Double Belgian-Waffle Maker

This is not a paid advertisement - it's just a review of one of my favorite things.
This is one of those things that I'm grateful for, because it makes life a bit easier in simple ways.

 This is something new to me, but it only took one use to find that it was a favorite.  I've always been intrigued with the waffle irons at motels that rotate to cook.  I don't know why, but I've always wanted one, but because they only cook one at a time it just wasn't ever a good purchase for me, with such a large family.

Well, times are changing, my family is shrinking when it comes to breakfast time, and hubby and I are on our own for a few months for a stem cell transplant and we need to stock a kitchen with things to help us cook good food.  We still have children at home to use what we have there, so I have to purchase a few things that I don't have two or more of so I can have one too.  Setting up a second kitchen can be expensive, but it's so fun. (well, fun for me, not so much for hubby)

 I bought us one of these ...

Waring Pro Double Belgian-Waffle Maker

I am loving it. 
I haven't used it enough and I look forward to using it over and over again with different recipes.  It is a favorite new toy of mine.
If you have a favorite waffle recipe you'd like to share, please send it my way.

FYI - I ordered mine from Amazon, which is also the image source.

 More FYI because I don't want to send out the wrong impression -
Our second kitchen is partially stocked, but not completely.  And, some of the items it does have are just not working correctly or aren't clean enough or the right kind of item that I like to use. Lucky for me, there was no waffle iron.  I'm smiling!

We had waffles here before I purchased this maker, but they were the frozen waffles that we pop in the toaster, and I must say that we do like those, and they smell so yummy while they are toasting.

We've even used them as a bun when we didn't have a bun in the house, and they weren't too bad that way.

 



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Lunch Boxes

Fun Stuff - Just something I had in my paper files -

 Wouldn't it be fun to serve a picnic or party lunch to guests in these old style lunch boxes?  Just think of the great assortment that could be collected.   So Fun!

 

 

 

and now days we can even buy this lunch box - too easy huh!



image found on Amazon

Boxed lunches are a fun thing right now.  I have collected a few boxed lunch looks in my Picnics and Outdoor Dining Pinterest Board. 

(Someday maybe I'll change the board to Boxed Lunches, but for now, it remains with my Picnics and Outdoor Dining - even though boxed lunches can be used inside too.)


 

Pans

Happy July 1st!

Today I am sharing

One of my FAVORITE THINGS

Remember - this is not a paid advertisement - it's just a review of one of my favorite things.

This is one of those things that I'm grateful for, because it makes baking more enjoyable.

Today's favorite item is

 good bread pans and pizza pans and cookie sheets 

Okay, maybe this is more than one of my favorite things, but they are my favorite pans.

These pans are the best for golden brown instead of burnt brown.  Somehow we get along just fine, but those dark pans are not something I've learned to use and like.  Probably never will, because I like these so much!

Darker pans, including non-stick, mean darker food for me and my oven.  I don't care for that. Other people love them and consider them some of their favorite things. I'm glad they know how to use them and like them.

The only dark baking pans I own are these round cake pans (and I don't use them very often).

 

What are your favorites?


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Since I am sharing about my favorite pans, maybe I should share one of our favorite recipes we make in these pans. 

I choose to share the recipe for

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

FYI, this image is a recipe card I made (at Heritage Makers) for my kids.

Happy Baking!


 

More Pantry Love and a Book Nook

I really like this look ... REALLY LIKE IT! - saw it on pinterest.
The chalkboard cupboard fronts could be used to write down what is being stored behind the doors. 

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Décor Chic shows us The Great Pantry Makeover -
The Pantry was this ...

and became ...

These turntables look pretty strong and seem to be a great addition to this pantry.

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Not a pantry, but kitchen cupboards above the sink, raised to a different level than those on either side of the window.  Nice look and great place to store some stuff, from BHG.

Great Pantries

"A pantry is a room where food, provisions, dishes, or linens are stored and served in an ancillary capacity to the kitchen."  (here)

I have a pantry! 
My pantry is located in my dining room, behind these closet doors.

Open them to find the food and ... stuff ..., kitchen stuff.

I don't label my shelves because I think everything is visible enough to know what it is, and I sometimes change things around a bit.  I do make it known that when you stock the pantry (or any of my cupboards) you turn the can to show the front forward - you gotta see what's in the can without touching it. 

This wasn't enough room for our large family so we had to find another place to store things too.  Many years ago we gave up one wall in our play room (just around the corner from the kitchen) for a row of cupboards.

It's nothing fancy, but I don't need fancy as much as I need storage.
(I think the three center units were from Costco and the two units on the ends were from Wal-Mart.)

 

You can see that I still need extra space for things (especially empty jars), so I've stored them up above the cupboards.   I'll try to do something nicer with those boxes. ick huh!  Too bad my cupboards don't go all the way to the ceiling like these in this next photo.


 Here is a lovely option for a built in pantry from Content in a Cottage

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My food storage space is sufficient, in fact, with fewer people living here now it's quite adequate. However, I have acquired many other items that seem to need space too.  I've had 5 sons marry and have purchased things for each of those weddings that I am storing.  I'm sure I'll buy more for the next 4 children's weddings too, so I need more storage space.  I'm sure the bedrooms will free up, but for now, I'm still stuffed.  So I'm dreaming ....

