Almost every week I’ve been including mini-cakes in my donation box, so I use it often. It is sturdy, very convenient. Available here.

In our kitchen…

I found those at Marshalls and of course, was forced to bring them home. How could I possibly resist them?

In our kitchen…

I got this set of flavoring oils from LorAnn straight from amazon. You cannot choose the flavors, they just assemble a dozen. I thought it was a good deal so I can try them and the ones that please me I can order later in a bigger size, although they are so potent that each little bottle will last well into their expiration date, I suppose. I was hoping Key Lime would be in the mix, but unfortunately it did not make it. ‘

In our kitchen…

Someone turned 1 year old on June 12th, and we had a special bake… Dog cookies, made according to this recipe.

In our kitchen….

A silicone mat normally used for fondant, but I rolled it over chocolate cookie dough (without any leavening agent) and used to form a pattern over the cookie, as shown below. There are countless versions available in sites such as aliexpress.

In our kitchen…

I normally hate single-function gadgets but we are loving this one! Hubby often makes açaí bowls for his lunch and the banana slicer works like a charm. Also great for strawberries, but a no-no for dried apricots, in case you are wondering. Available here.

In our kitchen…

A little ceramic container for olive oil. We had a different, fancier one, but it kept cracking because it was a bit too big to handle. This one is perfect for our needs. It does not hold as much oil as the previous one, but it is easier to use. Several colors available here.

In our kitchen…

From Sweetsticks, a paint activator to use with all sorts of luster powders and also to dilute gel dyes. If you like to have the watercolor effect on the surface of an iced cookie, this is really helpful because it does not dry nearly as fast as alcohol-containing solutions. I won mine in a little cookie contest, but it is available here.

In our kitchen… a teaser little thing….

I am not going to explain what those are, but these are super cool! Wait for a blog post putting one of them into use… Of course you are more than welcome to try and guess what these are…..

And now, it is time to let our pups do the barking…. and the most vocal by far is our
Little Star, getting less little each and every week!

Prince and Star are pretty much inseparable now… She follows him, imitates him, adores him, and the feeling is definitely mutual…

Many thanks to our friend Jen, for quoting the phrase “Get your own Star!” Indeed, it says it all about their bond… Too cute for words. Oscar, however, has a slightly different take on the situation.

But, Star knows how to play the cute-card…

And she is incredibly cute even when slightly confused about the proper way to negotiate her bed…

Although we did not find it that cute when she decided to get up close and personal with mud, just an hour after we gave her a bath (and THAT was not easy, trust me).

But of course, things got much worse a few days later…

Still, not a chance to stay mad at her…

Prince has been the best Big Brother a pup can ask for… he is patient, loving, caring, and so so happy to have a playmate. They play non-stop from the moment they wake up until they crash side by side at night…

Osky is Osky. He is in many ways happier now that Prince leaves him alone, and Star is quickly learning that inviting him to play is a no-no. He is also very happy with his Summer look…