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!

.
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….
.

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!

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ONE YEAR AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen!

TWO YEARS AGO: Happy New Year in My Kitchen!

THREE YEARS AGO: Happy 2020 In My Kitchen!

FOUR YEARS AGO: Happy 2019 In My Kitchen!

FIVE YEARS AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!

SIX YEARS AGO: Happy New Year In My Kitchen!

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

EIGHT YEARS AGO: And another year starts…

NINE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen: January 2014

TEN YEARS AGO: Tacos with Pork in Green Sauce

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Maui New Year!

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Natural Beauty

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Sunflower Seed Rye

1Oct2022

IN MY KITCHEN, FALL 2022

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

In our kitchen…

Thanks to the skill and efforts of my beloved husband, we managed to get a second little harvest of lettuce, planted from seed. Amazing how much more flavorful home-grown lettuce can be.

In our kitchen…

I don’t follow keto or other strict diets, but sometimes I like to explore ingredients that are low in carbs. These tortillas called my attention because of the enthusiastic reviews it received on amazon. I decided to order a bag and was quite pleased by both taste and texture. They are very small, but for my appetite, two are perfect for a meal. I’ve read that some people like to cut them in four pieces and use as tortilla chips, by baking or frying. Here they are over a regular dinner plate, so you can have an idea of their size. I pass them over a flame on my stove, they get charred and ready in seconds. Maybe you can find them where you live, but if you’d like to give them a try, amazon is your friend (click here).

In our kitchen…

A set of small plastic bowls that I just could not resist, after my friend Gary pointed them out to me. Color, color, color… It’s my weakness…

In our kitchen…

I’ve been flirting with Korean ingredients, after falling in love with all things South Korea through shows such as “Crash Landing on You” and “The Extraordinaire Attorney Woo.”

I am learning my way through this intriguing cuisine, and exploring ingredients that are new to me. Top left is Doenjang, a miso-type paste that I have not yet played with, but apparently is super flavorful. Top right is Gochugaru, a red pepper flake with unique smoky flavor, and bottom left my favorite, Silgochu, very thin threads of chili pepper. It looks very cool sprinkled over food, and it packs a lot of flavor in those tiny, fragile looking threads.

In our kitchen…

A Mix-and-Match Animal Cookie Set (available at etsy.com), with many possibilities to create designs. These make large cookies, and the moment I got the set, I had to work on a special project…

In our kitchen…

Two types of cocoa powder. The left one is my favorite Dutch type, and the right one I found in our grocery store and decided to give it a try. Loved the delicate coffee flavor, and have used it with my default chocolate cookie recipe, omitting the chipotle in that case.

In our kitchen…

A pumpkin mold that is large enough to shape a cookie. Stay tuned for some serious Halloween baking in the near future.

In our kitchen…

This was a total impulse buy. I was shopping at our grocery store and happened to walk by the Halloween aisle. This platter jumped into my shopping cart and would NOT leave. Odd how these things happen. Must be the Black October Magic at work.

In our kitchen…

When you have a cookie cutter problem, you’ll need storage. I finally caved and bought something I had been flirting with for the longest time. These have drawers of two different sizes, so you order what is most convenient for you (click here). They live in our basement and made my life a lot easier. I might add labels to the drawers at some point.

In our kitchen…

These are great if you need to take cakes for a get together or if you donate them as I do. Each holds a little more than 1/2 cup of batter, depending on the recipe and how much they rise. A little experimentation might be needed. I used my brownie cupcake default recipe just like described here. They have lids that fit well, and it all looks super cute. Several sizes and shapes available, take a look here.

And now it is time to allow a certain trio of pups to bark their piece, and wow,
do they have a lot to say this time!

Buck and Oscar were set in a smooth routine, predictable with a few ups and downs…. For Osky, the worst would be a certain style of haircut, for Buck just having to deal with this odd silence in the world, interrupted by hand clapping that he does his best to follow as guidance.

Little did they know, that Chaos was coming! Full disclosure: we debated whether we should change Prince’s name to Chaos or Trouble, but decided that His Royal Highness would not approve the motion. He has definitely turned our universe upside down, but let’s be honest, we would not have it any other way. The sadness that Bogey’s departure left in us was so intense, and somehow this bundle of energy with a heart-shaped nose and a hear-shaped mark on his leg, made our own hearts feel lighter.