I love a good storage room, and for the things that belong in a kitchen, a bigger pantry would be wonderful.  How about a butlers pantry?

"A butler's pantry or serving pantry is a utility room in a large house, primarily used to store serving items, rather than food. Traditionally, a butler's pantry was used for storage, cleaning and counting of silver; European butlers often slept in the pantry, as their job was to keep the silver under lock and key." (here)

Ya, a butler's pantry, complete with butler, don't ya think!
Not gonna happen!
The butler nor the butler's pantry.


But I can still drool over them!  Oh, that doesn't sound very lovely - I'll just look at and admire them!

Butler's Pantry from Content in a Cottage
ahhh!  sigh!

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Oh Yes! ...  a China Closet!  ;)   It's a great walk in closet. 
There is so much to see from Habitually Chic



I can only imagine a lovely room like ...,  well, like any of these butler's pantries. 

I have my own stuff to fill it, but the shelves here look wonderful.  What fun I would have filling them.  ;)



Hidden away, but lovely as ever.



Table cloths rolled up look so lovely here.
Though it seems to take up a lot of vertical space it keeps them wrinkle free, and that is awesome.



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I've always loved a rolling ladder in a library, but how about one in a pantry or kitchen?  Awesome!
This and other great butlers pantries from Houzz

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Several more butlers pantries can be seen at The Enchanted Home

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I showed an awesome hideaway here - and it is really awesome.



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I think I have too much stuff to put somewhere.  My husband knows that I have too much stuff.
I should show him these next few pictures of stuff and maybe he will be okay with my stuff.


Take a look at Entertaining Women
This is only a very small portion of her stuff.  She shows us where she puts her stuff, so check it out.

Love that stuff huh!
I wonder if she has dust like we have dust!  I hope not!  Even behind closed doors the dust accumulates and it needs cleaned on occasion.  That would be quite a task here.

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Now let's take a look at Monkeybox.
Her stuff is Christmas stuff..., and stuffed it is. 

Did you click into and look at those last two sites?  Lotsa stuff huh!

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Just thinkin' ...

I wonder what my kids will do with all my stuff when I'm gone

....?

 Oh Bother!

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A Kitchen Kind of Hideaway

Look at what I just found -

 

I don't foresee that we will ever build ourselves another home, but if we did, this would be a most important feature or room added to any plan we might choose.

 

 

Isn't it awesome!  Oh wait, you haven't seen the awesome yet.

Forget the kitchen ..., nice as it might be, that's not what I'm lovin'.

Wait until you see what is behind the tall cupboard doors where that arrow is pointing.

 

Wanna open those doors and see what's behind them? Let's do that -

 

Shelves ...

a sink ...

small appliances ...

 

 

and more shelves (and of course the beautiful things on them) ...

 

 

and more shelves and baskets ...

 

 

Isn't that an awesome surprise?  Love what is behind those closed doors!

 

I found this awesome kitchen and pantry at Between Naps on the Porch

(there are a couple more photos there)

 

I think every room in the house needs a walk in closet like this.  I should start drawing up some house plans with that special feature.  ;)

 

 

 

Cabinet Curtains

These three neutral colors are from Atticmag.  They look pretty good!

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Linen or Burlap looks are always nice.  This comes from Vintage Rose Brocante. I like this color scheme too.  I like the overall look of this room.



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Flour sack dishcloth linen stripes from Katy Elliot

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These two stripes are from Small Notebook

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Ruffles in color from here

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A vintage floral look from Dottie Angel

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Berry Baskets

I have eyed these ceramic berry baskets many times and thought they were adorable, but the price has kept me from purchasing them.  The colors are so springy and delightful though, and the look brightens up a kitchen, a picnic, or many other events.  They are just so fun!

Danielle, at 2 Little Superheroes, found some at Michael's.

These melamine berry baskets are from World Market.

These next baskets have the fun colorful look, but without the high prices.

I saw these at Knock Off Decor, but the DIY is from Pondered Primed Perfected

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Here is one more fun colorful look for berry baskets of a different sort. From Hip Hostess

I think this post is making me anxious for spring.  Just look at those fun spring colors ..., and just think of those yummy fresh home grown berries.  Ahhh!

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Pink Stuff

PINK
Stuff I'm lovin'

this table top from Mammabellart ...,


 and this beautiful pink collection too ...,


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More pretty pink includes this lovely ladder from Mammabellarte.  I don't know if I've seen a pink ladder before. It's a great look.



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I love this beautiful pink cake from The Finer Things
I'm sure it would be lovely with other colors, but this pink is so lovely.

Chalk Painted Utensils

This could be a fun idea for Thanksgiving table settings.
How to's from Celebrations at Home

Cocomotion!

It's Show and Tell Time!

This is not a paid advertisement - it's just a review of one of my favorite things.

This in one of those things that I am grateful for, simply because it makes hot chocolate ..., in a simple way.

Cocomotion, by Mr. Coffee ...
At the touch of a button, it mixes and heats hot chocolate for you ...

... and I love hot chocolate to help warm me up on a cold day.
Tis the Season!

These were very hard to find, but eventually (a year after I wanted them) I did find them (on Amazon of course) and gave them to our married children for Christmas, maybe last year or???  My memory doesn't serve me well sometimes. ;)   If you can find them at Wal-Mart they are supposed to be cheaper there ... if they ever have them in stock.