Wish List Wednesdays: Toptier Electric Ceramic Tea Kettle

I have been looking to replace my old electric tea kettle for a while now.  It is an old West Bend kettle that still works well, but the short spout is annoying because water always drips on to the counter when I pour it into my tea mug.  I wanted a kettle with a gooseneck-type spout, but most modern versions are designed for pouring the boiling water over coffee grounds rather than tea, and I just do not care for the really skinny spout.  Also, to me these modern electric kettles look rather ungainly and, frankly, unattractive.

Finally, after a long search for just the right kettle, I found the Toptier Electric Ceramic Tea Kettle ($52.99 on Amazon) which is both attractive and functional.  As soon as I saw the colorful Dot pattern I knew that this was the kettle for me!  I also love the fact that it is ceramic rather than plastic or metal.  While some reviewers complained about a funny smell to the water when using the kettle, I simply followed the instructions which said to boil water in the kettle and discard before using it, and I have had no problems whatsoever.  There were also a few complaints about leaks from the base but I did not have that issue either.

I have been using this kettle for a few weeks now and I have to say I am quite pleased.  The water comes to a boil quickly and the gooseneck spout never drips water on my countertop.  Unlike my old kettle, this one can be removed from the base with the heating element, but I do not find this to be either better or worse.  The cord on this kettle is much thicker and sturdier, which makes it a bit harder to coil up when not in use, but this is probably a safety feature so I am not complaining.  Really the only minor complaint I have is that the knob on the lid gets hot when the water is boiled, so I have to hold and remove the lid with a paper towel when the kettle is hot so I do not burn my fingers.  I am on the lookout for some sort of silicone cap to put on this lid and thought I had found one but it was too wide and did not fit, so I am still looking.  If I find something that works I will update this site with the information.

If you are looking for an electric kettle that works well and also looks attractive I highly recommend the Toptier Electric Ceramic Tea Kettle.  It comes in several different styles and colors as well as two different sizes, so check it out if you are interested.  (For cat lovers there is an absolutely adorable Greedy Cat design in blue and white - I was really tempted, but I am more of a dog person and Dot was the name of my first Dalmatian, so I had to go with that pattern instead!)

On the Homefront: Meet Mae(ve), Our Newest Canine Family Member

I think it is high time I introduced the most recent addition to our little family - meet Mae, a rescued stray we initially intended just to foster, but quickly realized that she needed to stay!  Mae was a stray at the Taos Pueblo, only two years old when rescued but already raising her second litter of puppies.  The pueblo is attempting to reduce their number of stray dogs so last September they agreed to let a rescue group take Mae and her puppies along with another female dog with a litter.  The other female and all of the puppies were rounded up and adopted out fairly quickly, but the group had a hard time capturing Mae and could not get her until two weeks after the rest of the dogs had left.

Although the original rescuers were from Colorado, they let another group based in Santa Fe take Mae in to find her a foster home.  This new group temporarily boarded her at a vet clinic while they advertised on NextDoor, a local social networking platform, for a foster home willing to take Mae in.  This is where I found her, and as soon as I saw her picture I decided we would give it a try.  I had never fostered before, but I was starting to think about getting another dog after losing my beloved Ruby last March.  Since I am getting older I initially I thought that I would like to get an older dog who was not too big, possibly a Dalmatian as we had owned Dalmatians in the past and they are my favorite breed.  I tried to find an adoptable Dalmatian in our area but had no luck, so when I saw Mae's picture I thought that while I looked for my next dog I could at least help out other dogs in need of a home by fostering.

While Mae's bio mentioned that she was easy to handle and got along well with other dogs, she was very young and about fifteen pounds heavier than I thought I could handle easily, so I did not really think she would suit us as a permanent addition.  Nevertheless, I got in touch with the rescue group and set up a meeting at our house so that they could inspect our premises to make sure we were suitable and I could decide if I could handle Mae.  The meeting went very well, Mae got along fine with our dog Madison, and I decided that I could do a foster.

Initially Mae was rather anxious and kept looking for a way out of the house (as a stray, she had never lived in a house before) but after a week she settled in and calmed down a lot.  Best of all, she seemed very happy to be living with us and proved to be very easy to train.  That was when I decided that she was after all a dog we could adopt.  We signed the papers, officially kept the name "Maeve" that she was given by the rescue group but shortened it to Mae for everyday use, and she is now a permanent member of our family.  She has been with us since early October 2023, and while we are still working on a few issues, she has settled in very well.