He is sweet, funny, strong-willed, naughty, and clumsy like puppies often are…
it just makes him even more adorable…

The polls about Prince Lucifer of Darkness are a bit divided….

Buck does not mind, in fact they quickly became quite good buddies, even if Prince’s chasing of Buck’s tail can be a bit overwhelming at times…

We have of course countless videos already, but this one below is probably my all-time favorite! Keep in mind that Buck is deaf, so all the noise Prince does to try and invite him to play fall on “deaf ears” (literally). I love the way Buck yawns when it all starts. And of course, Prince stretched back legs crack us up. Too funny! At the very end, Prince seems to understand what I tell him, but is just not buying it!

Of course, as a good Prince, he sees the world as his domain….

And all things shoes must subject to his rules:
you exist to provide amusement for my teeth and paws!

Yes, he is a ton of trouble in four powerful legs… but the level of cute is off-the-charts…

And he also teaches us lessons about how to live…

He is growing so fast, we already miss the times we could hold him like a little bundle in our arms…

That’s all for now, folks! Stay tuned – assuming we humans will survive puppyhood – for the next installment of In My Kitchen, when 2023 starts bright and early!

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2021

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2020

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

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2018

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, October 2017

SIX YEARS AGO: Little Bites of Paradise

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Coxinha de Galinha: A Brazilian Delicacy

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp Skewers

NINE YEARS AGO: A Simple Dinner

TEN YEARS AGO: Brown Butter Tomato Salad

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Spelt and Cornmeal Rolls

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Roasted Potato and Olive Focaccia

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Multigrain Bread Extraordinaire

1Jul2022

IN MY KITCHEN, SUMMER 2022

Posted in In My Kitchen by sallybr

2 months, 11 days since our beloved friend left us…

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…

The most delicious lettuce leaves known to mankind, or so we think… thanks to the work of my beloved husband who years ago built a planter and keeps it going every Spring…

The picture above is a couple of weeks old, the planter looks like a little jungle now…

In our kitchen…

A very simple gadget to slice butter (available here). Normally people would buy it to serve pats of butter to guests, but I use it to slice a stick and use in baking. It comes to room temperature a lot faster and it’s so much easier than slicing with a knife.

In our kitchen…

Another simple gadget, this one works magic to get kernels off corn cobs (available here). Super efficient and again, easier than any other method I’ve used.

In our kitchen…

A silicone mold that is used for fondant, but as you can read about in my cookie blog, it also works for baking cookies.

In our kitchen…

Fermented black beans (douchi), small bombs of flavor used in traditional Chinese cooking. I am learning my ways with it. They will be featured in a great recipe very soon. In a food blog near you!

In our kitchen…

Two little platters found at Marshall’s. When you bake the right cookies, they can be little matches made in heaven…

In our kitchen….

Dried kaffir lime leaves… I investigated quite extensively before getting this product. Normally nothing beats fresh leaves, but they are hard to find where we live. These got excellent reviews by consumers, so I caved. And they are indeed great. Stay tuned for future adventures…

In our kitchen…

Tomato powder, a new product from Spice House. I saw it advertised by the company and could not resist it. So far I’ve used it to add flavor to rice, and it works wonders for that. I just add 1/2 tsp to the amount of rice I normally cook (1 cup of Basmati).

In our kitchen…

Another great product I got recently, this one after my friend Karen blogged about it. Stay tuned for my “experiments” with it…

In our kitchen…

A small plastic knife that does wonders to cut cakes with a lot of moisture such as a brownie. Available here. Used to cut a batch of banana bread brownies, works like a dream!

So that wraps up what I had to share as far as new gadgets and goodies for you… Moving on, it’s time to let the pups bark a little bit… Starting with very important news…

It is Buck’s Birthday today, my little Bucky Boy… Last year, when he turned 14, my heart was already getting a bit heavy, wondering how long would we have together. One year later, he is still around, dealing with his almost total deafness as best as he can. His hearing is gone as far as voice commands go, but he hears clapping and that’s how we communicate.

