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A dash of creativity and a pinch of fun

November 30, 2010 By Danielle 13 Comments

One of the best things about the Daily Grommet world is the input and interaction we get from all of you! It’s especially great when you come back to tell us how the Grommets in your life are doing. That is exactly what Julianne (Juli) Rowland often does, and we love it!

babycakes mini cupcake maker recipes

Here's Juli making cinnamon buns with her Babycakes!

Juli had purchased a teeny cupcake maker and loved it so much that she decided she needed something a little bigger. She found the Babycakes Mini Cupcake Maker on Daily Grommet and it was exactly what she was looking for.  She loves it because it’s a time saver, and because of the bite-sized proportions it makes. She suggests the Babycakes for anyone who lives in a small space or only has to cook for a couple people (like college students and newly weds). Juli uses hers as much as she can, and has come up with some  creative, mouth-watering recipes for it. She shares many of them in the Babycakes comments, and we wanted to share some of them with you!

Juli's (baked, not fried) Crab Rangoons

Juli's scrumptious looking mini pecan pies

Mini cheesecake ala Juli!

Crowd pleasing Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cakes

Chicken (or Turkey!) Pot Pie

What a great way to use that leftover Thanksgiving Turkey. Juli likes this recipe because you get crust with every bite!

1 Pie Crust, Chicken or Turkey, 1 can Cream of Chicken Soup, Potatoes, Peas, Corn

To make the filling, mix the turkey, soup, and vegetables together and add salt and pepper to taste. After rolling out the pie crust, cut out pieces to fit into the wells of the Babycakes. Spoon the filling into the wells, and top with crust. Cook for nine minutes.

Mini Meatloafs

One of Juli’s favorite things to make in her Babycakes!

1 lb Ground Beef, an Egg, 1/2 cup Salsa, 12 finely ground Saltine Crackers, 1 cup Shredded Mexican Cheese

Leaving the cheese aside, mix everything together in a bowl. Make small round “meatloaf” balls, and place one in each Babycakes well. After cooking for ten minutes, top each meatloaf with cheese, and cook for another two minutes. Juli makes this a meal with peas and mashed potatoes!

Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cake (pictured)

The holidays call for parties and lots of finger foods. Juli’s family and office friends loved these, and I think your party guests would too!

For the cake crust: 1 package Yellow Cake Mix, 1 Egg, 1 stick butter

Melt the butter, and add it to the cake mix. Add the egg, and mix together. Form small balls (about the size of a large grape) then flatten into the bottom of each well.

For the filling: 1 8oz package of Cream Cheese, 1 15oz can of Pumpkin, 3 Eggs, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, 1 stick butter, 1 16oz bag of Powdered Sugar, 1 tsp Cinnamon and 1 tsp Nutmeg

Melt the butter and mix all ingredients together. Pour the mixture over the crust in each well. Cook for ten minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

If you want to know more about the Mini Cupcake Maker, check out the Babycakes page! And to see more of Juli’s recipes (cheesecake, crab rangoons, corndogs and more) stop by the Babycakes comments page.

Thanks so much for sharing with us, Juli! We hope you keep coming back to keep us up-to-date with your newest creations!

Juli and I have a request for you! Do you love your Babycakes as much as she does? Have you made some enticing treats of your own with it? Share them with us!

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet Tagged With: ,

Serving up a Grommet – E Molto Bono!

October 4, 2010 By Julia Leave a Comment

During her first visit, Teresa Scenna demonstrated how to slice the tenderest tomatoes with the Kyocera Tomato Knife. After numerous requests for her return, we set out to find another Grommet worthy of her culinary talent. When the submission for Bialetti Saute Pan and Espresso Maker came in, we knew these Grommets would be perfect for Teresa to test.  Bialetti, is a company with rich history, conceived by Alfonzo Bialetti along with the Moka Express Coffee Machine, which is revered as a design icon. In fact, the plans for the Moka design now reside in the London Museum of Art. Teresa was very much familiar with Bialetti — it is the number one company in Italy for both espresso makers and cookware. Not only was she interested in testing these products for us, but she invited me over to her home for dinner! So, I spent a wonderful evening in the home of  Teresa and her husband Ennio, where she so graciously prepared a fabulous meal for us.

