Cup of Joe

Ugh! I'm stuck at home today. Woke up feeling under the weather and a bit nauseated.  Mr. S can attest to the fact that I'm a horrible patient. I start feeling quite grumpy when I'm regulated to the bed. Don't get me wrong, I love sleeping in but being forced to stay in bed is...well, it's like back in high school or college when you read a book of your own accord and you loved it, but take that same book and have it part of an assignment where you're obligated to read it? Fuggedaboutit, you hate the book. It's like that with me and sleeping/staying in bed when I'm sick.

Anyhow, being stuck in bed is giving me a chance to do a little bloggin'. This isn't really a food post but I suppose it is kitchen related.  If you know me, you know I'm a huge coffee drinker. It keeps me functional. It's also what keeps me from feeling stabby in the morning at work.  Anyhow, lately there's been a ton of cute coffee cups on the market.  If I had the cupboard space I'd buy them all.

Here are few of my favs. What mugs are you loving these days? Do you like fun ones? Cute ones? Plain ones?

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What Are Your Favorite Items From Trader Joe's?

I'm always swapping product recommendations with friends (and sometimes even strangers) and one brand often comes up in our conversation - Trader Joe's. Although, I'm not too big on their bread products (they tend to go bad quickly) and their produce (I prefer the farmers' market), I love a lot of their products. What are your favorites?

Here's a few of mine:


1. Fair Trade Organic Bolivian Blend Coffee - It's a medium roast with a mild nutty, caramel-like flavor. Both Mr. S and I like this coffee and have been buying it for a few years now. It's nice to have on hand for when we're out of coffee beans from Temple or Philz.

2. Parisian Carrots - I just started buying these recently. I keep a bag stowed in the freezer for the nights when I'm low on fresh produce and want something healthy and easy to roast. The short, squat carrots are the size of a radish...super cute and taste a bit on the sweet side.

3. Korean Scallion Pancakes (Pa jeon) - These are great for a snack or for a light dinner on nights when you're too wiped out to cook. The pancakes are egg-batter based and full of scallions, onions, leeks, carrots, and oyster mushrooms. They can be prepared in a pan on the stove or in the oven on a baking sheet. I like to cook mine in the oven and it just takes a few minutes on each side. I've even turned my parents onto these.

4. 10-Minute Farro and 10-Minute Barley - Both of these choices are cheap ($1.79, a bag!) and are great for making salads, risotto or soups with.

5. Candied Pecans - These are so versatile. I chop them up and use them in my wild rice salad, stuffings and baked goods. Don't get these confused with TJ's Sweet and Spicy Pecans though...which in my opinion taste pretty gross.

6. Canned Cannellini/White Kidney Beans - Great to have on hand for emergencies. I can grab a can or two from the cupboard and zap up some garlic-white bean dip for a potluck, BBQ or an unexpected guest.

7. Frozen Pie Crust - (Comes in sheets, 2 to a box.) Terrific for when I'm crunched on time and don't have any homemade crust on hand. Can be used for appetizers, pies, pot pies and tarts. This is probably the best pre-made pie crust brand I've tried, much better than the stuff sold at my other local grocery stores. It has a nice buttery taste that could pass as homemade.

8. Colossal Olives Hand Stuffed with Garlic Cloves - One of my favorite snacks and terrific in dirty martinis. During my last visit to TJ's, my checker told me if I like these I should check out the ones stuffed with jalapeno peppers, that they're equally as good. I'll let you know.

 

9. Organic Virgin Coconut Oil - A great moisturizer. I liquefy it then apply some on my legs before shaving. It makes your legs crazy-soft. (Be careful though, the oil makes the floor of your shower/tub pretty slick.)

10. Dark Chocolate Almonds with Sea Salt and Turbinado Sugar - Mr.S stocks up on these when PMS time rolls around. He knows how to keep me placated. ☺

11. Julienne Sliced Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil - Mr.S uses these when he makes me my Sunday omelets. They really fancy up the omelet and taste much better then regular dehydrated tomatoes. (I use them in my mini frittatas too.)

