Kitchen Inventory - Baking

I've been cooking a lot more lately, and so have some of my friends. We've been comparing notes on recipes and weekly menus, and so I have lists on my mind. I thought I would put together a list of my most-used kitchen tools (starting with baking). Just in case anyone was interested in knowing what I've picked up and learned from mistakes over the years.
Yes, pretty much everything I own is from Sur la table. I love that shop! because they have everything in a range from cheap to expensive and so many varieties, you can really apply every criterion you might want to consider to every item you select. My other favorite place for kitchen tools is Cost Plus World Market. Their prices are always low and everything I have bought there has really lasted.

Baking

I have a Kitchen-aid stand mixer. I'm sure that's what everyone goes for in the category of technological assistance. I have lived without a hand mixer for about 6 years (broke mine mixing a batch of cookie dough) and just recently bought a new one. Haven't used it yet ;-)


Mixing

I like having the different sizes.
I bought these at Crate & Barrel a very long time ago [Amazon].
The biggest one is cracked from a fall, so I recently added two of these so that I'd have more than one BIG bowl [Sur la table]

I just got these bamboo mixing spoons [Sur la table]. They are AMAZING! You don't feel like they are going to snap at any moment when you are mixing up a big batch of something.

I have a large balloon whisk my brother got me for Christmas at Williams-Sonoma one year. I also have a small one that I use for gravy and little batches.

Tools

I have a couple sets of measuring spoons. I think it's because I'm neurotic. I like to have a set for wet, dry, and a spare for if the other two are dirty.
I use these for measuring dry ingredients. I like them because they fit inside of spice jars [Cost Plus].


My set for wet is like these, but I bought them at the grocery store.

This is the spare set. I thought I'd like them because they have the two shapes - oval and round [Sur la Table] - jury is still out.

I have one set of measuring cups. I like these because the shape is uniform, and the tops are even/flat making it easy to level off dry ingredients. I wish my set had 2/3 cup and 3/4 cup. It looks like the new Sur la table set does, but I can't justify that cost for something I already have. edited: I went ahead and bought these Sur la table ones. I like that they are rounded at the bottom because dry things don't get "stuck".

So, what I did was get a set of these prep bowls with marked measures [Sur la table]. I love using them for measuring wet ingredients because you can fill to the inside line and have room in the bowl so that you don't spill when you take your ingredient to your mixing bowl; alas, they have no 2/3 cup.

I have a set of these prep bowls too [Sur la table]. I do use them - they are great for melting butter in the microwave - but they have no standard measures (I've tried to figure it out!), so wouldn't recommend them.

I like to have two sizes of measuring jugs - a 4 cup and a 2 cup. For some reason, I just don't like using my pyrex one. I have this 2-cup jug that I bought at a grocery store years ago that I love. It's like a tall glass, but with measures. The bad thing about it is that the plastic has no tolerance for heat. So over the years of measuring hot things and putting it in the dishwasher, it just can't retain liquid anymore. I cannot throw it away! because I can't find something that replaces it adequately; and so it sits, unusable, in my cupboard.
My latest attempt at replacement is this Oxo cup. I just really wanted to never get one of these stupid slanted stupid measuring cups, but since I seem to have an aversion to the glass ones, I thought I'd give it a try. I know, a lot of strum and drang over measuring jugs!

Everyone's 4-cup jug, right? [Sur la table]

My new trial 2-cup [Sur la table] - [4/3/2014 edited] did not like it!

[4/3/2014 edited] Found this one, LOVE it!! [Sur la Table]

I use this sieve. I love it. Fits perfectly in the large mixing bowls so I can add all dry and then sieve [Cost Plus].

I keep this little off-set spatula in my measuring drawer and use it to level dry ingredients instead of a knife [Sur la table].

I have an all-metal apple slicer that I like because everything is one piece, nothing to give way when you press. I think I got it at Cost Plus, here is one that would work for the same reasons from Sur la table.

I recently added an apple corer to my tools, but that was actually for pears [Sur la table].

I use a pastry blender that has fixed "tines". I hate how the single strand of metal ones bend in. You want your cutter to cut, not mash [Sur la table].

