Favorite Finds

One series I have been particularly fond of since I started blogging is my Kitchen Tools of the Month.  I am definitely a kitchen gadget enthusiast and I have loved sharing my latest and greatest finds with you all over the past year.   That being said, my monthly finds go beyond just kitchen tools and I have been trying to figure out a way to broaden the scope of this post series.  After much consideration I have decided to refocus my monthly kitchen tool post to now include favorite finds that would fall under any of the three categories featured on my blog.  Decor  pieces, kitchen tools, recipes, entertaining must-haves and even travel finds are all some of the areas I intend to highlight in this monthly piece.  I think that this will give me the latitude to share even more with you all and hopefully serve the interests of all of my readers.  

Jumping right in, here is a breakdown of this month's favorite finds:

The Food Lab

For those of you who are looking to bone up on your cooking knowledge/skill set, I highly highly recommend checking out The Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.  This book explores the science behind the art of cooking in an effort to uncover the best methods for eliminating the guesswork and achieving consistently delicious food every time you cook.  This book is a modern day scientific Joy of Cooking, that is truly helping to evolve my understanding of food and the art of food preparation. 

Hippie Bowl

For a little over a month now, I have been on a major Sprouted Kitchen recipe kick (see my Instagram account).  I have always loved Sara Forte's delicious recipe creations, but lately I just can't get enough SK (Sprouted Kitchen) in my life! Her Curry Roasted Almonds have made for a fabulous cocktail hour snack and her recipe for Oatmeal Souffle has become a Saturday morning ritual in our house, but the recipe that really takes the cake at the moment would have to be her famous Hippie Bowl from her recent cookbook Bowl + Spoon (which I raved about in this post).  This recipe is chock full of flavor, nutritional value, texture and deliciousness!  I will admit that it does take some time to make (definitely a weekend recipe), but it will yield plenty of leftovers and is totally worth the effort!  As if that weren't enough, you can easily substitute chicken for tofu, which has been great since my husband isn't the biggest tofu fan but loves everything else included in this dish (personally I adore tofu, so I usually make two versions of this recipe in tandem).  

Cire Trudon Matches 

My sister recently introduced me to these most unique gourmet matches.  Cire Trudon is a candle company that has come out with a series of scented matches cased in the most beautifully depicted boxes. After learning about these fabulous matches from my sister, I immediately went online and ordered the Ernesto.  These matches are lightly scented and when the box is left open in either a drawer or a cupboard the matches will lightly perfume the surrounding space!  Never in my wildest dreams did I think that matches could be multipurpose.  Cire Trudon's collection of fragrant matches have been a beautiful addition to my upstairs side table, and something that I would recommend to any of my friends.  Plus, they make for a fabulous hostess gift when paired with a nice candle.  

RH Chicago 

Last week I had traveled to Chicago for a work conference.  It was a very busy trip, but fortunately I found a window of availability the last night of my stay to meet up with a few of my girl friends who lived locally.  One of my girl friends had graciously offered to arrange the evenings activities, which I was extremely appreciative of since I a) wasn't familiar with the fabulous local spots, and b) because of all of the conference activities, I didn't have the time to proactively plan something. 

That evening she made dinner reservations for us at Summer House, a fabulous California-style concept restaurant in Lincoln Park focusing their menu around seasonal ingredients.  However, the highlight of the evening for me was definitely the cocktail hour we enjoyed at Restoration Hardware.  YES, that's right!  We enjoyed delicious cocktails from the bar at the jaw-dropping/oh so stunning 6-story (70,000 square foot)Restoration Hardware Showroom!!

Recently Restoration Hardware purchased and completely overhauled what was formerly the Three Arts Club, located in Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago (see here for the complete story).  This building is nothing short of magnificent!  Greeted with complimentary valet parking, you enter the building where it immediately opens up to a gorgeous courtyard accessorized with an array of sofas, a gorgeous fountain, exquisite chandelier and live trees.  All of this is encased under a glass roof so that guests can enjoy the beautiful night sky while enjoying a selection of delicious cocktails.  I have never experienced anything quite like this before and I have to say that it was probably one of the highlights from my trip to the windy city.  If you are ever in Chicago, visiting Restoration Hardware for cocktails is an absolute MUST.  The entire experience was nothing short of extraordinary.

