for the love of Le Creuset

My adoration for the heavy French cookware started long ago. My Mother always made her delicious casseroles in a large oval piece, the sight of that on the Aga meant a hearty meal was on the way. The first piece I owned was an aqua blue casserole, which is still the most used piece in my collection. A skillet followed, then a few large vintage casseroles, some enamel stock pots, a few griddles later and my shelves are stacked!

My most recent piece is a large oval skillet - with a family of 7 this is perfect for chicken cutlets and meatballs en masse. I have plenty of star shaped ramekins that have as yet gone unused - I'm waiting for just the right chocolate mousse recipe.. With Valentine's Day just a few weeks away - Le Creuset makes the perfect gift to be enjoyed for a lifetime and more.

 

Go to www.lecreuset.com and as a special Valentine's treat enter the code LOVE at checkout to receive these cherry red nesting cocettes free on all orders over $150!

Review: KitchenAid Immersion Blender

Today I'm going to be reviewing the handiest gadget I own, the KitchenAid Immersion Blender. I bought this tool around 4 years ago and find myself reaching for it more and more these days. I don't think I've every adjusted the speed, in fact I didn't notice it had adjustable speed until my husband pointed it out - maybe I should read manuals more! This hasn't ever made a difference to anything I've used it for, it is always perfect. From mashed potatoes, to soups to baby food, smoothies, milkshakes getting the lumps out of a bad batch of béchamel - this is your new best friend. Here is some blurb from KitchenAid's website:

"The 3-Speed Hand Blender let's you blend, crush, chop, puree and whisk. Simply choose the appropriate speed for your ingredients. The chopper attachment is great for processing harder cheeses, nuts and creating graham cracker crusts. The included whisk attachment whips creams and egg whites to fluffy peaks."

I definitely find myself just using the S-blade for everything - it's a great multipurpose chopper. If you don't already own an immersion blender - this one is hard to beat!  Use code "SHIP13" for free shipping now at www.kitchenaid.com