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…

This is me, around The Black Spotted Deviants

This is me spared of their Annoying Presence…

Star is shaping up as a True Defender of her Brother’s Kingdom!

And, if you still need a little hit of The Cute… I am here for you….

Before I close this post, a little shout from the past. Today BUCK would be 16 years old.
I miss you, Bucky Boy.

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, Summer 2022

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2021

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2020

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2019

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen – July 2018

SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2017

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

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Chocolate Toffee Banana Bread

NINE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2014

TEN YEARS AGO: Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

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

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Honey-Glazed Chicken Legs

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: French-Style Rolls

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Breasts, Coffee, and Serendipity

1Apr2023

IN MY KITCHEN, SPRING 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…. quite a few to share!

From the husband, a brand new, bigger and better air-fryer! I am totally in love with this one, the #1 recommended by America’s Test Kitchen. Instant Vortex Plus Air-Fryer. A total game-changer when it comes to air-frying, compared to our old Lolita, which we bought in 2017 (check it out here).

From our friends Lorne and Wasu, several gifts for cookie making, but I am highlighting this one because this is one amazing set of food safe pens. They are all double-sided with a thin and a brush type point, and the set comes with a gold and a silver pen, absolutely fantastic quality. I’ve been using them A LOT.

From my folks in Brazil, a series of cow-thingies. It is part of a family joke. Two kitchen drying cloths and a tea cup. The yellow embroidery was made by my sister Norma, too cute for words!

This is a gift that the husband gave to himself, as he is the barista in our place. When we were at my niece Raquel’s home in Brazil, she and her husband Celso would use this special steamer that Phil totally fell in love with. So he got one and I tell you, it makes the most amazing foam. Ordering info here.

From a colleague from our department, a fantastic apron he bought in India during a recent visit… isn’t that the coolest apron?

In our kitchen…

Pistachio Flour, great for many concoctions, from shortbread cookies to macarons, and cakes. Smells amazing!

In our kitchen…

I have a weak spot for spice mixes, and this one was brough to my attention in a recent episode of Girl Meets Farm. She used it in a carrot cake and I was sold. Check her recipe here, and stay tuned because I shall make it soon! It is also wonderful in sourdough bread, as you will learn in the very near future.

In our kitchen…

I can never resist color. Yet another gentle suggestion from my friend Gary, who told me I needed to have them (ordering info here). I don’t discuss with friends. I follow their advice. His fault. Obviously.

In our kitchen…

As far as unusual cookie cutters, this might take first prize. It is a beetle! It so happened because a friend of mine dared me cookie some beetles. And that’s what I did! I REALLY do not discuss with friends. Cookie cutter available here.

In our kitchen…

These are the original Oreo type cookies. Phil is the one who brought them to my attention, as he remembers them vividly from his childhood days. They are less sweet, more intense in the chocolate flavor, and are also firmer in texture. I have been using them to make chocolate-covered concoctions such as those blogged about recently (see post here).

In our kitchen….

Crystallized Ginger pieces. These are luscious. Of al the brands I’ve tried, these are by far the best. If you are going to use them in cookies, you’ll need to cut in smaller pieces but the flavor you get from them is superior to anything else out there. Click here to order some.

In our kitchen…

Fat-free cocoa powder (ordering info here), my absolute favorite to bake macarons and to make chocolate Royal icing, as you can see here and here.

AND NOW, A VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

.

We don’t really know what happened to him. In his place, a fierce, huge, powerful pup showed up, out of nowhere!

With so much energy and curiosity, we followed the advice of some friends and got a little puzzle for Prince to play with. He was quite intrigued to say the least…

The puzzle has two levels. The dog can get the goodies from the outside doors, and once that is empty, he can bang on the top to release some more. Prince got the first level figured out quite quickly, but when Oscar had his chance to play, he surprised us by getting to the second level right away, as you can see in this short video:

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We don’t know if Prince would get to that in a few more rounds of play because thanks to Oscar’s excessive enthusiasm, the toy did not last long enough. A moment of silence. Please and thank you.

The fierce pup has a strange adoration for shoes….

Incredible resilience in tug-of-war games….

And the uncanny ability to generate chaos in all areas of our home, aka His Kingdom…

.

Well, Osky… The Annoying One has quite a few things going for him…

He is very liberal with his hugs and kisses…

He enjoys watching the shows we love….

He is a great help with my baking…

Tries hard to keep up with his parent’s day job!

And look how amazing he is at the golf course!

Finally, who could possibly resist those head tilts?

All things considered, we think you can learn to live with His Royal Annoyance…
There is room and love for everybody in this kingdom…

I close this post with a little call from the past. We miss them. We are glad they were part of our pack, but we do miss them still. They were special in so many ways. I could never quite put into words my bond with Buck. I guess it will stay like that. Something only me and that little being were fully aware of. And BogeyQT. How could we ever forget him?

That’s all for now, folks! We’ll be back for the Summer chapter of In Prince’s Kingdom!

