Kitchen Goodness

A compilation of some of my favorite cooking and eating related things. Enjoy!!

(again, add your own suggestions in the comments block - add a link if you can find one)

Penzey Spices - Fantastic gifts for the cooks in your life (and perhaps a little treat for yourself as well). Great for standard spices for baking and cooking but also has an extensive collection of Indian spices.

• Sunny Paris - Absolutely fantastic on scrambled eggs - wow! Works great sprinkled on roasted vegetables or in sauces too. You can't go wrong!!
• Pure Vanilla - This is real vanilla in its finest form. For those recipes that really need a quality shot of vanilla.
• Spice Gift Packs - 4-packs and 8-packs of various types of spices for any occasion and style of cooking.

Hot Chocolate

• Allegro Brand Indian Spice -available at Whole Foods Market
• Burdick's Hot Chocolate - The *Best* hot chocolate in the world - expensive, but if you love hot chocolate - utterly worth the price! Dark is incredibly strong - not for the faint of palate! White is sweet and dreamy! Milk - it's like a melted cup of milk chocolate.
• Godiva Hot Chocolate - This one wins second place for delectable hot chocolate! I prefer the dark - it's got depth without being bitter.
• Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipe - From Whole Foods Market. I love Mexican Hot Chocolate!

Candy Cane Joe-Joes - This is heavenly Christmas flavor wrapped in a cookie - and it only appears at Christmas. Crushed candy canes folded into creamy frosting layered between two chocolate cookies! If you like Oreo's you will love these so much more!

Almond Roca - Toffy nutty chocolatey goodness wrapped in a lovely golden wrapper!

Yummy Cheese - Sugarbush Farms. Incredible cheese made in VT.

Maple Syrup - real stuff! - Sugarbush Farms. Read up on the Maple Syrup grades - the syrup gets darker as the season continues.

Lake Champlain Chocolate Carmels - Truly some of the best chocolates I've ever tasted.

WilliamsSonoma - Silicone spatula - The silicone spatula is one of the best all purpose kitchen tools. It works as a stirring tool, rubber scraper, it's dishwasher safe, and delightful to use!

WilliamsSonoma - Whisk - I love this whisk!! It doesn't rust, the tines stay put and it feels great in your hand. I suggest a little gift set of whisk, spatula and hot chocolate or dish towels.

Best Kitchen Drying Towels - I've got one of these fantastic towels. They suck up the water quickly and dry your dishes in no time flat!

• Christmas Dish Towel
• Dish Towel
• Dish Towel
• Dish Towel
• Flour Sack Towels: set of three
• Dish Towel

Mini Colander - A fantastic mini colander perfect for a single serving of washed fruits and veggies!

Flirty Aprons - A friend has one of these delightfully cute aprons. Want to add a little fifties flare to your kitchen - tie one of these on for size!

Red Plate Special - A perfect gift for anyone who deserves to feel special on any day!

America's Test Kitchen Website - Are you a fan?? If not - see what the fuss is about click here and watch an episode or two!

America's Test Kitchen Cookbook - I *LOVE* this cookbook. I've used it to bake cookies, breads, salads, pie crusts, meats.... etc. You can't go wrong with this fail-safe book. Better than any other all purpose cookbook!

Mexican and Yucatecan Recipes - My mom and I took a cooking class from the man who runs Los Dos in Merida, Mexico. His recipes are fantastic if you enjoy Mexican food.

Games Games Games

Well here it is, the start of my gift ideas. Check back every few days for some new ones.

And definitely, most definitely, if you have a favorite

game share it along with why in the comments!

(some of my favorite games)

I've arranged them by ages-ish (take that with a grain of salt)

and I've included where you can purchase said games!

Enjoy and let the games begin!!!

Young-uns and family:

• Apples to Apples - A classic game that lets each person decide what's the silliest, slimiest, scariest, grossest, stupidest, prettiest, happiest, well you get the idea. Can be purchased at: Target, WalMart, Amazon.com.
• Guess Who? - This is a great one for little ones who are learning how to notice categories and groups, as well as older ones who want to ask the question that will let them put down the most people. Can be purchased at: Target, WalMart, Amazon.com.

Medium-size and Family:

• Mastermind - Love playing this with kids. A two person game where one player creates a pattern of four with 6 different colored pegs. The other person has to guess the pattern by making the pattern herself. Very much a thinking game - I've played it with 9 year olds quite successfully. It's fun! Can be purchased at: Target, WalMart, Amazon.com.
• Scotland Yard - A fantastic game that pits players against the elusive Mr. X. Players roam around London using, taxi's, trains, and walking to capture Mr. X. A fantastic gamily game. Can be purchased at: Target, Amazon.com

Full-Grown and Family:

• Othello - A really clever take on Tic-Tac-Toe but infinitely more fun and tricky to play. Can be purchased at: Amazon.com
• Settlers of Catan - One of my favorites - a strategy building game. Your goal is to create the longest road and link towns together. I salute Celeste and Matt who first introduced me to this game. Whenever I play it I picture them!! Can be purchased at: Target, Amazon.com
• The Big Idea - It's a hilarious game - you'll have to read the website description to get the full effect (please pardon the company name, but I do laugh every time I think of how their executives introduce themselves at trade shows). They also have a "where to find a place that sells this game in your area" button - use it and enjoy! There are even free downloadable games. Have a browse through their website!
• Dominoes - You can't go wrong with Dominoes - so many ways to play them. Click here to learn how to play.

Two fantastic puzzle and game manufacturers are Pressman Toys and Ravensburger (click on either name and it will take you to their site where you can find oodles and gobs of new and wonderful games) look for them in your local puzzles and games store. If you don't have a local shop well, Target and the Internet are the next best thing!!

Sick Sick Sick

Today I am sick. Not a throw up sick. Not a temperature sick. But a good old chest cold sick. Chest colds and I go waaaaaaaay back. I always had chest colds and sinus infections as a kid. Thankfully, chest cold and sinus infection have chosen other targets as I've gotten older.

There!!! There it is, a good reason for getting older!!!!!

I remember long hot showers, chicken noodle soup, lots and lots of apple juice, naps and reading in bed as the way I got over colds as a kid (well, and the occasional trip to the Doctor for a dose of Antibiotics). Strangely enough, that's still how I get over colds today.

And you - how do you get over colds??

Good good life

Random tidbits...

1. Parents love you more and know you better

than anyone else. Take your troubles to them.

The advice they give has your best interest at heart.

2. I get to be home in beautiful Montana for 2 whole weeks

at Christmas and New Year's!! I don't know

if words exist to express how excited I feel.

3. I will be finished with school in 6 weeks

and, supposedly,

I will be a "Master" in school libraries!!!!

Wahooooooooooooo!

Now to find a job....

Stay tuned I am going to post my

First Annual Christmas List:

A guide for every age (and budget)

in a few....