Hurry, Today Only! Amazon is offering 20%

Flash Deal!  

 “Monday, April 22 only, in celebration of Earth Day, Amazon is offering 20% off on everything in their warehouse . https://amzn.to/2DCZgM7” (Consumer World newsletter.)

I love warehouse deals! They are discounted items due to returns or overstock. 

Today take an additional 20% off!  

Check out their kitchen gadgets! I've been able to find and purchase many quality kitchen items in warehouse deals.

Our Italian Anisette Cookies

We grew up eating these cookies at every holiday, every wedding, every shower, every funeral, visiting family, well you get it. We ate these a lot!  

Our Nonnas, Moms passed down the recipe. They always made a double batch to share with neighbors, friends & family.  

I hope you like them as much as we do. Enjoy! 

Italian Anisette Cookies 

(lemon, or vanilla extract can be substituted)

This recipe makes 36 cookies.

In a large mixing bowl:

3 jumbo eggs - beaten (if you have smaller eggs you may need 4 eggs)

1/4 cup milk (whole or low fat)

1 TBSP anise extract (not flavoring)

1/2 cup sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) softened butter 

Mix all the above with a hand/stand mixer.

Slowly add:

1 TBSP. baking powder

3  cups flour 

Mix with wooden spoon until the dough comes together. If it is too wet/sticky add a little bit of flour until you are able to easily roll some of the dough into a golf ball shape. 

Take your small scoop (tablespoon size), scoop the batter onto a silicone mat, lined baking sheet.

Note: If you do not have these silicone mats, they are a game changer. You will never have burnt bottoms (cookie bottoms, that is) ever again.  You cookies, brownies, pizzas, etc. will easily lift off with a spatula. Bonus: your baking sheet will stay clean! 

After all your batter has been scooped onto your baking sheets, roll them in the palm of your hand to smooth them out, place back onto your baking sheet.  

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. Bottoms should be a tan/sand color. Tops will still be light.

Let cool on a cookie cooling rack, sitting over a foil lined baking sheet.

Glaze and add sprinkles or nonpareil candies.

Glaze: 

Mix in a small bowl:

2 cups confectioners sugar

3 TBSP water

1/4 tsp anise extract

Use a butter knife to apply to the cookie.  Place cookie back onto the cooling rack, add sprinkles. Any sprinkles that fall will fall onto the foil lined baking sheet, you can use those again. 

These cookies freeze very well, plain or frosted.

The cooling racks I have listed below, will fit into the listed baking sheets. 

Rice Cooker Broth Flavored Perfect Rice. Set it and Forget It!

If you want a "set it and forget it" way to make rice, a rice maker will do the job. 

It's not just for rice.  It makes great oatmeal too. You can add chopped apples, raisins, cinnamon, chopped nuts, whatever you like in your stovetop made oatmeal. 

Only with a rice cooker you add your ingredients then go about your morning business. No babysitting the pan sitting on the stove, same benefit for when you cook rice.

For today, I'll tell you how to make a flavorful rice to compliment your dinner.

Kitchen gadgets are listed below.  Check out the reviews on the Amazon page.

Recipe: (can be used with Jasmine rice as well)

1 cup Basmati rice (rinsed until water runs clear of extra starch)

2 cups cool water

*1 Tbsp. Better than Bouillon Chicken or Beef base (depending on the protein you are serving for dinner.)

Dissolve the bouillion in the water.

Add rinsed rice to rice cooker, add broth. 

Close cover and set to "cook". 

Note: the rice cooker will come with a 3/4 measuring cup.  If you use that, it is the same ratio: 1 rice; 2 water.

*If you prefer to use a liquid chicken, or beef broth, use the same measurements.

This smaller model is currently out of stock on Amazon.

Instant Pot Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Boxed Dinner

Today's Kitchen gadget: Instant Pot Duo60 6 quart Electric Pressure Cooker.

 At this moment, Amazon has a clip and save $3.50 coupon.

This is the model I use the most. Almost 40 thousand people seem to like it too.

Today's Recipe: (really just directions)Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner (7.25 oz.)

You might think this is silly, and is just as easily & quickly done on the stove. Might I respectfully disagree.

Using your Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker, there is no stirring, no testing to see if the macaroni is done, no boiling over onto the stove, no straining.

Put in your ingredients and go off and do something. Pour a well deserved glass of wine maybe?

Warning: This easy method could start a bad habit of feeding your mac and cheese craving at anytime of the day or night. 😅

Note: Before beginning this or any other recipes, make sure your silicone gasket fits tightly. If not, run it under cold water or pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes. This will contract it back into shape. The gasket gets loose with use.

Here are the easy directions:

One 7.25 oz box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner
(Macaroni & Packet)
1 Cup of water
1/4 Cup of milk
4 TBS. butter

To your Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
add butter, water, milk and macaroni.

Using the Manual or Pressure Cook button,
set your Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker to 5 minutes (4 if you like your macaroni al dente). Quick release.

If it sputters while releasing, pulse it a bit. Do not cover the vent with a cloth, as it needs to be unobstructed to work properly and safely.
Uncover when fully vented, stir in the cheese packet.

Enjoy!

Bread Machine Italian Bread dough - Braided, then Oven Baked

The aroma of fresh baked bread brings back memories of my Nonna's kitchen.
This is one of the recipes I love to make! It's my "never fail" recipe. 
So easy, so delicious!

You make the dough in your bread machine, braid, then bake it in the oven.
 Photos at the bottom of this post.
Mangia!

Italian Braided Bread with Sesame Seeds

Liquid Ingredients:

Pour into bread machine.

1 1/3 cup warm water (100 degrees F)

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil

Stir the below into a bowl to mix, then add to the bread machine.

