2012 October

my new Maytag kitchen!

10/31/2012 by Annalise · 1 Comment

Remember when I told you that we were getting some new appliances soon?

Well, they are finally here! We have a new Maytag kitchen, and I am so incredibly thrilled with it!

We got an amazing new fridge, dishwasher, range and microwave.

I’ve gotta tell you… right now I am slightly obsessed with our new fridge. I love the size, I love the storage, I adore the middle pull-out drawer, and we are all loving the ice and water in the door!

Our old fridge had none of that fun stuff.

This new Maytag beauty is substantially bigger, and just plain cool!

Our dishwasher had quit working a few months before Maren was born, so needless to say I am also loving the dishwasher. And even if our old one had still been working when it was replaced, this new one is a huge improvement.

The range makes me want to bake every single day. I’ve gotta say, I’m glad it’s not summer, because I don’t have to feel guilty turning on the oven every day when it’s nice and could out. :o)

The oven is so much bigger than my old wall oven. And much more accurate heat-wise… everything I make in it is turning out better, faster. I haven’t tried the convection feature yet (I have a slight fear of convection - the unknown), but I am hoping to soon.

The range top has a great quick-boil burner that heats faster than the others, great for boiling water, and overall I am happy with all of the range’s features!

The microwave is, well, a microwave. But, I’ve gotta tell you… this thing is massive! You can fit an entire 9×13″ pan inside of it (or two plates side by side!) and even though we don’t use our microwave much in general, it is nice to have a roomy one when we do need it!

The bottom line: I am thrilled with this new Maytag kitchen of ours! I couldn’t even imagine being happier with any other appliances!

Check out the Maytag facebook page and twitter to find more reviews from the Maytag Moms!

Disclosure: “I wrote this post participating in an Maytag Moms Dependable Kitchen Ambassador program by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Maytag. I was provided with a Maytag kitchen appliances set, including a refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, and range to facilitate my post.”

Filed Under: product reviews - home, product reviews - maytag, reviews, Sponsored, Uncategorized ·

Hershey’s KitKat bars… for halloween!

10/30/2012 by Annalise · Leave a Comment

I had big plans for these Hershey’s KitKat bars. Big plans.

Rich, fudgy brownies, layered with fun, orange KitKat bars and topped with orange sprinkles, to be exact!

But I could barely get past opening the bag and then they were gone.

Hubs and kids loved them a little too much. (I only got to taste one! It was good!)

3 tries later I gave up and now those brownies are just a sweet dream…

Maybe next year!

I know Halloween is tomorrow, but next time you go grocery shopping and they’ve marked down all the halloween candy… snag several bags of these so you don’t have to wait for next year. That’s my plan!

(This is a review sponsored by Hershey’s candy company. I was given these KitKats bars free for review. The opinions and love-handles are fully my own!)

Filed Under: product reviews - kids, ramblings, reviews, reviews - food ·

browned butter, m&m & chocolate chip skillet cookie

10/29/2012 by Annalise · 7 Comments

Browned butter adds an intensely rich, toasty, almost-caramelly flavor to an otherwise simple cookie. M&ms just add a whole bunch of fun!

Yes, I may be just slightly obsessed with skillet cookies these days. I may also have a small obsession with browned butter. Tiny really. :o)

Putting them together into one amazing treat? Maybe a little bit of genius?! You decide!

I had to give these cookies away so we would stop eating them. Yum, yum and YUM.

browned butter m&m; skillet cookie

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened*
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips
2 cups mini or regular m&m; candies, divided (1 cup + 1 cup)

Directions

*Melt the butter in a 10 or 12" cast iron skillet over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, stirring often, until it starts to foam. Watch carefully now, still stirring, as it starts to brown and smell toasty and fragrant.

Remove the pan from the heat, pour the butter into a bowl to cool slightly before proceeding. (Don't clean the skillet - just let it cool as is... it is greased now and ready for the cookie dough in a bit!)

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

In your large mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla & salt until smooth.

Mix in the flour and baking soda until just well mixed and then stir in the chocolate chips and 1 cup of the m&ms.;

Press the dough evenly into the prepared skillet, sprinkle the top with the remaining cup m&ms;, pressing them in gently, and then place in the oven to bake for 25-35 minutes, until the cookie is just set and golden brown around the edges.

Cool and then cut into wedges and serve from the pan!

http://sweetannas.com/2012/10/browned-butter-mm-chocolate-chip-skillet-cookie.html

www.sweetannas.com

Filed Under: recipes, recipes - cookies and bars, recipes - desserts, recipes - kids, recipes - toddlers ·

double chocolate chip mint skillet cookie

10/26/2012 by Annalise · 5 Comments

This is one big, huge cookie. Chewy, dense, incredibly rich & satisfying… and super easy!

I bought my very first cast iron skillet last week, and I am already head-over-heels in love!

I’m pretty sure I have had dreams involving what I will be cooking in this lovely skillet.

But please don’t worry if you don’t have one (although they are quite a steal, really!) just use any 10-12″ skillet that is oven-proof, or even a 9″ square pan and it should work just fine!

double chocolate chip mint mocha skillet cookie

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mint & dark chocolate chips (plus 1/2 cup more, for decorating)
1 cup mint or regular chocolate covered espresso beans (plus 1/2 cup more, for decorating)*

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a 10" or 12" cast iron skillet with cooking spray.

In your large mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla & salt until smooth.

Mix in the flour, cocoa powder and soda until just well mixed and then stir in the chocolate & mint chips and the espresso beans.

*If you don't like coffee, or chocolate covered espresso beans, just use more chocolate chips!

Press the dough evenly into the prepared skillet and place in the oven to bake for 25-35 minutes, until the cookie is just set and a bit crisp to the touch around the edges.

Cool and then cut into wedges and serve from the pan!

http://sweetannas.com/2012/10/double-chocolate-chip-mint-skillet-cookie.html

www.sweetannas.com

Filed Under: recipes, recipes - cookies and bars, recipes - desserts ·

31 days of letters (day…) a failure admitted…

10/25/2012 by Annalise · 2 Comments

Ok, so you know that wise old saying Thumper taught us…

“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!”

Well, that’s me right now. Trying hard to heed Thumper’s advice.

Not directed at anyone else, though, just frustration with myself.

I have a horrible, head splitting, sinus infection and deep, painful cough. I get them at least once a year and this one has me completely bowled-over.

I can’t think straight. I can hardly see straight. Every noise from my kids is like an earth-shattering clamor.

I want to scream (but I have no voice), cry (but my eyes hurt too much), cough until I can breath again (but the baby cries every time I do!), and sleep ’til I’m better (but my kids won’t let me!)

And I don’t have anything nice to say at all.

I will admit it, I’m grumpy. Pain’ll do that to ya!

So, I am calling a forfeit on my 31 day challenge. Choosing to fail is choosing a tiny bit of sanity in an absolutely out-of-control life.