Tag Archives: Kitchen

March 16, 2019 · 12:07 am

Saint Patrick’s Day Bamboo Cheeseboard Giveaway

March is the time to celebrate the life of St. Patrick, he is the patron saint of Ireland who helped introduce Ireland to Christianity. I don’t have one bit of Irish in me, but they say everyone is Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day.

I love the way my childrens’ school celebrates St. Patrick’s Day. They have a leprechaun that leaves little clues throughout the school. They go all out on this and the custodial staff joins in. They complain about all the little leprechaun footprints they had to clean up and kids design all kinds of leprechaun traps. My son designed a very clever trap last year with a little cage that dropped down. This is something they really look forward to because no one has caught him yet.

My daughter loves to bake Irish Soda Bread as well. How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Do you have any special traditions? Check out the ideas below if you want to try something new. It contains some fun ways you can celebrate the Shamrockin-est holiday of all!

You might also want to check out the video below from Catholic Central.

About CATHOLIC CENTRAL:
You have questions about the Catholic faith and what it means to be Catholic. We have answers. Using a team of witty writers, appealing hosts, and even some learned theologians, we’ve created shareable, snackable videos that teach the timeless truths and deep history of the Church with humor and heart. Produced in the Family Theater Productions studios on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, CATHOLIC CENTRAL entertains, enlightens and inspires.

Giveaway

Catholic Central is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! Enter for your chance to win a Saint Patrick’s Day Feast Kit! Open to US Residents.

Catholic Central, Giveaway, Cheeseboard

Saint Patrick’s Day Feast Kit Product Details:

Bamboo Cheese Board Set
Slide-Out Drawer with Four (4) Stainless-Steel Cheese Knives
Four (4) Bamboo Wine Coasters
Stain and Odor Resistant
Naturally Hypoallergenic and Antibacterial
Ecofriendly, Sustainable Materials
Hand Wash Recommended

Giveaway:

You can enter for your chance to win a Saint Patrick’s Day Feast Kit below. This is sponsored by Catholic Central.

Saint Patrick’s Day Feast Kit Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

The prize will be sent via FedEx or USPS. No P.O. Boxes please. Cannot win if you have won this Catholic Central sponsored St. Patrick’s Day Feast Kit Giveaway on another blog. Enter below for your chance to win using the Rafflecopter widget. Good Luck!

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26 Comments

Filed under Entertaining, Giveaway, Home, Home & Garden

Tagged as Catholic Central, giveaway, Kitchen, St. Patrick's Day

May 18, 2018 · 12:23 pm

Vremi 10 Piece Colorful Knife Set & Bump N’ Grind Coffee Grinder Giveaway

If you are looking to add some color to your kitchen, you will love the Vremi 10 Piece Colorful Knife Set. You will be on the cutting edge of style with these 5 bright knives and sheath covers.

Set includes a Chef’s Knife, Carving Knife, Utility Knife, Paring Knife and Serrated Knife.

For all your prep, cooking and carving needs, you can’t beat the value of this rainbow-colored knife set. Each knife is forged with a heavy-duty real steel blade and perfectly weighted for optimal performance. Knives are odor and stain resistant with never dull edge tip end that will stay rust proof with proper care and sharpening

NON STICK with MATCHING BLADE GUARD – Professional Knife kit features food grade non-stick coating and protective cover guards for drawer storage and kids safety. Magnetic blades also store nicely on any wall mount hanging magnet rack organizer
ERGONOMIC NON SLIP HANDLES – Each modern colorful individual knife also features non slip comfort grip on its solid narrow plastic handle that makes big or small fruit vegetable and foods slicing more fun, whether it’s a tomato, onions, or cake.

These knives come in a nice box, perfect for gift giving or for your own kitchen.

From knives to grinding up coffee, we are excited about the Vremi Bump N’ Grind Electric Coffee Grinder. This easy to use coffee bean grinder is equipped with one touch control settings. Grinding is easy as pouring in your beans, placing the top on and pressing the button.

