Kitchen Kapers

People are always asking me what new and exciting things we’ve gotten in lately, and there’s one product that I’m super excited about: the CLEANCut Touchless Paper Towel Dispenser.

To some, this little baby might seem sort of silly, but I think it’s pretty genius. The CLEANCut allows you to dispense paper towels and cut them to the ideal length without having to touch the dispenser! Why is this genius? Let me set the scene. You’re making a big dinner of Chicken Parmigiana. You’ve just finished up breading the chicken cutlets, and your hands are a mess. You go to grab some paper towels to wipe off the extra breading gunk before you really clean your hands, but you have to struggle with your old paper towel holder just to get a few tiny scraps of paper towel off the roll, meanwhile spreading all kinds of bacteria around your kitchen. Well, with the CLEANCut, this whole scene would play out pretty differently. With this unique dispenser, you just put one hand in front of the sensor on the right and the towels are dispensed, put one hand in front of the sensor on the left and the towels are cut, and you have left behind zero bacteria. Seriously. This is genius. Plus, you don’t have to worry about wasting so many paper towels any more either, because the CLEANCut lets you cut the towels wherever you want to, regardless of their perforations. Now if only they could make a tissue dispenser that works the same way…

During my childhood I spent a good chunk of time hanging out in the kitchen of a pizzeria. My best friend’s family owned the pizza shop right around the corner from where we lived and we spent more than a few afternoons running around the restaurant. Whether we were grabbing a slice as an after school snack or just popping in to see a family member, it seems like we were always there. So, as you could imagine, I’ve eaten a lot of pizza in my life. And most Americans have as well. It is estimated that Americans eat about 350 slices of pizza every second. Every second! That is a lot of pizza! And it’s no wonder we adore this food. The flavors of rich and gooey cheese, combined with the snappy, crisp crust and the fresh and zesty tomato sauce form one of the greatest combinations in culinary history. Add your favorite toppings and it’s a whole other level of delirium. While I do have my own personal favorites, I like to spice things up in the toppings department and try new things when I get the chance. Like this awesome Roasted Garlic Onion Jam from Stonewall Kitchen. Smear a bit on top of plain pizza dough, sprinkle with gorgonzola crumbles and pop it in the oven. I’m telling you, it is truly a gourmet experience, a pizza epiphany.

I really love making pizza at home too, because I get to top the pie however I choose, and I don’t have to worry about pleasing everyone else’s tastes, since we can all make our own. Of course, one necessity for making pizza at home: a pizza stone. Emile Henry has actually come out with a pizza stone that is pure brilliance. The Flame Top Pizza Stone is less fussy than conventional pizza stones, and can be used on the stove top, in the oven, under the broiler and even on the grill! Plus it’s unique glazed finish allows you to cut directly on the stone without worrying about scratching it. All this pizza talk is making me hungry…I think I’ll head around the corner. Or, better yet, I’ll make my own!

I was desperately craving some chocolate chip cookies earlier this week but didn’t want to have to fuss with portioning them out, so I decided to give this recipe a try. It came included with my handy Chicago Metallic Betterbake Non-Stick Make n’Take Pan.

I seriously love this pan. I make all kinds of goodies in it, including my favorite Blueberry Buttermilk Cake and I’ve also used it with great success for brownies, bar cookies, you name it. Plus it even comes with a snap on plastic lid which makes taking these goodies to cookouts, parties or work even easier!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
These bars taste like you are eating a chocolate chip cookie with a chewy and moist center. They are always a hit with kids and their friends. And best of all, they are easy to make.

(Makes 32 bars)

2 1/2 cups flour, unbleached all-purpose (spoon into measuring cup and level at top)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips (one 11.5- or 12-ounce pkg)
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. Position the shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 350° F. Spray or coat 9″ x 13″ pan with vegetable oil.

2. In a medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Melt butter on low in a medium-size saucepan. Stir in sugars until just dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes until lukewarm.

4. With a hand-held electric mixer, beat eggs and vanilla on low in a large bowl until combined. Slowly add butter/sugar mixture and beat on medium until smooth and bubbly. With a rubber spatula, fold flour mixture into butter/sugar/egg mixture until almost combined. Batter will be thick. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

5. Spread batter evenly into baking pan. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes. Bars are done when they are lightly browned on top and sound hollow when tapped. They may seem a bit underdone on teh inside but will harden as they cool. Do NOT overbake.

6. Cool in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Recipe provided by Sarah Phillips, www.baking911.com