For Christmas this year I received a beautiful gift (one of the beauties below) and then I purchased my kitchen a gift, or two (yes – the rest of the beauties below). In fact, I will openly admit that I love to buy gifts, for myself.
When my hero-of-a-hubby asked me what I wanted for Christmas I couldn’t think of anything except for kitchen stuff. I wonder if Gloria Steinem (or any of the NOW leaders from the ’70s would be disappointed at this wish list.) All I could think about was how upset some ladies used to get when they received a blender (or other small appliance) as a gift. But I digress… and now I’m thinking of a writing new blog post!
Anyway, I had my eye on most of these items for months… researched, and saved up my “allowance” to buy each one in the months leading up to Christmas. While I had already been using them I still wrapped their empty boxes and placed them under the tree! My hubby just laughed… “Another gift from ‘Santa’, huh?!” (and yes, he made the quotation marks with his fingers…sigh!)
The first perfect fit I found was this Lodge Logic cast iron 5″ skillet (pre-seasoned)… perfect for frying eggs, toasting spices and so many other things!!! Love, love, love… (the image below looks much larger than 5″… but 5″ it is.) (Approximately $15 at Walmart.)
I also found a Lodge Logic cast iron chicken fryer (also pre-seasoned), with lid… in this you can also make cinnnamon rolls, chili, cornbread, and so much more… (Approximately $25 at Walmart.)
My hero-of-a-hubby bought me this early Christmas present: Kitty – the KitchenAid stand mixer. (Yes, I’ve finally named her!) This is something I have told him for years I wasn’t ready for you. You see… it’s a bad problem to have. I only have about 4 feet of counter space in our tiny/nearly antique kitchen. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to dedicate 1 of those feet to a mixer. This year I finally decided it was time. (Bought it at a great discount on Amazon.com several days before Thanksgiving… and the day after Thanksgiving it was only selling for $10 cheaper. I had it by then and couldn’t have been happier.)
We had the money set aside for it… so we took the plunge. It’s definitely an investment of both money and time… there’s more cleaning involved (I mean, ones DOES want to shine it up after every use – unlike the little handheld beater I’ve been using for over a decade), if you’re really into it you want to buy some of the accessories and additional attachments so you can grind meat, make your own pasta, etc… I’m not there yet. But I have a feeling I might want the pasta attachment at some point in the near future.
Um… and because I now had a stand mixer and could make some good doughs, then I also bought myself a Pie cutting board … but my hero-of-a-hubby still thinks that was from Santa. (Shhh!) (Approximately $28 at Walmart.)
And lastly I stumbled across these Matryoshka dolls (Russian nesting dolls) that also serve as measuring vessels. And when I think of nesting dolls I think of my childhood… and I feel happy. So I bought them.
Aren’t they adorable?!
Like I said, aren’t they adorable?! I’m going to put them out on the cupboard and see how long it takes my husband to ask when the babushka’s arrived… anyone want to place any bets? (These beauties were purchased at World Market, approximately $13.)
But lastly let me introduce you to a true gift… from an actual friend (not from “Santa”). A dear friend gifted me this adorable little porcelain birdy perched over the most perfect little porcelain bowl with the tinniest of porcelain spoons… from Anthropologie!!! (< — love that place!) 
This truly is adorable!
But I’m afraid to use it… ‘cuz I’m notorious for dropping and breaking things. So, if you never see it in my kitchen again it’s either because I entered it into witness protection program (for it’s own good) or I have already smashed it to smithereens.
Love the porcelain birdy Mariam! Thank you for thinking of me and trusting me with this beauty…
enjoy your time in the kitchen…
Lori J. Tisdale 