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Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Food Loving Friends

Stumped on what to get your food-centric friends this holiday season? Here's some ideas:

1. Every year around the holidays, I have to watch A Christmas Story. I laugh my head off every time I see Flick's tongue gets stuck on the frozen pole, when Ralphie comes down the stairs in the hideous bunny outfit from his aunt and of course the scene with Ralphie's dad and the leg lamp-  "FRAGILE (FRA-GEE-LAY). It must be Italian!"  I love that scene so much Mr. S. got me a teeny tiny version of the leg lamp (that lights up) as a stocking stuffer last year. Anyhow when I saw these cookie cutters, I had to jump up and down in glee. Available at Amazon

2. An assortment of chocolates or macarons from Ginger Elizabeth is always appreciated.

3. A dwarf Meyer lemon tree. Mr.S. bought me one this fall and it's doing great. We're keeping ours outdoors on his patio but they grow just as well indoors. Pick one up along with a pretty pot at Green Acres Nursery.

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4. I love this enamelware bake set from the MoMA Store. Super versatile and durable. It's made by a British company (Falcon) that's been around since the 1920's.

 

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5. Super adorable bicycle mugs from Fishs Eddy make a great stocking stuffer.

 

 

 

6. Wylie Howell Corn Whiskey is made from California organic, whole grain sweet corn. Single pass, pot still. Supposedly, it is named for Kentucky-born Wylie Howell who became a distiller during Prohibition to support his family. He was later convicted and jailed for shooting a sheriff in a dispute over illegal liquor. The whiskey is now produced by Howell''s grandson Greg Jones. Tastes good and comes in a cute jug to boot!

 

 

7. Engraved rolling pins in either solid cherry or maple wood from Richwood Creations. They can be found on Etsy, although when in stock ScoutMob has them cheaper.

 

 

8. "Lost Restaurants of Sacramento and Their Recipes," by Maryellen Burns and Keith Burns. Available in paperback at Time Tested Books and Amazon.

 

 

9. Coffee snob? Get them a bag or two of their favorite beans from Temple Coffee and a Bialetti Moka pot or a Chemex. It's a gift that will perk them up for months to come.

 

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10. For a local, seasonal gift give a gift box of the Japanese delicacy- hoshigaki. Made right here in Granite Bay at Otow Orchard.

"Massaged, hand-dried persimmon made by an ancient method of peeling the unripe persimmon then massaging it for 4-6 weeks as it ripens and dries. The end product is like a dried date with a light dusting of naturally formed white fructose."

 

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We Don't Need No Stinkin' Badges...

...or do we? Well, if they're as cute as these little meat lover buttons from Sweet Meats, I say "Bring 'em on!"

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Gadgets: Hai-yah!

Perpetual Kid

No, no these aren't your normal gingerbread men cookie cutters. These are swift, deadly and badass NINJAbread men cutters! And they're ready to take over YOUR kitchen...hai-yah!

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Gadgets: The Spice of Life

Fresh spices are great but sometimes you're in a pinch and have to use the bottled stuff lurking in the back of your cupboard. If you're like me,  you've probably wondered- does this stuff ever go bad? What's the shelf life of a bottle of cumin or when does a cinnamon stick turn? Well, after digging around a bit I discovered that dried herbs and spices don't spoil...BUT (yes, you knew that "but" was coming...) they do lose their strength over time. The key to preserving their potency is to store them in an airtight container in a cool dark place (don't keep them by your stove, the heat & steam will degrade them).

According to spice kingpin, McCormick, the general guideline for spice shelf life is:

To help you out even further, many spice manufacturers have "freshness checkers" that decode the numbers and letters that replace actual dates on some containers. Just click on the link and follow the site's instructions.

McCormick (along with the date, you get some humorous quips)
Spice Islands
Durkee

* Note Schilling spices are no longer made and are at least 7 years old.