The double stainless steel blades are durable and sharp letting you grind your beans coarse, fine or to a powder consistency to match your needs. Easy to clean with included cleaning brush, no disassembly needed.

Giveaway:

Enter below for your chance to win the Vremi Knife Set and Bump N Grind Coffee Grinder.

1 Comment

Filed under Cooking, Giveaway, Home & Garden, Kitchen, Review

Tagged as coffee, Coffee Grinder, giveaway, home, Kitchen, Knife Set, Knives, Vremi

July 28, 2017 · 11:56 am

Part 2 of our Kitchen Transformation

If you have not seen Part 1 of our Kitchen Transformation click HERE. You can also see our video constructions updates for a more in-depth, up close and personal look at everything, including the lessons we learned along the way.

So, the was the first piece of quartz installed. Sorry for the poor lighting, they still had not installed all the lights at this point. Also, outside the kitchen window is a temporary storage shed that will be moved, once we can move our stuff back in.

There will be a false drawer front that matches the cabinets surrounding the farmhouse sink. It is still being made in the factory, but we will show you what a difference it makes when installed. Again, the shed in the back is just temporary.

That is my plumber checking out the island top. I noticed after they left it was not even so they had to come back and redo that and the sink. Fun times.

The opening for the cooktop is cut on site. They bring in a fan that sucks out the dust and through an attached large tunnel tube it is blown outside. They also have a vacuum running.

Once the sinks had set, the faucets were installed along with the dishwasher and cooktop. We also installed the 3 pendant lights over the island and the one over the sink. Then, the rest of the cabinets could be installed.

We need to get the crown molding installed on top of the cabinets and most of the interior cabinet lighting as well as the under cabinet and upper cabinet lighting. The cabinets still need to be aligned and the hardware installed. My biggest problem is, I cannot find a backsplash tile I like. Hope to do that this weekend. We have some more work to do but we have come a long way.

6 Comments

Filed under Curb Appeal, Home, Home & Garden, Home Improvement

Tagged as Cabinets, construction, Countertops, curbappeal, DIY, home improvement, Kitchen, New Kitchen, Quartz, Tile

May 15, 2017 · 2:21 pm

Big Home Improvement Updates & New Projects #HomeImprovement

Hi Everyone, I hope all the moms out there had a very Happy Mother’s Day. I am here with some very big updates. We will finally be starting the process of having the interior of our home rebuilt. We received great news from our air and surface testing after the mold remediation was completed so we can go to phase 2 and start getting our house back!

Need Help?

We have had a busy week. First off if you are looking for contractors or craftsmen and women, please try Thumbtack. We live in the country and we were having trouble finding contractors, electricians, plumbers, painters etc. One afternoon on Thumbtack solved that. Our house was like a hub for the next few days getting estimates because we had such a great response.

I have to tell you, we found so many skilled professionals we wanted to work with, it was hard to choose. We actually felt really bad about having to tell them that we hired someone. In the end, we found a contractor to do it all, from soup to nuts, everything! It was the best choice for us and we cannot wait to get this home rebuild party started.

Home Depot Pro Accounts Rock

My husband and I went to the The Home Depot the other day with our new contractor and added all the SKU numbers for all the drywall, wall spackle, thin set, grout, insulation, molding and other building supplies to my Home Depot Pro account. If you are doing work on your home and do not have a Pro account, go and get one, it is free, and if you are doing major renovations and will be spending more than $1500 in 7 days, it is well worth it. They also have a Pro special buy each week.

I could kick myself for the $7,000 plus I spent prior to knowing this. The only thing that consoles me is that what I bought previously was on a huge sale, so I tell myself it probably would not have been knocked down more. That is what I am telling myself anyway.

I work with a wonderful man there and he is so helpful and friendly, he knew my contractor immediately and told me he was a good guy. So, we now have just about everything we need except for the wall paint. That is because I need to pick the colors, which I plan to do this week. My kitchen designer told me to use the Cambria site that I am getting my quartz from. It has a paint match tool that is really cool so that is a huge help. It gave me four shades that would work and so I have to decide which two colors I want to go with.

