Because I Said So!!! Mom Knows Best!

Kids in the Kitchen? You Betcha! I love
to have my kids help me cook and even though
Rowan is just over 7 months I still drag her
walker or high chair into the kitchen and we
spend the time talking about what Mommy is
doing now. Not only does it foster a sense of
closeness between your child and you it also
allows them to start picking up early tips in the
kitchen and retain a level of comfort around
appliances and cooking in general that will stay
with them for the rest of their lives. Andrew started
really young, just like Rowan and by the time he
was 13 he cooked a complete Thanksgiving Dinner
by himself. And not a normal, run of the mill
Thanksgiving Dinner either but a full on Michelle
Style Holiday Meltdown Dinner. I never have just
a Turkey or a Ham or Roast for a Holiday meal
for with the hoards I feed I have all of the above
and that year I was recovering from a pretty serious
surgery I had only days before and there was no
way I could cook. I thought for sure Andrew would
just go with his Dad to an Aunt or an Uncles for
normally his Dad and Grandmother came to my
house but Andrew insisted on keeping the tradition
alive and making it himself. I didn't even have
a recipe box to help him for all mine are kept in
my head so he sat by my bed and wrote down what
I rattled off and made it all, complete with 4 pies
of different flavors, by himself. It was delicious and
quiet a feat for a 13 year old boy and there isn't a doubt
in my mind that he never would have been able to
pull it off if he had not pretty much grown up in
a kitchen. Part of the trick to get them so interested
is to offer them items to use that they can call their
own. Cookware that is made for them or if it is something
that does not offer a pint size variety, really cool to use!
Kids love to get down and dirty and would do anything to
help if you only give them a chance. Don't worry if
you are the blind leading the blind in the kitchen for it
does not matter how something tastes when you
are done it just matters that you made it together and
that fact will make it taste like a creation from the
kitchen of Cordon Bleu itself!