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Gadgets: Falling Hook, Line and Sinker For Fishs Eddy

Would you describe your decorating style as quirky? Is kitschy your middle name? Then I'll let you in on a little secret....check out Fishs Eddy. What's a Fishs Eddy you ask? Well, I'll let you know IF you promise to keep it on the DL. Fishs Eddy is a cute kitchenware shop in the Flatron District of New York.  I'll be honest I've never had the opportunity to set foot in the business' brick and mortar glory; however, I've poured over their website for years and quite simply...it rocks. The selection ranges from the standard dinnerware and flatware to glassware and serveware. What makes them unique though are the creative designs of said products-- whether you fancy Alice in Wonderland dishtowels, multi-colored pill adorned coasters, New York inspired mugs or just some everyday Kitchen Weapons cereal bowls; Fishs Eddy has them all. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, the array of themes offered up by this small shop are dizzying. There's definitely something for everyone. Where else could you find Heroes of the Torah and Strip He glasses just one click away from each other?

www.fishseddy.com

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Gadgets: Bag it up!

During my recent move, I somehow lost or misplaced my two shopping bags. These bags were nothing special but served their purpose and were super functional for trips to the farmers' market or grocery store. So for the last week or so I've been perusing various websites in search of a new replacement tote. Who would have thought there were so many cute ones to choose from? I haven't made my purchase yet, but I've listed a few that have caught my eye.

What kind of bag/tote do you use for your shopping trips?

Envirosax Flora Bag $8.50

Reuseit  Recycled Rice Bag $9.95

MelangerieNYC State By Food Tote Bag $25.00

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Gadgets: Under Pressure

If you're a coffee junkie like me, you're always looking for ways to enhance the maximum flavor out of that tiny bean. A few months ago, my boyfriend got me turned onto french pressed coffee...OMG, where has this been my whole life? Sure, the stuff I brew in my ancient Mr. Coffee is good but man, oh man the french press makes it so much better!

Anyhow one of my favorite coffee/tea equipment companies, Bodum, currently has a great french press on sale at Crate and Barrel. They've been reduced from $29.95 to $19.95 and come in three cute designer colors.

Bodum Bean 34 Ounce Coffee Press

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Gadgets: Jot It Down

Some might think they're a bit old fashioned, but I love recipe cards. They come in handy for those times when you've hit upon the perfect mixture of ingredients when experimenting in the kitchen or perhaps when your Great-Aunt Millie is drunk at Thanksgiving and you're finally able to get her to divulge the secret recipe for her famous lasagna. I've also seen them given as gifts for brides-to-be at showers...just have your friends each write down their favorite recipe on a card and then them place them in a cute recipe box. Wrap & voila, instant keepsake!

In the past, I've used simple index cards but that may be changing as I've found there are some really cute designs out there. Here's a few that might pique your interest from Etsy  or you could just design your own, they're pretty easy to make :

Recipe For A Happy Marriage 

Recipes For Vegetarians

Damask Spring-Summer

Break Out The Fat Pants

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Gadgets: May The Force Be With You

Williams-Sonoma is currently carrying a line of Star Wars products including pancake molds and cookie cutters for the young (or older) Jedi in your life.

The pancake molds are nonstick steel with handles and include Yoda, Darth Vader and a storm trooper. The cookie cutters are plastic and include Darth Vader, Yoda, Boba Fett and a storm trooper.


Williams-Sonoma - Star Wars Kitchen Gear

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Gadgets: One Fish, Two Fish

Perfect for a housewarming gift, these measuring cups from Anthropologie are dishwasher and microwave safe.  $14.95 on sale. 

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Gadgets: Keeping Time Stylishly

Sometimes when baking, I can distracted by an article in my favorite magazine or an episode of "Nurse Jackie," but the "ping" of the timer brings me back to reality and back into the kitchen. A working timer is a necessity to making sure you don't burn your baked goods in the oven.  These "vintage" kitchen timers are not just adorable but they're practical too (magnetic backs so they don't get lost).

They can be found at SITE for $12.95

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Gadgets: Seriously, how cute is this oven?

Kenmore PRO Red 36 in. Dual Fuel Freestanding Range

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