For his Birthday he’s got a toy…

He’s got a ball…

But, truth is, his favorite “gift” is the one he stole from the trash can (sigh)…

And that seems to be totally fine with this brother…

The rivalry is real, but not too serious. Buck and Bogey were great buddies, and we worried about Buck without him. He seems fine, adjusted well, and now explores the backyard with Oscar, following his lead, for the most part.

This time of the year, we are back having our evening tea outside, watching the sunset, admiring the fireflies, listening to the birds, the owls, the distant coyotes. Like before. But the difference is the huge absence of our Black Spotted Capeless Hero… The emptiness he left is impossible to put into words.

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2021

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2020

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2019

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen – July 2018

FIVE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, July 2017

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

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Chocolate Toffee Banana Bread

EIGHT YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, June 2014

NINE YEARS AGO: Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

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

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Honey-Glazed Chicken Legs

TWELVE YEARS AGO: French-Style Rolls

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Chicken Breasts, Coffee, and Serendipity

1Apr2022

IN MY KITCHEN – APRIL 2022

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 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.

Starting with gifts…

From our graduate student Taihao, a surprise Birthday gift for me… I love it! It is my kind of cookie, all the way. Intense taste of sesame, not too sweet, super delicate and crumbly. In the huge tin, little packages with two cookies in each, so they stay fresh for a long time. Thank you so much!

A gift from me to my beloved husband…

He had one that was similar, but it cracked, so I ordered another one… the Amazing Trio!

Moving on, these are some of the new things that joined our kitchen since I last invited you for a virtual tour.

In our kitchen…

We are not the greatest consumers of this type of food item, but I was intrigued by the low-carb nature of these little chips. Bought one to try, and the rest is history. We now always have a bag in the pantry. Great to serve with guacamole, much lighter than tortilla chips, and I actually love the taste and texture. So I am sharing just in case you also wonder if they are any good. Other flavors are available, but we stick with sea salt. Our favorite.

In our kitchen…

Mini-spatulas from Wilton (I found them at Jo-Ann, cheaper than amazon). I saw them recommended in a cookie forum and decided to get a set. They are perfect to mix Royal icing, and perfect to mix sourdough starter. Not sure how I’ve lived without them. It is a mystery.

In our kitchen….

Speaking of spatulas, this is a funky-looking one but what a great job it does to clean the flat beater of the Kitchen Aid… It now lives side-by-side with older siblings. Available here.

Do I have a spatula problem? Why exactly are you asking???? I am puzzled.

In our kitchen…

Rainbow sprinkles! These are way way WAY better than the stuff you find at the grocery store, puts Wilton brand into shame. Great texture, very nice taste, bright colors. If you are into baking, this is a must. Order some here.

Matching earrings are optional. But oh so very cool, right?

In our kitchen…

Last month we celebrated our wedding anniversary and my Birthday with a trip to Lake Tahoe. We took the opportunity to get a few goodies at Trader Joe’s. Two types of alternative pasta that I could never find in town. I have not tried them yet, stay tuned. Pistachio nuts. Freeze-dried strawberries (for a particular shortbread cookie I will be baking soon), and a fantastic gluten-free bread/cracker that we fell win love with. We are kicking ourselves for not bringing many more boxes… Oh, well. If you have a Trader Joe’s where you live, search for this and eat some thinking of me, ok?

In our kitchen…

A much needed organization that started with my stencils. They are all in plastic folders, and the small ones, that tend to accumulate at the bottom of the folder, got the design drawn on the red insert. Makes life a lot easier.

In our kitchen…

The organization hit the cookie cutters! They finally got sorted and placed in boxes according to general categories. Of course, “miscellaneous” contains all cookie cutters that I don’t remember exist. Once I realized the extent of my cookie cutter compulsive acquisition, I made a drastic decision. No. More. Cookie. Cutters. But then… this happened.

You do realize resistance was futile. LOOK at that shape! I am calling it – The Last One. Case closed.

In our kitchen…

Speaking of cookies, I got this little gadget to write on cookies, making an impression in the dough. I admit, it was an impulse buy. Let’s see if I can put it to good use (sigh).

In our kitchen….

Wilton sanding sugar in a beautiful rose gold tone… love love love this one! Put it immediately to use in some macarons: Hibiscus Ganache (pink ones) and Nut-Free Honey-Cardamon (purple ones).

