New Toy

I am so excited! This weekend we...wait for it...got a rebel XSi. I know what some of you are thinking your computer broke like a million years ago why not replace that. Well I have no idea. The old college HP seems to be doing ok as long as I don't open internet explorer. Now I just need to learn how to use the camera. Hopefully this will give me some killer pics of the food we make. Now I just need a stage of some sort. Like those light boxes people use for jewelry. I saw one person just use two wood cutting boards. That seems simple enough. I have seen so many great pictures where the object just pops out. I'll have to research that. I only wish we had the camera when we went on our last trip to the four corners area. The other camera I used I never used the flash b/c it would not do the food justices. I think I will try the same with this one. Everything I read says natural light is the best for food shots. Now I just need to figure out how to turn the flash off.

Foods Across America

Do you ever crave a food you had when you were on vacation? I know I do! Boy do I have a website for you. It is foodsacrossamerica.com. Here are some places you can order from:

• Anchor Bar
• The Original Philadelphia Cheesesteak Co.
• Carnegie Deli
• Key West Key Lime Pie Co.
• Café Du Monde

It is a perfect gift for someone that is home sick or just loves food!

2009 Cookbook

Hurray! I am almost done with my 2009 Cookbook. I'm so excited. Just a few more touches and I'm done. I even have a pic for almost every recipe:) I'm going to turn it into a pdf if anyone wants a copy just let me know and I can email it to you. So, I came up with this rating system like if it is fast, slow, hard, healthy, etc. I'm not sure if I want to keep it though. I have only done the breakfast section and it takes forever to do. I kinda don't think it adds much to it ya know. Plus if I take it out then I'm done! Also who am I to say if something is healthy. Pretty much everything I eat is covered in butter or fried. J/K but I do eat a lot of it.

This cookbook has a few old recipes from the first two books that I love. I thought it might be best to combine into one book. There are about 60 new recipes that I can't wait to share with everyone. One of which is called a Sopapilla Cheesecake. A friend at work brought one up for a holiday party and boy was it yummy. So much that I just had to find how to do it online. We made it with our tamales this year. It is pretty sweet though so cut in small portions.

I'm thinking about adding a sections on tips. I have done it in the past and find it helpful. I can never seem to remember how much fresh herbs equals to dry. Plus I can add my new knowledge on kosher salt.

Cookbook Release Date: 1/12/09

Update: You can download it here:
http://www.thetrendymommy.com/Kris/2009AllcornCookbook.pdf

CorningWare French White

One of my favorite cookwares is this CorningWare French White from Macy's. I use the 2 1/2 qt one for just about any appetizer I make. They are oven safe so it is great for dishes like spinach artichoke dip. Plus they have the plastic top great for taking a dish over to a friends house. The whole set is usually $35 on sale. It is a great gift for any newly wed.

Movie Popcorn

My second passion in life is movies. So, much that my family through me a backyard movie party for my last birthday. It was so much fun we watched a movie on a huge inflatable screen in my sisters backyard. My parents bought me a real live popcorn machine. I love it. You can find them at Costco. Movie rooms are all the rage in Dallas right now and pretty much every one has a popcorn machine to go with it. Matt and I love game night too. Almost as much as movie night. Our popcorn machine is great for both. One of my new favorite games is Pictionary Man. It just came out so we had to buy it and boy is it so much fun. There are 3 objects (one that looks like a man). Then they give you a word and you can draw on the objects and/or act out that word.

Potato Ricer

All the magazines right now are showing the potato ricer as the best way to make mashed potatoes. So, I did some research to find out just what they were talking about. It is really just another technique to make them. Instead of using a hand mixer or masher you place the potato instead and squeeze the potatoes out. Kinda a cool idea. I remember seeing them in antique store not knowing what they were. So, I thought it was a lost art but boy was I wrong. Some sites say you can make hash browns with them as well. That made me start thinking what else I can make and my potato soup came to mind. They run about $20. If you are super bored at work check out this article from LA Times. It is pretty good. http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-tool19dec19,1,2860635.story?coll=la-headlines-food

KitchenAid Potato Peeler

I'm so excited about this week; potatoes are my all time favorite side. I'm always trying to find new ways to cook them b/c we get tired of doing the same thing. I do however have a few that I use over and over. While I love potato skins I do peel them for almost every recipe. To do that I have the best peeler ever. I absolutely love it. I think we got it at Bed Bath and Beyond. I even got two for when one is in the washer. Did you know you can do more with them then just potatoes? Here are some ideas:

• Peel other vegetables like carrots
• Peel fruit like apples
  
• Shave chocolate for fancy desserts
• Shave Parmesan for a caesar salad
• Shave vegetables for thin slices (great for carrots on salads)
  
• Slice garlic

Pie Shield & Guard

Pie making time is just around the corner. I received a catalog today for company called King Arthur Flour. Man did they have some of the coolest gadgets. I would love to buy pretty much the whole catalog. What stuck out particularly was their piecrust shield and oven guard. In the past we have just used foil but these look great and are reasonably priced. They have a bunch of recipes online as well.

Bloomin Onion

Check out this cool onion cutter. It will cut an onion perfectly for blooming onions. You can find it a KegWorks.com for $489.50. Okay, it is a little pricey for me, but I couldn't resist sharing it. If I had a restaurant this would be my first gadget buy.

