Apron of Grace‘s recipe and suggestions by me!

Mabel’s Potatoes

12 small potatoes

1/2 c. flour

seasonings to taste  (I used seasoning salt and parsley, but can add garlic powder, etc.)

lard/oil

Boil potatoes till the skin just starts splitting.  About 10 minutes or so (try this Michael Graves Kitchen Timer)! The potatoes do not need to be cooked thoroughly in the boil.

Take from the stove, drain and cool in cold water.

Gently peel the skin of the potatoes off. (Kenmore Stainless Steel Y-Peeler)

Mix the flour and seasonings and roll the potatoes one by one very gently.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a pot to deep frying stage at 325 degrees. (Or try this Waring Professional Deep Fryer from Crate & Barrel! It’s just under $50.00!

Drop the potatoes in very gently, I set mine on a spoon and lower them in.

When one side is browned, turn to the other side.

Drain on towel and serve warm.

Related posts:

1. Perfect Mashed Potatoes
2. Superfood Alert: Sweet Potatoes
3. How to Make Potato Gnocchi

image via Roaming Belly

Here is an AWESOME banana bread recipe from What Megan’s Making with kitchen suggestions by me!

Best Ever Banana Bread

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/4 cup sugar (cute measuring cups from Anthropologie)

2 eggs

5 overripe bananas

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp wheat germ

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease 2 loaf pans (Rachel Ray Loaf Pans from Target) . Cream together the shortening and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer (Cuisinart Hand Mixer from Best Buy). Add the eggs and bananas; blend until the bananas are thoroughly mashed. Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a separate bowl; stir in the wheat germ. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and blend until just mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans, dividing it evenly. Bake for 40-50 minutes. The bread is done when the top springs back after being pressed in the center with fingertips.

Related posts:

1. Whole Wheat Bread
2. Which bread maker makes bread best?
3. How to Make Banana Ice Cream

image and recipe via ZOMBTbakes

Avocado Salmon Rolls Ingredients
Smoked salmon
Avocado
Cream cheese
Fresh dill
Lemon juice
Method
Combine equal parts of the avocado and cream cheese with a splash of lemon juice and dill to taste. Mix until well combined. Spoon onto smoked salmon and gently roll up. Serve immediately. Easy!

Here are some serving dishes that would be perfect for these rolls!

Oval Platter – Frontgate

Colorcode Serving Platter – White

Mikasa 11×8-in. Rectangular Indigo Bloom Serving Platter

Related posts:

1. Smoked Salmon Breakfast
2. Quick Cheese Ball for Surprise Guests
3. Baked Chicken Wings

National Presto Presto 12-cup Stainless Steel Percolator

Farberware Percolator (4-12 Cup) FCP412

Melitta 12-cup Percolator

Related posts:

1. My Favorite Coffee Maker
2. Drink coffee, remember your loved ones
3. Tips for Selecting New Cookware

First, a pasta maker. Fresh pasta is bar-none .

Atlas Marcato Pasta Machine

Secondly, a pizza stone to turn your oven into sometime much more spectacular

Pizza/Bread Baking Stone

And Italian sausage and peppers would be amazing when made in a slow cooker!

All-Clad Slow Cooker

Related posts:

1. Oval Shaped Slow Cookers Easier
2. Chorizo Makes Everything Better
3. Soup for the Sick: Thank You, KitchenAid Slow Cooker

image via decorpad

Ruffoni Copper Fondue Pot

Mauviel Cuprinox 2.5 mm 9.6 qt Stew Pan with Lid – Brass Handles

Ruffoni Hammered Copper Sauce Pot

Related posts:

1. Get A Handle On It
2. Tips for Selecting New Cookware
3. Stock Pots for Broth!

OXO 10-Pc. Pop Container Set

Jk Adams 48 Spice Bottles, Caps, Sifters

Mini Spice Jar with Clamp Set

Related posts:

1. Kitchen organizers
2. Spice Racks
3. Thanksgiving Prep: Check Your Spices!

Mapo Tofu recipe and image via Nook and Pantry

Suggestions by me!