Recently I got a chance to do a product review
for some kitchen items that pretty much hit everything
a Kid could want. They are made for them, look cool,
fun to use and inspire a child to get up and cook!
Duralex makes dishes just for your children called Kiddishes
and Cuisipro makes some awesome tools for creating some
dishes they will just have a blast making. I was sent a complete
set for one of the Kiddishes and from Cuisipro a flour sifter
and a peanut butter and Jelly spreader. We never use
our Bread maker though Andrews Dad lives with his, better
model I think for mine is a pain, but anyway I thought it
would be pretty neat to make some bread to make an
awesome Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich to serve on the
dishes. It was a hoot! Andrew and I drug the Highchair
into the kitchen and started the bread. Now with our recipe
you don't have to shift the flour but what they hey, it is
a cool gadget and we wanted to make something for
lunch. Andrew claimed it and we had a little bit of flour
tossing going on in the kitchen for it was so much fun.
The 4 cups for the recipe went by so fast so we decided
we need desert and I grabbed some for a cream puff shell
recipe for this is what a shifter is made for, those yummy
good, knock your socks off pastry's where you need some
prefect flour and it needs to be just so. The part I want
you guys to understand it with my old sifter I hate shifting
flour and never make pasties anymore though I am certified
as a pastry chef. Some day I will give you all the details
but to be a master chef you have to go through levels and
each level takes a lot of effort and time. I went through two of
them and pastry would be one. I used to love it, when I had
the kitchen to go with it and Andrew and I have made some
really great things but as I grew older it just became a
hassle and I just bought from a bakery instead. My old shifter
was hard to use and you got quite a work out just turning
the dang handle and by the time I got around to kneading
I was already through for I was beat. Cuisipro's sifted
was like a hot knife through butter and so easy and fun I
had to beg Andy to give me a turn. I could have sat the boy
down with a hundred pound bag of flour and he would have
done it all. Once I got that away from him I wanted to
see if it was difficult to clean for that was also another
issue with my old one, wet flour turns into glue. At
a professional Kitchen you have power hoses at a dish
tank and the force there can knock anything off, at home,
no such power. With a lot of peoples water pressure you are
lucky to get a stream at all so I was a little worried, even more
since we sifted a lot and the thing was covered. Such an
easy cleanup, I just could not get over it. It was like Teflon
with the flour just falling off. Okay, Gadget one;
A blast
Easy to use
Easy to clean
Perfect for kids and parents alike!
While the bread cooked we made our puffs and
Andrew made some filling and we set the table. I love the
Kiddishes. They are just the right size for kids and stylish
too. I wish they made a Momdishes set for they were
that nice. See through, so when cleaning you know if
there is any kid goo left and also easy to clean and
the plates and cup are just the right size for young hands.
Rowan is now hooked on drinking from a cup and the only
down side to the Kiddishes is she does not want to drink
from anything but them now. I have bought 7 different kinds
of Sippy Cups for as cute as the kiddishes are she is still
to young to drink from something without a lid ( ah, let's
dump this too Mom!) and if I don't hold it for her she
will flip it. As a busy Mom I can't always sit there and hold
a glass for the baby so I need those lids. Rowan does not
agree. Rowan says make time Mom, I like the cup better
and I am a big girl now! The whole set just makes the
family feel she is apart of it and has her own place
in this world. It will not be long before she joins us
at the table and her own set of dishes screams she
is ready now to us. The fact that they are virtually unbreakable,
dishwasher safe, Microwavable and shock resistant is just
a perk on the whole package. The big sell here is they are
the right size and perfect for little eaters. That fact they are
100% recylcable is also a pretty big sell!
Back to the cooking now, the bread turned out
great and I have to say I think that is the first time
it did in our bargan basement machine. It might be
the sifter or it might be the fact Andrew has more
patience with things like that then I do but it was really
good for a change and I ate about 3 pieces before we even
broke out the spreader. Sorry, I just couldn't help mysefl,
there is nohting like fresh bakery bread! The thing that
made me mad was once we used the spreader I realized
it was worth the wait had I known how cool it would be.
Don't you hate it when you are making a PB and J and
you do the Peanut Butter first and then you are stuck
with two options:
1. Lick off the Peanut Butter, fine if you are making it
for yourself but you still need to rinse it so you are
not tossing your germs into the Jelly.
2. Wipe the Peanut Butter off on the bread. This idea
stinks, it always tears the bread and you never get it
all off and you end up getting Peanut Butter in the Jelly
all the time! YUCK!
Now there is a new option and a darn good one, the spreader
by Cuisipro works like a charm and no more Peanut Butter in
the Jelly, no more stopping mid-stream in your sandwich making
to clean off your knife and no more hassel. Peanut Butter on
one end, Jelly on the other and smiles all around! I loved it and
it is also big enough where even young children can handle
it and are able to make thier own sandwich for there are no
sharp edges and clumbsy fingers will have no problem grabbing
the thick middle and clean-up can wait to you have enjoyed
your sandwich, not before you can slather on the jelly. It is
also cute and we all know how I love things that are
cute for it is color coded, Jelly is purple and the
peanut butter is brown. If that isn't good enough for you
it is dishwasher safe and has a 25 year warrenty. I am
thinken they are pretty confedant on thier products to offer
something like that. Your Grandchildren will be making sandwiches
before the warrenty expires.
So let's recap here:
1. Andrew and I road tested some pretty cool kitchen
gadgets made by Duralex and Cuisipro.
2. We used the Flour Shifter when we made fresh bread
and it worked like a charm, easy to spin and cleans up
with no effort.
3. We used that bread to make some out of this world
Peanut Butter and Sandwiches and use our Cuisipro Spreader
to do it and decided that was one of the best kitchen inventions
ever!
4. The dishes were used to serve our feast and were
pretty much the icing on the cake! What a lovely time in
the kitchen.
Duralex and Cuisipro made for one fine time in the kitchen
at our house and a awesome review. If you have children or
even if you don't and just like to bake the items we used are
a perfect addition for any kitchen! Don't argue or get into Jam
every again, use your spreader and no more broken plates with
KidDishes! Want perfect flour for your baking? Cuisipro's Flour sifter
is the right tool for the job, Six thunbs up here!