Unbelievable Deal

We bought all the new hardwood flooring for our upstairs foyer, atrium and bedrooms as well. I am so excited about that because we got a great deal on the wood. It was more than a great deal, it was the kind of deal that makes me think of the IKEA commercial where the woman is running out and screaming to her husband, “Start the Car! Start the Car!”

We also have 3 pallets of Italian porcelain tile in our garage for the kitchen and first floor of our home. I still need to choose the tile for my kitchen backsplash, but my kitchen designer has advised me to wait until the countertop is installed, so I can really see how it will look. In the meantime, I am looking at what I think I want. I have just been informed by my contractor to look at some tile mat designs for the special accent tile I want to put behind my cooktop. I will try and do that this week.

Bathroom Renovation Finally Starting

We are going to be demoing the powder room downstairs and finally installing the new vanity and toilet. I did not pick out the new wallpaper yet so that will be something I need to do. I did pick up the new light fixture for the ceiling and we have a huge medicine chest, mirror unit that matches the vanity with built in LED lighting from Hafele.

We will then be installing a new TOTO USA Guinevere toilet in our bathroom and the beautiful Guinevere faucet from TOTO USA in the powder room. We will be installing the American Standard Self-Cleaning Toilet in the Powder Room along with the vanity and mirror unit from Strasser Woodenworks.

Kitchen Cabinets Due To Be Completed Soon

The kitchen cabinets from Wood-Mode are due to be completed on May 21st! I cannot wait to get my kitchen in. I am so excited. I have missed cooking and baking more than you can imagine.

Our refrigerator and dishwasher were delivered this week too! On May 19th, Home Depot will deliver all the building supplies and then work is going to be full speed ahead.

More Projects Underway

I also have some exciting little projects planned for me to do and show you on the blog. Our basement steps are still the unfinished wood from when we built the house. I want to dress them up a bit. I have thought about it for a while, but never got around to doing it, but no more procrastinating.

I bought Minwax Polyshades in the dark brown Espresso color for the top of the stairs and for the risers, I picked up some Wall Pops, Newport Reclaimed Brick NuWallpaper, peel and stick wallpaper to use. There was a photo on the outside of the package showing it used on stair risers and I loved the look. I will take video of the project to help anyone who might want to recreate the look in their own home.

I am also refinishing some windowsills in my house with the Watco Danish Oil and other Watco products. I cannot wait to share that with you, they are coming out fabulous. I am also covering the process on video, I hope it will help others to see how easy it is to get beautiful results.

Lastly you may remember in my master bath, I have the Concealed Cabinets. Well, I have wanted to add a little bling to them and I found some mosaic tile at Home Depot that I thought would match, and it does! I am going to put them all around the frame and then grout them.

I still need to find the right thing for inside the frame. I am thinking of using one of my flower photos enlarged to that size. The lilacs are just starting to bloom and I am going to try to take a photo that might work for that or use one that I have. I may do one in a peony and one with the lilac. I will Have to see. It is either that or one of my lake photos.

So, that is my update and I will be taking lots of photos and videos of the rebuild and all my projects to share with you of our progress along the way. If you have any questions, please ask.

6 Comments

Filed under Curb Appeal, Home & Garden, Home Improvement, Kitchen

Tagged as Bathroom, Curb Appeal, Home Depot, Home Improvements, Home Projects, Kitchen, Stasser Woodenworks, TOTO USA, Wood-Mode

March 30, 2017 · 2:10 am

Kitchen Update and Quartz Countertop Dilemma

I am back with an update on our new kitchen. I am happy to say, that 2 weeks ago we signed on the dotted line and our cabinets went into manufacturing. Since they are custom cabinets, they will be made to order and take at least 8 weeks.

We ended up going with a brand new Wood-Mode finish called Vintage Bright White. The Vintage finish is a distinctive glaze that is applied over the base color and adds a brushed appearance to the surface while highlighting the details of the door style and architectural elements. It also tones done the bright white and is just beautiful. The cabinets below are in Vintage Bright White. This is not the door I picked but I wanted to share the color with you.

