I have spent many years acquiring my kitchen arsenal and to be honest, most of my best stuff was picked up at thrift stores and garage sales and professional kitchen supply stores. Not fancy mall places, but strip mall stores where regular restaurant  kitchens buy their stuff. They are open to the public and priced for use, not decoration!

long metal tongs- used for grilling, flipping stuff in a hot pan, tossing salad, basically an extension of your own arm

sharp kitchen knife- pick one up at a kitchen supply store along with a simple sharpening wand- they can be sharpened on the bottom of a ceramic coffee cup in a pinch!

cast iron skillet- Lodge is the best brand, but you can frequently find them at thrift stores, antique stores and garage sales. Look for one that has a smooth cooking surface and no cracks. Keep it seasoned by rubbing a little oil into it after each washing. I wash in really hot water with an abrasive scrubber and minimal soap to keep the seasoning in longer.

large stainless cook pot- these can be spendy. The only real money I have spent on kitchen items (besides the espresso machine) was on really nice stainless cook pots but you can get cheaper ones if you look around. Or, you can hint around to your loved ones that you would like one for Christmas! Go for one with a heavy bottom for better heat distribution.

large frying pan- get one with a lid. Take your existing one to goodwill and find one that fits it, do whatever you have to, short of stealing, to make this happen.

pepper mill- is a must have. you can get one for 15 bucks at Target or Macy’s or Fred Meyer or anywhere that sells kitchen stuff. Just say no to pre-ground pepper!

slim metal spatula- slim is better than thick, so if you are going to have one, make it slim, although I occasionally want a smaller thick one for certain uses

long handle metal spoons, slotted and regular- I use these for cooking anything that is getting mixed around in a pan from veggies to stewed meats to soups and they are good multitaskers for serving

microplane- I am not sure how I survived before I discovered this essential tool! My microplane gets so much use I think I will need a new one before summer is over

box grater- get one with large grate and small grate. I have never successfully used those weird extra pointy sides without hurting myself

small basket strainer- we are going to make enchilada sauce and cocktails and straining pith and seeds from lemon juice, so you’re gonna need it

citrus press- old fashioned glass counter top style with a reservoir and pouring spout. You are going to be using a lot of lemons from now on, so buy one for 5 bucks next time you go by an antique store or garage sale. Dont spend more than 5 bucks on one!

blender- I know that these aren’t cheap, but pick one up at Target (I actually need to get a new one) because it will make your life easier

thin dishtowels- these are good for spills, using as hotpads (as long as they are dry) and for keeping foods warm, to covering rising bread and squeezing liquid from things

cheese cloth- you can pick this up at any grocery store

multiple mixing bowls-if you have a set with lids, you can use them for storing leftovers, but have a wide variety of sizes to make your life easier

measuring cups- I like the pyrex kind because they can go in the microwave

measuring spoons

cutting boards

Make sure you have a healthy assortment of serving platters, bowls and utensils. I like to serve any old Tuesday dinner in pretty dishes. The holidays only come around so often, so why not?

Up next, the Essential 4 ingredients and other staples to keep on hand…

love, h

Another thing I love to do is help people, so what better way to combine two things that I love and do some blogging about home cooking? My goal here is to help and inspire and explain the why behind a lot of the techniques I use to make great food, to share recipes that are extremely cheap and easy to prepare, because we can all use a little help pinching our pennies, and teach folks how easy it is to cook things properly! No more mushy veggies!! Food should not be boring, bland or overcooked! Food should be fresh, flavorful, and satisfying.

One thing that I have discovered while mulling over this idea for the past year, is that writing recipes is HARD! So hang in there, ask questions if I am unclear, and good luck in cooking!

Love Hayla

• use existing crafting supplies for projects
• read at least a dozen books
• relax and listen more
• build a worm bin
• nurture my existing relationships
• foster a few more close friendships
• banjo
• fortify the defenses!
• creatively remodel
• make more lists!

Also, I should add blog more, but that is kind of the point of this post. It’s like journaling, only for aging genXers!

Thanks for listening. And, here is a picture…

Strawberry cake for the Birthday Boy!

It is the prettiest cake I ever made! Though I am afraid that it happened last April and it is the most recent photo on my laptop. I think I need to add taking more photographs to my list.

love, h

Tree realized

Obviously I can not post pictures of everything I make, or “everyone” will see the sweet stuff I have made for them!

Yet Another Tree

Yeah, for some reason I am obsessed with trees.

xo,

H

Concept Tree

I got myself a little sketch book and have been filling it with ideas. Since I have such a huge stash of stuff in my craft room I am trying to focus on projects, at the moment anyway, where I don’t need to buy anything. I am pretty excited to see how this works out!

xo,

H

Tree #2 root system

Tree #2 root system

I have had so much fun today and been so energized, that I kind of fell like I have been doing something wrong. This is the only thing in my life that I have been instinctively good at; I understand how it works like it is an extension of my own arm. I love it.

xo

H

So, we got a kitten. It has been on the agenda since our last unsuccessful adoption a few years ago. We got a cat for Q at the animal shelter in Tacoma. We had gone in for a kitten but after telling the volunteer about our dogs, she basically strong armed us into getting a grown up cat. When we brought her home, our worst fears were realized,  she would have none of it and promptly moved out of the house. After hanging around on the sidewalk for a few weeks, one of our neighbors took her in and that was that. Q has never forgiven us for it.

