Good Things by David

The latest publication to come from the kitchens of Martha Stewart Living is a beautifully photographed, well-organized and practical cookbook dedicated to newlywed couples.  One should look at Martha's 'Newlywed Kitchen' as a sensible, attainable and delicious compilation of recipes for anyone starting a home. In this book you will get tips on how to stock a pantry, what essential kitchenwares to buy for your home, choosing the right china and linens for the table, and of course, a good amount of recipes for weekday meals, weekend brunches, desserts and even holiday get-togethers.     Personally, I think it's rather genius to have a cookbook with recipes that make two servings, instead of the usual four and over.  Martha's book will not only be useful for the newlywed couple, but it will be exceptionally helpful for any couple who wants to cook fresh, delicious meals, without having to waste time, energy and resources making large quantities of food.  ...

Organizing a cookie cutter collection irrespective of its size, doesn't have to be a daunting task.  As long as you have some organizing bins or containers from your favorite housewares store or office supply source, assembling cookie cutters into groups based on style or season, is as easy as 1-2-3.  Whether you hand-write labels or create some using a software program, do make sure that every cookie cutter is accounted for.  Locating a particular shape for your next baking project will be much easier this way. Choosing a location to keep these kitchen tools handy and in one place is something else to carefully consider. In my mudroom located in the annex of our home, I have a set of built-in shelves which house my home office.   Click here to read that post in case you missed it a few years ago. As you can see, this cabinet had a hodgepodge of items, ranging from cake stands and baking pans, to felt rounds and spools of ribbon.   After...

If you decorate cookies and cakes on a regular basis, chances are you have accumulated a good amount of sweet edible embellishments and decorating tools to help you in the decorating process.  It's a good idea to dedicate a space in your kitchen, no matter how small, to house the various tools and sweet, sparkly sprinkles in an orderly way. I don't have a large kitchen with an infinite amount of storage space, but everything here has its place.  Working with what I have, I try to make the most of the cabinets, shelves and drawers.  With an infusion of cookie cutters that were purchased recently from a dear friend and cookie decorating items which were given to me by that very same individual, my need for a specific cookie decorating station has forced me to move and consolidate my tools. This small area in the kitchen next to the center hall is where I used to have all of my cookie decorating equipment, so naturally that's where I began to put everything whe...

Baking season is upon us and if you like to get into the kitchen to bake tried-and-true recipes or approach those you've been meaning to get to all year long, then now is the time to start checking your pantry and making your lists.  It seems to me that it's always baking season at my house, but as soon as the weather gets cooler and Halloween is near, I bake even more than I normally do.  You know how it is, we start to bake this and that for a dear niece or nephew by special request, or we simply have to try that new recipe we came across on a website or magazine. If you haven't guessed it by now, I like things baked with good ingredients, because I feel that they produce far superior results to those created with boxed mixes.  Having said that, good ingredients don't need to be terribly expensive or hard to get.  Most supermarkets these days have everything one needs under one roof, so it's easy to get things in a single trip. Don't forget to ha...

As much as I love to bake cookies for friends and family, it's also a lot of fun packaging them up to make the treats extra special for gift giving.  I've always felt that homemade cookies one gives out to loved ones can be some of the best gifts ever, because it makes the recipient feel that a lot of effort and good will went into creating them. Just imagine receiving a cookie or two packaged in a clear cellophane bag that's been tied with a nice ribbon or baker's twine.  Who wouldn't be impressed with that type of gift?  Cellophane bags, ribbons and twine are just some of those 'essentials' that every baker should have at their fingertips, especially if homemade gifts are important to you.  There is no reason to wait for the holidays to be handing out baked cookies.  There are plenty of occasions to do it throughout the year! Over the years and through my baking thousands upon thousands of cookies, I've learned how to streamline the packa...