Teresa put the Aeternum Ceramic Sauté Pan to the test and cooked up  her husband’s, Ennio Scenna, favorite dish.  She made Poached Egg with Tomato and Pepper, which is ideal for Sunday brunch or a casual dinner. We are so pleased that she was willing to share her recipe with the Grommet community.

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Teresa Scenna’s Poached Egg with Tomato and Pepper

Servings: 3           Prep time : 10 minutes  Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

6 Eggs

1 Red Pepper, sliced

1 Green Pepper, sliced

2 Medium Tomatoes, chopped

2 Cloves of garlic

2 tsp of extra virgin Olive Oil

½ tsp. salt

Basil

Parsley

Instructions:

1. Heat garlic and olive oil in pan until lightly golden.

2. Add Peppers and sauté for 2 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes and salt and sauté until bubbling

4. Turn down the heat and let it cook for 7-8 minutes covered

5. Part pan contents to make a space for each egg

6 .Crack eggs into the spaces and cover to cook eggs to desired degree (4-5 minutes).

7. Garnish with Basil and Parsley. Serve immediately.

Teresa and Ennio Scenna

You can find a few more of Teresa recipes online at  Yankee Magazine. It was a true pleasure to sit at Teresa’s table and enjoy her  Italian poached egg recipe  with her and Ennio.  Her family and friends have the good fortune to have congregating at Teresa and Ennio’s table for many years and have enjoyed many wonderful meals together. This November the couple will celebrate their 58th wedding Anniversary. After having had the pleasure of eating not one, but two, of Teresa’s meals  here at Daily Grommet – I have to admit that I am a little envious that Ennio has enjoyed 58 years of Teresa’s amazing cooking. So folks, send us more kitchen Grommet ideas so we have more excuses to invite Teresa to come cook for us!

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet Tagged With: ,

Weekly Grommet Wrap-Up

September 3, 2010 By Angella Leave a Comment

The Grommets this week are pretty spectacular. Hang your purse, make eight-minute cupcakes and more! Have fun with these Grommets.

Luxe Link, Purse Holder for Table, Purse Hanger, Purse Hangers, Purse Holder, Handbag Hanger, Handbag Hook, Handbag Caddy, Purse Hook Hanger, Table Purse Holder, Purse Holder for Table, Hanger Purse

Hang Onto Your Purse This table top purse holder is small and stylish, made from recycled zinc alloy and paired with colorful emblem designs including Asian-inspired florals and artful prints. You can either attach one to your purse strap or tuck it into its own little suede pouch when not in use. When you get to your destination, simply rest the decorative round top on the table, then hook your purse strap on the chain link that hangs off to the side. It will hold a bag up to five pounds, and your bag’s weight helps hold it in place. ($35) Buy Luxe Link purse holders here.

Select Brands, Babycakes Mini Cupcake Maker

3, 2, 1… cupcakes! If you like experimenting with cupcakery at home, we’ve found an appliance that makes it fast and easy. The Babycakes cupcake maker can bake eight mini cupcakes in eight minutes or less. It’s powered by 1400 watts that heat the nonstick baking plates, similar to a waffle maker. ($29.95) Buy the Babycakes mini cupcake maker here.

Wexel Art, Acrylic Wall Frames, Acrylic Display Frames, Acrylic Wall Panel

Quick-Change Picture Frames. Have you ever wished you could change up the artwork on your walls fast and easily? Wexel Art helps you do just that. Their acrylic wall frames use pairs of strong magnets to hold your artwork in place, so it’s easy to swap out photos, sketches, and memorabilia without raiding the toolbox. (Starting at $19.95) Buy Wexel Art’s acrylic wall frames here.

Sweet Grass Farm, Fragrance Sticks | Scented Oil Diffuser, Reed Diffusers, Reed Diffuser Oil, Room Fragrance, Reed Diffuser Sticks, Fragrance Sticks, Reed Diffuser Set, Fragrance Diffuser, Scented Oil Diffuser, Scent Sticks, Scented Sticks

Create a Scent-sation. When guests walk into your home, you want them to be greeted with a welcoming, pleasing scent. Let Sweet Grass Farm’s fragrance sticks be your genie in a bottle. ($29.95) Buy Sweet Grass Farm’s fragrance sticks here.

