Kitchen update

September 28, 2011

That cooktop is no longer just for looks - it's brand new and it actually works!

Over the weekend, we finally got our stove situation worked out. Thanks to a painfully-early delivery,  I was looking forward to our first real weekend breakfast in weeks... until I realized that the vast majority of our pan collection was not compatible with an induction cooktop, save some small sauce pans and a random grill pan my husband excitedly came home with during 'American week' at Aldi some months ago. So day one with the new cooktop was French toast, but day two meant a bigger deal with eggs and bacon. Mmm, I missed this!

Finally! One of our favorites: ricotta eggs on toast, with rosemary potatoes & bacon for good measure

The first night with a stove back in our life had me craving pasta - and so spaghetti it was. Then it was onto my other favorite - rice - so I whipped up a stir-fry. It's funny how much you take a little thing like having a stove to cook on for granted until you are without one for weeks! 

Not to make the new oven feel underappreciated, I have big plans for more baking this fall - pumpkin breads, my favorite brownie recipe (which is amazing, since I don't even like brownies) and all kinds of cupcakes. Not to mention putting in some major time with my Le Creuset. Now if only the weather would finally turn to chilly autumn so I can start working on some soups...

My signature stir-fry - so easy, so delicious

Taco Tuesday is back! And with margaritas!

Due to some changes with my husband's job, I'm a little apprehensive about doing anymore big kitchen projects until we have a better idea of where he'll end up with his appointed new position with the company. Granted, no job is ever guaranteed, but all the recent changes make me wary about dumping even more money into a rented kitchen renovation. Alas, it looks like those new countertops will have to wait. I hope someday soon we'll feel confident enough in our life here that we can finish what we started, but for now, the smaller cosmetic changes will have to do. 

After several failed attempts & trips to OBI for more reinforcements for the disintegrating clay walls, our new shelf is finally up. Yay, storage!




*Daily Drop Cap by Jessica Hische