Konnichiwa

You just have to love the CSN stores by now. They are such nice people with such amazing offers. They love allowing bloggers to do reviews of their products, and we love it too!

I've been contacted again and was asked to do a product review. Uhh duhhh. Of course I will! So as much as I would like get more baking equipment to make something I can relax and enjoy and eat with my coffee while resting my feet up on a coffee table, I'm letting my sister pick the item. Yepp I'm soooo nice.

She's really into Japanese style eats. Well a lot of Japanese style anything, actually. But I have to agree with her, I'm a big promoter of sushi. She also recently told me about these lunches known as bento boxes. We both agreed they'd serve as wonderful lunches for even us! So she's determined to start making them for the three women of my family. (I mean c'mon, my dad would never try this stuff)

More about bento boxes. After looking at some crazy pictures of these bento boxes, it seems the Japanese really consider it an art form. Take a look:


This last one, you'll notice, is much less extravagant. This is the kind my sister hopes to make. Those white shapes on the left are onigiri. They are white rice balls covered in seaweed (nori) and most traditionally filled with pickled plums (umeboshi) or anything salty. I'm looking forward to anchovies or something. We'll figure it out soon.

So the product we're hoping to try from CSN stores is..... a rice cooker! Hopefully it'll help us make some beautiful rice while inspiring us to continue making these great lunches! I'm hoping my sister will do a guest post whenever she is ready to make these. It'll be soon, so keep an eye out!

Cast Iron Skillet Review

I'm sure you've seen CSN stores talked about all over the blog world. And while you may be sick of hearing about them, they certainly haven't stopped supplying great products at great prices with great reliability. After ordering my product, I received it no less than four days later! Much sooner than they told me. So that's really awesome!

My product choice was a cast iron skillet, pre-seasoned mind you. I didn't own a cast iron skillet before, but I've heard about their wonders. Though it was called pre-seasoned, you still need to season it? Idk, whatever. It's still very nice and authentically heavy!It's first use? A dutch baby pancake of course! It was all my mom though. They've become her special breakfast item that I occasionally help her with (and make better hehe). But we wanted to see if using a cast iron skillet really made an authentic dutch baby with puffy sides and all!

So let's compare:

A regular cake pan dutch baby:


A cast iron skillet dutch baby:


Verdict: Obviously it's visually apparent that I got way more fluff from the regular cake pan than the cast iron skillet. It also tasted much much better than the cast iron skillet version. However, in all fairness, my mom (no offense here) chose a new recipe which was horrible. So that could explain it. We will for sure be making more babies in the future;) JK that just sounds weird... We'll be making DUTCH babies again.

I won't share the recipe for the cast iron skillet dutch baby since it was so bad, but click here, and you can find my post for that delicious apple dutch baby!

CSN post

So it's no secret that I'm in love with my ice cream maker. I am so thankful for it and can't wait to continue tryin great new flavors! And I was lucky enough to win a bread maker recently, though it's taken me awhile to get it out of the package... But who can I thank for both of these amazing gifts? CSN stores! You've probably seen and heard about them all across the blog world at this point, but here goes another mention!

In addition to these lovely food related items, they sell things from a vanity to a bar stool, stuff for babies and kids, and a ton of furniture. Of course my favorites are everything they have related to food. Such as a cast iron skillet perhaps? A cast iron skillet seems like a basic everyone should have and I realize I'm lacking by not having one myself. So the lovely CSN store is willing to provide me with one! That's amazing! I hope now I can make some fabulous cornbreads and perfect dutch babies; the possibilities are endless!

Check back in soon to see how it goes when I try it out for the first time!

I Want New Stuff!

That title honestly makes me sound horrible. ButI don't really have all the latest kitchen gadgets or supplies like some people. I have older appliances and kitchen equipment, and for the most part, I'm okay with it.

However, I have been looking around to see whats out there that's new and exciting!

I've seen everything from new kitchen stools, to food processors, to kitchen carts, to new bake ware.

Yet after all these probably more practical items, all I can think about getting is an ice cream maker! After I saw this Deni Ice Cream Maker with a Candy Crusher I got really childish and thought, "gimme gimme gimme!". I've seen so many ice cream recipes out there and felt left out. But no more!


