If a Cookbook and a Computer Had a Baby...

... You'd have the most awesome new kitchen tool in the world. A laptop.

Ok Ok, I know a laptop is a computer DUH. But have you ever thought to use it in the KITCHEN? Maybe you're technologically extreme advanced like me and started using one years ago, but for those of you who haven't, it's about time you gave it a shot!

Let me take you back to over a year ago...

My awesome computer genius brother-in-law, Eric, likes to collect old computers. He saves them up for parts or fixes them and then he gives them to lucky people like me who happen to come over for dinner. It's like a parting gift at the door.

One day after receiving the blessed laptop gift I was rushing around trying to get dinner ready when I saw the laptop sitting on the couch. At the time we didn't have a router and had been bumming wi-fi from the neighbors (bless their hearts). I set up the laptop on the counter and clicked on the Internet Explorer logo and TA DA! The Internets were alive in my kitchen. My life has not been the same since.

I've got almost all my personal recipes on Recipezaar so I can just open it up and search for the one I want. And if I'm using several recipes, I open another browser window and with one click I can switch between the two... no flipping pages back and forth. Or, if you like to plan your meals each week (like I do), make a list of recipes hyperlinked to their respective webpages (or bookmark one of my fabulous "Today's Special" posts... hint hint) and then there's even less searching around on meal night. The laptop takes up a lot less room than a giant cookbook and makes recipe organization much easier. Plus, no wasted paper or printer ink!

Your laptop doesn't need to be fancy. It's best to have an Internet connection (I bought my router for $40), but if you don't want to post all your recipes online, all you need is a text editor (i.e. Word). Just think of all the possibilities! With all your recipes either online or saved on your computer, it's possible to take them anywhere. Keep them all on a thumb drive on your keychain so you can use them on vacation. Or send a friend the link to the cake recipe she asked for. It really is so convenient. Give it shot if you haven't already... I guarantee you'll never go back to your regular cookbooks.

p.s. I keep the laptop up high on a counter so I don't spill on it but I've seen people actually build retractable shelves just for this purpose. One day I shall have a laptop shelf of my very own.

Today's Special: Temperature Guides & Ethnic Dishes

Sunday: So, I'd originally planned to have steaks today but Seth's cousin Greg invited us over for dinner so I didn't have to make anything! Greg made a big turkey dinner that was awesome. Seriously Greg... some of the best stuffing I've ever had (and it was Stove Top! Who knew?). So instead of posting a recipe for today I'm gonna give you some cooking tips.

Here's a trick to know whether your baked potatoes are perfectly cooked: Continually monitor the internal temperature of the potatoes by sticking a probe thermometer into the center of one of your spuds (or you can check them periodically with a cooking thermometer). The potatoes are done when they reach 210°F. (You may want to check each potato, especially if they aren't uniform in size or you have a crazy oven like I do). Bonus Tip: The internal temperature of perfectly baked bread is 200-205°F.

If you don't already have an oven-probe thermometer GET ONE. It's one of my most frequently used tools in the kitchen. Plus they're pretty cheap... this is the one I have and it works just fine. Also, don't use it in your grill unless it's at a low temp (ie slow cooking a roast). This probe only goes up to 392°F. I learned that the hard way when I broke my first one.

Most thermometers will already have a temperature guide on them. I don't ever use these. The temperatures printed on them are too high... especially for meat. They're the USDA temperature guides which means somebody is trying to cover their butts so they make them higher than they should be so they don't get sued. If you like dry food, go ahead and follow their guides. If not, use these (I wrote them on the back of my thermometer).

Poultry: 165°F
Pork:
    Medium: 150°F
    Well: 160°F
Steak:
    Rare: 125°F
    Medium Rare: 130-135°F
    Medium: 135-140°F
    Medium Well: 140-150°F
    Well: 155+°F
Ground Beef, Lamb, & Pork: 160°F

Also keep in mind that internal temperatures will continue to increase by approximately 5°F when removed from heat. But it's best to let meat rest a few minutes before cutting anyway so all the juices don't fly out.
   
Monday: Penne with Artichoke Sauce-New Recipe. I was really disappointed with this one. It tasted pretty much how it looks.... bland. Seth liked it more than I did, but I think it's because he had more artichoke chunks in his. I'm not sure if it made a huge difference or not, but I used marinated artichoke hearts from a jar instead of fresh ones. There was no picture of this recipe on the website. I should have taken that as a clue.

Tuesday: Caldo Tlalpeno with Quesadillas- New Recipe. This turned out really good. We gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

Wednesday: Baked Cod with Chorizo & White Beans- New Recipe. I thought this recipe sounded a little odd but gave it a shot because it had good reviews. I couldn't find chorizo at the store I went to so I just got turkey kielbasa as suggested in the recipe.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well all the flavors blended. We both liked this a lot and ended up eating all of it.