I also have a miscellaneous assortment of tools in the baking drawer - to include a plastic ruler, plastic scraper, measuring spoons and a mini mortar and pestle. I like to say that since I don't like cooking, the more toys I have to play with while I cook the better.

I have a series of spatulas that I like for different reasons.
These are like big spoons that scrape [Sur la table] - I have two. Great for getting your batter out of the bowl and for scraping the sides of a mixing bowl.

I just got this double-sided one from Sur la table to help get things out of jars [Sur la table]. Love it!

and I got these two little ones in case the big one didn't work [Amazon] (I bought them at Slt this past summer - I can't believe they no longer sell them already!). I use them all the time too. All great purchases.


Of course, I have a couple random scrapers that came with other tools - food processors mostly. But I do use this straight one a lot, especially in the bowl for the mixer to scrape down the sides [Amazon] - doesn't seem to be available at Slt anymore.


Sheets, Trays, and Plates

I bake cookies on two aluminum cookie sheets [Sur la table]. The price tags on the bottom of mine are still there, and say $10.95. Yikes, they have gone up in price!

I have two silpat sheets for these, but I rarely use those [Sur la table]. I like to use parchment paper instead. When I bake cookies it's usually a lot of batches. I like to have 4 pieces of parchment and set-up 2 sheets while two are in the oven. Pull baked cookies and their parchment off the cookie sheet, pull next two sets of parchment onto the sheets to bake. You can't really do that with silpat because it's too flexible.

I have a set of stacked drying racks from Cost Plus that I bought a long time ago. They are seriously "cheap", but I have no complaints and no reason to replace them.

I recently got this silicone loaf pan because I hated how the metal/teflon ones started to degrade [Sur la table]. I mostly bake banana break and meatloaf in a loaf pan.

I got a new metal pan just in case the silicone needed supporting - as suggested in reviews - but I find that the silicone is stable enough on it's own [Sur la table].

I have a 12-cup and a 6-cup cupcake sheet [Sur la table]. I have been using silicone cupcake holders [Sur la table]. I'm ok with them, but not wow'd.

I have the usual assortment of cake, spring-form, and pie plates, but I find that I always go back to two.

A decorative one I got at Sur la table that is Boleslawiec. I can't find my design online, but if you do a search, you get the idea. I think it is beautiful.

and two clear pyrex ones [Sur la table]. These get used for quiche and pie over and over again.

Finally, pie weights [Sur la table]. I used to use an assortment of legumes. I had bought them to fill door draft stoppers, and put the left overs in a jar for pie weights. What that means, is you have to cover your pie crust with something to contain all those legumes, and then carefully pour them off of the foil/parchment back into the jar. I just got sick of it. And after, oh, 8 years (last year was that year), I bought this metal string pie weight. I have not not yet used it. I stayed away from those ceramic balls for the same reason the legumes drive me nuts. Let's hope this chain works.

and now here I am an afternoon later realizing that I am insane!
Let's see if I can reprise this for the cooking tools!
A lot are repeats - prep bowls, mixing, etc - but of course there would be the pots and pants, knives, cutting boards, oy, I'm dying of boredom just thinking about this silliness!

anyway - a list of baking tools.
and, in the event my house burns down, I'll have an easy list to replace my favorites, right?!

What's going on in the winter garden

I pruned the roses the 2nd week in January. There were already shoots, so that is too late!

The bulbs are already starting to come up. We had two small snow days, so I hope that wasn't too much for them.

Wed is supposed to be 69, and then back down to freezing.
I am worried we are going to have another spring like last year, and all the plants will get confused... again.


This weekend I ordered the things I want to put into the ground this spring:

Hollyhocks - in front of the gutter downspout.
Sweet peas - on the trellis. If the weather is like last year, this won't work again.
Nasturtiums - all around. They did well last year, and may self-seed, if not; I have backups.
Zinnia - going to start getting zinnia going.
Three varieties of lavender - we are going to take out the scrawny bushes in the front "island" bed and replace with these lavenders. I may just plant the whole bed with lavender (around the bulbs, of course).

