Catz in the Kitchen

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This weeks Menu:

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I'm always curious as to what other people are cooking through out the week...and maybe there is a chance that you guys are curious to what my menu is. So here is this weeks Menu from 5/16 - 5/22 :)

Sunday- Grilled Chicken Tacos

Monday- Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, seasoned corn, 
and strawberry shortcake with homemade whipped cream
Tuesday- Grilled bone- in Pork loins with Fennel and Rosemary and Artichokes
Wednesday- Raspberry - Stuffed French Toast with a Custard Sauce
Thursday- (Awana Graduation) Pizza with Cheese and Olives, 
and salad
Friday- Chicken BBQ sandwiches, home made Mac and Cheese,
and Green beans
Saturday- Leftovers
Things to Bake

Awana Graduation snacks- Chocolate topped oatmeal bars
Fun Breakfast- Raspberry Coffee Cake
The order this is all in, is subject to change of course. Busy days often have different meal outcomes. But this is my hope to stick to this schedule :)

Mother's Day Brunch

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I could just punch myself that I never got a picture of the casserole...or my plate of food rather. But the morning was so busy and I just didn't think about it:( Josh ended up making the Sausage egg casserole that is sooo yummy! He was trying to decide on bringing fruit or making this other casserole...but the other one he would of made is rather heavy and rich and it didn't sound as good to me. So I had him make the other one. It was delicious and eaten within minutes of serving it to us ladies. Just delicious. I mean what is better than eggs, cheese, and sausage? Not much :)

Mother's Day Brunch Prep

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Every year at our church we have a Mother's Day Brunch. It's a fun morning for us mom's because all the children and husbands serve us...literally.  We get to sit at our tables and visit while everyone comes up to us offering us coffee, pastries, fruit, and breakfast casseroles and such. It's nice to be the one who gets to eat first for once ;)

But every year, Josh and I go through the same routine. I make out the grocery list and ask him if he is going to make the sausage egg casserole again, and if so let me know so I can include all of it's ingredients in my list. Well it's that time of year again and though I missed church Sunday due to Eden being sick...I was unable to make sure Josh signed up for the breakfast, because there is always a sign up sheet. Somehow, this year, Josh forgot to sign up...maybe it's because I wasn't there, I don't know, but somehow he missed it.

I've been working on the grocery list for the past few days ( finished yesterday) and again I inquired about the Brunch. "Did you ask your dad about the sign up sheet?" Josh-, " Yeah, he said there was one and he doesn't know how I missed it, but he put my name on the list." Me-," Are you going to make that casserole again, because if you are, I need to know so I can make sure you have everything you need to make it." Josh-," Would you stop worrying about it." WHAT THE HECK IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN? Does it mean that maybe this year will be a surprise and he has it all under control. Or does it mean, I'll spring everything on you at last minute? I am so confused. Why can't I just get a simple answer? I will admit...by last night...I was getting a little naggy about it with him since I had been bugging him about it since possibly Saturday. Maybe he was tired of me pestering him. But C'mon...Sheesh! Anyways...this will be continued as the grocery shopping draws nearer and Mother's Day is Sunday.   Let's hope it's a surprise...because that would be a lot of fun for me :)

Kitchen Item of the Week: Heat resistant Spatulas

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I found these cute little spatulas at Ross...where I find a lot of kitchen goodies. I had been wanting some for awhile...heat resistant...not necessarily Rachael Ray brand. But imagine my excitement when I came across these at the fraction of the price. Oh how I love a good deal.

I use these for pretty much everything. Mixing ingredients, (you've probably seen them in my pics) frosting cakes, are stirring stuff. They don't melt nor do they get to hot to handle. It's a nice grip and the color of these is fun too. I highly suggest in buying these...doesn't have to be this brand...but some that work decently.  Another item you will just thank me for later ;)

A thwarted meal

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Tonight, I was going to blog about the dinner I had made. Did you catch those words...was & had... it was Past Tense. Tonight I was going to blog about the Whole Chicken I was going to roast. But...alas, my DH (Darling Hubby) has thwarted my dinner plans. But let me clarify...it was not on purpose that he did this...he's just well...he's a man. And though he is the most Brilliant man I know...he can also not think or ask if it's okay to take something from my kitchen ;) Any other day, this would of been fine...but the fact is that it was today...is what's funny and makes it a good story.

