small kitchen appliances

Someone recently asked me if I was one of those people who gets really excited about small kitchen appliances or gadgets. First of all, I didn't realize that was a defined group of people. Second of all, it doesn't sound like a group I want to be associated with - sounds pretty silly. So my first impulse was to reply nooooo. But as I prepare to write this post, I realize that I might just be part of that group because I am truly excited to tell you about my new blender!! But first, let's talk about my new slow cooker.

I've been wanting to get a slow cooker for a long time, but I am not really sure what held me back. I finally got one. I christened the slow cooker with Corn Spoon Bread from allrecipes.com. I didn't actually know what it was, so I didn't know what to expect.




It turned out like corn pudding. I liked it when I first ate it, but as time goes on, I've gotten less thrilled with it. I froze several pieces of it, and haven't yet had the desire to defrost any. Maybe it will grow on me. Maybe not.




PS: I'm intrigued by this product. I may have to try it on its own one day. I do love corn bread!



The second use of the slow cooker was more successful.



I decided to try a Slow Cooker Stout Stew from allrecipes.com, even though that's really a winter dish not exactly appropriate for the heat we're in.




Nonetheless, I'm glad I tried it because it was delicious. Very meaty.



Slow cooker = success!

And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the piece de resistance.... my new blender!! It is the Ninja, recommended by my dear friend Alicia. It is fantastic.



Pros:
- It's very powerful. It did not hesitate to crush through frozen fruit and ice!
- Everything except the motor goes into the dishwasher. And since I have a new working dishwasher, this makes me very happy.
- The blades are at different levels in the pitcher so you don't get stuck with unblended items at the top that you have to push down.
- It's very easy to use: just push down to run it. You either push down continuously or pulse depending on what you're trying to do.
- First you put the blades in the pitcher and then you add the food. When you're ready to pour out, you take the blades out and then pour. This means that you can get everything out with minimal waste, unlike traditional blenders.

Cons:
- It's a bit more work than other blenders to add things in while blending, because you have to remove the motor and the top. Minor drawback as far as I am concerned.



The maiden voyage was Fresh Pineapple-Berry Fiasco from allrecipes.com. A delicious smoothie. Well, I think it's supposed to be a bit more like a frozen drink because you're supposed to juice the fruit, but I skipped that part and just blended all the fruits together. Delicious! It was frothy and fresh and perfect. I highly recommend it!




This blender might be a keeper! Let's hope it fares better than my last 3! ;-)

Please note: I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on "the hidden foodie in me". The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Caroline C.

missing in action

Yes, I've been MIA. I was in Orlando last week and had absolutely no time to blog. However, I did have plenty of time to eat. One fine dining experience included eating Greek food at Cat Cora's restaurant, Kouzzina, and sitting near Morimoto.

The delicious dessert - warm molten chocolate cake with sweet cream - it was clearly quality chocolate: (A+ for presentation, too)

Others had the doughnuts, which I didn't try, but were supposedly delicious:

Fun open kitchen:

Just before I left and just after I came home, I also made myself some healthy and satisfying meals, see for yourself.

Chicken and spinach with strong Maille mustard:

Egg (+ paprika) with pearled couscous and broccoli:

I hope to be back with more regularity now. Just stay tuned to see if it happens!

PS: I'm on a quest for a new blender. Now that I don't have one, I see smoothie opportunities everywhere!!

think before you throw out

Note to self: Find another way to get rid of chocolate cake. The trash can was a bad idea. Now every time I throw something away, I get a whiff of chocolate cake and the matching craving to go with it. Good thing there is now dirt and other trash on top of the cake or else I would have been fully capable of digging in there for a piece.

Well I did make a smoothie on Saturday morning:

But... I didn't get the chance to blend it all the way before my blender decided to crap out. Also, it had too much liquid. So between the noticeable chunks of clementine fibers and the unpleasant texture, it wasn't very satisfying.

The dead blender:

There was some rubber part that made the blender go, and every time I used it, it would leave me some nice droppings:

Good riddance, I guess.

I complemented this mediocre breakfast with a slice of bread with some peanut butter and honey. I don't get what the big deal is with that combo - didn't think it was anything spectacular.

Needless to say, I was looking forward to some better food throughout the day. I had a delicious salad out with my friend. It included: spinach, chicken, avocado, gorgonzola, bacon (which I did not eat), and a yummy dressing. Dinner was Pad Thai - always a winner!

Food-wise, Sunday is turning out okay. Breakfast wins the best-bang-for-your-buck(/Points) award: oatmeal, milk, brown sugar, and berries. So delicious and really sticks to your belly! Perhaps I should buy a microwave to be able to make some myself. Yes, I know, it is possible to make oatmeal in a saucepan, however, it requires too much effort. Yes, that's right, too much effort. I'm lazy.

Lunch was nothing spectacular: an egg, pasta, and fresh mozzarella. I added lots of paprika for flavor. The trash can smell forced me to have 2... well okay 3... well actually, 4 pieces of chocolate. And I defrosted a blondie brownie that I made a few weeks ago. But come on, how can you possibly expect me to smell chocolate every time I throw something out and not give in to my chocolate craving? Just be thankful I didn't dig through the garbage can, mmmkay?!

I will leave you with this hilarious video. It is completely unrelated to food, but absolutely worth sharing. Enjoy!

where have you been all of my life?

I'm not really sure when I started being more interested in eating healthier and more varied foods. A few years ago, I guess. And in the last few months I've been reading a bunch of foodie blogs (see which ones on the right). But what set off this foodie tendency in me is a kale/banana/mango smoothie eaten at Strawberry Fields in Phoenixville, PA. Why didn't I know about kale before? It's my new favorite vegetable. Think of it like spinach, but with more flavor.

I went home from the smoothie-eating experience and decided that I, too, could make smoothies with kale. The first one was so-so, but the second attempt... YUM! The secret, for anyone who wants to try, is to blanch the kale first.

Without further ado, the smoothie:

Ingredients:
- kale, probably about 1/2 c. after blanched, which is maybe 2 cups raw
- 1/4 c. of juice (I used v8 pomegranate + green tea)
- 1/4 c. of mango sorbet
- 3 clementines, peeled
- 1 banana, peeled
- 1/2 c. frozen papaya chunks
- 3.5 oz Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbsp. flax seeds (optional)
(or really, whatever you have on hand. I just happen to know that this combination is a winner.)

Directions:
Blanch the kale. (Here is how to blanch it... and what to do with the leftovers)
Add all ingredients to the blender and blend for a loooong time.

Makes 2 normal servings or 1 big, delicious smoothie.