We are also really excited about the integrated Häfele LED lighting matched to custom-fabricated Wood-Mode cabinetry. This lighting is brand new and we are the first kitchen that has it. I cannot wait because, I love light and I was forever saying I needed better lighting in the kitchen. This lighting will be in every cabinet and every drawer.

An industry-first, the Wood-Mode Integrated Lighting Program featuring Häfele LED solutions is a collaboration between two industry leaders to meet and drive the growing demand for integrated lighting design. The program utilizes the very best 12 volt, 3rd generation Loox LED options from Hafele. LED lighting is specified in 80% of kitchen projects overall (according to the NKBA) and offers energy-efficient, controllable, and discrete illumination with unlimited creative possibilities. You can read more about it HERE.

Beyond that, I have all the tile at the house and ready to be installed. I still need to pick the tile for the backsplash and that is where I am conflicted. The kitchen designer I am working with told me that it did not matter if I was having second thoughts on the color/pattern of the quartz now, because we have a lot of time. She said they will not be coming to do the template until the cabinets are installed. That made me breathe a bit easier because I have been going back and forth with my choice. I selected Cambria Quartz in Nevern. I have a very large sample piece and I love it!

The problem is that Cambria Quartz does not photograph well. At least the Nevern does not. In almost every photo I see of it online, it looks like a dull, flat, ugly laminate countertop. The picture below is the one I hate the most, it does nothing to sell this countertop.

That frightens me beyond belief. I know, I like Cambria Quartz, because I had it in my kitchen for almost 10 years. It is just that they need to do a better job in showing the beauty I see in this sample. I have heard other people complain about the same thing. Most said that they had second thoughts based on photos, but were happy in the end when it was installed. They said that the photos did not do it justice at all.

So I was thinking, I should play it safe and go with something like Ella.

On my way to sign the contracts, I kept thinking about it, but my heart and my head were not sold on it at all. I was so glad that when I told my kitchen designer I was thinking about Ella, she said, “Oh no, you do not want to go with Ella. You want something to make things pop!” I thanked her so much! It was the advice I needed! So Ella got kicked to the curb but I still am second guessing my choice.

I went on the Cambria Facebook page and asked them about my dilemma, but received as Verizon would say, a “half fast” answer. It was like they did not even read my question because they responded that I should look for a larger sample. I guess they missed what I wrote about having a large sample and the photos not looking at all like what I see in front of me.

I don’t know, I know I have time, but until I decide on the countertop, it halts the selection of the backsplash tile. Speaking of being halted, we have been halted for weeks with the demo crew. They should have completed everything by now. We have been held up for over 3 months, but let’s not even go there. Hopefully, work is going to begin next week. I feel like we are behind the 8-ball in getting everything done before the cabinets are ready.

Anyway, I guess this is not much of an update, but I wanted to let you know that things are still moving along slowly. The bathroom renovation has been halted a bit by this whole situation as well. I will have a post up about the faucet we chose for the bathroom in the next few days.

If you made it this far, thank you. If you would like to add any insight on the countertops, please do so in the comments. I would like to hear your thoughts. I will tell you one thing, if I do go for the Nevern and I love it, I will do everything in my power to get great photos of what it really looks like. I don’t want anyone else to have this uncertainty due to poor photos.

4 Comments

Filed under Curb Appeal, Home & Garden, Home Improvement

Tagged as Cabinetry, Cambria, Countertops, Curb Appeal, curbappeal, Custom Cabinets, Ella, home improvement, Kitchen, LED, Lighting, Nevern, New Kitchen, Quartz, Wood-Mode

January 29, 2017 · 2:31 am

My Top 11 Kitchen Essentials

I am in the middle of a huge home renovation including a new kitchen, 2 bathrooms, flooring throughout and more. It is a bit chaotic to say the least but I am trying to focus on the end result. I was thinking about what I would consider my top 11 kitchen essentials. I have a lot more than that, believe me, but let’s start with 11.