Every Monday morning, Josh has a breakfast meeting with everyone he works with. Last night, he made French Toast for the breakfast (isn't he nice?) Also last night, I was overly tired and pretty much unable to function so I had asked him if he would take the whole chicken out of the freezer and stick it in the fridge. That he did...but he took my roasting pan with him to work to help him carry all the plates and forks he also stole from the house.  Needless to say 4:30pm rolled around and I wandered into the kitchen to get started on the chicken and thankfully, I didn't start on the chicken first, but rather looked for the pan. When I saw it was missing it was like a light bulb came on above my head. I knew he had taken it from the house. So, I did what most woman would do...I screamed at him through email, LOL! Well I wrote in all caps demanding to know where my pan was, even though I knew it was with him...I just needed confirmation. Within 20 secs I had a phone call from my hubby who said right away...please don't scream at me. LOL!

It is kind of funny and entertaining and makes a good story. But it is also annoying and frustrating. He just didn't think about it. So I can only blame him so much. But I told him, he was making dinner and I gave him the option of Frozen Stuffed Shells or Grilling Cheeseburgers tonight. I hope he chooses the latter, because that is what now sounds good to me. So though there was no technical food blog...you did get a funny story :)

Chicken Cordon Bleu Burgers with an Apple Chutney Sauce

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My husband has a passion for burgers. And I love to be able to indulge his cravings for a decent burger from time to time. But I am not a burger making queen. My dear Rachael Ray holds that title. One of the reasons I enjoy her cooking and her show so much is because she cooks for the every day people. She makes food accessible and fun ...something you desperately need when your in the kitchen. Let's face it, we don't always want to be in the kitchen cooking. There are days when you just don't feel like it. Today was one of those days for me.

I've known what I was going to cook for dinner tonight most of the week.  Lucky for me, it's a meal I enjoy cooking because it involves different flavors and it mixes things up. But I've been fighting a headache off for the past few days and I really didn't want to cook tonight. But Josh got home a little bit earlier than expected and when I saw him walk in the door...for whatever reason...I got excited to make him this meal, because this meal is a rare treat for him. Tonight I was making Chicken Cordon Bleu Burger with an Apple Chutney sauce...on a burger?? I know, it's different right? It certainly doesn't sound your typical condiment for a burger. But I saw Rachael Ray make this recipe back in 2007 and I've made it several times since it aired and every time I get the same reaction from Josh. His eyes close as he sinks his teeth into the delicious moist burger while chutney drips off the bun and onto his plate and he give a slight groan as he licks his lips and says,
" This is amazing."

I love all the ingredients in this recipe and they are fun to play with. I think the most interesting thing though is making the patties. Ground chicken is a funny thing. It's incredibly lean and moist, which tends to make it on the mushy side when your sculpting your patties...not to mention very very messy. But before we get to the making of the burgers themselves...we have to start with the amaziness that is this burger...The Apple Chutney.  In order to make this delicious concoction,  you need apples, ( the recipe recommends Macintosh, but I used Gala) brown sugar, nutmeg, apple cider vinegar, and whole-berry cranberry sauce. Sounds like a pretty interesting mix of ingredients right? Well, you should smell them together. There is a slightest hint of a bitter smell in the air due to the vinegar...but the sweetness of the apples really compliments the bitterness. You heat up all the chutney ingredients except the cranberries until the apples are tender about 10minutes or so. Once the apples are soft and tender, reduce the heat and add the cranberries and it will thicken up. Then your done with that. It just hangs out on the stove grooving with each other until served on top of the burgers.

You are going to want to remove any and all jewelry on your fingers for this next part, because as I said earlier...it gets a little messy. Combine the ground chicken, swiss cheese, and ham ( I was using leftover honey baked ham from X-mas) some Thyme and grill seasoning in a bowl. Make sure all the ingredients are mixed well through because those are your only seasoning for the chicken itself. I take a little help from Rachael on the next part because it really does help with making the patties be an equal amount for everyone. Once everything is mixed together score the bowl into 4 sections and grab a section and start making a patty shape with your hands. Let me take one step back real quick...make sure your pan or grill is heating up while doing this. I was excited because I got to use my new cast iron grill pan. Place the patties in the pan and don't touch it for another 5-6 minutes...that's all the time you really need on each side of the patty. With that time you can either make some some sort of side to go with it. The burgers themselves are pretty filling so we just had Salt and Vinegar Kettle Chips with dinner. But if you get the recipe off Rachael's site she make a slaw salad and dressing to go along with it.