Before and Again Clothing Company, Burnout Shirts with Bold Designs, Burnout Tees

Before and Again These “burnout” long sleeve tee shirts are named for the extensive weathering process, which results in super-soft fabric and a slight transparency that gives depth to the material. They’re comfortably chic, perfect for pairing with jeans or dressing up for a night on the town. Whether you’re going for casual or dressy, the semi-sheer printed effect is anything but ordinary.($84.00) buy Buy Before and Again’s burnout shirts here..

Filed Under: Weekly Grommet Wrap-Up Tagged With:

Personal Chef, William Ference has a taste for adventure

May 6, 2010 By Jeanne Leave a Comment

Just a few weeks ago, I was at a Media Leaders event here in Boston where I met lots of interesting folks, including personal chef, William Ference. I had stopped by straight from work and was feeling very hungry (the lime in my Corona wasn’t doing it for me) – but that’s not the only reason William’s story caught my attention. I admired his leap from something safe into the unknown. So I invited him to stop by the Daily Grommet blog with one of his favorite summer recipes and tell us more about himself. So, welcome – and good luck with your new career direction, William!

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by William Ference

Technology was never in my 50-year-plan. Nor was it in my 3-year-plan, as it turned out.

My job as a technology consultant had all the potential of a great career: challenging work, brilliant co-workers, highly-competent management…you name it. It just wasn’t for me. See, in the realm of I.T. systems implementations, there is little room for creativity. When a problem arises, you don’t get all creative…no…you refer to Appendix 7b-1.3 in the installation guide. Despite the ideal work environment and other perks, the fact stood that technology and I simply do not get along.

It was so difficult to leave. The complacency that comes with a paycheck every month is a magnetic force to be reckoned with. The “I’ll leave next month…well, maybe next month…” process is a vicious cycle. But my true passion kept calling me, and I finally made the move around New Years of 2010.

For the past three years, cooking had a permanent place on my life’s “call-waiting.” But I’ve switched over (hanging up on the other guy in the process), and am devoting myself fully to creating delicious food and memorable experiences for others. My goal is to establish myself as the premier personal chef in New England, with the highest standards for quality and service. I’ve heard alot from first-time clients that utilizing a personal chef allows them to feel like a guest in their own home. What a cool thing to experience! And me? I’ve never been so happy.

Here’s a perfect summer recipe. Shared outside with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, “Braised Cherry Tomato and Leeks with Anchovy on Grilled Crostini” is sure to please your guests.

Braised Cherry Tomato and Leeks with Anchovy on Grilled Crostini

2 Pints Cherry Tomatoes

1 Leek

Meyer Lemon

High-Quality Anchovies

French Baguette

High-Quality Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Tomato/Leek Mixture

Quarter the tomatoes and squeeeze out the seeds. Slice the leek in half lengthwise, and then slice finely crosswise. Cover the bottom of a saucepan with olive oil, and add the tomatoes and leek on medium heat. Add the zest of a lemon, juice of a half a lemon, salt, and freshly-ground black pepper. Let the mixture simmer until the tomatoes and leeks are cooked through but still maintain their shape (about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Crostini

Slice the baguette crosswise into 1/3″ slices. Brush the top of each slice with olive oil and salt. Add the pieces of bread oiled side down to a nonstick grill pan or an outdoor charcoal grill, and cook until the oiled side is golden brown and crispy.

Assembly

Top each piece of bread with the cooled tomato and leek mixture, and rest an anchovy fillet (or half of fillet, if large) on top. Garnish with minced chive (optional).

Bon appetit everyone – and thanks, William!

Filed Under: Guest Post Tagged With:

Baking with a purpose: Bake Me Home helps homeless families.

February 19, 2010 By Jeanne 4 Comments

Julia Elmer, Daily Grommet fan, guest blogger Today we invited one of our most prolific Grommet-spotters, Julia Elmer, to write about an organization she cares deeply about:  Bake Me Home. Julia describes herself as an ”ideas-obsessed, animal-loving Daily Grommet fan who believes in the power of social entrepreneurship and Citizen Commerce.” She often brings us stories about products and businesses she believes should be Grommets – and she’s good at it. Really good. She introduced us first to Night Owl Paper Goods, then to Chivas Skin Care … and we always look forward to hearing about her new discoveries.