You too can win this bevy of kitchen tools! To enter just head
over to Cuisipro or Duralex's web sites and take a look around then
come back here and post what one of their awesome kitchen
devices would work best in your house? The contest will start tonight
and run to midnight on April 8th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Cuisipro

Duralex


Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.

2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.

3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.

Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Port a Pong and Sleepy Wrap Contests!

Now I know I just did a review about
how I have too many dishes and not enough space
in my cabinets and places like my next review are
the reason why. When I find items that are not only
beautiful to behold but useful and constructed
from pure quality products and made to last a
lifetime or longer, I just can't pass them by. I
do not have my Grandmothers collection of China
and plates and heirlooms to pass on to my children
for my Mother and I never gave them a second glance
when we were younger and she took that as sign we
did not appreciate them and to be honest I guess we
didn't, so she found homes for all her items with
people she knew would love and cherish them as she
did and gave my Mom and I the cash instead. At the
time we really didn't care for she did all this
many years before she passed for she was one of
those old people who would point to everything in
her house and say, "When I die, that will be yours!"
She started around 50 for I remember her saying
that all my life and my Mother says she does too,
so pretty much whatever she said and did about
wills and what she was leaving to who we just shook
our heads and said that's nice. When it really happened
though and she was gone we both regretted that choice
for yes, I didn't really care about some Butter Dish
but as long as she had it and as much as she loved it,
the dish was no longer just a Butter Dish it was her
Butter Dish and therefore an extension of her. If I
knew who she gave items to now I would go chasing them
down but again, at the time I didn't care. What I learned
is when I see something I love to get it and cherish it
and pass on that love to my own children or at least,
the very least, imprint its importance to me on them
so someday when I say, That Bread Plate will be yours
when I am gone," they won't tune me out like I turned
Grandma out and that plate has a chance to be part of
our family history.

Now my Grandmother loved her dish collection
and Antiques to the point of obsession and even went
so far as to have my Grandfather build a room on the
back of the house for her complete with China Cabinets
built right into the walls. I am not that bad, plus
John can't build a pre-folded card board box but I
do have a cabinet and so does my mother and neither of
us started to fill ours to after she was gone but I
hope she would be proud. I have a couple of Pieces my
Grandmother still had left for China Adoptions must
be tuff with millions of pieces of china looking for
a good home, some pieces can spend their whole lives
in a group chest just waiting for adoption and she
must not have been able to place these pieces. My mother
and I split those for it didn't really matter us both
being only children and then I had Andrew and he was
an only child for 16 years it seemed History was
doomed to repeat itself for China is just a place
he once tried to dig to when he was little and he
would not know the difference from one dish to the
next and Ceramic, Porcelain and pottery mean even
less. He does have a Gold Watch that was my Grandfathers
that keeps him going! I didn't care though and started
collecting on my own and pretty much shocked even myself
when I first heard the words and if you touch my good
dishes I will break your legs come out of my mouth! I
thought I was channeling my Grandmother though no leg
breaking went on with her, just guilt trips and passive
aggressiveness. My Collection grew over the years and I
have a little bit of everything and love to find a
new Cup or plate to add. Sometimes I find items that
remind me of my Grandmother and sometimes I find items
that strike my own fancy for it seems I do have a little
bit of original taste when it comes to Pottery and
Ceramics and China. I DO have good dishes and I do
forbid the boys from touching them and like my
Grandmother who rocked at the details of Dinner parties
and Holiday Gatherings, I pull them out for such events.
I would love more then anything to get one of the Cabinet
style Chests for the dinning room. Maybe one of the
Mission styles for I can show off my dish collection
and not just store it till I have a use for it like
I do now for I just don't have room in the China
Cabinet for a complete set of Dishes. I would also
love to add more sets for as much as I love my Purple
Glass ones I would like some with a Holiday pattern,
one with a more formal pattern and one for larger
gatherings that have a more whimsical feel to them. My
Purple are beautiful but I feel they are more for an
intimate dinner then a large Dinner party and the funny
thing is when Grandma was alive I could have cared less,
clarinet was as China as I got! I think my tastes have
matured and I can't help but to want to increase my
collection when I run across places like my next review.