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2022

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2021

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2020

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2019

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2018

SIX YEARS AGO: First Monday Favorite

SEVEN YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2016

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Spring has Sprung with Suzanne Goin

NINE YEARS AGO: Chai Brownies

TEN YEARS AGO: Pomegranate-Molasses Glazed Carrots

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Peach Glaze

TWELVE YEARS AGO: The Real Vodka Sauce

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Spring Rolls on a Spring Day

1Jan2023

IN MY KITCHEN, JANUARY 2023

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hard to believe another year is gone, I blinked twice and here we are… 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 my friend Caro, all the way from the UK this rolling pin to make phyllo dough from scratch arrived at my doorstep… Can you imagine my excitement? I have not been able to indulge in the adventure yet, but will do so very very soon. Stay tuned.

From our friend Dave, all the way from Oklahoma, very delicious pears, bursting with flavor and oh so juicy!

From my beloved husband, a coffee mug from our favorite artist (Mary Rose Young). He’s found this cup on eBay, as usual. It is my favorite now, she painted this one in 1995 if you can believe it. No idea how she paints the inside… it is just absolutely beautiful!

From our friend Ines and her family all the way from New York, a double pleasure: Panforte from Siena, and a wonderful book!

From our friends Pat and Bill, all the way from Michigan, a beautiful platter that shall be part of many cookie and dessert productions for years to come!

AND NOW, LET ME SHOW YOU THE RECENT ACQUISITIONS IN THE BEWITCHING KITCHEN

In our kitchen…

I got the heads up about this product from my dear friend Elaine, her husband loves it. I decided to get some and wow, it is very very good! If you love chipotle flavor, go search for it and bring a bottle home.

In our kitchen…

I rarely buy prepared food in the supermarket but something about this product caught my attention. Maybe because it is cooked sous-vide. They have many different kinds, and this one really hit the jackpot with me. The sauce is hot but not overly so. The texture of the meat quite pleasant, so if you need a quick lunch, ready in less than 10 minutes, this line of product is a good option. No, we don’t use it for dinners, Phil is not fond of it, so it is my little dirty secret…

In our kitchen…

For those who live in our town, Manhattan, KS – this place is amazing. Right near Wal-Mart, they sell high-quality beef farmed from a place in Northern Kansas. We were super impressed by their store, it had the feel of the fancy butcher places from Paris. Everything beautifully packed, the store is clean, neat. And the meat absolutely wonderful. Click here for their website, or stop by for a visit.

In our kitchen…

A very special kind of brown sugar from Belgium, the one used to make authentic speculoos cookies. I had one experience with it using a recipe for springerle-type cookies but was not happy with it, so it is back to the drawing board on that. It is not always easy to find, even online, but you can take a look at amazon with a click here.

In our kitchen…

Speaking of springerle cookies, I got two new molds this year, but this one I have not yet used. Isn’t that gorgeous? My favorite animal shall be turned soon into a cookie entity… The mold was from Gingerhaus but is currently unavailable.

And the second new kid on the block? Cheeky Santa, available here….

In our kitchen…

These are great for cookies! I used to get exclusively PME spray but it is quite a bit more expensive. Thanks to Marlyn’s advice, I tried them. Excellent coverage, no after taste, although PME smells a little more like vanilla once it dries. I used these three in many different cookies over the holidays. They are usually available at stores such as Jo-Ann and sometimes even in grocery stores.

In our kitchen…

Hazelnut Bakery Emulsion from LorAnn. It has a strong smell that I did not care for, but it was recommended by a very reputable cookie baker, so I decided to go for it and use it in my sugar cookies. It is actually super nice, I love to pair it with I am pairing it with orange zest and orange extract, and find that combination particularly lovely. I have also used it to make buttercream for macaron fillings.

and now…
it is time for the Dynamic Trio to bark their piece…

Prince, the Puppy, turned 6 months old and we cannot quite believe
how big that little puppy got, in such a short period of time!

It seems like just the other day he was barely able to peek over the countertop…

Whereas now……….

Our home had turned into a very quiet, silent spot since BogeyQT left us,
but Prince brought new energy to the whole pack…

He loves to play with Buck, all mornings start with several rounds of play. Of course, Oscar takes no part of it… (sigh)

Here you have a short video of the Two Stooges in action… I absolutely love the way he always ends up rolling on the floor at some point….

Oscar all of a sudden shows a lot more interest in playing with whatever toy Prince fancies….

Prince has a lot of respect for Oscar and will never challenge him.

Prince just observes from a safe distance when Grumpy gets his Christmas gift….

and all of a sudden two pups enjoy a game of tug of war, although NOT with each other!

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Prince adjusted to our routine as if he was born here… he is a fun pup to have around, super loyal, super affectionate and superbly naughty….
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He is the Destroyer of Earrings…

The Armageddon of Furniture

The Chewer of Scrunchies

The Stealer of Shoes

But no one can resist his eyes inviting you to play….

Or begging for a little sample from your plate….

Or his incredibly cute head tilts…

The video below on the day he turned 5 months (November 12th)

We feel so lucky to have him as part of our pack! And we hope we can help him explore the world and grow up to be the happiest pup in the known universe!