1 block soft but not silken tofu, cut into 1 inch cubes
4 oz ground beef (85% or 90% lean) or pork
3 Tbsp chili bean paste
1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground or crushed (more or less depending on your tastes)
Dried whole chilis (optional, how much is up to you)
1 Tbsp fermented black beans (optional), rinsed
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice wine
3 slices of ginger
4 green onions, sliced in half lengthwise then cut into 3 inch sections separating the white part from the green part (you add them at different times, reserve some of the green parts to garnish on top)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 C chicken stock
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water
Salt to taste

If you are using ground beef, brown it first, then drain it of the rendered fat because otherwise the dish will be a little too greasy. Heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is browned and the fat has rendered. Transfer the beef to a sieve to drain the fat and set aside. If you’re using ground pork, no need to brown it first.

In the now cleared wok or skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the ginger slices, white part of the green onion, and ground Sichuan peppercorns and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds to a minute. Add the ground beef that you cooked earlier (or the raw ground pork if you’re using that), the chili bean paste, garlic, fermented black beans (if using), soy sauce, rice wine, white pepper, and sugar, and cook for another minute or two. Then add the tofu, green part of the green onions, chicken stock and simmer for about 15 minutes, stir occasionally and carefully so you don’t break up the delicate tofu. Meanwhile mix the cornstarch with some water in a small bowl and set aside. After simmering, add the cornstarch slurry and bring up to a simmer again and cook until thickened.

Garnish with chopped green onions and serve with white rice.

Some things you’ll need:

Chopstick Set

Cuisinart Simply Grilling Non-stick Grilling Wok

Rice Scoop

Related posts:

1. Thai Peanut Tofu
2. Taiwanese Cooking with a Wok: Lo Ro Fan
3. Blogger Confession: Ordering Chinese Broccoli Beef

Here is the recipe and ingredients with suggestions by me!

Ingredients

• 1 kg black mussels, thoroughly scrubbed
• A third of a white wine bottle, or 250ml
• 4 garlic clove, minced
• 2 shallot, minced
• 2 bird’s eye chili (chili padi)
• A bunch of parsley, or 5 stalks
• A knob of butter, or 50g
• A couple drops of olive oil, or 1 tbs
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Heat up a large non-stick pan on medium heat with olive oil and stir fry minced garlic and shallot (This Kitchen Aid pan is deep, has a lid, and comes in a great red!)
2. Add white wine first then mussels and cover lid for 5 minutes (You’ll need a wine bottle opener like this screwpull one!)
3. Check all mussels are opened, if not continue steaming with lid on for a couple of extra minutes. Discard stubbornly unopened mussels
4. Once ready add butter, chili and parsley
5. Stir fry to coat mussels evenly
6. Add salt and pepper to taste by testing the broth (Love this OXO salt and pepper mill)

Related posts:

1. How to Open a Bottle of Wine the Modern Way
2. Wine Racks for the Wine Aficionado
3. Rabbit Wine Shower Funnel

Cinnamon Ice Cream

Here is Yummy & Pure‘s recipe for Cinnamon Ice Cream with product suggestions by me!

1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
Ten 3″ cinnamon sticks, broken up
2 cups heavy cream
5 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Warm the milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks and 1 cup of the cream on a medium saucepan (try the Revere 2-qt Covered Saucepan). Once warm, cover and remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour.

Rewarm the cinnamon infused milk mixture. Remove the cinnamon sticks with a slotted spoon and discard them. Pour the remaining 1 cup cream into a large bowl, whisk in the ground cinnamon (optional) and set a mesh strainer on top.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly (try this Williams Sonoma 10″ Flat Whisk) , then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as your stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula.  Pour the custard through the strainer and into the cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Related posts:

1. Healthy Homemade Ice Cream
2. Cream of Pumpkin Soup
3. Homemade Hostess Makes Me the Mostest!