Cookies 2012

I invited a new friend over to bake cookies in 2012.
I was very sick with a bad cold. I don't remember much about the day, except that it was actually challenging to think about ingredients with my brain so wonky.





Good thing I've made these cookies so much, because we ended up with a nice big haul!


Proud!

Putting the garden to sleep

I like to keep the garden all disheveled for Halloween; add an unkempt flavor to the decorations. Right after Halloween, we had a frost, and all the tender plants died. It was time to cut everything back for the winter.

Here are the front beds trimmed down.






I looked online for tips on how to trim the buddleia and hibiscus.
Everything said that they were happy to take a hard pruning. Given that they had grown from nothing to huge over the summer, I figured down low was the best strategy.
We will see next year how that played out.

The other two things that I pruned down low with uncertainty were the society garlic (I think is what it is) and the Del Oro lilly.

Those garlics are driving me NUTS! they make tiny seeds, and last year I let them go to seed, so we have zillions of little garlics like unwanted hair all over the beds. I contemplate taking the poison to them. See the mess on the wood edging? that's garlic.

Anyway... this is probably the end of 2012 gardening.

Next year I hope that we have a more predictable season.

My new addition plans include:
Hollyhocks
Lavendar
and maybe a Jasmine

we will see...

Baked

The night before I realized that I was short on buttermilk; I forgot to go to the store on my way home.

In the morning, I decided to prep before going to the store. Good thing because I realized:
1. the buttermilk I froze and then defrosted was gross - don't do that!
2. I didn't have enough anyway
3. I ran out of sugar for the filling portions
4. just get extra butter... you never know!

Running to the store put me about 30 mins past my scheduled start time (9am). I figured it didn't matter 'cause I could stay up as late as I needed to get them all done.

Once I started baking, the plan executed very well.


5 batches of dry ingredients ready to go.


5 bags of lemon juiced apples ready to go.


kitchen ready to go.


Batch 1 filling out of the oven.


Topping ready, next batch of apples.


Baking topping.


Batch 2 ready to go.


Batch 1 done!

In assembling the filling for batch 3, I figured it would probably have been a good idea to taste 1 and make sure everything was ok. I paused, ate a jar...
they taste GREAT!
In part, how can you go wrong with apples and cinnamon?! and two, this is an amazing topping recipe!

I ate the one on the left.

The only other baking mis-hap is that I borrowed a 4th cookie sheet.
One of those actual cookie sheets: link.
This sheet sucks for carrying jars! It is flimsy and bends when you have it loaded up with EMPTY jars, let alone trying to get it in and out of the oven loaded. It has no handle edges so I kept burning myself through the gloves. And the worst part?! because it is so thin (I'm guessing), the filling actually caramelized during the double bake. Luckily, I used the tray in the 2nd batch, which means I only had to use it twice.
In the second use, I took the filled and topped jars out in 10 mins instead of 15. No more burnt filling.

At one point I lost track of where I was, and had to look in the oven to figure out what my next step would be.


Jars cooling.


The Bride wanted ribbons. This may have been the most tedious part of the day.


Lids on, ready for ribbons.

I waited until each jar was completely cool before I put the lids on. Ideally, I would have waited until the next day, but I had to work and couldn't find time between that and the wedding to lid and bow all the jars. So, I got it done the same day, and stored them in the cool garage overnight (there are no cars in our garage).
The only thing about this - which I didn't like - is that the crispness of the crust went away. This also happens when you make scones and store them in a ziplock overnight... the moisture trapped with them makes them "soft".
Oh well.
In retrospect, we should have put on the label a note that says "enjoy as soon as possible" or "homemade - please keep refrigerated".
I haven't heard any stories of apple cobbler poisoning in the Metro area, so maybe I am ok.

The wedding was beautiful! The bride was grateful, the groom said they were delicious!
I hope people appreciated the personal touch of a home-made favor.


.......................

The apples we picked were all different sizes (and varieties, of course) so I could use an apple count for determining the quantity I needed to peel and prep. So I figured I would use weight. I weighed a typical granny smith - 8oz. I multiplied that by the number of apples I'd need per 24 jar batch, and that's how many we peeled.