KitchenAid Mixer

My first would be my KitchenAid Mixer, it is actually my second one. My first was a classic and is still great but when we redid our kitchen almost 10 years ago, my husband bought me a bigger, badder one that matched our stainless steel appliances. I have the KitchenAid Professional 600 Series Bowl Lift Mixer in liquid graphite.

I never use anything else to mix up dough, cookie batters, cakes, frosting and so much more. It is definitely at top of my kitchen essentials list.

Number 2 would be a good set of knives. I have a Wusthof Knife Set with Knife Block. However, in our new kitchen we have a knife block that is built into a cabinet and a drawer with knife storage so we will be storing our knives there. With or without the block they are a great set of knives and tools.

VitaMix Blender

Number 3 is my VitaMix Blender. I did a lot of research before getting this blender and I have not regretted the purchase once. I have both the wet and dry container and just love it. I used to have to keep it on my island as it was so tall with the container, but in the new kitchen design we created a special area for it. The cabinets will be raised up so that my VitaMix can fit underneath the counter even with the tall 64 oz container on. Imagine designing our kitchen around our VitaMix! That is how much we love it!

I use it to make all kinds of smoothies, soups, frozen treats and more. It works so well and I love the retro look. If you are considering one, just go for it, you will not regret it. I just found out they now make a low profile VitaMix with a wider 64 oz container that fits under most cabinets. I am still confident I did the right thing because these blenders are workhorses that last forever. I also like the retro appearance of mine better that the low profile models.

Cast Iron Cookware

Number 4 is our cast iron pans. I no long like to cook in non-stick cookware due to the potential health effects. We have our stainless steel pots and pans but also invested in several pieces of cast iron cookware. I really like that it releases iron into the food which is important to women like myself, who need to supplement their iron.

Emile Henry Bread Pans (Number 5,6 & 7)

Another favorite is my Emile Henry Bread Loaf Baker, Bread Cloche and Baguette Baker. I never knew I could make bread like this constantly from the first time. I adore these and would not dream of baking bread any other way.

Emile Henry Butter Jar

With fresh bread you need to have butter and that brings us to number 8 in the top kitchen essentials list, the Emile Henry Butter Jar. I love how I never need to deal with hard butter and have spreadable butter all the time.

Vita Clay Smart Organic Multicooker

Next up, my Smart Organic Multicooker by Vita Clay. With all the news about crock pots leaching lead into food, I love this healthier option to slow cook my food. Not only that, this is a rice cooker and yogurt maker. Best of all no lead leaching in our food.

Keurig 2.0

The strangest thing happened, I used to be a major coffee drinker but my friend told me about bullet proof coffee, you know that coffee you make with grass-fed butter and coconut oil or MCT oil. I hated it, but drank it to see if it would give me the crazy energy it promised.

It did not, I am high energy anyway and it did nothing to boost that. I will tell you what it did do, it made me hate coffee! Coffee was something I used to savor and look forward to. The short time that I was drinking the bullet proof coffee, it totally killed my taste for coffee. Even when I went back to drinking it like I wanted, I could barely finish a cup. Anyway, I totally cannot drink it now and drink only tea.

My husband on the other hand is a coffee addict and so my next kitchen essential is our Keurig 2.0. We have been Keurig users since 2010 and have 2 larger Keurigs and one mini. However he has full use of it now that I am not drinking coffee.

Electric Tea Kettle

My Electric Tea Kettle as a tea drinker is my best friend. I can bring it almost anywhere like in my office and have my tea without any hassle. There are all kinds of electric kettles, my daughter loves her Cuisinart CPK-17 PerfecTemp Stainless Steel Cordless Electric Kettle and has it at her desk at work. She says it is the best and can have her tea at the perfect temperature any time.

Well, that is my top 11. It was hard to pick and I could go on for at least another 11 that I feel are essential to the well performing kitchen. I will do that another time.

In the meantime, tell me what some of your top kitchen essentials are? I would love for you to share your answers in the comments.

