Snack Ball, made by Boon and sold on Land of Nod, is pretty dang cute. And just $6.49.
While marketed for little people, a lot of big people could use this, too. Throw it in your bag for a snack on the run. It would coordinate well with the banana carrier; add a half-pint of milk and you’d have a portable breakfast.
I’m generally anti-plastic but at least this plastic is BPA-free.
Obama Logo Cookies by Philadelphia-based Whipped Bake Shop on Etsy.
$20 for 6 cookies (pretty packaging, too)
Enjoy Inauguration Day!
Ground turkey, prunes, Swiss chard, and fresh herbs come together in a haute twist on meatloaf.
Turkey and Swiss Chard Terrine
Adapted from Clotilde‘s Pork and Swiss Chard Terrine (via Big City, Little Kitchen)
What I Changed (Reflected Below) and Why: I substituted ground turkey because I had trouble finding ground pork and used 20oz instead of 14oz because that’s how much came in 1one package; I used whole wheat flour instead of white flour for nutrition; I left out the bread crumbs because I didn’t have any stale bread; I used chicken stock instead of milk because I didn’t have any milk; I doubled the amount of Swiss chard because it’s so nutritious and tasty I couldn’t help it
20 prunes (9 ounces), pitted Butter, for greasing 4 eggs 1/2 c chicken stock (or milk)1. Place prunes in bowl and pour over boiling water to cover; set aside and let them rehydrate.
2. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a four-cup loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and stock; sift in flour and whisk to combine. Add meat, onion, salt, and pepper, and mix with hand or wooden spoon until well-combined. Fold in chard, parsley, tarragon and sage.
4. Drain the prunes and pat dry. Pack one third of the meat mixture into the bottom of the loaf pan, and arrange half of the prunes over it. Spread another third of the meat mixture into the pan, layer it with the remaining prunes, and add the rest of the meat, using a spatula to flatten the top. Cover with foil and bake for one hour (after one hour, an instant-red thermometer inserted into the terrine’s center should read 160F); remove foil, switch oven to broiler setting, and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, until the top is golden-brown.
4. Let terrine cool for at least 15 minutes, then unmold and slice. Serve slices with crusty bread and a green salad.
Banana Saver is a reusable plastic container that snaps around a banana to shield it from bruises during transport. Perfect for the lunchbox/brown bag set. $3.95.
Nothing ruins a banana like a big brown smush.
(Via Well Fed Network)
Streamline Wine Cork Trivet is just $11 and puts to use wine corks you may want to keep to remember special bottles. I think it would look nice on a table and is also functional for serving food from hot pots and pans.
“Dish Up” dinnerware by Chaiyut Plypetch will appeal to a variety of people:
1. Picky eaters. No more sauces and juices colliding in the middle of the plate!
2. Space-challenged kitchen owners. Dishes can be stored and stacked vertically.
3. Lovers of art and geometry. The dining table is your canvas.
(Via Restaurant Girl)
What I Changed (Reflected Below) and Why: Substituted raw cane sugar for maple sugar because I didn’t have maple sugar and figured it might be difficult to find and expensive; Added shaved coconut for added texture, flavor and nutrition; Added sea salt for taste; Toasted the pecans in the skillet instead of on a baking sheet in the oven so that the whole recipe would be on the range (simple!) and use just one pan (fewer dishes!)
1. Put pecans in large heavy cast-iron skillet and heat on medium-high range for about five minutes, stirring frequently so they don’t burn. Pecans will be fragrant and toasted.
2. Remove pecans to a large mixing bowl and combine with the oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly coated. Add the maple syrup and stir again. Then add the coconut and sugar and stir again.
3. Warm the skillet to medium-high again and pour the mixture in, scraping the bowl to remove everything. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until most of the liquid has evaporated and everything begins to “cluster,” about 2-3 minutes.
4. Transfer to parchment paper and quickly spread out with the back of the wooden spoon. Sprinkle with sea salt. Eat slightly warm or cool. Nuts keep for quite a while, if you can keep them around that long.
Photographer Carl Warner‘s “Artichokes” is a great print to have in your kitchen.
It’s earthy and calming, appropriate for all seasons, and inspires us to eat wholesome, nutrient-rich produce.
Food is so beautiful when we pause to look at it and appreciate it.
Le Pain Quotidien serves coffee, lattes, and cappuccinos in bowls. I like that.
Together with its communal tables and unlimited praline chocolate spread, it’s a warm, happy place.
Once when I was there a Russian lady with big, fiery eyes asked to sample my merengue and then practically sat on my lap to break off a piece, exclaiming endlessly how delicious it was while smacking her lips and urging her embarrassed husband to sample some, too. He politely declined and escorted her back to her seat.
Some get overly excited about the coziness of the place, I guess.
Aren’t these beer bottle glasses awesome? Greensboro, NC-based Bodhicitta (on Etsy) melts and fires glass bottles and recreates them into entirely smooth, reusable glasses for juice, milk, water, wine, soda… or beer, if you’re a thinking-inside-the-box type.
I’m not a beer person, but I love the colors and designs. And little makes me happier than recycling via sustainable re-use.