Well - this was WAY too much! by a batch and a half.
Given that I was updating Facebook all day, I hoped that I would have some takers for an extra batch at swim that night. So one more in the oven!

Getting Peeled

I totally forgot to take pictures! sigh.

so - my cousin came and visited last week, and since it's fall and everything is all fall festivals, we took her apple picking and pumpkin buying.
The pumpkins we carved (a first for her), and the apples I ear marked for the Great Apple Cobbler Baking Extravaganza of... TOMORROW!
Remember this: link

Anyway - the bride came over on Sunday, and while Felix Baumgartner slowly went up, and quickly came down, we peeled apples, cored and sliced (thank you tools), and put them in batches of 5 with lemon juice.

That morning I measured out all the dry ingredients for the toppings, and we are now ready for the insanity of tomorrow.

Truth be told - I am nervous!!

this is probably the biggest, most meaningful, cooking event of my life.

yikes!

I am putting post-its all over the kitchen to remind me to take pics... stay tuned.

"Balance and Well-Being"

Before my trip to Thailand in 2008 I decided I needed a new pair of shoes.
I wanted something that I could wear all the time - pants, skirts, dresses, walking, in water - that didn't look too touristy or backpakery (Teva, Keen, etc).

At REI, I found a pair of Ahnu Tilden sandals that fit the bill.

I have worn them all summer, every summer since then.

A plan was hatched for me and a friend to dress up as milk maids for Ironman Wisconsin. She decided to wear running shoes for the day. I know my feet hurt when I wear running shoes that long, so I chose to wear my Ahnu's.

I wore them (with socks - it was cold in the morning) for 20 hours straight; and in those 20 hours, I was probably sitting for a total of 2. By the end of the day, my feet were killing me and I realized that it was time for a new pair of sandals.

I went to the Ahnu website to see what was new, and I got sidetracked reading about their philosophy and the things they do for the "Greater Good".
It seemed to me that throwing away my Ahnu sandals was the last thing this company would want me to do.

I sent an email to the contact page, and explained that I'd had these shoes for a long time, worn them all over the world, and after a 19 hour day of standing in them, realized they needed replacing. Did they have a recycling/donation program to which I could send the old ones.
To my surprise, they offered to take my story and shoes for posterity, in exchange for a new pair!
Would I please send some photos of me in the shoes.


I had a lot of fun going down memory lane with all the adventures I've taken in my Ahnu's.
It wasn't easy to find photos of me that included my feet!

Bangkok 2008


South Africa 2009


Nelson Bay, Australia with my Dad and two bro's 2010


Having a chat with a President in Williamsburg, VA 2010


Kayaking 2011


At home, the last time I wore them 2012


Today I received my new pair, and wow! they are so much more comfortable.
Old meets New


Goodbye original Ahnu's, thanks for all the miles.

And thank you to Ahnu for being such an amazing company!!

Mixing it up

A friend of mine is getting married at the end of the month. She was talking to me about wedding favors, and since she's from Seattle, she loves to cook, and it's a fall wedding, I immediately thought of this exercise shared by Seattle blogger "NotMartha".

I shared the idea, and my friend loved it. Another friend offered to make it for her! I thought, wow, that's a generous offer.
A couple weeks later, the baking friend told me that she was going to be out of town on the scheduled baking day, so would I do it instead. Since I have a problem saying "no", I ended up with the task.

To prepare, I needed to modify the recipe since Megan baked hers with blueberries and the bride wanted apple.
One of my friends on the Team, PieMan, has baked these amazing crumbles for the whole Team at an end of the season race the last two years, and I figured if anyone could help me with advice on pre-preparing, changing it up, and identifying pitfalls, he could do it!

PieMan gave me some suggestions and this past weekend I did some experimenting.
Here are the results...

