joy! easy bake oven returns, cuter than ever
You may remember the national mourning that occurred a few years ago when Easy Bake Ovens were recalled. Generations of passionate bakers wept when the news arrived that their very first oven — which baked small goodies with a really hot light bulb — was dangerous and being pulled off the shelf. Well, Hasbro has fixed the problems by replacing traditional lightbulbs with energy-effecient LEDs and compact fluorescents. Apparently the new version heats up to about 375 degrees, but the exterior of the oven remains warm — not hot — to the touch. It also got a little bit of a makeover. It’s sleeker and more purple than ever before. Hooray! Read more about the new design at ivillage.com.
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ikea makes a nursery for our guys: do they want one?
Perhaps it is some recessed Paleolithic gene, but men just don’t enjoy shopping in the same way that women do. Any gal who has tried to maneuver her man through a crowded Nordstrom knows that he does not have the same patience for trying on clothes and waiting in line as she does. Ikea, forever determined to be a lifestyle leader, is attempting to address the conundrum with a new designated area for dudes, called Manland (see this story in news.com.au for more details). Currently available only in Europe now, it is outfitted with foosball tables, video games and free hotdogs. Though my husband, Chad, rather enjoys our strolls through Ikea and a good debate about lighting, I could imagine this being helpful. Now, if we could place one of them in H&M, that’d be special. — Angela M.
Do your guys like shopping as much as you do? Let me know!
thanks irene, for the blooming mushrooms
We’ve been noticing all sorts of lovely fungi sprouting up in our neighborhood the past few weeks. New to the suburbs, I didn’t think much of it until spotting this story on npr.com. Apparently in addition to water damaged basements, mold growing in walls and downed power lines, Hurricane Irene also left behind some extremely fertile conditions for growing mushrooms. I’m not sure if any of our local yard varieties are edible (we take a strict “don’t eat that” policy on any plants we’re not sure of) but they are sure cute. I like to picture little gnomes and fairies taking shelter under them during rains. It’s best not to step on them, as they can be slippery like a banana peel.
Have you ever gathered your own mushrooms? Would these taste good sauteed in butter? — Angela M.
the joys of cooking with enameled cast iron
I’ve never been one for traditional cast iron – I just don’t have the patience for keeping it in tip-top shape. But ever since I splurged on my first piece of Le Creuset (on super clearance at Macy’s, if memory serves) a few years ago, I’ve been smitten with cooking in enameled cast iron. Expensive though it is, enameled cast iron is unquestionably my cookware of choice now, for nearly everything but crepes and fried eggs. It has just enough non-stick properties to make clean-up relatively easy, browns food beautifully, heats evenly and holds onto that heat well, and is so bright and cheery, it’s a joy to look at in my cupboards. Plus, the stuff is virtually indestructible. In fact, I still have two pieces of enameled cast iron my grandmother gave me years ago, that she had gotten from her mother. While there are a few chips here and there, they still cook perfectly.
Are you a fan of enameled cast iron? Do you have a favorite line? I tend to remain partial to Le Creuset, if only because there’s an outlet 45 minutes from my house (if you have one nearby, get on their mailing list – 30-40% discount coupons are prolific!), but I’m always curious about Staub, and some of the excellent vintage enamelware out there (all perfectly fine to buy, just make sure there aren’t any chips on the cooking surface). I recently found a piece of Dansk at Goodwill, and brought it home, but it’s incredibly thin, which means it’s screaming hot in a matter of seconds. Great for stir-fry, but not much else.
Have you tried enameled cast iron? Do you have a favorite brand? And if you collect it, I’m curious – do you stick to one color, or do you go for the rainbow effect? –Becki S.
dining room inspiration: fence fungus green
We spent the weekend carrying split rails from the driveway to the yard and replacing 70+ rotten rails. Not an activity I’d recommend if you want to be able to lift your arms over your head come Monday, but it’s good to have the project done and out of the way nonetheless. The other good thing? I think I might just have solved the color problem I was having with our dining room. I know I want a sage-y green, but all the colors I tried ended up having too much yellow undertones once I got them on the wall. Midway through day two of fixing the fence, it hit me that the green stuff growing all over the rails was actually pretty, once you got past the whole rotting the rails thing. Two pics later, the Benjamin Moore color app pointed me in a new direction. Top of my new list? Nob Hill Sage. It’s got cooler undertones (center top of fence photo) and when I pulled it up on the Benjamin Moore site, the complementary colors were close to the still life I want to get framed for the room. My second choice? Herb bouquet. It’s a little darker, but if we paint below the chair rail in a high gloss white, it might well be the winner. Of course, the real test will be getting some patches on the wall but for now, I’m excited about bringing the outside in. Just don’t expect me to be lifting a paintbrush for a few more days. — Sarah L.
