Todd English, I love your cookware! Thank you for selling this on HSN!

Mom Knows Best

How often do we say, "Mom you don't know!" Well, guess what, 90% of the time, Mom does know best!

Or at least when it comes to cooking, and health topics. Last year when she sent me an array of pots and pans from Todd English, I thought she was sending a hidden message that I need to learn to cook. (I felt my cooking skills were ok... not stellar, but good enough for my age).

How embarrasing to receive cookware for Christmas! Well guess what?

I was wrong! This is one of the best gifts I have ever gotten at Christmas! It's right up there with my eReader, diamond and emerald cocktail ring, Creepy Crawler Oven, and Bob Mackie Barbie Doll.

I used at least one of these pots/pans evey day for the past year. And guess what? They do not need to be scrubbed! While still hot, you only need to wipe it with a paper towel or soft cloth. Then when the pot has cooled, wash it with a mild soap and sponge and leave to dry.

Cheers to Mom! You do know best afterall!

Feelin Witchy!

A few years ago, a good friend came over saying she had a gift for me. As always I got upset because I'm just no good at getting gifts. Let's also face it, I really don't NEED any more STUFF. None of us need more stuff.

When she showed me what it was, I almost died laughing cause it was so cute! "IT's a Kitchen Witch!" she glowed. handing me the little halloweenish figurine by a looped string attached to its head. "She'll bring good luck to your kitchen and help you make yummy food!" Well, I was a good baker, but not quite a great cook, so I hesitantly took the warty old hag on a broom and (in the middle of summer) hung her on one of the cabinet knobs in my kitchen. There she stayed for the next few years, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, watching me as I cooked breakfasts, lunches and dinners day-in and day-out.

One day last year, while cleaning, I stumbled across a tiny little broom. Clueless at to where it came from, I tossed the object in the trash and went along cooking. Today, while reorganizing my plates, cups, and dishes, I noticed the kitchen witch was flying broomless! All of a sudden, I remembered the strange little wooden broom I found on the floor and threw out months ago.

I guess broom or no broom, the kitchen witch has been doing her job and helping me to cook better. These days, I get fewer complaints about what I make and how long it takes me to make it. Broom or no broom, the kitchen witch continues to work hard to keep my kitchen running like clockwork and churning out delicious foods!

I guess she wanted to get liberated from that splintery broom!

It's a soup, its a smoothie, its a Vita-mix!

My mom certainly does get me some odd gifts from time to time, but every Christmas, she winds up getting a bizarre gift that winds up being one of the most useful things I have. Last year, she gave me a set of nonstick pans from Todd English (called the Green Pan). She bought them at HSN at a really good discount.

Quite confused, I asked her, "Mom, are you trying to tell me I need to cook more?" I always thought that Christmas was a time to get gifts for recreational time. PResents like shoes, music, clothes, electronics, wine, baked goods, etc. So when I received a set of pots and pans, I was thoroughly befuddled and a bit beside myself.

Well, over the past year, those same pans have saved me over  50 hours of soaking and scrubbing pots and pans, giving me that much more relaxation time in my days. I think that qualifies as a great gift!

This year, two giant boxes appeared my doorstep a week before Christmas. At he time we were working on cleaning out the living room for renovations. So when two large boxes appeared, they were not exactly welcomed with open arms. I refused to even open them until after I returned from visiting my family for Christmas. I finally opened it on January 3rd and first used it on the 8th to make a smoothie. I have made a morning smoothie between 3 and 5 days per week ever since.

Two weeks ago, I made black cherry and vanilla icecream.
Last week I made sweet potatoe soup and fresh pasta sauce. (exponentially better than the jarred ones at the store or even the ones from Italian restaurants!)
This week I made more soups, ground my own rice flour for bread, and made pesto.

What will I make this week? maybe orange sorbet? Maybe a quiche? Maybe all of the above!