Kitchen Love an affair to enjoy!

I love gadgets of any type.  If they make cooking easier I want it!  For many years I only use a hand held electric beater. 

I desired a stand mixer.  I left little hints.  Well okay HUGE hints I wanted a stand mixer.  My eyes desired a Kitchen Aide Stand Mixer.  They looked like they could handle anything I desired to mix up.

I heard they are work horses of the mixers.  I grew jealous of those who own a stand mixer.

It seemed my guy's ears where full of wax when my hints became a daily adventure into the virtues of stand mixers.

My birthday came and went.  Christmas came and went.  Still no Kitchen Aide Mixer. 

Then one day out of the blue my mother called.  Now Mom retired at 65...but did not like being a home body so went back to work in the retail field for the last 15 years.  She loves working - what can I say.  

Anyhow the retail store that is a national chain was closing the store that she had worked part time at for the last 15 years.  All stock had to go.  The prices where unbelievable on many items.

My mother  bless her heart got me my dream machine!  Thank you so very much MOM!!  It arrived in June.  Carried by hand from St. Louis to Alaska by my younger sister on her first visit to Alaska.

OMG I now understand why they are the best!

My little beauty:

I have been enjoying my baking all the more!  Whip cream is a breeze!  My cake batters are amazing.  And I have joy in my heart!

Hump it day...bake and shake

Okay living in Alaska in winter can be fun, can be boring, can be just so cold all you want to do is curl up in blankets and watch TV and eat chocolate. My heater in car doesn't like when it gets below zero esp when its minus 8 or below. It freezes up...then when I want to go somewhere like yesterday afternoon I had to dress so I didn't freeze myself. LOL talk about looking like the Pillsbury Dough Boy and I'm a girl! My down coat only adds about 100 pounds to my back side and walking like a blimp to car must make my neighbors laugh! Climbing into my 86' blazer is a whole another dimension - we won't discuss that! So I drove to the south end of town with no heat at minus 8 degrees. Driving time 20 minutes in traffic (Anchorage is not a big town folks) Making pit stops along the way to drop off payments for bills - run inside and leave car running to get that heater warmed up - Get to the grocery store. Do my shopping and pray that the heater turns on...car sat with sun shining on front window for good half hour. So I start up the ole blazer, fingers crossed (not really those army mittens to keep my hands warm don't allow finger crossing ) and I strain to hear that blower going for the heater. Nope Nodda, nothing... no heat. My heart does a little dip...but as I loaded the weeks' groceries into blazer, then hopped in my self wooooooooohooooo as I slammed the door the heater comes on. Mad dash home -thanking the Heater Gods all the way home, even had to take off my wool hat I was getting toasty. For those who love Stuffed Peppers: Dinner from the other night - I seldom use the green peppers they do not keep their bright color. But red peppers just pop with color and they are so much more tastier! The white rice grains against the red pepper just makes a person want to dive in and eat them all. Chop up 1/2 a red onion, a carrot, some mushrooms, add it all to the pot as the rice cooks. When rice is cooked dish into the halved peppers, cover with pre-made spagetti sauce and bake. A beautiful colorful dinner!

Chocolate Dipped Apples

Lollishop Love Dipped Apple - just looks so pretty pink & white chocolates, then Rocki Road...a lots of yummies on this one! My dipped apples will only be available thru Lollishops! http://www.Lollishops.com/CoveredinChocolate Buy any three apples and save $5.00 on the total purchase price - 3 apples for $28.00 plus shipping of only $9.30 for all three (a savings in indiviual shipping of $18.60) Super great deal! Okay off to do more baking and play in the snow!

Cookie CONTEST- Cookie CONTEST - Cookie CONTEST

Name the Cookie! January 30th - February 8th Visit either of my shoppes: http://www.coveredinchocolate.etsy.com http://lollishops.com/CoveredinChocolate Read over the description of the “Unnamed Cookie” Then enter a comment on either of my blogs What YOU would name this cookie! Remember have fun, keep it “PG”, be creative, and this cookie is in the classification of monster size cookies so keep that in your mind as you type the winning name! On February 10th I will announce the winner! The lucky winner will win a box of Six (6) monster cookies sent with my thanks for naming the ‘unnamed cookie’. The winning cookie name will be selected by votes through Lollishops Merchant Group. Good Luck and get those names in now!

Does Size Matter?

Does a small dainty cookie appeal to you or does that monster chocolate chunk with M&M's make your mouth water up? As an online business I find decribing a cookie rather hard. Displaying a cookie so a person understands that it's bigger than a normal size cookie - okay whats normal size you ask? Recipes have certain standards. Normal size cookies are to me about 1 1/2" to 3" inches. This would cover say a Swedish Tea Cake (round) to a chocolate chip cookie (flat) Standard drop by teaspoon on to cookie sheet. Big size cookies to me go 2 1/2" to 4". Standard drop by tablespoon/two tablespoons onto cookie sheet. Then monster size cookies anything over 4". Most of my monster cookies are about 5"-6" inches. Standard drop by ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup onto cookie sheet. Then each size will also vary a tad in cooking time. Bar cookies also have different sizes. Just about any baked good can come in all shapes and sizes. This is a new cookie in my monster size that will be added to my shoppes later today: AND This cookie also needs a name! Tomorrow my post will be a contest to name this cookie. Stay tune for details posted tomorrow!

Amaretto Silk Orgasm Cookies

Visit me at either of my Gourmet Shoppes! http://www.CoveredinChocolate.etsy.com http://www.lollishops.com/CoveredinChocolate I'll be adding these cookies to my shop later today! OMG never in my life have I enjoyed baking a cookie more! My preferred nut is Pecan, but almonds grounded to tiny tiny gains add a whole new meaning to nuts in cookies. Then a big splash of Amaretto Liqueur (did I say big ... I mean huge) When you order your "Amaretto Silk Orgasm Cookies" mention my blog with blogspot or indiepublic in the message line and I will send along Two Chocolate Moose Lollipops as my gift to you!