Dry Ingredients

4 cups AP Flour or Bread flour (or any combination of both)

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp Bread Machine Yeast

2 Tbsp light brown sugar 

Egg wash & sesame seeds - for later.

Choose "Dough" cycle 

After it beeps, usually one hour thirty minutes, turn out onto counter or large cutting board. 

Separate into three pieces, about 9.5 oz. each.

Roll each piece into a 12 - 14 inch log.

Place onto a half sheet pan lined with a silpat mat or parchment paper. 

Braid, cover, let rest 35 - 40 minutes.

Brush top with egg wash, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees (check at 25 min. if your oven backs hot.)

Gadgets used:

Bread machine 

Bench scraper

Kitchen scale
Silpat/silicone mat

Half sheet pan

Instant Pot Grown Up Mac & Cheese 2 Ways: Sriracha or Lobster

Here are a couple grown up versions of mac & cheese. 

The method of cooking is the same for both recipes, the ingredients are the variable. 

Use your imagination,  add cooked broccoli, asparagus. 

 You may have some leftover in your fridge.

Adult beverage, pomegranate cosmopolitan recipe included. 

Enjoy while your dinner is cooking, you deserve it! 

IP Accessories & their uses can be found on my previous blog post:

https://kitchentoysmakecookingfun.blogspot.com/2017/10/

Kicked up Sriracha Mac & Cheese 

(serves 2)

2 cups - Barilla elbow macaroni

1 1/2 cups water

2 tsp. salt

Add water, macaroni & salt to inner pot.

Set vent to seal

Press Manual or Pressure Cook (depending on your model)

Set to 3 minutes (4 min. if you like really soft macaroni, realize that as the macaroni sets it will cook more)

Quick release in pulses so you won't get a lot of spray and spatter. 

Open lid when pin goes down.

Add & stir in this order:

3 Tbsp. room temperature butter

1 cup shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup milk, heavy cream, half and half, or evaporated (not condensed) milk - the more fat content in your dairy the better.

1 tsp. ground mustard

1 Tbsp. Sriracha 

Residual heat will cook the pasta a bit more as it sits, and it will also thicken a bit more.  If you want it to thicken right away, set it on saute as you add your ingredients to the cooked pasta. 

"Lobsta" Mac & Cheese

(serves 2)

2 cups - Barilla elbow macaroni

1 1/2 cups water

2 tsp. salt

Add water, macaroni & salt to inner pot.

Set vent to seal

Press Manual or Pressure Cook (depending on your model)

Set to 3 minutes (4 min. if you like really soft macaroni, realize that as the macaroni sets it will cook more)

Quick release in pulses so you won't get a lot of spray and spatter. 

Open lid when pin goes down.

Add & stir in this order:

3 Tbsp. room temperature butter*

1 cup shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup milk, heavy cream, half and half, or evaporated (not condensed) milk - the more fat content in your dairy the better.

1 tsp. ground mustard

Chopped meat from one cooked 1 1/2 lb. lobster 

*Option: Melt the butter, add the lobster let it sit until your macaroni is cooked then 

add.

Residual heat will cook the pasta a bit more as it sits, and it will also thicken a bit more.  If you want it to thicken right away, set it on saute as you add your ingredients to the cooked pasta. 

Pomegranate Cosmopolitan:

2 oz. Vodka

1 oz. Stonewall Kitchen Pomegranate Cosmo Mixer

1/2 oz. "splash" Cointreau or Grand Gala 

Mix all ingredients over ice in a shaker. Depending on how icy cold you like it,(I like a skating rink on top of mine!) shake and pour in a chilled martini glass. Option: garnish with a lemon twist. 

July 17, 2019 Huge Price Drop/Glitch Alert: $49.99 for the 6 quart Duo! Instant Pot Accessories & Their Uses

July 7, 2019  Glitch Alert $49.99 for the 6 Quart Duo - Less than the cost of the 3 quart! Run! Time to get  your second pot!  https://amzn.to/2JMJmAY


With all the new Instant Pot owners asking about accessories, I've put together a list of items that seem to be the most asked for and most used.



Happy Instant Pot cooking!

You may have some oven safe items,  custard cups, glass lid, already in your kitchen. Some can be found at thrift stores.  For Pot in Pot cooking you can use a stainless steel mixing bowl, or any oven safe cooking casserole/bowl.

Here is a list of some of the things that I use and what I use them for.

* Nordic Ware 6 cup bundt pan for meatloaf, cakes, egg loafs, http://amzn.to/2v63wxY, 

*Anchor Hocking covered custard cups - good for puddings, custards, lava cakes!  http://amzn.to/2yp5wEH I like these custard cups with lids. I make the lava cake recipe and cook two and save two in the fridge.
*ramekins (takes a bit longer to cook in these because the glass is thick) for puddings, flan, lava cakes http://amzn.to/2urCMpK, 

*Fat Daddio push pan for cheesecake, meatloaf, taco pie, lasagna http://amzn.to/2wsbQaE, 

*strainers for steaming veggies or removing larger quantities of hard cooked eggs, cooking potatoes:  http://amzn.to/2huE2qL, 

*3 section basket insert - can be used to steam 3 veggies at the same time. http://amzn.to/2xAaeNw

*3 quart, deep,  mesh basket with handles (they have to be removed to fit in the pot) http://amzn.to/2wKLViq

*Tall trivets to do Pot in pot cooking http://amzn.to/2w40Ym9

* Extra Instant Pot brand Sealing Rings (imitations can void warranty) http://amzn.to/2y607m0

* ekovana  *Stackable Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker Steamer Insert Pans with lid, also for pot in pot cooking. http://amzn.to/2vcFg0D

* Here is Amazons list of other Instant Pot accessories: http://amzn.to/2w3Zs3e