8 Comments

Filed under Cooking, Home & Garden, Kitchen, Mommy Ramblings

Tagged as coffeemaker, Emile Henry, Essentials, Kitchen, Knife Set, Mixer, products

December 15, 2016 · 11:17 am

Do You Really Need a Pot Filler in Your Kitchen?

If you are designing a new kitchen, you probably know all about pot fillers. You might be wondering how we lived all these years filling our pots at the kitchen sink and carrying them over to the stove. Maybe you are thinking, it makes no sense because you still have to carry that pot of boiling hot water over to the sink to drain or empty at some point. There is also a point to be made that it is another source of a potential leak, problem and of course expense in what already is a very expensive project. So, let’s take a look at the reasons why they are becoming so popular.

Less Strain on Your Body

Water has a weight of about 8 pounds per gallon. If you are filling up a large stock pot with water at the sink it can put a strain on your back as you carry it. However I don’t sit my pot in my sink and fill it, I usually set it up at counter height and fill it with my extended spray arm. If you are setting a large pot down in a deep sink and then hoisting it up and out, that could strain your back, especially if you have issues. However, most people have been doing this for years and are just fine.

Saves Time

The other point that is made to the advantage of a pot filler is that it saves time. I like to save time and work more efficiently but really, I doubt I am saving that much time to really make a difference. It is true you can turn it on and fill your pot on the stove and then go back to your sink to wash veggies or prep other foods. That could save you a few minutes, as long as you remember to keep watching the pot and run over and turn the water off before it overflows. I can see the advantage that you can easily be sauteing or cooking another part of the meal while you have a pot filling up on the stove. Not sure if this really is enough of a reason to convince people they need a pot filler.

Adds Style

I think this is the biggest reason you see them in more new kitchens today. It adds a touch of style and sophistication to your kitchen. I think many would say it adds a certain status to your project. I was speaking with a woman a couple of weeks ago and she was telling me about her son and how well he was doing. She went on to describe his house and said, “You know he even has one of those pot fillers in his kitchen.”

The facts remain that you need to carry that pot of water back to the stove which can strain your back as can hoisting it and pouring over a colander to drain pasta or other foods. That kind of negates the first reason. Sure, it may save a few seconds to minutes but does that truly justify the additional cost and of course potential source of a problem like a leak? I think the reason people put them in is based heavily on the third reason. Pot fillers look nice and they add a wow factor to your kitchen.

Some other cons are that they collect grease from cooking and it is another thing to clean. Cleaning the pot filler is something you would not have to do if you did not have one. Cleaning the pot filler will actually take longer than the time you saved in filling the pots on the stove. For those that like clean lines, having a pot filler extending from the backsplash may be an eyesore. There are deck mounted pot fillers as well but that is another permanent fixture protruding from your counter top.

I am still deciding if I am going to put one in my new kitchen. What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts.

1 Comment

Filed under Curb Appeal, Decorating, Home & Garden, Home Improvement

Tagged as Curb Appeal, curbappeal, Design, home improvement, Kitchen, Pot Filler, Renovations, Trends

December 6, 2016 · 6:41 pm

What Could You Do With A More Powerful Blender? #Giveaway #HolidayGiftGuide

Looking for some help in the kitchen? How about some very powerful help? The Vremi Super Power Blender will be your best friend. It will win you over with its ability to whip up fruity frozen delights or its power to pulverize greens into gazpacho in record time!

The blender has a powerful 1400W motor and includes an oversized 2L pitcher, measuring cup and tamper. See my unboxing video below:

I am in the middle of some major home renovation projects and my kitchen is one of them. In fact my kitchen is about to be dismantled and I don’t have anything in it anymore. I whip up a quick frozen fruit smoothie with this blender and show you a great way to clean it in the video below.

It is a very nice looking blender, sleek stainless steel and very powerful. We think it would make a wonderful and very useful addition to any kitchen. You can find it on our 2016 Holiday Gift Guide. We have a special present for you too, a giveaway!