Mae is a very happy and playful dog, just a big bumbling puppy really, who enjoys her daily morning walks as well as lying around in the yard all day when the weather is nice.  We do not even have to worry about our driveway gate being open as she has no desire to leave the property and does not chase cars.  Even though she is an athletic and strong dog who weighs about 60 pounds who could easily pull me over when I have her on the leash, she never pulls and seems fine with being on a leash (although I know she would love to run free).  She gets along well with our dog Madison as well as the neighbor's small dogs that walk with us in the morning, and best of all she is big enough to protect Madison and the neighbor's dogs from any coyotes who may be thinking of going after these smaller dogs (she has already chased away one coyote that bit Madison, who never watches where she is going and tends to walk right into coyotes when following a scent!).  This girl is a keeper, and I am so glad that I took a chance and decided to invite her into our home!

An adorable photo of Mae hugging a tiny stuffed squirrel toy.

Foodie Fridays: Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Peppers

I love how quick and easy sheet pans dinners are to make, and I have posted several recipes for them on this blog.  Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Peppers is another variation using ingredients that work well together and cook to perfection in the oven.  Best of all, I usually have most if not all of these ingredients on hand, which makes it even easier to get dinner ready almost effortlessly!  I do have to admit, though, that I never actually use a sheet pan - I always use a 9x13-inch baking pan instead, as I find that I am less likely to toss ingredients all over the kitchen using a deeper pan.  Everything roasts just fine as long as the pan is not overfilled, so I will stick to my pan of choice (I will still call this a sheet pan dinner, though!).

Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Peppers

1 lb. precooked sausage, sliced (I used smoked turkey sausage)
2 bell peppers, sliced
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 package (16 oz.) gnocchi (I used pumpkin gnocchi)
2 T. olive oil (I used half garlic-flavored olive oil and half plain)
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. garlic powder (I omitted this)
¼ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. black pepper (optional)

Add all ingredients to a 9x13-inch baking pan.  Use a large spoon or spatula to toss the ingredients around so that everything is coated with oil and spices.  Spread in an even layer.

Bake at 400℉ for 20-25 minutes, until the gnocchi and sausage are golden brown.

Spoon the gnocchi mixture into serving bowls.  If desired, top with an extra drizzle of olive oil (about 1 tsp. per serving), grated parmesan, and chopped parsley.  Serves 4.

All the lovely colors in this pan just make me happy! 😊

This 'n That Thursdays: My (Very) Minimal Winter Skin Care Routine

From UC Health

I have never been one to fuss very much about my appearance.  I am more interested in staying healthy  than being pretty (I almost never wear makeup or other beauty products), but as I age I know that my body needs better care than it did when I was younger.  My skin was on the oily side when I was young, so I never worried much about dryness, but now that I am older and live in a very dry climate, I do need to pamper my skin more, especially in the winter.  The tips listed above help to combat dry winter skin (check out the website for more details) but I am still not great about using moisturizing products.  That said, I do use three products to keep my skin hydrated and healthy in the winter, so I thought I would describe these items today as they have worked so well for me.

As a general moisturizer, I could not live without my Amlactin Intensive Healing Body Lotion ($25.34 for a 14.1 oz. bottle) in the winter.  If I don't use this lotion, the skin on my legs becomes dry and flaky, my heels start to dry out, and I develop painful, bleeding cracks around the cuticles of my fingernails, especially on my thumbs for some reason.  I even use this lotion on my neck and face, although I have to be careful not to get it in my eyes as it is irritating.  I have tried other lotions in the winter but they are either not moisturizing enough or they feel too uncomfortably greasy.  Whenever I wash my hands I make sure to reapply this lotion, and I never wash dishes without gloves in the winter as my cuticles will dry out and crack if I do.  I go through two bottles of this lotion every winter but it is so effective that it is worth it.

For my lips, I swear by Aquaphor Lip Repair Stick + Sunscreen ($16.28 for a package of four).  I actually use this product all year round.  It moisturizes and heals dry lips as well as protects them from sun damage with an SPF 30 sunscreen.  I am prone to cold sores if my lips get sunburned, and this sunscreen lip balm helps to prevent this problem as well.

The last product I use for facial skin care is Aveda Purifying Creme Cleanser ($22.00 for a 5 oz. bottle).  It is pricey but I only need to use it once a day in the shower and only a small amount is needed for each washing, so the bottle lasts a long time (probably almost a year for me, and I use it every day).  This product moisturizes my face without leaving any greasy residue.  The small amount I use also covers my neck and even my arms!  I have been using this product for decades now, and I hope Aveda never stops making it because it is the most effective facial cleanser and moisturizer I have ever used.

