Happy things

I just finished making cookies for my life group for tomorrow night (surprise guys - that's what you're getting) and I had to share my delight in the new kitchen tool that Keith brought home from work last night. Odd-size measuring spoons! Now I know you're probably thinking: why would someone be so excited about having a 2 tsp, 1 1/2 tbsp and 2 tbsp measurement device? Well, I admit it. I, too, scoffed when I first learned of their existence, but I also scoffed at the cookie scooper ("what's wrong with two spoons?" HAH!) until the first time I used one. And then there was the first time I used a METAL cookie scooper, but that's an entirely different story. Well, I'm a scoffer no longer. The odd-size measuring spoons are great! Need 2 tsps of vanilla? No problem. Gone is the trying not to spill over the edge of a teeny tiny flattened out 1 tsp spoon, only to have to repeat the action without spilling again. With one swift motion, 2 tsps can be added simultaneously. Need 1 1/2 tablespoons of something? That used to require 1 tbsp, 1 tsp and 1/2 tsp. Not anymore! Now it's one single scoop! I might just have to suggest to Keith that the odd-size measuring cup set would make a fine gift someday.

Aside to Shannon: you may just be the only person who gets truly excited about this. Or perhaps you're scoffing, too? I'm curious.

Speaking of good things from the very nice kitchen store, Keith also brought home our very own set of cornflower blue nesting melamine mixing bowls. [/Monica voice on] I know! [/Monica voice off] Very exciting as well! Handy little pour spout, rubber grip bottom... wait. [/Mr. Peterman voice on] Essential equipment for cooking and baking, our lightweight melamine bowls are an asset in any kitchen. Each has a nonslip rubber ring on its base to help hold the bowl securely in place. A handle and contoured lip allow you to neatly pour batter into a baking pan or onto a griddle. And because the bowls won't react with acidic foods, they're ideal for preparing marinades. [/Mr. Peterman voice off] I think we had pancakes for dinner tonight simply so that we could actually put one to use. The pancakes were quite yummy with a fruit salad topping and a light dusting of icing sugar from our W-S icing sugar shaker, and of course the bowl didn't disappoint either. (Uh oh. I'm afraid I'm becoming a food snob.)

One last happy thing. Keith and I have been talking about getting either and ice cream maker (his idea) or a bread maker (my idea) from his work for a couple months. No longer necessary. Luck was on my side this past Saturday (back in CO, where I didn't have to worry about fitting stuff into a very packed Chevrolet Uplander) as I found BOTH an ice cream maker and a bread maker. The bread maker is a little on the vintage side, and the first attempt fell a little short (literally), with a half-loaf resulting from realizing that we don't normally own active dry yeast AFTER all the other ingredients were already added. Thus, they began forming a rather glue-like paste at the bottom of the little bread-forming pan long before the ... whirr (pause) whirr (pause) whirr ... of the paddle was allowed to begin. BUT! the ice cream maker, still in original packaging and reportedly used only once (ever - ?!), has already been used to successfully create a rather delicious peanut butter cup ice cream with the assistance of a container of Trader Joe's peanut butter cups that were purchased in a west end St. Louis suburb store - the closest one to CO on our route home. Getting there took a little bit of preplanning, but it was well worth the effort. Anyhow, thank goodness for willpower: the ice cream is almost entirely still in the freezer after more than two full days. But really - when you see what goes in, it is much easier to only want a little at a time.

So now we just need to decide between the Kitchen Aid pasta maker attachment and the 11-quart Cuisinart food processor. Decisions, decisions.

Or maybe I'll just go garage saling (yes, that is an accepted internet word) again.