So we asked Julia if she’d like to interview the founders of Bake Me Home on our behalf. And since we’re featuring a baking related Grommet today on Daily Grommet (tune in at 12pm to see what it is), we thought this would be the perfect day to share their story with you.

We hope this inspires you to tell us about other organizations doing good in the world so that we can spotlight them on the Daily Grommet blog too.

Bake me Home is featured on Daily Grommet

Bake Me Home – A profile by Julia Elmer, Daily Grommet guest blogger

I first got involved with Bake Me Home soon after moving to Cincinnati when I saw an article about them in a local magazine. I had lost my own home to a fire when I was a child, and so these girls’ mission — to help homeless families — resonated with me. 

Bake Me Home began its work in 2008 when Alison, a stay-at-home mom, and her then-7-year-old twin daughters, Amy and Emma, wanted to do more for the homeless shelter where they had volunteered for the past three years.

Several things all came together at once to give life to Bake Me Home. While watching Teen Kids News, Emma was fascinated by coverage of a Young Entrepreneurs Convention and asked if kids could really start their own business. Amy’s love of cooking (and Emma’s love of eating) took the girls to “Camp Cuisine” at Mercy HealthPlex where the theme “food as gifts” sent the girls home with a mason jar of cookie mix. Meanwhile, their mom, Alison, was inspired by stories of wonderful philanthropic projects at a WPO Legacies Conference, but asked the question, “Who would watch my kids if I was building houses in Mexico?

Together, the family came up with the idea of offering a simple jar of cookie mix for families leaving the shelter so that they, too, could enjoy the experience of baking together. The simple jar of cookie mix is only part of the work Bake Me Home does today, and I caught up with Alison and her daughters to learn more about them and their latest projects.

There are many ways to help families in need. Why did you choose baking?

Bake me Home, home baked goods homeless fundraiserAmy: I like to cook!
Emma: We like to bake, and we thought other families would, too.
Alison: Really, who doesn’t like cookies?! Seriously, for us, it’s not really about the cookies or the baking; it’s about helping other moms and kids spend time together doing something fun. I also hope that getting families together in the kitchen will spark an interest in cooking that will spread beyond dessert and into dinner. We are big believers in family dinner time. I think busy families are eating too much fast food. I hope that the simple, low-cost, kid-friendly recipes from the Greater Cincinnati Nutrition Council which we provide in our Tote Bags can help our families get started with healthier eating.

What do you include in your Bake Me Home Tote Bags?

In each cloth Bake Me Home Tote Bag we include:

  • a jar of homemade Bake Me Home oatmeal chocolate chip cookie mix
  • $20 Kroger grocery store gift card
  • mixing bowl
  • spoon
  • spatula
  • pot holder
  • cookie sheet
  • family pack of 6 toothbrushes
  • family size tube of toothpaste
  • recipe book with healthy, low-cost, kid-friendly recipes donated by the Greater Cincinnati Nutrition Council

What’s your “secret weapon” when you bake? Any tools or tips to share?

Emma: Use a spoon for stirring to make our cookies, not an electric mixer.  Our families don’t usually have mixers, so we made a recipe that works best like this.
Alison: Melt the butter, but make sure it’s not so hot that it melts your chocolate chips! This will make mixing your batter a breeze!

Which Bake Me Home accomplishment are you most proud of? 

Amy: All the shelters that we’ve added (4 now).
Emma: I like that the cookies from Bake Me Back Home made some soldiers feel like they were back home.

Bake me Back Home, home baked goods for soldiers.

What is Bake Me Back Home?

Alison: Back Me Back Home is an on-going fundraiser that gives our supporters the opportunity to help two missions with one donation.  For a $30 donation we will send 2 dozen of our homemade cookies to a military member of your choice or one from our list of nominees. A portion of the money supports our programs for families from homeless and battered women’s shelters. The official launch for this project is expected to be next month, but we’ve received great feedback from test batches sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. We are thrilled that this project will allow us to raise money for our local families while doing something to thank the brave women and men serving our country. We hope that the taste of our homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies will help them feel like they are “back home,” even if it’s just for a moment.

Amy and Emma founded Bake Me Home with their Mom to help homeless families

So girls, what do you want to be when you grow up?

Amy (left): An architect.
Emma (right): A writer.
Alison (she’s in the bake sale photo above): I haven’t decided yet!

