My 3 New Cooking Toys

First things First ~ BREAKFAST ~ made in my new Monkey Bread Maker. Mmmmm.... homemade monkey bread on Christmas morning. Good thing we started the day so early, since we had to wait for the bread to rise. Twice. And Charis wasn't afraid to get her hands messy. She loves to cook just like her Momma! And boy was that wait worth it! Yummo! Thanks Babe!



Then a few hours later, we were hungry for a little bit a ~ LUNCH ~ made in my new Le Creuset stock pot (yes, just like the one on the Pioneer Woman's Cookbook. Shameful... I know). But really, the green color was my fav! Nevertheless, chicken soup for lunch. See!?!? Well worth it. (Or at least you'd think so if you could have tasted it)



And at last ~ DINNER ~ would have been served on the new panini press that I've been wanting. But since we spent the evening at Dad's with him, Janice, and her family, I used it the next morning for homemade pancakes. Made from the recipe book that was my Mom's. The Betty Crocker cookbook that my Mom taught me to cook from. Did I mention the panini press doubles as a griddle, and opens up flat. Finally for the first time in my life, the pancakes turned out perfect! And it was easy to pour out cute pancake shapes right onto the griddle. Love it!


Here is the pancake recipe from one of my treasures ~ my Mom's cookbook. I love all the grease stains on the well worn pages. The waffle recipe on the next page shows where I wrote out to the side the "doubled" amounts ~ so I didn't have to do the math every time. Ha! (kids)



This 3rd cooking gift from Alan will be a learning adventure for me. Paninis are actually quite complicated and a bit intimidating. Not making them, but MAKING or CREATING them. I need a recipe book just for these yummy, flat, crusty little sandwiches.