Here is the last twist to this fascinating meal...instead of buns, were using English Muffins! Who doesn't love an English muffin, they just sound so happy? Toast the muffins up in your toaster oven or in the broiler for just a few moments and then place the patty on the bottom muffin and then layer that wonderful good smelling chutney on top of the burger and place the top of the English on it and your all set. It really doesn't get much better than this meal. What's great about it is, if you don't have a grill or the weather is nasty out ( like it was here today) this meal is perfect for the weather and it works well with being cooked on the stove.

Looks good doesn't it? Well it is and I really hope you try it sometime because the smells alone will wrap you up and clothe you with tastiness. But the bite...is possibly better than the smell...if that is possible ;)
 
For the Burgers:
3 slices ham ¼ inch thick, diced into cubes
1 4-ounce  chunk swiss cheese, diced into ¼ inch cubes
1 ¼ lb ground chicken breast
2 sprigs thyme, chopped
2 TB grill seasoning
For the Chutney:
4 apples, cored and chopped
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup light brown sugar
nutmeg, freshly grated
½ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
¼ cup golden raisins
4 sandwich sized english muffins, split and toasted
1 large bag salt and vinegar potato chips
In a small saucepan, cook the apples, cider vinegar, brown sugar, and nutmeg until apples are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Once the mixture has reduced and is thickened add the cranberry sauce and raisins. Allow to sit while you make the burgers
In a large bowl, combine the ham, cheese, chicken, thyme, and grill seasonings and season with salt and pepper. Once mixed together, flatten the meat in the bottom of the bowl and score into 4 equal parts. Form patties about 1-inch thick. Preheat a large nonstick skillet with about 2 TB evoo, add patties and cook for about 5-6 minutes.
Place each burger on top toasted english muffins, top with apple-cranberry chutney sauce and serve with chips!
 
This recipe is linked to:

My Italian roots let me down

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I would be lying if I said I was anywhere near the perfect cook I wish I was. I haven't been to culinary school and I've never really learned techniques. I've had one semester of a healthy cooking and fitness class in Middle School and that was it. But for the most part...I am a decent cook and more often than not, the recipes I work on are successful. Which tells you what...last night's dinner was not successful...at least in my opinion.

I have the tendency to get easily stressed and anxious. I can multi-task...but I'm  not so good at it when I'm doing stuff I don't always do. And I really feel that it wouldn't be fair to anyone if I only wrote about my successes in the kitchen. I have failures too; like last night's Chicken Piccata.

Chicken Piccata is one of my favorite dishes. It is the only thing I will order when I go to Pastini ( a charming little Italian Restaurant) . Which is also the only place I've ever really found that serves that dish. What I love about it, is that it's light, the flavors aren't overpowering, and it's filling without making you feel like you've gorged yourself. I've been looking for a recipe for awhile now and I finally found one athttp://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/cooking-school-chicken-piccata and after reading the recipe probably a dozen times, I figured it looked simple enough...I can do this. WRONG!

As I look back on last night now...I can see several things that were pointing in the direction of a complete meltdown. About 35minutes before I was to start dinner...I got a horrible headache. It was a throbbing aching one at the very top of my forehead right where the hairline is. When I went to fetch the capers from my cupboard, I quickly scanned over the jar and I read it was immersed in Vinegar... but the capers needed to soak in water for 20 minutes...well I don't know if this had anything to do with it, but the jar expired in 2008, oops! And as far as prep work for the chicken and cooking it went, I was doing great. I sliced my chicken breast into cutlets perfectly. I pounded the meat to perfection without making any tears or holes. And it cooked up nicely. But around the time the last piece of chicken was done...the kids started to get ansty. Let me clarify for a moment right here, I had requested to make this dish with Josh when he got home...and he said that was fine...but I could tell from his tone that he was really tired so I went ahead with the meal on my own. Grace started asking me a ton of questions, Eden was roaming around yelling at everything (it's actually quite cute...it's not an angry yell, very playful) and I was trying to talk to Grace, while keeping an eye on the chicken, and dash over the baby gate that separates the kitchen from the living room so I could look at the recipe on the computer.  (Normally I have the recipe printed out, but for whatever reason, the computer has decided that for the last 6-9 months it has an attitude problem and refuses to print.)

