The Kitchen Whisperer

Somewhere out there someone has lost their smile. Share a pic on our Facebook page today of what makes you smile and help give a smile to someone who needs it! #tkwshareasmile

I started this movement a month or so ago back on Facebook where I needed help smiling. I lost my reason to smile. The result was incredible. The outpouring of love from you all was truly overwhelming. Then what surprised me, and moved me to tears, were the private emails and messages from folks thanking me for this. They, too, lost their smile. Some are battling cancer, some a heart-crushing loss of a loved one, some that just are down on their luck.

That’s when it made me think. If a seemingly, selfish act (my post) can help me and so many others than this needs to be a regular posting on my site and Facebook. In a world where there is so much hate and negativity, let’s help give others hope by simply sharing a smile. Post a pic on Facebook of what makes you smile – it can be your kids, your fur babies, a saying, sunrise, or just a plate of crispy bacon. Everywhere I’ll capture some of those images and compile them into a collage to share with those of you that aren’t on Facebook.

 The images are just so heartwarming as are the stories that posted with them. From the birth of a newborn to teaching a grand-daughter how to make pizza. This is what makes me smile. It’s the simple things in live folks.

Smile, it looks beautiful on you!

Just one simple pantry ingredient is all you need to create seriously delicious crispy skin oven baked chicken!

So before there were Air Fryers folks were struggling with getting crispy skinned oven baked chicken. Oh sure you could deep fry it or skillet fry it but the whole purpose was to reduce the amount of added fat and calories. And yes I know some folks say chicken skin is bad – I get it but seriously, there are those moments when we all need that extra added crunchification factor to our juicy chicken! I mean KFC has been around all these years for a reason – their crunchy chicken is a huge factor.  If you’re like me you’ve tried a million different ways – baking it with oil or broiling it but you never quite get that same ‘fried’ crunch.

Until now… *wink*

Just one simple ingredient (and okay patience) is all you really need.
Just because you eat baked chicken doesn’t mean you have to go without the crispy skin!!

From pancakes to bread pudding to ice cream, this luscious Maple Butter Cream Sauce is pure deliciousness!

4 ingredients is all that it took to create this seriously decadent, ridiculously easy sauce. This sauce, well it kind of happened out of the fact that I wasn’t sure what to top my Orange Cranberry Bread Pudding with. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great with real maple syrup but I just wasn’t feeling that. Like I wanted something a bit more panache. I mean this bread pudding is anything but ordinary or basic. With almost regal flavors (are orange cranberry still considered regal or are they now considered ‘the norm’?) I wanted something equally as royal. I wanted rich and decadent.

And what makes things more decadent…hello butter and cream!

Oh butter and cream how I love you (though I think my thighs love you more). You’re a sinfully delicious and bad for me in the all the right ways. When I first made this recipe I just whisked the stuff together and tasted it. It was ok but it was way too thin and it just tasted ‘raw’. Like the
flavor wasn’t married well. It tasted as if I just dumped everything in a bowl and ate it like that – which I kind of did. Then I tried the heating it all up real fast – yeah didn’t work. I just ended up scorching the heck out of my butter and cream. Gave myself a bit of a job cleaning out my pan.
This sauce is RIDICULOUS!

Get out of that same ol’ recipe rut and try one of these delicious and easy recipes this week! This week I highly recommend making the Italian Veggie Stuffed Zucchini Boats and the White Fish Sliders with Spicy Jalapeno Slaw!

Happy Sunday TKW Family!  So I * think* Spring is finally here in the ‘burgh as the snow has finally stopped and it actually was 80F. Oh sure this all happened within a 24 hour period – going from 30F weather to 80F but hey it’s Pittsburgh; this is the norm. I don’t know about you but this girl is ready for sun and warmth. I’ve definitely become one of those folks I used to say I’d never grow up to be – someone who complains about the cold and that wears a sweater when it’s below 70. But I will NOT be a snow bird and move to Florida. Sorry, you’re an awesome state but you are just way too humid for this curly-haired girl. No, I’m heading out west eventually. Give me Scottsdale, Arizona or maybe Gilbert. I’m ok with the high heat (yes I’ve been there when it’s a 120F and yes it’s hot) but when there’s little humidity I’m in love.

So how was your week? Work was okay. We’re in the 2nd stage of testing out a huge release we have coming up; so far so good. I’ve been working with my developers on the redesign of my website, all new email subscriber system and a whole bunch of new stuff. I have A LOT of updates I have to do on the backend but hopefully soon it’ll be launched. I think you guys are going to love it; I know I already do!

As for the home front we’ve been busy with yet more painting. I swear it never ends! Yesterday we painted the main hallways and the foyer edging, plus ceiling. Today he wants to do the walls. This is what he’ll do thankfully as I’m way worse with a roller than a paint brush. My job is just to do edging and well let’s just say I did the edging beautifully but also managed to have paint cake under my nails, all over my shirt AND “frost” the tips of my hair in multiple places. I swear I need a Hazmat suit when I paint!

What are you up to today?

A tip from Mom’s hand written recipe is what perfected my bread pudding into a pan of true deliciousness!

So do you remember when I shared with you guys my Orange Cranberry No Knead Bread recipe? Sure you do as so many of you guys LOVED it (thank you!). Well I have a slight confession about that bread. I kind of because obsessed with it. Like to the point I was making it twice a week and forgot to buy ‘normal’ bread as Mr. Fantabulous calls it. He likes plain ol’ wheat sandwich bread for his PB&Js and then the artisan breads for his meals. Apparently wheat sandwich bread isn’t fancy enough for dinner. *shrugs* As long as it has carbs and butter on it I could care less what it is!

Well I ended up with a lot (seriously we’re talking A LOT) of bread to the point I couldn’t give anymore away and I couldn’t fit anymore in my freezer. So I had to think fast. That’s when I thought about making bread pudding.

Now I’ll be honest I’m not a huge fan of bread puddings normally as I don’t like custard-type things. It’s a textural things for me. Plus most bread puddings I’ve had are well, mushy and that’s grosses me out. But he loves them so I figured I would give it a shot. As I was looking through my recipes I found a recipe for bread pudding my Mom apparently made. Now I don’t remember her making this but then I was such a picky eater as a child she very well could have and I just turned my nose up at it.

not a bread pudding fan? You will be after you try this!