Thursday: Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Pizza-New Recipe. I'd bought a ready-made whole wheat pizza crust with no real plan for it this week. I got home on Thursday night and had to leave again in an hour so I needed something fast and easy. I found this recipe, made it and ate all within the allotted time. I used mozzarella cheese instead of the asiago because it's all I had. Probably would've been better with the asiago, but it still wasn't bad. I wasn't too crazy about the pizza crust I bought... maybe I'll make my own next time. The way this tasted when I ate it I'd give it about a B-. But it has potential (would be good with some chicken or sausage on it too I think).

Friday: Chicken Piccata with Pasta & Mushrooms-New Recipe. This was good, but I thought it would be better with all the raving reviews it had. Not bad, but not good enough for regular rotation.

Saturday (Breakfast): Denny's-Style French Toast- This is one of my favorite breakfast recipes. I've used Texas Toast style bread and sliced French bread with very good results. Today we also finally got around to eating some venison sausage one of Seth's cousins gave us at a family reunion this summer (yeah, I know it's been a while... I was a little scared to try it). Anyway, the sausage was awesome! Glad we have 2 packages of it.

Also, I just wanted to thank Seth again for this awesome new camera he gave me for Christmas. It has a FOOD setting on it which is amazing. My pictures have turned out much better this week and my frustration levels have decreased dramatically. Having the right tools for the job sure makes things easier.

I Can Vouch for That

So lately I've been thinking about posting some endorsements for my favorite products. Most of these things I use all the time and every time I do I think, "I wish I could tell everyone about how awesome this is!" So, I went around the house this morning and took pictures of all my favorite things. Yes, I got a little carried away, but, I swear all of this stuff is great!

Grandma Sycamore's Home-Maid Bread: This bread is really great. I usually get the white bread because I like it best for toast, but there's a couple other kinds like sunflower seed that are also delicious. This bread goes bad fast, which probably means there aren't as many preservatives as in other brands, but I just keep mine in the freezer and take out a couple slices at a time.

Challenge Butter Spreadable Butter with Canola Oil: I like using real butter, not margarine and this stuff is great because it's easy to spread, even when it's cold. I've tried other brands such as Land O'Lakes that look almost identical, but they're not as good. I always make sure I get this one with the purple lid. It also freezes well.

Scotch Brite Dish Wand: This is so much better than filling up the sink with water every time I need to wash something by hand. Plus you can buy cheap sponge refills so you don't have to replace the whole thing every time it gets gross. The sponge/scrubber works much better than the ones that just have a brush, especially for plates and such.

Shun Santoku Knife: Not only is this knife very sharp and comfortable to use, it's also very beautiful. If I could keep just one knife in my drawer, this would be it.

Old Spice High Endurance Deodorant: Seth actually uses this, not me, but I swear this stuff smells so good! My favorite scent is 'Aqua Reef' but for some reason it's hard to find.

Asics Gel-Cumulus 10 Running Shoes: I could not believe what a difference these made in my running. I've had some lightweight New Balance shoes that I thought were really fancy and then I started getting bad shin splints. At first I thought my legs were just weak, but then it got so bad I was willing to try anything. I went to the local Striders store where they did an analysis on my feet and said this was the type of shoe to go with. I tried on a bunch of shoes and these were my favorites by far. The toe box has tons of room for my wide feet and they are very supportive and comfortable. I was able to run much farther in these shoes and my legs never hurt at all. I was amazed. Plus they're really cute. Seth actually has these same shoes in the men's version and he loves them too.

No Boundaries Flats: OK so I don't really have a brand loyalty for these, but I bought these at Walmart once for less than $10 and they've turned out to be some of my favorite shoes. I think they're really cute and they're easy to just slip on and off. I really like this style of flat shoe because it's casual, comfortable and goes with pretty much everything.

Oil of Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum: I was looking for some type of light moisturizing product, because even though my skin is super oily, I still manage to have small dry patches here and there. Plus I'm getting pretty old so I figured anything that could help delay my crows feet is worth a shot. This smells really good, has a great texture and absorbs quickly into my skin without making it feel greasy.

Mitchum Unscented Clear Gel Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant: I HATE women's deodorant scents. They seriously stink. I have tried just about all the brands available and they all suck at keeping you dry. Mitchum has a lot more of the aluminum ingredient than the other brands and it works much better. Because their women's scents stink just as much as everyone else's, I just buy their unscented kind. I accidentally bought the men's deodorant last time, but it doesn't really matter. It's the same except for the label.

Boots No 7 Intelligent Balance Mousse Foundation: Wow this stuff seriously rocks. It covers better than anything I've ever used and the texture is amazing. I don't need a separate concealer with this stuff. The first time I used it Seth actually commented on how great my skin looked. It will make dry patches of skin show up really well, so make sure your skin is moisturized well before you put it on. I have really pale skin as many of you know and I use the New Ivory 10 and it blends in perfectly. I found it at Target.

Kleenex Viva Big Roll Choose-A-Size Paper Towels: I love these because they're super strong and cloth-like. They also have the smaller sheets so you can choose how much you need instead of ripping off a huge sheet every time. I wish they came in a multi-pack but other than that, they're awesome!