And now, it is time to share the recent adventures of our most faithful companions…

Buck – the best student of Professor Bogey Quit That on Raiding Trash Cans 101 – decided that anything found on the floor belongs to him. Like a piece of paper with “save these instructions”. Yeah, right. We will “save” them in our memory.

and don’t be fooled by his gentle expression…. he turns into a rabid badger if we attempt to retrieve what he takes to his bed.

I had to trick him with a piece of Virginia ham to retrieve this pen, a favorite of mine to draw on cookies. RIP, Sugarbelle pen.

Unfortunately, he is not the only one who generates chaos in our home…

Oscar, Scragglepuss Extraordinaire, decided that the little snake we use to block cold drafts underneath the door – next to their sleeping beds – needed to be punished. We caught him in the act. He was unfazed. And then people get surprised at how much gray hair I gain each week.

Bogey Quit That has been on a very quiet phase… He had his 13th Birthday in January, and was showered with gifts and pampered with attention. Our dear friend Jill and Bogey’s Mother-in-law, sent him a very special package, that melted our hearts.

But then, out of nowhere, dark clouds showed up in their horizon!

Yes, that was the case. Our three valiant companions had to endure a little stay at the Dungeon.

Oscar wants to tell you how he really feels…

Yeah, it was hard… I got the shakes, as I always do when my humans drive us to the Medieval Dungeon, then it took me a while to get my dominance clear to the other prisoners. Obviously, I ended up putting them all in their places. But you know what was worse? When we were finally liberated, my humans pulled another filthy trick on me!

Not only I lost my uniquely-perfumed fur, but had to endure my deaf brother constantly checking my license plate, to make sure I was still my old Alpha-Self.

Well, well, well, we admit it was not our original plan, but the fur-stylist at Petsmart thought that you would look impossibly cute, Osky Boy, so that’s what you’ll have for a little while…

And to close this post, we bring you the one and only, Bogey Quit That…

Did you know that now I am 13 years and 3 months old? Many of the things I loved to do, somehow I cannot do anymore, like sampling food left on the countertops, or even climbing on the sofa to take my beauty nap. Mom and Dad keep doing lots of things to help my weakened legs… like giving me these fashionable socks…

Dad even built a huge ramp for me, so I can go down to the backyard and come up without struggling with those pesky steps.

Unfortunately the ramp is getting steeper and steeper… odd, don’t you think? I cannot quite understand that.

Still, I am doing everything my humans ask me to. We go for a walk every day, so that my back and legs stay as strong as possible. They give me massages… I also get some pills that taste like the flesh of the steer, and the best part is that I am the only one who gets those treats. My brothers take no part of that feast… I am sure that’s because I am a very special pup. With black spots all over my snowy-white body.

After all, I am the only one who stays as close as possible to the door when one of my humans leave. Because I don’t want to miss a single second of our time together when they come back…

We feel the same way you do, Bogey…

ONE YEAR AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2021

TWO YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2020

THREE YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2019

FOUR YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2018

FIVE YEARS AGO: First Monday Favorite

SIX YEARS AGO: In My Kitchen, April 2016

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Spring has Sprung with Suzanne Goin

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Chai Brownies

NINE YEARS AGO: Pomegranate-Molasses Glazed Carrots

TEN YEARS AGO: Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Peach Glaze

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: The Real Vodka Sauce

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Spring Rolls on a Spring Day

1Jan2022

HAPPY NEW YEAR IN MY KITCHEN!

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 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.

Starting with gifts…

From my niece Raquel, all the way from Brazil…

A beautiful pie plate, with incredible blue color! So touched by this gift.

From my future daughter-in-law Courtnie…

A very unique ceramic bowl from an artist in New York, so delicate and elegant! Thank you so much…

From Phil…

A Cricut Air Explorer 2 cutter, which I will use exclusively for stencils to use in my cookies… I’ve been flirting with the idea of getting one for the longest time, so now it is time to face that learning curve and play with it. I have already used it for some cookies recently featured on my cookie blog (see here and here).

From my dear friend Jill…

I cannot think of a better pair of earrings for me! MACARONS! Can you see my big smile when I opened the package? Thank you thank you thank you!

From my dear friend Ines…

We are both quite fond of his show, and I was already planning to get this book, but Ines beat me to it… thank you so much! She also sent us Panforte, the delicacy from Siena, but we destroyed the beauty of it so quickly I could not snap a good picture. That stuff is just amazing!

