Best Xmas Present Ever

I meant to blog about this a while ago, but it didn't happen.  The Boyfriend was determined to buy me a Kitchen-Aid Professional 6 Quart Mixer. I wouldn't let him because they're so expensive.  So then I found an amazing deal on it at Christmas time.  So I said, okay.    His winning argument to buy it was that my hands hurt everytime I bake (I screwed them up when I tiled the floor).  He said it upsets him to see me in so much pain doing something I love to do.  I am so glad I agreed to spend the money.  It is so amazing.

Clay Pot Cooking

I picked up this clay pot cooker from freecyle. OMG, it's amazing!

On my first attempt to use it I soaked for for way longer than the 10 minutes they recommend. Then I put a whole chicken rubbed w/ 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joe's and some butter, threw it on top of some potatoes and carrots. Then it goes in a cold oven set to 425 for an hour. I think I left it in for closer to an hour and a half. I took the lid off (holy crap was there a lot of liquid in there) and let it sit for ten minutes to crisp up the skin. I make an amazing roast chicken, but this was easily the juiciest, most amazing chicken I ever made.

I've also done a beef stew (I shouldn't have added any stock, it wound up boiling over, hence the stains on the bottom) and a rump roast. Both were awesome!

When I first got it, I was searching for recipes online. There's a lot of variance in temperatures and times. What I will say is don't stress it. This is like slow cooker cooking, but faster. Probably a great solution for those of us who forget to plug in the slow cooker and come home to cold food...not that I ever do that...

Soak it. Dump the stuff in. Put it in the oven. Turn it on and go about your day. So far everything I've put in has been fully cooked in 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Temperature...I've been sticking with 425 and that's been working for me. It has an enamel coating inside, which makes clean up easy. I would definitely recommend picking up one of these.

Amana's Jot Dry Erase Refrigerator

Amana's Jot Dry-Erase Refrigerator looks pretty neat.

I found this pic it over at Cookie Magazine's Nesting Blog. (Not a magazine I subscribe to since it's geared towards moms that are so worried about other people's opinions that they don't think twice about spending a couple of grand on a stroller instead of putting that money towards a their child's education or perhaps donating it to a worthwhile cause. I mean seriously, what's wrong with people? They're going to use it maybe two years, why would you throw money away like that?!) Anyway, I digress, but I first read it about it over at Kitchen Design Notes.

I like the concept, but most dry erase boards start getting that shadow effect...where you can't really erase the marker off of it anymore...after a while. I wonder how long this would work for, and what kind of warranty it had. I also wonder if you could just paint your fridge with dry erase paint and get the same effect.