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February is starting off with unusually mild weather, but that is supposed to change tonight with cold weather returning for the weekend, so I will be faithfully following my minimal but effective winter skin care routine for this month and probably most of March as well.  Stay healthy and moisturized for the rest of this winter, everyone!

This 'n That Thursdays: An Advent Tea Tin

One of the Christmas gifts I  received was this Harney & Sons Nutcracker Blend Tea Tin ($16.95 for 30 sachets).  I enjoy the flavor of the tea sachets in the tin, but I just love the cute design of the tin itself.  I plan to keep this tin after the tea is gone, and I know exactly how I will be using it.  Advent calendars with little gift slots for each of the 24 days before Christmas seem to be very popular right now.  I have been looking for one that includes a tea bag for each day, but I only like black or white tea and all of the advent tea calendars that I have found include green, rooibos, and/or herbal teas in the collection.  You can also find empty advent calendars to fill yourself, but the nicest ones are expensive and they tend to be rather large, which means yet another decorative item that has to be stored somewhere until next Christmas.

When I got this cute nutcracker tin, it occurred to me that I could use it as a sort of advent calendar.  It has plenty of room for 24 tea bags, and since I drink tea at least once every day I always have plenty of tea bags on hand.  If I start now saving one or two foil-wrapped tea bags from every box I open, it will not take me long to collect 24 of them.  I tend to switch the types and flavors of tea I drink throughout the year, so I am pretty sure I can have 24 different types of black tea by the time we reach the month of December.  Best of all, this compact tea tin is much easier to store than a bulky advent calendar, and I can reuse it year after year.  I am really looking forward to putting this advent tea tin together as the year progresses, and can't wait to start using it when December 1st finally arrives!

Foodie Fridays: Small Batch One Banana Muffins

All decked out in Christmas-colored silicone baking cups!

I used to love to bake, but these days I rarely do so as I must watch my carbohydrate intake.  However, every once in a while I feel the need to bake something, so I try to make small batch recipes since I am just baking for two.  Recently we had one very overripe banana that either had to be used up or thrown away, so I tried a Small Batch One Banana Muffins recipe which turned out great.  I usually find banana muffins to be way too sweet, but by adding 60% dark chocolate chips and coconut sugar (which does not taste as sweet as brown sugar) these muffins were just right.  Next time we have an overripe banana I will make these again!

Small Batch One Banana Muffins

1 C. flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 C. melted unsalted butter (or vegetable oil)
1 overripe banana (1/2 cup mashed)
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed (I used coconut sugar)
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C. dark (or semisweet) chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter.  Add the banana and mash thoroughly with a fork.  Whisk in the sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.  Add the dry ingredients and stir together until a batter forms. Stir until just incorporated (do not overmix).  Fold in the chocolate chips.

If time permits, let the batter sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before scooping so that the batter will rise better while baking.  Spoon the batter equally into 6 greased or lined muffin cups.

Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then decrease the oven temperature to 350°F, WITHOUT opening the oven door, and bake for 12-15 more minutes until domed and set (a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean).  Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes before serving.  Serves 6.

This "n That Thursdays: A Preview of Two Picks of the Year for 2024

Tamarind tree and pods (from Green Paradise)

McCormick and Pantone have just announced their 2024 picks of the year, and they are, to me at least, not what one would have expected, so let's take a look!  McCormick's choice for their 2024 Flavor of the Year is tamarind, which comes from the sweet and tangy pulp in the fruit pod of a tropical leguminous tree (Tamarindus indica).  While you may not be familiar with the fruit itself, if you have ever used Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce you have used tamarind, as tamarind extract is one of the flavorings in the sauce.

McCormick has created a Mexican-inspired Tamarind and Pasilla Chile Seasoning blend with a "sour, savory flavor & mild heat" which will be available for a limited time so that you can try this unique flavor in your own cooking.  I am intrigued enough to consider trying this blend myself.

For their 2024 Color of the Year, Pantone has chosen a shade they call Peach Fuzz, a color which they claim "captures our desire to nurture ourselves and others."  This warm pastel hue, "softly nestled between pink and orange" and "a clean peach tone with a vintage vibe", supposedly evokes both coziness and elegance.  Thanks to all of the current turmoil in the world, the folks at Pantone felt that we needed a warm and gentle color to soothe our anxiety yet still please our sense of style.  While I am not a big fan of pastels, even I have to admit that this peachy shade is indeed a gentle and relaxing color - not one that I personally would want to live with, but I would not mind being in surroundings that include this hue.

So what do you think of these two picks for 2024?  Will you be looking to purchase items that include either one?  If so, enjoy! 🍑🍲😊