Fleur de lis Pumpkin

Hurray! Pumpkin carving time. Last weekend Matt and I finally carved our pumpkins. It was so much fun. This year I decided to do my favorite symbol the fleur de lis. It is really easy to do. I just googled it, printed it out, and traced it. Matt did all the carving. The grocery store had this amazing carving kit. One of the tools in it was this saw like thing that traced the outline. It is one of the best inventions ever. Very easy to use. Happy Halloween Everyone!

Pie Slicer

Last Friday my brother was in town and we went to to our favorite restaurant Babe's. My mom pointed out this really cool slicer they had to cut their pies. I just feel in love with it. You can buy your own at chefcentral.com for $24.99. Try making a "poison" apple pie this Halloween. To add a cute little touch buy a cookie cutter shaped as an apple to make a design on the top crust. Another idea is so make it with the regular crust but with your leftover dough cut out apples and add to the top.

Gifts under $20

	One of my favorite gifts is a super cute apron. One of my favorite places to get them from is Anthropologie. You can also find really cute home-made ones one etsy.com like the one on the left from Boojiboo for only $18.75.
	For the ice cream lover there are this really cute ice cream sandwich makers from http://www.sporks.com/ for $14.97. You can also find them in stores like Williams Sonoma.
	A great way to hold those recipe cards that are piling up are in a simple photo album like this one. The 4 X 6 index cards fit perfect in them. One way to personalize the gift is to add one of your favorite recipes with a photo of the dish. You can find this one at Walgreens for only $12.99. If you wanting to spend more check this one out at renaissance-art.com.
	Magazines are a great gift that keep on giving. One of my favorites is Food & Wine. Other magazines I enjoy are Cook's Illustrated and Cook's County.
	For the wino of the group grab a few wine collars at Sur La Table for $12.95. These are great for red wines.

Hard Boiled Eggs

Ok, I was pretty bored one night and came across this hard boiled egg mold. I thought it was too funny. Perfect for if your kids that won't eat their eggs. You can find them on ichibankanusa.com.

So, when I first started making hard boiled eggs I would get a green layer around the yolk, but if done properly you can get the perfect egg. Some things I love to do with hard boiled eggs are egg salad sandwich, deviled eggs, and cobb salad. Here are some tips/steps to follow to get the perfect egg:

1. Check the eggs for any visible cracks; if so toss.

2. In a pan filled with water gently place the eggs in a single layer. Make sure the water covers eggs completely.

3. Over high heat, bring water just to a rapid boil. As soon as the water reaches a rapid boil, remove pan from heat and cover egg pan with a lid for 17-20 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and drain water. Add ice cubes and cold water to the pan with the eggs.

5. Check to make sure they are done by the spin test. (If it can stay up and spinning then it is ready)

6. Let eggs cool at least 10 minutes in cold water, then drain.

7. Now they are ready to peel. I gently crack it where the air pocket is normally on the larger end. Then peel under cold water.

Zoo Pancakes

This week is Breakfast at Tiffanys. Not only is that my all time favorite movie but it is my favorite meal of the day. My dad would make the best Mickey pancakes in the world. I haven't been so lucky. Instead I found a heart shape mold for special occasions. Gooseberry Patch has the cutest zoo animal pancake pan ever. If you have room in your cabinets it is a must for little ones. For your pancake mix I like the Pioneer Brand. Take it up a notch and add strawberries or blueberries.

Presto Cool Daddy

The Texas State Fair is in full swing. We went out there and tried the fried bacon. It was pretty tasty. For those of you that have never been the state fair is known for frying the craziest things from Dr Pepper to this years pick bacon. After going this year it put me in a mood to fry everything in the house. I adore the deep fryer we got for our wedding. It makes the best french fries. One thing I do hate is the smell. My entire house is covered in the grease smell when I use it. I think you will get that with any fryer though. This week I will be frying chicken, jalapenos, and even pickles!

Apple Core

It is finally apple season! This week is "Apple a Day." Today is all about the melon baller. Ever have a hard time getting the core out of your apple. Here is an easy way:

1. Cut the apple in half

2. Use a melon baller to scoop the insides out

3. Spread peanut butter on top and you are ready to go (optional)


It is that simple! If you don't have a melon baller a teaspoon works too. I have tried the apple corer you can by at like bed bath and beyond, but it never gets it all and it ends up being more work than need. Plus that thing is dangerous!

Cupcake Holder

I just love the idea of a cupcake holder. It is perfect for when you are bring cupcakes to a party plus it will keep them fresh. There are also individual sized ones at cupacake.com. They are perfect to send with your sweetie to work. You can also bring them on a picnic for an extra little treat. I found the one on the left from Crate and Barrel.

A muffin pan works as well. They don't hold as many but it works. If you are having troubles getting them out just use two knives and bring extra icing and topping with you. Even better just top them when you get there.

Egg Cooker

With Easter just around the corner I realized there must be a better way to boil eggs. If you anything like me you can never figure out when your eggs are done. One tip is spinning them, but I have found you have to wait forever for them to cool. Williams Sonoma finally has the answer for us. It is called the Chef's Choice Egg Cooker. I haven't tried it yet, but what do you have to lose.

Tastebook Part 2

Alright! You can now upload pictures to tastebook. It just gets better and better. I'm going to start working on my next cookbook through them. I'll let yall know how it goes.

Le Creuset Dutch Oven

I love my Le Creuset Dutch Oven. It is by far my favorite pot. It is great for soups, stews, pot roasts, and pretty much anything else you want to cook in it. I know they are a little pricey but it is worth it. Be prepared to get a workout while you cook. They are heavy.