Emerson Creek Pottery is everything I could have
asked for and more. I know my Grandmother would have
been proud to see me looking through the patterns of
a store that carries such quality, premium, eloquent and
even fresh or contemporary designs. I enjoyed browsing
through their sections and was particularly found of
their Dragon Fly collection. Unlike my Purple dishes
they offer a complete collection and you can have
coordinating serving platters and and bake ware to make
sure your party has every finishing touch for a once
in a lifetime experience you can repeat as often as you
like. Why they also offer Bathroom accents and Lamps
as well as vases and pots for who says you have to stop
at the plates. Think of a table set for a large gathering,
complete with Salad and dinner plates and dessert, matching
salt and pepper shakers and serving items and on the
shelves and tables around the room a lamp, a vase and
maybe even a clock on the wall. In the center of the
table you have a fruit bowl on one end and a large
flower pot on the other that is filled with whatever
beautiful flower is in season. That would be my idea of
perfection for if you come to my house I have all that but
it consists of items pieced together from sales,
thrift markets, gifts and hand me downs and I just never
seemed to get around to compiling a complete collection.
I never found one I liked enough to make the investment.
Now I have and I wondered if they held up and wondered
if they were as practical as they were beautiful. I was
sent a piece for review and right away I was struck by
the weight of the plate. For it size it was quiet heavy
and solid and you could tell that it was meant to last.
The finish was impeccable and the plate was hand painted
and to have such a constant design on hand painting
patterns has always been remarkable to me. The finish
left a glow but not so glazed as where you know it
was a processed piece where the shine is just to glaring
to be created by human hands. I did a hand wash and then
just to be sure, tossed it into the microwave with some
gooey cheese then a Brillo pad and straight to the washer
for I had to be sure my Pattern would last. My greatest
fear it to find an item I love to death, like the Dragon
Fly and invest in a whole collection from top to
bottom and the first time I hit a bump in the road such
as something baked on to the point of excursion in
scrubbing to get it off the pattern comes off with the
dirt. With Emerson Creek Pottery that was not the
case. They make ceramic dinner wear that is exquisite
to behold and stylish enough to be your special set but
practical and durable enough to use every day. Though
I do not plan on using mine everyday, for there isn't
a person in the world who could create a plate that is
Andrew proof for Gravity is his vice and my feelings are
if I save it for special occasions I would not be tempting
the odds. I want my set to last several lifetimes and be
passed from me to my Daughter and then to hers. A dish set
as gorgeous as the patterns they carry deserve nothing less.
I am not even sure why I bothered to test the quality of
Emerson Creek Pottery though for when I was researching their
store and products I found out that they have been featured
in such places as Mt. Vernon, Monticello, and the Smithsonian
Institute. A recommendation like that pretty much speaks for itself!
The owners Priscilla Palmer and Jim Leavitt were inspired by
the Early American Cobalt pieces and have created and perfected
their own technique that is made from Clay they produce on site.
They are not only dishwasher, Microwave and Oven safe they are
also Lead free and hand painted by the finest artisans. They may
keep to the same pattern with their 13 designs they currently
offer but no two items are completely alike and not only do
you receive a magnificent collectible, functional piece
for your home you are purchasing something that is truly one
of a kind. My 41st birthday is in the wings and I plan on
celebrating it with two four piece dishware sets in the Dragon
Fly Pattern I have grown to love to death and for every event
after I will add an item to my collection until I have a
set I will be proud to pass on to my family for I have
some items my Grandmother brought from Ireland to give to
her girls to celebrate her heritage and I can not think of
a better way to pass on my American Heritage to my children
then with a set of dishes that represents the best America
has to offer and is a testament to the quality our country
can still manufacture. Gorgeous and stunning it will last
my Children for many generations to come. Who knows, maybe
some day my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandchildren will
be eating a Holiday meal on Mars and telling of how I
collected this all just for them. Emerson Creek Pottery
was inspired in our history but is made for the future!
Emerson Creek Pottery would like to offer one of my readers
a chance to win one of their fine pieces. One winner will
receive a Personalized Cup of their own. A wonderful item
that comes in one of their famous patterns and made just
for you. To enter just head over to their site and take
a look around then come back here and post what you like
best in a comment.The contest will start tonight and run
to Midnight on March 30th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Emerson Creek Pottery


Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.

2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.

3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.

Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Port a Pong and Posh Little Tutus contests!

Does everyone have all the finishing touches
for Valentines Day? The dinner? The gift? The
Chocolate? Cards and treats for the kids? A
Babysitter lined up so you and hubby or wife can
celebrate alone? The great bottle of wine? Beautiful
Stemware to pour it in?

Now guys!

You can't take that special bottle of wine meant to
celebrate a very special day and ruin it by pouring
it into any old Wine Glass.
No no no!

And even worse, and this time I am talking to the
men only for us gals know better, do not get those
plastic stemmed glasses thinking those will make it
all okay! Ya do and we will have some problems and
you might end up with the stem in some very uncomfortable
places or a night in the Dog House. The perfection is in
the details and to make a night really memorable you need
to cover them all from just the right scent of a candle all
the way down to the dishes you use for dinner and the
glasses you drink out of and most important, the music you
play. Though for this review we are going to concentrate on
the glasses bit.I got you guys covered so don't sweat it. I
just did a review of a store called HuePhoria and they have totally
stunning, one of a kind glasses for every occasion and taste.
When I say one of a kind I mean it too for these babies are
hand painted and made to fit any theme or style. From
birthdays to silly days, Pink Golf and Mr Limpet and
even one with a skeeter to remind those hanging by you
on the patio you have a glass of the red stuff and he
could be next! Explore your wild side with some animal
patterns or get festive with a Christmas Tree, it doesn't
really matter the mood they've been there and brought you
a glass back. They even have the witches shoes from the
Wizard of Oz and some ones that are all about Peace man!
Wine and Martini glasses are available and they even
have party packs all you need to do it pick the theme and
everyone going to want to have a cocktail at your house,
just have them bring the wine!

I received a Jester Style for review and it is
too cute. My hat is off to you guys! A large glass,
big enough so that one would do me the light weight
that I am and the bowl is delicate and classy and
still sports a durable stem with that precious design.
They carry a bunch of arty styles and no matter what
your taste may be these are sure to be a huge conversation
starter for they are just that original. I love the his and
her Golf in fair way green and Little Miss Pink for
John is a huge golf nut and is always driving me nuts
to go off and golf with him and this way I can without
ever leaving the house! They carry one Martini party
set and you have three choices for the wine glasses
and as if that wasn't enough they have some delicious
Salt and Pepper sets that will make your table talk
and add some character to your dinner no matter how stuffy
the crowd. I also just adored the Ornaments for what
better way to add some life to your tree then a hand painted
design that broadcasts your personality. I would get enough
to do my whole tree in the Polka Dot styles but I love
the Flamingo too! If you are looking for a gift or
just the perfect touch for any intimate dinner or large
party these guys are just the right touch. HuePhoria
has a little bit of something for a lot of us! Right
now they have a great sale going on where you can even
get 25% off the Tres Fab glass so you can really rack up
the savings. It is called the ball of the Month and if
that isn't your taste come on back the next month and
see what glass is there then! The Wine Glasses hold
16 ounces and come individually gift wrapped in a really
cute box and they are always adding new styles. Dishwasher
safe and just delightful, my final thoughts on this review
is I would like to raise my glass to HuePhoria!

HuePhoria!