March Kitchen Tools

This is a very busy week of travel for me.  I am just unpacked from spending a wonderful Easter weekend in New Jersey with my in-laws and now it's time to start packing again as I head off tomorrow to Chicago for a work trip.  I would like to think that with all of this traveling (and after writing this post and this post) that I would finally have a handle on packing...but alas, I am still a work in progress when it comes to packing my suitcase.  I don't know what it is about packing, but every time I go to fill my suitcase I end up with a steamer trunk size amount of stuff for a trip that could be a grand total of 48 hours.  I feel like I pack as if I don't trust the weather forecast or the trip's itinerary and just throw clothes into my suitcase for any/all possible scenarios.  This style of packing not only has me lugging around a ridiculous amount of stuff with totally unnecessary items included.  Recently, I even managed to pack a Christmas ornament in my suitcase for my trip to Vegas.  Not sure how I managed that one, but there it was when I opened my suitcase!  So ridiculous, I know.  Does anyone know of a packing class I could take?  Kidding....well sort of.  

Anyway, I clearly have digressed big time.  Back to the subject at hand, kitchen tools!  This month's kitchen tools are a random collection of current favorites at the moment.  I love the versatility of all three of these tools and honestly consider these items to be staples in my kitchen tool collection. 

Fish Spatula

I don't cook fish very often, but when I do I am really happy to have a fish spatula on hand.  It's great for lifting cooked fish out of a pan or off of a baking sheet without damaging the delicate skin or actual protein.  But one of the main reasons for loving the fish spatula lately is it's practicality when it comes to pan frying tofu (like in this recipe).  The open slots allow the oil to drain off of the food immediately, which really helps to keep the food from getting soggy.  I also love using this spatula roasting food pieces in the oven. The length of the spatula makes it easy to flip foods I roast in the oven midway through their cook time in order to insure the food browns evenly on all sides.  Accomplishing the food flipping quickly helps to keep the temperature variance in the oven to a minimum (less time with the oven door open, means less time for the heat to escape).  While I wouldn't recommend using this metal spatula on a stainless steel or non-stick surface, the fish spatula is a fabulous cooking tool to use when cooking in a cast iron pan or on a lined baking sheet.

Kitchen Torch

I had been wanting a kitchen torch for the longest time (I mean for YEARS).  I think I had been fascinated by the kitchen torch because it looked like an advanced tool and I felt like it would up my skill level in the kitchen.  Well, at long last I finally took the plunge and bought a torch over the summer in an effort to try my hand at making creme brulee for my husband.  One thing they don't tell you, but you need to know is that a kitchen torch usually does not come with a butane canister.  You need the butane in order to get the torch to work, so do not forget to buy butane when purchasing your torch!  

Suffice it to say that the kitchen torch has certainly upped my skill level because it has given me the ability to try more difficult recipes.  Some of my favorite uses for the kitchen torch include: Creme Brulee, Toasting Marshmallows and Fire Roasting Peppers (since my stove is electric, the torch has been a fabulous substitution for a gas stove).  The kitchen torch can accommodate an array of culinary skill levels and a tool that I would recommend for anyone looking in need of compensating for lacking a gas stove, wanting incorporate a little char into a recipe, or even if you are simply looking to satisfy a hankering for Creme Brulee!

OXO Good Grips Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer

I have been on a major Sprouted Kitchen recipe kick lately.   Sara Forte has the most fabulous recipes for meals that are packed with flavor and very healthy.  Of the recipes I have been loving lately, one has called for "ribboning carrots."  In essence, you take a peeler to a carrot in long strips to create ribbons.  What's so fascinating about this technique is that it completely transforms a raw carrot without having to cook or season it.  Curious to learn more about transforming basic raw vegetables simply through slicing, I decided to purchase the OXO Hand-Held Mandoline Slicer.  After one try with this tool, I am totally hooked!  Radishes, cucumbers, carrots, etc... cut into thin slices are great on salads, in bowls, served as hors d'oeuvres, you name it!  This product is simply fabulous and a great way to seamlessly incorporate healthy produce into your meals.  Definitely a current favorite tool of mine and one that I would highly recommend. 

Two Unique Ways to Make Oatmeal

I know that not everyone may feel that "breakfast is the most important meal of the day," but I absolutely adore breakfast.  I kid you not, I go to sleep excited to wake up and greet my day with a delicious cup of coffee paired with some scrumptious morning meal. 

There are so many options for breakfast, eggs, toast, omelets, waffles, etc… but for years I have been a loyal fan of good old fashioned oatmeal.  In my opinion nothing is more satisfying than a hot bowl of delicious oats topped with an array of nutritious seeds and other accoutrements.  The standard oatmeal prep is a great way to create a delicious and satisfying breakfast, but there are also many ways to think outside of the box when it comes to oatmeal prep.  For today's post I wanted to share two oatmeal recipes that I am currently loving.  Here are two takes on oatmeal that you really must try - one sweet and one savory, both are very healthy and packed with tons of flavor!

