Top Ten Hard Ciders to Drink this Fall

Here is a great top ten list from Chilled Magazine!  Check out the Top Ten Hard Ciders to Drink this Fall.  I've already had the Woodchuck and the Angry Orchard.  I'm not a huge beer drinker but I'll drink stout all day and I do love the hard ciders.  So yummy!  I'm dying to try the Samuel Smith Organic Cider from England.  Samuel Smith makes an awesome oatmeal stout that is 2nd to my go to Guinness Extra Stout so my expectations for the hard cider are high!  :) Cheers!

Stove Top Covers

I’m replacing my stove top burner covers and I wanted to get something both attractive and decorative.  I think that the stove burners are ugly so I like to cover them up and the stove top covers that I currently have are getting old and worn.  I think it adds a decorative touch to the kitchen for a cheap price.  

I started to search around the internet and couldn't believe that were so many designs and colors to choose from!  I used to just go to Walmart or Target but it’s mostly the same ones I've always gotten and I wanted something different this time.  I got super excited and decided I could share this with you because I found some really nice ones for all different types of stove tops.  I have an electric stove so I need those but there are also gas stove top covers as well as glass stove top covers!  I’ll show you my favorites.

I got these Corelle Coordinates in the Simple Lines design.  I love them!  They are simple yet elegant.  My kitchen appliances are white and black and the color scheme is a medium gray to light gray so they match perfectly.  I’m super happy with them and have used this brand before.  I usually don’t keep my burner covers long as they do wear quickly but it’s an easy spruce up to my kitchen.  I used to switch them out (along with my dinnerware) when the seasons changed but as I got older and time became more precious, I stopped.  I just don’t have time for that!  

I do have Christmas themed burner covers though.  I use those from Thanksgiving, when I do my decorating, until New Years, when all the decorations get packed back up. These Hallmark Santa covers are the ones I currently use during the holidays.

These bell pepper burner covers are super cute and if my kitchen wasn't themed the way it is, I would have probably gotten these! They are ceramic and they would last longer than the metal ones that are usually available. Plus I think that they would be easier to clean too!

Gas stove top covers didn't seem to come in as many designs as the electric stove top burner covers but they did have a wide selection of solid colors.  These two are my favorites and if I had a gas stove then I would buy one of these.

The coolest and most beautiful stove burner covers that I saw were made for glass stove tops.  Now while I could probably deal with a glass stove top since the burners aren't sticking up, I would certainly entertain getting one of these.  The wow factor alone would give such conversation.  The one on the left is certainly my favorite since I do love peacocks, although I would think twice about getting that for my kitchen.  I would probably opt for something more in style with my kitchen decor like the black marble one on the right.

Do you use stove top burner covers?  Which is your favorite?

German Apple Cake

OMG!  My Grandma used to make something like this when we were little kids!  My Mom doesn't have any of her recipes (she has never had any desire to cook or bake) and I've been trying to piece together all the yummy recipes that my Grandma had made. 

This one is called German Apple Cake and although I am Hungarian, it is probably very close to what I know since there are a lot of German influences in my family. I've come to find out that many of the words that I grew up using as Hungarian are actually German!  Go figure! 

 Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 to 4 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, Cortland, or Winesa

You can check out the full recipe here on MarthaStewart.com and the nutrition facts here on Yummly.com.  Cheers!

The Best Whipped Cream Dispenser (IMO!)

iSi Whipped Cream Dispenser is one the best of its kinds. Yes, I can say that again! I have been using this product for over 6 years now all thanks to my husband who bought this as a gift for me.  Such a nice guy! 

I have fallen head over heels in love with my iSi Whip Cream Dispenser and here are a few reasons why:

-Can be used for warm or cold applications
-Foam a variety of different foods
-Stainless steel bottle and head
-Dishwasher safe
-Super easy to use

I should point out that you might need some practice time to get used this product.  When you just start to use this product, it can be a bit confusing if you have never used a whip cream dispenser before. Trust me, I had to read the manual a couple of time before I got used to it.

As I had mentioned, I have been using this for over 6 years now and it works fine but initially, I did not know how to easily unbolt the top and unfortunately most of the paint had flaked off in my hands.  Immediately after it is empty when it is still cold, the top is particularly hard to unbolt and the paint will come off if you are using all your strength!   The secret is to run warm water on it to warm the canister. Then the top will unscrew very easily.  Or you can just let it warm up naturally at room temperature if you don’t need any more cream at the moment.

The iSi Whipped Cream Dispenser isn’t cheap but you can bet you will always get the value of your money back.   It is true that a can of Reddi Whip is much cheaper but now I know what ingredients I have in my whipped cream!  It also reduces waste from having to throw out or recycle the empty Reddi-Whip can.  I use my fresh whipped cream on my coffee, ice-cream and of course pie!  My kids love it and my family finds the flavor wonderful.  My 3 year old will do anything for a blast of whipped cream!

There are various other products that work just like the iSi but from my experience, they don’t equal it in quality as I have used other whip cream dispensers.  This one is so easy to care for and much more durable than previous dispensers I have tried. 