Can we try some of your cookies? 

Absolutely!  Our recipe is on our website.

And if you happen to be near Cincinnati, we’ll also have plenty of cookies to share at our Bake Me Home Boutique Fundraiser at Coldstream Country Club on April 24, 2010 from 5:30-9:00pm.

Filed Under: Behind the Scenes at Daily Grommet Tagged With: , ,

A Taste of the Holidays – Special Cookbooks Giveaway

December 22, 2009 By Angella 52 Comments

The great folks over at the Hachette Book Group recently contacted us to tell us about two newly published cookbooks and offered us 2 extra sets to give away to our readers. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of each book and by lucky, I mean win the lottery lucky.

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The first book is written by Max Brenner and is titled, Chocolate: A Love Story. Even if you don’t like chocolate, you will love this book. Each recipe resides on the left page and on the right page is a graphic to go along with it. The graphics are phenomenal and the recipes are simply delicious. You want this book. Trust me.

I was able to send a few questions to Max and he was quick to respond with his answers.

I don’t know a soul who doesn’t like chocolate, but the difference in preference seems to be between milk (or sweeter) chocolate and dark chocolate. Which is your favorite?

I personally love milk chocolate with hazelnuts.

If there’s one tip that you think anyone who is working with chocolate should adhere to, what would it be?

Enjoy chocolate the way you always wanted to. Lick it, drip it into your hands and have fun with it!

The holidays are upon us – can you share one of your favorite traditions with us?

My wife, daughter and I watch a movie and sip on hot chocolate. Nothing is better in the winter!

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The second book they sent me was How to Roast a Lamb, by Michael Psilakis.

I am a woman who loves Greek food but apart from chicken souvlaki and Greek salad, have no idea how to prepare it at home. I obviously haven’t had time to try many of the recipes as I only received the cookbooks last week, but I made a few of the dips for a Christmas party and wowed my friends. Based on the photos in the book, I know that this is a cookbook I that will soon be dogeared and splattered with ingredients.

Michael was also gracious enough to answer my questions; here is what he had to say.

I’m a woman who loves to cook and loves to try new dishes, but for some reason lamb seems a little…exotic. I’ve always been afraid to try it. Is it an easier meat to work with than it appears to be?

No, not at all. Lamb seems exotic because it’s a protein that deviates from our familiar forms of red meat, namely beef. But the great part is that all red meat is cooked in the same way. The question when cooking any type of red meat is which cut are you dealing with? Lamb is no different. The only thing to consider is that it’s a much smaller animal, so the cooking occurs more quickly. I would start with the simplest cuts like a tenderloin, or the rack to get yourself acquainted, and cook them using the same techniques you would if you were cooking beef.

Do you have one favorite lamb recipe that stands out for you, or does it change with the seasons?

I think the best way to cook lamb is to simply grill it any time of year and finish it with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The garnishes will change with the seasons, but I feel that lamb really resonates in the spring time when the animals are older and gamier. Use the grill to develop a good smoky char and combine it with bright spring vegetables. That’s where it’s at.

Will you share one of your holiday traditions with us?

No matter the holiday, my father would also roast a whole animal on a spit –usually a goat or a lamb. My father built a special BBQ pit in our back yard when I was growing up specifically for this purpose. In the Greek culture, family revolves, literally, around food and gathering to eat it and enjoy one another’s company.

Thanks for joining us on Daily Grommet today Michael & Max!

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, we will be giving away 2 sets of these cookbooks today (that means two lucky winners will receive a copy of each of the books). I am so excited for you guys that it’s a little bit ridiculous.

The contest will remain open until 9pm EST and we’ll use Random.org to pick a winner. Leave a comment for Max or Michael, or tell us about your favorite holiday traditions to enter.

General contest rules: To enter, you must be at least 18 years of age and a resident of the U.S. and you must leave a comment below. No purchase necessary. The winners will be randomly selected by Daily Grommet and we will select two people to win a set of two books (one entry per person). Employees, contractors, and the families of employees and contractors of Daily Grommet, Inc. are not eligible to enter. Void where prohibited. Contest will run from 9am through 9pm EST December 22, 2009.

Filed Under: Books and Music, Contests & Giveaways Tagged With: , ,
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