Field Company Cast Iron Skillet

Months and months ago, I started to see posts from those in my social media feeds talking about a Kickstarter campaign for a cast iron skillet.  I was intrigued.  The Field Company said they were redesigning the cast iron skillet to be lighter, smoother, better seasoned and more comfortable to use. 

Could it be true?  I decided to take the risk and backed the kickstarter.  I was so happy to have received two of these 8" skillets right before Christmas. Behold!  

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs - It will be great, they said!

I've mentioned in a few blog posts that I've been slowing getting used to and liking my Instant Pot. Recently, I've seen quite a few social media posts about how great it is hard boiling (or actually steaming) eggs in an Instant Pot.  I've always used a egg cooker to soft or hard boil my eggs and while I don't like having another appliance to deal with, its always done a great job.  Could the Instant Pot finally make my egg cooker a charity donation?  Yesterday, I saw this method recommended at Jay's Baking Me Crazy as a good method to use on social media.  I want to say that this was recommended by The Kitchn's facebook feed but of course, now I can't find the post that recommended it, so don't hold me to that.  I had a few eggs to spare, so I headed to the kitchen.  

Paleo Pesto from Melissa Joulwan's Well Fed

Every once in a while I come across a recipe I want to make, but it requires a whole other prepared food as an ingredient.  Pesto is a common example of a recipe within a recipe.  I've not found a good store bought paleo pesto, so I decided it was high time to make some paleo pesto.  As with most basic recipes, I turn to Melissa Joulwan first as she tends to have really good recipes for the basics we all look for.  After a quick Internet search, I found her Paleo Pesto.

Here are the main ingredients.

Slow Baked Salmon and Cherry Tomatoes by Martha Stewart

Recipes that cook a protein and vegetable at the same time always appeal to me.  Even if the cooking time is a little longer than what I'd typically call a weeknight recipe, I feel like I'm getting more bang for my buck kitchen time wise.  Enter Martha Stewart's Slow Baked Salmon and Cherry Tomatoes.  I just realized I've cooked more than a few Martha Stewart recipes.  Why?  Honestly, I've don't most of my recipe searching in my facebook feed and her's have looked most appealing to me.  I really don't have many of the big paleo bloggers/cookbook writers in my feed anymore as I grew tired of endless "paleo" treats being posted.  I'm sure they grab the likes and shares, but not what I want to see.

I gathered my ingredients and got to work!

Product Review: Looseleaf by Chef'n

Soon after Amazon.com suggested the Stalkchop and I put that in my shopping cart, it suggested the Looseleaf -a tool to make prepping kale and greens easier.  I actually bough these in the same order as the Stalkchop was an add-on item and I needed to buy enough to get that shipped - I'm on to you Amazon, really.  There are certain vegetable prep things I really dislike doing and separating the thick hard stalks from greens is one of them.  I usually strip them with my fingers.  It gives me the same feeling that peeling citrus with my fingers does and for some reason, I just hate that feeling.

Could the Looseleaf solve my problems and make greens prep easier and quicker?

Product Review: Stalkchop by Chef'n

I love kitchen gadgets.  My small kitchen has limited my ability to indulge my desire to buy all kitchen gadgets I lay my eyes upon, but every once and I while I decide to live a little and buy something new.  Amazon.com recently suggested, in the creepy way that it does, two different gadgets both made by Chef'n.  The first was the Stalkchop which is a device specifically made to make the process of turning a head of cauliflower into neat florets easier and cleaner.  

Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala

The Paleo community puts a strong emphasis on taking care of oneself through sleep and rest.  As it has become more and more challenging for me to get through the demands of my day job and take care of my home and the paleo kitties, well, I have sought to become as efficient as possible at doing the things that have to be done.  Cooking has to be done.  I bought an Instant Pot a while back and for months it sat in my closet as I used it once for broth making and I just wasn't as happy as I typically am with my stove top pressure cooker.  

Slowly, I've been giving it a chance to earn a place on the countertop of my small kitchen.  As small as my kitchen is, I have to love an appliance and use it often to give it countertop space.  I love love love Chicken Tikka Masala.  If I go out for Indian food, this is what I order, so I was excited to see a recipe that could be make in the instant pot from The Kitchn.  

Chicken with Mushrooms by Martha Stewart

Do you make New Year's Resolutions?  I don't, which is a good thing, or I'd have completely failed a likely resolution of being a better blogger this year.  Wow, nine months of the year have flown by. Work has been keeping me really busy and I find myself wondering when I'll find time to cook much less write about my cooking.  I've been focusing on finding recipes that I consider weeknight dinners in that they can be made in 30 minutes or less and recipes that I can make in my instant pot which is growing on me.  Today's recipe, Martha Stewarts' Chicken with Mushrooms came up in my Facebook feed as a suggestion and the total time of 25 minutes and a pretty picture was enough to get me to print the recipe out.