Charmin Ultra Strong Toilet Paper: Some things you can skimp on. Toilet paper is not one of those things. I love this brand because it's pretty thick stuff and it's soft and it doesn't fall apart. The Mega Rolls last forever.

Popcorn Heating Pack by Annie: My sister Annie made heating packs out of a special kind of popcorn last year. Apparently she had tons of the stuff, so when she asked if I wanted any, I said sure! I actually took two because they are so great. I use these all the time when it's a little chilly in the house, especially at night. I like to heat one up in the microwave (it takes about 3-4 minutes) and then snuggle with it in bed or on the couch while I read. They stay warm for a really long time, a lot better than the store bought ones. They are also amazing for cramps. And, Annie was genius enough to make the cover removable so I can wash them!

The New Method Pilates Precision Toning with Jennifer Kries & Quick Fix Stability Ball Workout: I've done a lot of workout videos in my day and these two are by far my favorites. They are both really good workouts that are actually enjoyable and the instructors aren't annoying. Plus they give just the right amount of instruction. Enough for your first time doing the workout, but not so much that it gets on your nerves after you've done them for awhile. They also seem to produce fast results. The Toning portion of the Pilates DVD is my favorite and I also like the Quick Fix video because there are 3, 10 minute segments... arms, stomach and legs, so you can do one or all three!

Olive Oil Dispenser: OK I don't know what this is actually called, but I love this type of bottle with the spout. I keep this next to the stove to quickly swirl oil in the pan and the opening doesn't get all oily and messy. I've also seen people use them for dish soap. I believe I got this one at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Microfiber Towels: I love these things! I bought two different colors, white for glass only and grey for everything else. It works really well for dusting when you get it very slightly damp. I use this for all my furniture and the TV. I also use them that way for cleaning my car. They don't leave lint on the mirrors when I use them with Windex in the bathroom.

Purina Tidy Cats Scoop Multiple Cats Immediate Odor Control Litter: This stuff is actually pretty cheap and it works very well. You can buy the more expensive bucket the first time for easy storage and then just buy it in large bags that are much cheaper to refill it later on. I like the Immediate Odor Control much better than the Long Lasting Odor Control because it doesn't have that super strong kitty litter smell.

Magnetic Spice Tins: Corinne actually put a post on her blog about these the other day, but I'm going to rave about them too because they're so awesome. I store them on the side of the fridge so they are within easy reach while I'm cooking and they don't take up any cabinet space. I also think they look really pretty and they keep the spices alphabetized for easy location. I bought mine along with spice labels at Bed Bath and Beyond.

Mini Scoop: This is one of my favorite kitchen things. I don't know how I ever got along without it. Cookies are so much funner and easier to make, and they all come out the same size. I use this for other random things all the time. I believe this one is a #40 or 2 tbsp. size.

Lime Juicer: This thing works so much better than those reamer type juicers. Plus it's really fast. Don't get tricked into buying those plastic ones, make sure it's metal. I bought the one for limes, but I can also use it on lemons so long as I remember to get the small ones. You could probably buy the bigger one that's for lemons and use it for limes too.

Presto Tilt N' Drain Griddle: This was my most recent purchase and I love it! I can't believe I've gone so long without one of these babies! This one has an adjustable thermometer. It also has sides that pull out to slightly tilt the griddle so that grease drains out the hole in the front. They can also be pushed in to keep it level for cooking things like french toast and pancakes. This thing is huge and it can fit 9 slices of bread on it at once. It also fits approximately 7-9 slices of bacon. The cord is a tad too short for me, but it works OK. It was only about $35 and well worth every penny.

True Temp Oven Probe Thermometer: I bought this cheap little thing at Target, but it has been very useful. I don't have to cut open my chicken or meat anymore to see if it's done. I also use it when I bake bread to make sure the center is cooked all the way. I just stick the probe into the center, close the oven and clip the read-out to the fridge. It can be set for a specific temperature and when it reaches the set point, a buzzer goes off.

Clip On Spoon Holders: I'd been eyeing these things for a while but at $7 each, they were a little pricey for me. I received a gift certificate to Bed Bath and Beyond for Christmas, and used it to buy a couple of these. You just clip them on the edge of your pan and then you can rest your stirring utensil in it so you don't get the stove all messy. I've also clipped mine on the edge of a mixing bowl full of pancake batter to hold my measuring cup so it doesn't fall in and get all messy. They are definitely worth the $7.

Canon All-in-One MP530 Printer/Scanner/Copier/Fax: My experience with photo printers in the past was not very good. The pictures always came out with lines in them or grainy looking. I wasted more time and ink to get mediocre prints. This printer works so great. My photos print out perfect every time and it never jams up. I also like that it has separate ink refills for every color, so you only have to replace the ones that are empty. The cartridges are expensive, just like every other printer out there, but they seem to last a long time. The only thing I don't like about it is that it's really loud, especially when it warms up, but I'll take that if it means I get perfect prints.

Wow it feels great to finally have all that out in the open. I hope you like some of this stuff as much as I do!