Needless to say, I could feel myself starting to feel overwhelmed very quickly. I was trying to make a lovely Italian meal for my family. Normally Italian dishes come naturally to me, but tonight it wasn't going to happen. When it came time to make the Piccata Sauce, the pan was to hot and I had forgot to turn it down so when I first tried to pour the dry white wine into the pan, it screamed and bubbled till it practically evaporated and when I finally did get everything in there....then my pan made a huge POP sound and the liquid jumped right out of the pan all over the floor...which I then had to clean up while also trying to reduce a  sauce and add more ingredients too. I wanted to make the meal like the one I get at Pastini. So I had cooked up some Linguine noodles and I thought that if I doubled the sauce it would be enough to lightly coat the noodles. Wrong again. Around that time, Josh got home and he needed to change, etc. By the time he got back out...dinner was ready...if you want to call it that. The chicken was no longer hot ( my foil trick refused to work with me) the sauce was overcooked and there was nothing there but capers, ( that tasted horribly of vinegar, still) The noodles were dry. The only thing that turned out good was the corn I had prepared and the rustic bread that had a little butter on it.

We sat down and I took a bite and I could tell instantly that even the chicken that was cooked to perfection, it had waited to long to be eaten. I didn't even eat the noodles. Grace, was none the wiser. She loved it and cleaned her plate, God bless her. Josh was telling me it wasn't bad and I did good and I shouldn't be so hard on myself.  Eden ate the corn and bread.  I was so mad at myself and disappointed that I worked myself into a grumpy little frenzy and not even adorable little Eden who was sitting in my lap could make me smile.  When dinner was over, Josh got Eden in the tub. I think he knew that I needed time to myself, so that I could calm myself down and I did the dishes...which actually helped. As I scrubbed away the mess I had made...I felt better. I was scrubbing away a meal that didn't turn out perfectly...maybe it could of if it the circumstances had been different. But by the time the kitchen was clean...I was in a better mood. Only tired, by then. The kids went to bed shortly after that. We let them stay up so Eden could finish her milk and Grace wanted to watch Josh on the Wii Fit. But when the kids went to bed, Josh ran across the street to grab me a Frosty from Wendy's and you know what...I was in a much better mood then :)

I had taken pics to go along with this post. But I don't really feel the need to show what it's not supposed to look like. You know what I mean? So better luck next time right? I will try the recipe again someday. But for now...I think I will stick to going to a restaurant for my Piccata.

This Fish is a catch...baked Steelhead!

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Fish. Some people love it and some people hate it. I have always been a fish lover. Thank goodness, I married a man who has an equal appreciation for fish as well or I don't know what I would do. I feel kind of bad for my kids...they don't really stand a chance when it comes to eating the meals I prepare. Grace is not a picky eater...but I think she would be if Josh and I weren't so determined for her to keep an open mind and to just try everything. Grace has always been a good eater...even when she was a baby. But as she got older, some things didn't always look good to her. But, Grace loves fish (she gets really excited when we make it), she likes tomatoes ( something I didn't really even like till a few years ago), and she likes bell peppers (something else I was never fond of). Grace is a kid who always cleans her plate and I think the key to having a kid who likes food is repetition. Just keep offering it to them. Eden on the other hand is so different. She is picky. But, repetition is the way we work. And I know that the older she gets, she will embrace the meals I like and grow a healthy appreciation for them as well.