From my dear friend Christine…

Every year she sends me an AMAZING Christmas card… makes me feel so special… thank you a million times, much appreciated!

From our dear friends Pat and Bill…

A gorgeous plate with the most beautiful painted cardinal, my favorite bird! And a couple of placemats with the same pattern, that matches our dinner plates so very well! Thank you, thank you, thank YOU!

And now, moving on to acquisitions from the past 3 months…

In our kitchen…

This beautiful wooden stand was all alone at Marshalls, and I could not resist rescuing it… Love the patterns and the cream & white motif.

In our kitchen…

Not for the faint at heart, a hot hot hot flavored salt from Spice House, called quite appropriately Vulcan Salt… use sparingly… or NOT! 😉

In our kitchen…

These are smaller than the mini-chips you can normally find in grocery stores. They are perfect to incorporate in cookie dough (I mean in the cookie dough itself before rolling it out). Stay tuned for more on this important subject later.

In our kitchen…

Perfect Palate, a powder flavoring agent I heard about from professional “cookiers” in groups I follow. I decided to give them a try and was very pleasantly surprised. I’ve used all three in buttercream fillings for macarons. A little bit gives a ton of flavor, with no artificial “feel” to it.

In our kitchen…

A new cutter I could not resist, so I could make a festive New Year inspired cookie. Inspired by Haniela, by the way.

In our kitchen…

Two new colors for luster powder, from The Sugar Art. Really lover their products, and with Springerle season starting, I need the right tools for the job…

In our kitchen…

Speaking of color, this was the gift I gave myself for Christmas…. a set of watercolors from Sugarprism, a product released just this past month… So easy to use, you wet the brush and get the colors going. I’ve used exclusively on Royal icing but if you follow Michelle’s Facebook page, you will see many other uses for it, and be able to follow her many free tutorials. She is just amazing.

Here are my first cookies painted with Sugarprism watercolor (I am no Van Gogh, let’s keep that in mind)…

And now, it’s time to introduce a few changes in the In My Kitchen posts.

THE DOG DAYS ARE OVER!!!!!

No more sharing MY spotlight with ingrate canines. All they do is induce chaos, mess, disorganization and grievance. They can get their own blog going. 2022 is the year of change!

FREEDOM FOR THE BEWITCHING KITCHEN!

Perhaps they know me too well. I do have a set of three soft spots in my heart… So yes, I will – reluctantly – allow them to bark their piece. Let’s see what they’ve been up to lately…

First for some big news! BogeyQuitThat^TM had his virtual wedding to the lovely Margaret, who barks all the way from California, and – it goes without saying – has a very discriminating taste as far as partners go.

There they are, happy in their virtual honeymoon to Arizona, to visit family. BogeyQT is very big on going bye bye in pickup trucks.

Oscar was a bit jealous, but once he heard he could be what is called “The Best Dog” in that virtual party, he thought justice had been done. Because who else could play that part?

Bogey has a few thoughts on the matter to share with his brother…

As you may remember, Buck has lost most of his hearing, and that changed a bit his personality and the way he interacts with the other pups.

One of the things we need to pay attention is the fact that if Oscar growls at him, he won’t hear, so he does not realize the danger. He has a few scars from altercations with the younger brother, nothing too serious, but we have to be always vigilant.

But even his hearing loss is not enough to guarantee a peaceful night’s sleep in our household….

Buck and Bogey for the most part are best buddies. Quite often they get in a similar wavelength, enjoying a snooze together in almost identical position.

And every once in a while, one of their humans might join the fun…

They are of course also partners in begging…

Whereas Oscar prefers to act solo…

Although, as far as gastronomy is concerned, he has some idiosyncrasies…

Buck prefers food with more political substance….

Speaking of Oscar…

Mr. Burr Magnet strikes again. Arrow points at a region with about 109 needles stuck to his very sexy beard. Of course, cleaning that all up makes us at risk of getting a visit from the Animal Protection Agency, as neighbors 1 mile away will definitely hear his screaming.

That’s all for now, folks… the gang at the Bewitching Kitchen is marching together to embrace the new year that starts, so we take this opportunity to we wish you all..