As soon as it's in my possession I will tell you all how good it's been to me=)
Already I'm imagining the ice cream possibilities I'll have with it!
Pomegranate Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream
Nutella Ice Cream
Coffee Ice Cream
Blueberry Sour Cream Ice Cream
Key Lime Frozen Yogurt

And ice cream sandwich possibilities will be endless! Ohhh I'm sooo excited!

Fresh Bread Anyone?

So my mom and I have been thinking about getting a bread maker after we saw one at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. They had one on sale for about $46 dollars, and that's after coupons. From what I have seen, that is an incredible price. It is Oster brand and the model is #5838.

Some of the features include:
-A viewing screen so you can watch as your bread is being made
-A jam maker
-60-minute keep warm cycle
-13 hour delay setting to let you come home or wake up to fresh bread
-Able to add in fruit and nuts
-Makes doughs and pasta
-3 crust color settings
-18 bread settings
-And some others...

I guess what I'm getting at here is...

Does anyone own this bread machine or a similar one? Do you use it as often as you thought? Or does it collect dust in your cupboard? Does the machine work as well as it says it will? Do I really need this machine to make good bread?

Also, my mom and I are obsessed with bread, and my sister enjoys it as well. If we bought this, we would hope to replace the white bread my dad uses for lunches. Now my mom and I don't eat bleached white flour or anything, but it's all my dad likes. We're not so sure he will like the white bread the machine will make and therefore we will still have to buy store bread. However, we would like this bread to replace the store bread.

There's a lot of questions we need answered and it'd be great if I could get some feedback!

Ezekiel Bread

So have you heard about ezekiel bread? Well now you have, and you must try it! It's made by Food For Life Baking Co.. They have all kinds of products (bread, english muffins, tortillas, cereal, pasta, buns, etc.) , truthfully, I've only tried the english muffins, but they are extremely good.

Basically, the bread they make is composed of freshly sprouted certified organically grown live grains and contains no flour. The Food For Life breads, made from these sprouted grains, are richer in proteins and vitamins than baked breads with dry grains. Not only does the sprouting process significantly increases the amount of valuable nutrients and vitamins, it also makes the proteins and carbohydrates easier for the body to use. they are just all around much healthier for you. And extremely tasty too. the thing is, you just feel so good about yourself after eating because you know it's actually healthy.

One thing you should know about this bread is that it is not meant to be eaten as your typical sandwich bread or hot dog bun. It is intended as being the integral part of your meal. It's not meant to be the after thought or light enclosure of whatever you're eating. It is a hearty grain which you can accompany with sweet or savory toppings. Personally, I think it's best eaten as an awesome breakfast item with sweet toppings. There's no refined sugar, preservatives, artificial color or flavoring, shortening, or cholesterol. The Food For Life line also accommodates dietary needs by creating special categories which include organic, flourless, sprouted grain, high fiber, wheat-free, gluten-free, low sodium, unsweetened, fruit juice sweetened, dairy-free, low-fat, and yeast-free baked goods.

The company president says the idea of ezekiel bread was inspired by scripture. The verse, included in the title of all their sprouted grain products, is Ezekiel 4:9:
"Take also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make bread of it."

IMPORTANT: All of the products are meant to be kept frozen. With live active grains you want it to be fresh when it's time to eat it.



I would describe the taste of the regular english muffins as having a hearty, slightly sour doughy taste. Personally, I think they are best when popped in the toaster, or even in the oven if you'd like. The key is to not microwave them or else you lose almost all the nutrients and vitamins intended. For your first experience with this bread, I would toast it and lather it in butter, jams/jellies, or peanut butter. I think having it plain comes as an acquired taste, especially if you don't toast it. Of course, since you are storing them in the freezer, they'd need to be kept out a while to thaw, which I never have much patience for. So usually I'll pull one out of the freezer, put it in the oven for a few minutes to thaw it, then slice it and pop it in the toaster. My favorite topping would have to be putting first a layer of butter on, then adding some pumpkin butter or strawberry or blackberry jam over that.

So next time you're in the freezer section of the grocery store, look for these awesome products and you won't be disappointed.