Last night, I made another fish meal and yet another recipe of my mom's. At some of the grocery stores around town, Steelhead was the most wanted fish. He was on sale and lookin tasty. At $4.99lb, I was not about to pass him up (yes, my fish is a he). For those of you who are not familiar with Steelhead, Steelhead is a trout...basically a bigger version of the Rainbow Trout, but more similar to a Pacific Salmon... and it tastes more like Salmon than a trout. Trust me on this, I've eaten a lot of Rainbow Trout ( I used to catch it with my dad) and I've eaten a lot of salmon...there is a difference in flavor...but not so much with the Steelhead. So if it's on sale again...buy it, you won't be sorry, but please take my mother's advice...when at the seafood counter as for a section that is not part of the tail. I don't know why, but this is what she told me to do and when it comes to fish...she pretty much knows her stuff. So last night, I got to work on my handsome (remember he's a boy fishy) pink fish. The first thing you should always do when preparing fish is rinse it off and pat it dry with paper towels. Josh didn't believe me, but when he went to cook fish a week ago, the cookbook told him so and I won! When he was nice and dried off I put him in a 9x13 baking dish and drizzled some EVOO over him. I didn't measure, but just enough for him to have a nice swim in it. Next get out your S&P ( salt and pepper) and season him. Then comes the yummy part...Brown Sugar. Who doesn't love a little brown sugar? Sprinkle some over your fish and then pat it down...and then take some lemon juice, and you don't need a ton...maybe 2 Tablespoons is good...but you just want enough to give the fish a good flavor.

Once you've got your fish all prepared...all you have to do is stick him in the oven and your nose will tell you when he's done. Have the oven preheated till 400 degrees and put him in the oven for about 20-25minutes. I cooked mine for 25 minutes and he turned out beautiful. The brown sugar, evoo, and lemon juice work as a glaze for the fish and really that is all you need. My dad likes a little tarter sauce with his though. At about 20 minutes into the cooking your home will have a delicious cooked fish aroma ( not a stinky aroma). Josh and I bought a little over a o1 lb and that was just enough for me and him and the kids.  For side dishes, I made a beautiful spring salad which consisted of green leaf lettuce, radishes, carrots, croutons, and craisins. And I also made ahead of time this afternoon my mom's homemade macaroni and cheese. It's the perfect side dish because it also cooks at 400 degrees and takes about 45-60 minutes to cook. So there wasn't a lot of prep work with this meal. Josh perfected the meal even more by running to the store to pick up a bottle of wine... Chardonnay, which goes very well with a Salmon...but since this was close to Salmon we figured it would do.

Josh and I always work together to get all the plates dished up with the food while our hungry munchkins look on and giggle at the thought of yummy food being only secs away. Dinner time is important for families and I know that by making healthy and tasty meals I am also creating memories for my darling children, which is really what dinner time is all about. Grace is becoming more interested in food and Josh and I, only grow closer...whether I'm doing the cooking or were doing it together. It's a bonding time for us all. My mother did it for all of us kids, and now I am following suit and it's one of the most rewarding things I can do as mom.

Steelhead dinner
Steelhead fillets
Evoo
lemon juice
salt and pepper
brown sugar
Rinse off the Steelhead and pat dry. Place in a baking dish and drizzle evoo all over the top. Season with Salt and Pepper. Sprinkle Brown sugar over top and pat down so there is a layer of brown sugar over the fish. Add some lemon juice for flavor.  Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 20-25minutes. Fish is done when the fish flakes!

I'm a list freak

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Have I ever mentioned that I am a list maker? Well, I am. I am completely obsessed with lists. I make tons of lists and I think it helps me remember stuff (duh), and help me keep track of the things I need or want...normally it's the want part though. The lists I'm currently working on you ask? Well I have several. Here is my list (haha) for the following lists:

1. My life list- things I want to accomplish, do, see, experience...whatever. I keep this one in my nightstand.

2. My song list- Cd's and songs that I someday hope to own or download...you get the idea?

3. My dvd list- I am a huge movie nut. I love them And I like to own them so yes, I have a list of movies I would like to own someday.

4. My Book List- I am always forgetting about books I want to read or buy...so I needed a place for those.

5. My clothing list- Haha, yes, I am big on fashion. And in need of items...so I like to have a list of everything I hope to buy...I've actually got a few things crossed off on that one...

Which brings me to the last list...my kitchen list. I don't know what I was thinking when I registered with Josh before we tied the knot...but neither one of us was thinking clearly. I think we were both so love struck and giddy that we really didn't think a thing through except the getting married part. Which is why...I have a list...some of the items aren't something I would of registered for...because maybe I didn't know what it was, or I didn't think I would use or...okay...yeah...I just wasn't thinking straight...my mind was on Josh...24/7! Don't believe me, ask his family...Josh and I could not get enough of each other...and it's still like that...only we are a bit more bearable to be around in person :) So here is my Kitchen List...it isn't in any particular order...just as I think of them or need them...