Savory Oatmeal Egg Bowl

Ingredients

• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
• Toasted Flax Seeds
• 1-2 Eggs
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Fresh Chopped Chives
• Smokey Spanish Paprika
• Avocado
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Cook 1/2c of Rolled Oats per the instructions detailed on the package (microwave or stovetop)
2. In a skillet, cook 1 - 2 eggs over easy
3. Transfer cooked oats to a breakfast bowl and mix in 1 Tbs of toasted flax seed, plus a dash of both salt and fresh cracked pepper
4. Sprinkle cheese on top of Oatmeal, then add egg(s) on top of cheese
5. Garnish with salt, pepper, smokey spanish paprika, freshly chopped chives and a few slices of avocado

**Adapted from this Martha Stewart Recipe

If you are looking for a sweeter oatmeal recipe that is healthy and can feed a crowd, this Oatmeal Souffle recipe from the Sprouted Kitchen is absolutely fabulous.  See below for more details:

Sprouted Kitchen's Oatmeal Souffle

For the complete recipe, click here

**Note- I used a deep soufflé dish instead of the shallow gratin dish used in the recipe.  If you opt to use a deeper dish like the one I used to make this recipe, you may need to add a few additional minutes to the cook time.  

3 Culinary Resources I am Currently Loving

It is not a surprise that I love to both cook and bake.  However, for a while I had been stuck in a rut and was consistently making the same series of recipes over and over again (so boring!).  At the start of the summer I decided that I wanted to finally address this repeat cooking cycle issue and explore new culinary recipes, techniques and tools.  Since then I have learned to make creme brûlée, ciabatta bread from scratch, create husband approved dishes that contained lentils and purchase new kitchen tools as an informed consumer.   My culinary success over the summer can primarily be attributed to 3 resources:  Cook's Illustrated, thekitchen.com and Sprouted Kitchen.  Here is a little more detail on why I think these resources have been so inspirational and worthy of sharing with you all today.  

Cook's Illustrated

Cook's Illustrated has been around for a while and is a staple resource for a lot of people.  I have only recently come to the party and discovered the wonderful world of Cook's Illustrated.  Better late than never!  Cook's Illustrated can best be described as Myth Busters meets Consumer Reports meets The Joy of Cooking.  This cookbook along with the monthly magazines are great resources for not only laying out the best way to, for example- butterfly a chicken or properly season hamburger meat, but Cook's also provides you with the reasoning/evidence for why a certain technique is preferred and the best cooking tools to use for specific tasks.  The Cook's Illustrated cookbook contains a wealth of information for all of the most common recipes, so if you are looking for a resource that can help you to hone your culinary skills and provide you with a excellent knowledge base, I highly recommend checking out Cook's Illustrated Cookbook and Magazine Subscription.    

The Kitchn

The famed website Apartment Therapy, which features unique and well decorated spaces all over the country, has a culinary spinoff site called The Kitchn.  The Kitchn is a fabulous website filled with great recipes and all sorts of culinary information extras.  In addition to the extensive database of delicious recipes, what really sets this website apart is the way in which they present each recipe.  Not only does the Kitchn provide you with a detailed list of all of the ingredients and equipment you will need to successfully execute a given recipe, but they also include a gallery of images detailing what every step of the recipe should look like.  Love that!  I cannot tell you how many times I have gone through an entire recipe step by step and ended up with result that looked nothing like the picture (so frustrating!).  When I decided to try my hand at making my own ciabatta bread from scratch, it was beyond helpful to have images presented of what each step (for example- making the biga) should look like.  The Kitchn provides very detailed recipes that have really helped me to perfect the art of say, making creme brûlée or baking homemade biscuits from scratch.  All in all, this is another exceptional resource that I highly recommend checking out.  *Note- the Kitchn also has a cookbook available for purchase (see here).   

The Sprouted Kitchen and Bowl + Spoon

I first learned about Sara Forte from Ina Garten.  I had attended one of Ina's book tour events in DC at the Sixth and I Synagogue (if you are a DC local, I highly recommend signing up for their newsletter- they host a variety of great events).  During the Q&A portion of the event, one audience member asked Ina who her favorite chefs were at the moment.  Ina rattled off a few favorites including Sara Forte.  That evening after the event I went home and immediately googled Sara.  Lo and behold, I discovered the Sprouted Kitchen!  Sara's recipes are the very definition of whole foods cooking.  She has created a series of recipes (both vegetarian and non-vegetarian), which her husband has beautifully captured in photographs, that are delicious and filled with healthy ingredients.   Her most recent book, Bowl + Spoon, certainly does not disappoint!  More beautiful photos, delicious recipes and everything served in a bowl (love that!). If you are looking for a new and healthy repertoire of recipes, I highly recommend checking out Sara's website and her two cookbooks (The Sprouted Kitchen and Bowl + Spoon).