Every Cupcake Needs A Carrier

And THIS is the carrier for me!

Isn't is beautiful?     

It carries 36 cupcakes safely and comes in four pretty colors:  sky blue, lemongrass, petal pink and saffron yellow.     

It also does double duty because you can take out the inserts and transform it into a double decker cake carrier too.

I don't have one, but it is definitely going on my "wish" list!    You can find these beauties at Amazon.

New Year New Gadgets

Little Guy asked for kitchen gadgets for Christmas. No matter who asked him what he was getting for Christmas he always said, "Cooking supplies!" My Little Guy loves to cook.

So, there we have lots of new kitchen gadgets. Yay! I cleared him out a drawer to keep all his gadgets in, but he has promised that I can use them whenever I want.

There are several that I bought for him that I have decided that any kitchen with kids might really enjoy!

No more accidentally burning your fingers or hands on the oven rack!    We are in love with this push 'n' pull oven hook.     (So much so that I went back and bought another one for myself!)

I'll admit it.    I hate spoon rests.     So finding this little pot clip was genius.     Love it!!

Little Guy used the lettuce knife when he attended The Viking Cooking School.   Of course that meant that he needed one.   

There are soooo many more gadgets and tools that he received, but those are just a few of my favorites.     I can't wait to see what he cooks up in the kitchen this year!

How to: Make Vanilla Extract

Note: Vanilla beans come from various countries - Madagascar, Mexico and Tahiti. Each one lends its own flavor for a unique extract.

Vanilla Extract

Ingredients:
3 vanilla beans
1 cup vodka
1 glass jar with tight fitting lid

Directions:
Use kitchen scissors or a sharp paring knife to cut lengthwise down each vanilla bean, splitting them in half, leaving an inch at the end connected. Put vanilla beans in a glass jar or bottle with a tight fitting lid (mason jars work well). Cover completely with the vodka. Give the bottle a good shake every once in a while. Store in a dark, cool place for 2 months or longer.

This will last for years. You can keep topping it off with vodka once in a while as you use it, just remember to give it a good shake.

For Vanilla Sugar:
You can also make vanilla sugar by putting a split vanilla bean into a jar of white, granulated sugar. Great way to infuse the sugar with vanilla flavor for baking.

How to: Cook Rice In The Microwave

How to cook rice in the microwave:

Combine 1 cup of rice with 2 cups of water in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, mix well and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave the rice on high for 5 to 10 minutes, until it starts to boil. Reduce the microwave heat to medium (50% power) and continue to cook according to the times in the chart. The rice will be just tender. Fluff the rice up with a fork, then cover with plastic wrap again, poke a couple of wholes in the plastic and let sit for about 5 minutes, until completely tender.

Type of Rice Cooking Time Required

Long grain white rice 10 - 15 minutes

Converted white rice 10 - 15 minutes

Short and medium grain brown rice 25 - 30 minutes

Long grain brown rice 25 - 30 minutes

Converted brown rice 10 - 15 minutes

Wild rice 35 - 40 minutes

Basmati rice 10 - 15 minutes

Jasmine rice 10 - 15 minutes

Hot to: Make Fluffy Scrambled Eggs

Note: My Mom makes the best scrambled eggs there are. Light, fluffy, and delicious. When I first got married I tried and tried, but no matter what I could not figure out how to make eggs like Mom. I still can't make them as perfect as my Mom. Let's face it. I am not Mom so they won't taste like hers, but I am getting better. After 18 years of cooking, here is my "Pretty Close to Mom's Scrambled Eggs" .

Pretty Close to Mom's Scrambled Eggs

Ingredients
4-5 eggs (for 1- 2 people)
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper (to taste)

Directions:
I take my eggs out of the refrigerator and place them on the counter while I am making my morning coffee. That way they can warm up before I actually start cooking with them. You can always warm them up by putting them in a bowl of warm water. Break the eggs in a bowl and whisk them together. Add milk, salt and pepper.

Put a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Once warm, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and spread out in pan. Don't let pan get so warm that the butter starts to burn. Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Don't stir! Wait a few seconds to let it start to set before you start stirring. Lower the heat a little and run your spatula around the outside edges. Allow egg mixture to run underneath edges. When the eggs start to set, stir to distribute the mixture. (If you want, now is the point to cheese.) When the eggs are cooked, but still moist transfer to warm plates. Serve immediately.

How to: Re-soften Brown Sugar

We have all pulled a bag of brown sugar out of the cabinet and it has been a brick instead of soft.

Here are some ways to solve that problem.

1. Open the bag. Place a piece of bread inside and close the bag back up. The next day -- problem solved!
2. Place brown sugar in a container. Place brown sugar along with a cup of water in the microwave. Microwave for about a minute or until brown sugar is softened.
3. Place you brown sugar in a container. Place a damp towel over the top. By morning it should be as good as new.

How to: Boil An Egg

Note: Don't laugh. Someone I love very much says they can't boil an egg - ever. Here you go -- you know who you are.

How To Boil An Egg

Place the number of eggs you want in a sauce pan.

Fill saucepan with about 1 inch of cold water over tops of eggs.

Put saucepan on the stove and bring to rolling boil.

Turn down the heat to low heat.

Continue to cook.

If you want softboiled eggs cook for 2-3 minutes. If you want hard boiled eggs cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Pour eggs into a colander and run cold water over them.

To peel your eggs, place inside a napkin and crack against a hard surface. Roll it around applying enough pressure to cause the shell to "crackle". Once the entire egg is crackled find a loose spot and peel away!