1. Cupcake pan with a lid! I can get these at Ross, but I really want one...it would make transporting cupcakes a whole lot easier. But I need a couple...because at some point I want to make Cupcakes for Awana and there are a lot of kids.

2. Cutting Board. It is still at Ikea and Josh told me I had to wait...so this is me waiting...and blogging about it and why I can't quite cross it off the list yet...

3. New Apron. I have a very sweet one that Grace and Eden made for me last year in the cubbies class for Mother's Day and it's great...but I would like a more girly apron...one that ties around the waist...I think they are so cute and feminine.

4. Dish Towels. Well we are still using the sets we got as wedding gifts and the sets I got as birthday gifts from my brother and his wife many many years ago. Let's say...some of them are dying :(

5. Wire Racks :) Yay, me...Josh made it possible for me to cross this one off the list a couple of weeks ago and I love him for it.

6. Utensil Holder. Another one of those wedding gifts that we registered for but we didn't really have a theme that we liked yet. So the one we have is White and shows every speck of dirt and food stain and it goes with nothing in my kitchen.

7. Cookie jar. I have been on the hunt for one of these for years now. Yes, I've looked online and I can't find anything that suits my kitchens mood. I had one that was my mom's. It was a momma bunny and a baby bunny leaning on each other and my mom used to tell me that it was me and her...well it broke during one of our moves...and I have never fully recovered from it. And I still have my snowman cookie jar in the kitchen :(

8. Kitchen Aid Mixer!!!!! This is my guilty pleasure gift and I could never ask someone to buy me one because of how expensive they are. But oh...my life could be so wonderful with one of these...Black or Stainless Steel is my color choice :)

9. Serving Dish. I have one...and I use it more as my cookie platter ( since I don't have a cookie jar) and really that's all I can use it for because it is one giant round plate. There is no dip in the middle. I am on the hunt for one I like.

10. Tart Pan. This is a very recent addition to my list. I want to get good at Tarts and you can use a pie pan...which I have...but it would look so much better if it were an actual tart pan. But the one I want has a removable bottom so you won't mess up the edges and you can slide it onto a serving platter of some sort ( I would use my cake Stand I'm sure. But I priced one out at Williams- Sonoma for $9.00. It's probably the cheapest thing they sell there, hahaha!

Tea Kettle. Ours broke. Er, well It's in the process of breaking down on us. We've had it for 3 years and we bought it at Ikea. But it's starting to leak and I refuse to use it because it's stainless but it looks like its all burnt and singed at the bottom where it leaks and I'm afraid one day it will burst into flames...yes I am dramatic like that. But until I get a new one...No tea for me.

So that is my list, thus far. I only have one thing crossed off :( But with a few trips to Ross and maybe one special trip to Williams-Sonoma...I can cross a few more things off. Btw- I forgot to mention to all of the other lists I do make...there is always the constant grocery list and dinner menu...menu just sounds better than dinner list...Right??? :)

Kitchen Item of the week: The Zester

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I feel bad that I didn't do this last week. Josh had a few days off and whenever that happens my time is absorbed in him and my family and everything else takes the back burner. And then since I was so behind on housework and stuff...it just never happened. But...here it is this week.

I probably have the most fun with this than I do with anything else. I just get really excited when a recipe calls for the zest of (insert food here).  It's my Micro-Plane Zester! Even the word Zester...is just fun to say...ZESTER!!! I first came across the zester on where else...but the Rachael Ray show. I saw her using it and I thought...wow- that's cool and I have to have it. And within a few months, I finally picked one up at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I think it only cost like $13.99. So yeah, it was expensive...but it has paid for itself many times.

You can literally zest anything with it. I use it for grating garlic and fruits like lemons or limes. And like in the picture you could even do ginger root. Onions are incredibly easy to grate and you don't tear up at all. I feel like flavors are really enhanced when you include the zest into your food. Of course my favorite thing to zest is Garlic. I'm obsessed with garlicky foods and I love the way my hands smell after touching garlic that's been squeezed out of it's wrapper. Anyways, this is my kitchen item of the week. It's a small fortune to buy it, but worth every penny!