Have you ever been invited to a friend’s house and wanted to bring a baked item but didn’t want to worry the hostess with returning your pan? Or wanted to bake cupcakes but pictured a really fun and creative wrapper? I just learned about an award winning brand of baking pans that are made of oven-safe paper and plastic and come in a wide variety of colors, themes, designs and sizes. For me, this is a perfect opportunity to try out all the recipes that I have been collecting of different breads, desserts, muffins and cakes as it makes sharing so much easier.… Read more
Housewares Archives - Page 5 of 6 - InspiringKitchen.com
Cookware 101
Posted by Inspiring Kitchen | Bridal Registry, Cookware, Housewares, Kitchen Design, Wedding | 19 CommentsHaving been involved in the bridal registry space from a housewares standpoint for a long time now, I recognize how intimidating the walls of cookware in a store can be for someone unfamiliar with all the brands, sizes, styles and surfaces. When I talk with registrants about what cookware they are currently using, many times they tell me it is from college, their mom or a discount store. All absolutely fine answers. Until I ask them if they like to cook. When they say they love cooking, then I know we need to have a deeper discussion on their style of cooking and how many people they tend to cook for.… Read more
French Macaron Cookie Baking 101
Posted by Inspiring Kitchen | Bakeware, Baking, Cookie, Dessert, Housewares | 5 CommentsHave you ever tried those colorful, delicate and delicious French Macarons that you see in the windows of bakeries? There are rows of yellow, red and green cookies that look like little, perfectly formed sandwiches. These are not the coconut macarons that probably first crossed your mind when I said “macaron” however. French Macarons are meringue and almond flour melt-in-your-mouth goodness filled with chocolate, pistachio or vanilla ganache. You can also fill with jams, jellies, and lemon or lime curd. It’s all up to you.
While I love to bake, I am definitely not a pro at it. As I have mentioned before in previous posts, I am a creative cook in that I improvise.… Read more
Artisan Bread Making: Brotform Baskets
Posted by Inspiring Kitchen | Bakeware, Bread, Healthy, Housewares, Le Creuset, Recipes | One CommentDoes the smell of fresh bread make you stop in your tracks to see where it is coming from? I love fresh bread in any format – plain, with butter, in a sandwich, used to dip in olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese, and on and on. I am a novice, though, at bread making. I shared with you in a previous post, the method I have been using with a no knead bread recipe, baking the bread in a Le Creuset Dutch Oven. (https://inspiringkitchen.com/homemade-bread-le-creuset/) Well, I was recently offered an opportunity to use a Brotform basket to make homemade bread and decided to give it a try.… Read more
Design Forum: Jenn-Air Appliances
Posted by Inspiring Kitchen | Appliances, Coffee, Cooking, Design, Home Decor, Home Design, Housewares, Kitchen Design, Kitchen remodel, Luxury, Remodel, Technology | 10 CommentsDesigning a new kitchen or remodeling your current kitchen is such an exciting idea. The anticipation of the gorgeous kitchen you will have to make your fabulous creations, entertain your guests, and cook for your family is energizing. However, when you actually begin the appliance research phase of the project, it can be a lot more intimidating than you first anticipated. It is with that in mind that I share my recent design education with you. In Monday’s post, I talked about Induction ranges, ventilation systems and double oven displays among other tips. Today, I am sharing a few more of my favorite finds from my Jenn-Air design conference experience.… Read more
Kitchen Design: Jenn-Air Appliances
Posted by Inspiring Kitchen | Appliances, Cooking, Home Design, Housewares, Kitchen Design, Kitchen remodel, Luxury | 11 CommentsAre you considering a kitchen remodel? Looking to replace your current appliances but uncertain where to start? Well, this post will hopefully offer you lots of design guidance to make the process more enjoyable. Buying appliances are a lot like buying a car, aren’t they? Purpose, cost, technical understanding, maintenance and appearance play a key role in the decision making process. As someone who has a great appreciation for quality products, I had the wonderful opportunity to participate in a design conference at the World of Whirlpool offices in Chicago. Our discussions not only included product education but designer guidance on how to build a kitchen that is most suited to your cooking style.… Read more
Apple Season is here: Apple Tatin Dessert
Posted by Inspiring Kitchen | Bakeware, Dessert, Fruit, Housewares, Recipes, Seasonal | 33 CommentsWe are going into that time of year where there is a slight chill in the air, trees are beginning to change their colors, and apples are plentiful. In my family, the number of ways to include an apple in a recipe is really limitless and totally up to your creativity. For a sweet treat, I like to make an Apple Tatin dessert that is loved by all for its simplicity and pureness of crisp apple flavor.
After many trials, I have determined that using a jellyroll pan is the best style of bakeware for this recipe. The shallow sides allow for the heat to move around the dough baking it evenly with the added bonus of easy removal from the pan without breaking the pastry.… Read more
An Interview with Inspiring Kitchen
Posted by Inspiring Kitchen | Blogging, Cookware, Foods, Housewares, Housewares Show, Knives, PR, Press, Trade Show, Wedding | 8 CommentsWow, Inspiring Kitchen’s first interview!
Inspiring Kitchen was created as a means to share knowledge about housewares products, kitchen design, recipes, cooking tips, bridal registry advice and favorite finds. My goal is to showcase what we should have in our kitchens based on the type of cooking we like to do. Ways to use cookware beyond the obvious like what is written in the Le Creuset Dutch oven post and making bread. What knives you need in your kitchen by blade shape. And the latest trends found at the industry conferences: National Restaurant Association and International Housewares Shows. If you are looking for gifts related to your kitchen, cooking and entertaining, I hope you will take a look at what Inspiring Kitchen suggests like we did for Mother’s and Father’s Day. … Read more
New Store: Kitchen & Bath Remodel
Posted by Inspiring Kitchen | Appliances, Home Design, Housewares, Kitchen Design, Laundry Room, Outdoor Cooking, Remodel | 16 CommentsMy house is in a constant state of remodel. How about yours? Every time I am flipping through a magazine that has beautiful kitchen photos, my wish list for my own kitchen gets bigger. As someone who love to cook, appreciates quality products and enjoys entertaining, a fully functioning (and of course, elegantly designed) kitchen is a must. Appliances are key from a cooking perspective.
So what a great surprise to be in Chicago’s Oak Brook mall and discover a store called Pirch that actually showcases full kitchen and bathroom vignettes for us to look at, touch, and envision the whole display in our homes.… Read more
Marinated Grilled Vegetable Sandwich with Pesto and Mozzarella
Posted by Inspiring Kitchen | All-Clad, Grilling, healthy eating, Housewares, Le Creuset, Lodge, Recipes, Sandwich, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Weber Grill | 19 CommentsI love to grill. Vegetables. Yes, there it is. Not gourmet but so delicious! One of my favorite sandwiches is super easy and very customizable as you can see from comments on Inspiring Kitchen’s Facebook page. (https://www.facebook.com/inspiringkitchen). What works so well with this dish is being able to have friends over and everyone gets to make their own personalized sandwich varying with the choice of filling. What I will typically do is have a platter of all different kinds of vegetables (colored peppers, onions, zucchini, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, fennel, etc), sauces, spreads (salsa, pesto, sun dried garlic paste – yum!), cheeses and even meat for those who want it.… Read more