This summer, we started considering trying again, but our littlest monster was far to aggressive with the dogs so we set the goal of getting one for Christmas. It wasn’t looking too good until the other night when we observed him at an aunts house around her cat. I realized that cats can take care of their personal space much better than dogs can. It will only take a few swats from a paw to convince him to be extra nice.

During a particularly productive Sunday we decided to make a stop at the animal shelter and see if there were any kittens. We got a lecture, again, about the benefits of adult cats, but managed to escape intact and found ourselves a perfectly well rounded little one. She is totally curious, playful and cuddly. She purrs like a buzz-saw. I am completely in love! Penny hasn’t met her yet, but I think that they will get along swimmingly. Hopefully I will be able to post a picture of them cuddling soon.

Three hours after being spayed!

Oh, and the name. We were in the car after picking her out, trying to come up with a name. Q suggested Battlestar Galactica, which immediately lead to Starbuck. My absolute favorite female character of all time. The kids were pissed and keep calling her Tracey. I am sticking with my insistence that since I am the mom, I get to name the dependents.

xo,

H

I have a confirmed talent for moving to within a 5 block radius of great independent yarn shops, and have been haunting the one by my house. It is actually a dangerous city block for me. There is a boutique meat store, a cute little kids clothing consignment shop and a yarn shop, one next to the other, right on the route I take to get the kids to and from school. Dangerous. They all know me now, and soon, no doubt, we will be on a first name basis.

So I have been buying skeins of  pretty yarn and trying to figure out how to make hats and scarves for myself and the fam. For some reason crochet patterns baffle me so I have been winging it. I have made and unmade about a dozen over the course of the last month. Gus got two pretty good ones, though my favorite has been lost and I have no photographic evidence of its existence, so you will have to take my word for it. The one I made for Asa is the best so far. Quite beautiful if I don’t say so myself. I am hoping to make some for my sweet little nieces if I ever get their head measurements from their mother (hint, hint). Perhaps I could sell them. Asa told me that a classmate BEGGED her for the hat I made. That pleased me.

I decided several months ago to go to some sort of DIY craft fair this winter with a bunch of hair pretties to sell, but that has kind of fizzled thanks to my crisis. I suppose I still have time to get in on one before Christmas though, if only I can force myself to do it.

I will apologize to you, nonexistent reader, for the crappy pictures. But you know my policy; No post without pictures.

Hearts Flowers Hair Pretties

Flowers

Pretty Hat for Asa

Gus Modeling

Love and love,

H

I love cooking- it fits right in with my general love of making things- and I feel like I can say that over the years I have gotten pretty good at it. I am a firm believer in the notion that you can never know enough and the moment you decide that you have nothing more to learn, is the moment that your ego has gotten too big for its britches and needs a good spanking. But I digress…

Jeremy has proven over and over to be great at what he does and his attitude in the kitchen was fantastic. He treated me like I was fully competent to handle whatever issues that needed to be tended to. With gentle guidance, he saw to it that I had a hand in almost every one of the 11 dishes we put out. When he presented me with a chef’s coat at the start of the day I felt like a little girl on Christmas morning! I did in fact, keep it on all day- even after I changed into my party dress! It was such a great day. I can’t wait to find an excuse to do it again.

And for your viewing pleasure, some mustache pics…

Hayla and beautiful Iris

Coy

xo

In the past year we have dealt with…A huge move; I am convinced that it was the biggest in the history of the world! A major remodel of the old house. It was at least 5 months of work that we pulled off in about 4 weeks. General dealing with raising three kids under the age of 10. The death of our beloved Great Dane, Peter Peter Pumpkineater. And I am sure I could go on, but I won’t.

Another problem with the blogging is that I refuse to post a blog without a photo or two and I can not for the life of me figure out how to re-size the pictures I have taken of all the crafting I have done over the past year. Kelli, who has been kicking my ass at blogging, even downloaded some program onto my laptop that does it and I still cant figure it out. If I were to be honest, I haven’t given it much of a try because of the overwhelmingly pressing nature of everything else going on in my life. But in a fit of nervous energy the other day I made a big list of things that I want to be doing and blogging was near the top so I guess I need to figure it out!

I have done a number of projects since I last posted, including:

• refine my needle felting skills on many a cute hair pretty (I even sold some!)
• make an elaborate Queen of Hearts costume for my best friends Halloween costume wedding
• make a quilt top for my daughter
• super cute dollies for my nieces (can be found at Turtle Weenies)
• gifted a number of hand made (by me and the hubster), plasma cut wall hangings to my family members
• and undoubtedly many more things that I have since forgotten.

Now, let me see if I can’t get some pictures onto this post….

I was very sick with the Swine Flue this day

I actually sold these (pictured clipped to the wall art I made)

Me in the old shop blissfully using the plasma cutter. I get goosebumps just looking at it.

I gave these hair clips to my nieces for xmas with their dollies.

I got the pattern for these ones from one of my favorite blogs, Inside a Black Apple (I will try to figure out how to link to her)

OH! I made the best blanket ever for my 10 year old this winter! I decided I needed to use up my stash of gifted yarn balls that I had been accumulating over the years so I settled on a patch quilt. It did not take long for me to realize that I didn’t have the patience for that! It takes way too much time and energy to make a whole bunch of squares, all the same size out of a whole bunch of different kinds of yarn! So I had the genius idea of crocheting a series of scarves and hooking them together when I was done. That way I could use all kinds of different yarns and as long as I made them the same length it would work out. And I came up with one of the best blankets I have ever made. I tried to keep it for myself because I liked it so much, but he wasn’t having any of that! I will take a picture at some point and post it. And now, I can buy as much new yarn as I want!

xo for now,

H