I used a pre-prepared tin of apple pie filling from Wegmens and two Fuji apples.
I mixed these with other things as follows:
1. just the tin filling
2. apples with some lemon juice and cinnamon
3. apples with some lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1/8 cup sugar
4. apples with some lemon juice, cinnamon, and 1/2 Tablespoon sugar
5. tin filling with cranberries
6. apples with some lemon juice, cinnamon, and cranberries
7. tin filling with 4 Hot Tamales
8. tin filling with 2 Hot Tamales
9. apples with some lemon juice, cinnamon, and 4 Hot Tamales
10. apples with some lemon juice, cinnamon, and 2 Hot Tamales

Some post-baking photos.
1. and 2.


3. and 4.


5. and 6. on top, 9. and 10. on the bottom


7. and 8.


1. apples were mushy
2. very bland
3. too sweet
4. PERFECT!
5. and 6. cranberries added nothing
7. 8. 9. and 10. The waxiness of the Hot Tamales made a melted chewiness, and you tasted none of the spiciness.

Here's my plan:

I will be preparing 108 120 jars, that's 9 10 sets of 12.
Since I have a convection oven, I plan to bake 24 at a time, 12 on each baking sheet.
As Megan suggests, I will use 3 batches of the topping recipe for 24 jars.

That's 13.5 15 batches of topping.

I will need 4 apples for each set of 12 jars, 40 apples in all. I have an apple slicing tool, and I will half all of the slices before I put them in the jars because they fit better that way. I will mix each batch of sliced apples with 6 Tablespoons of lemon juice, 6 Tablespoons of sugar, and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
So for each baking of 24 jars, that will be:
8 apples
12 T lemon juice (3/4 cup)
12 T sugar (3/4 cup)
4 t cinnamon (might add more, 2 T?)

I need 9 10 batches of filling.

It takes 1.25 hours to prep and bake each set of 24 jars (25 mins for the filling, and then 25 mins for the topping). That means it will take about 6 6.5 hours to make all the jars on the day of baking.

The weekend before, I will pre-measure the dry ingredients and put them in tubs. We will peel and cut the apples, mix them with lemon juice, and put them in ziplock bags. So, the day of, is about melting butter and mixing it with buttermilk and vanilla right before each batch of filling comes out of the oven. I am hoping my friend visiting from MN will be at my house, and not at the conference for which she is coming to DC, on that day!

Clean jars ready for baking.




I'm hoping to remember to take pic's of the next steps in the process too...
Remember to remind me!

Fall additions to the garden

I planted the bed in the back yard. Here is what we get to monitor:

Hosta - City Lights

in the front, middle, and side: Liriope "Monroe White"
- 12-15" tall, blooms summer

to the left: Helleborus Brandywine "Lenten Rose"
- 18" tall, blooms early spring

in the back left and right: Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' Solomon's Seal;
- 24-30" tall, blooms mid to late spring



The Clematis went in next to the light pole.


I cleaned up the pumpkin vine which died once the pumpkins started turning orange. Now we have two great pumpkins we grew ourselves!


Here are some pics of the beds in September.

Things that will make you nuts...

I just drove between my house and a friends' to check on their cats.
I took all local roads, there was no traffic.
Google told me it would take me 15 mins, it took 25 mins.
I thought about why that might be and realized it was probably all the traffic lights that stopped me for very long durations.
So, on the way home, I timed how much of the trip was travel vs stopped as a result of lights.

40% of the time I was in the car was stationary at traffic lights.

That is a CRAZY high number, I think.

The shortest stop was 4.6 seconds, the longest was 2:35.7 (This was the light close to my community that I know is long. I stopped while it was already red, so if you catch it just turning, you wait is longer than 2.5 mins).


Traffic lights seem to me to be a huge waste of my life.
I don't understand why the U.S. transportation community is so adverse to traffic circles!

Planning for Fall - continued...

First series of Fall purchases are here.

To encourage the hummingbirds, I just bought these two Agastaches.

I'm going to plant Desert Sunrise next to the rose, just behind the downspout.

Pstessene Coronado Red will go in front of the kitchen window next to the Buddleia.

I want to put some Hollyhocks behind the Rudbeckia. I just need to figure out how to do it...
buy small plants?
start seeds in peat pots in the spring?
sow seeds now?

some research is in order.