Here are a few things you should consider when looking to buy a whipped cream dispenser:

The Size - You will find that the dispensers are sold in various sizes - 1/2 pint, 1 pint, 1 quart, etc. we have the pint size whipped cream canister and it works just fine for our needs. 

The Price - We found that you could buy a top rated model for about $65 (1 pint) while the more expensive 1 quart culinary whippers with attachments are well over $100.

Tips - Some whippers come with attachment tips that fit on the top to make decorative designs.  The plastic ones may not hold up as well as the stainless steel but overall customer reviews were happy with performance and the ability to dispense the whipped cream with a decorative style.

Maintenance/Repairs - The one part/section of the whipped cream canisters that seems to have the most trouble is the gasket. The rubber piece in the housing can sometimes get damaged which makes the product 'misfire'. You should read over the reviews for specific models that you are looking at that had the biggest problems. Otherwise, they are easy to clean and use with minimal effort.

Cream Chargers - You will need to have a supply of N20 or nitrous oxide chargers on hand if you plan on using your whipped cream dispenser. The cartridges are sold as a 10 or 24 pack from iSi (as well as other manufacturers) for about $17. Each cartridge will work fine with the pint sized dispenser. You'll know when the cream charger is done as it starts sputtering. You can find nitrous oxide for sale here.

Brands - The iSi brand is the best - hands down. Reviews from consumers prove this and we talked with several local restaurants and cooking supply stores and they all agreed that the iSi line does the job the best. Whip-It! and Mosa are 2 other brands worth considering. Stainless steel is the most popular option, although some go with white metal with a plastic head.

I think the difference in cost up front is worth it as I compare the quality.  They do say, you get what you pay for!   I’m glad my husband made the conscious decision to factor in quality rather than price when he gave it to me as a gift!

What are you waiting for?  Order your iSi Whipped Cream Dispenser today!

Food for My Halloween Party

Since I’ve decided to have a Halloween party this year, I have to make some food to serve!  It’s not going to be too big of a party, maybe 25-30 adults so I can manage the prep as well as the clean up!  I’ve been searching the internet for some good recipes and found some things that I’m definitely going to make.  I am really trying to keep everything spooky, creepy and unique.  Here’s my list of food for my Halloween party.  I've included links to all the recipes, just click the title!

Brew Ha Ha Punch

This is exactly the punch I wanted for those gummy eyes that I’m going to float around.  I had mentioned them in this post but you can also check them out here.  The dry ice effect will add a great spooky touch!

 

Sweet & Sour Eyeballs

So smart!  I love the idea and it’s super simple to make meatballs for 30 people!  Def on my menu

Cornbread Ghosts

Not so spooky but it is super easy and allows me to add some starch to the menu.

 

 

Dead Man’s Finger Sandwiches

Lol!  Love these and when I read the ingredients and directions, I knew they would be on my list.  Basically these are a real crafty way to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches!  Awesome!

 

Graveyard Taco Dip

Perfect and easy!  Even the tree and tombstones sound easy!

 

Mummy Baked Brie

I LOVE baked brie and buy brie all the time.  I actually just bought a goats milk brie today.  I’ve never had one made from goats milk before but I was sold.  The texture is much more creamy and smooth and I ate it with a bit of fresh baked French bread.  It was phenomenal!  Anyways, this is def on my my menu.

And that’ sit!  I’m keeping it simple and easy and I think this will be plenty of food for the goblins!  Cheers!

The BEST Halloween Candy EVER!

I'm throwing a Halloween party this year and decided that I really wanted to make it as spooky and creepy as possible.  What better way to do that with than unique Halloween treats and candy!  I found the following items on Amazon which I found to be the best place to buy Halloween candy especially of this type of nature.  I was searching around the stores and could only find the regular Halloween candy to hand out to kids.  I couldn't find any of these super cool and creepy candies and stuff.  I can't wait until my party and to get peoples reaction.  I think these are the best Halloween candies ever created!  If you know of any other creepy items I can add to this list, please let me know!  Cheers!

Oozing Eye Balls Candy, 16 Assorted Jelly-filled Marshmallow Eyeballs

While the reviews say that they don't have eyeballs printed on them, I thought it would be fun to have the squishy jelly ooze when bitten in to!

Flix Candy Box of Boogers, 3.5-Ounce. Boxes (Pack of 12)

OK, just plain gross but it's exactly what I'm looking for!  LOL

 Gummy Eyes Halloween Candy

I think these are so well made and will be perfect for the punch I'm going to make!  Can you imagine these floating around in a big punch bowl?  Fabulous!

Larvets-Original Worm Snacks (Pack of 24)

So not a candy but flavored worm snacks will work perfectly!

Fruit Punch Liquid Candy Blood Bags 12CT Pack

This is just pure genius so I had to get them!  I don't know how I will use them yet but I'll figure it out.  If you have any ideas, please let me know!

What to Look For When Buying Vegetables

Here is a great info graphic on what to look for when buying vegetables.  I find these really handy.  I had come across one earlier this summer about fruits and had actually used the information when I was in the local grocery store.  In particular, I wanted to buy a watermelon and the information was spot on as that watermelon was so sweet and tasty!