Classy and Opinionated Lifestyle Mom Blog
For years, my favorite pair of earrings featured dangling purple beads made from paper. Paper! They were so pretty, I always wanted to make my own paper beads. Now I’m finally learning the paper-coiling art of quilling with the help of a brand-new book, The …
We all know that beautiful calligraphic lettering can lend an elegant flair to the written word. But have you ever imagined going beyond lettering and using calligraphic techniques to create stunning works of art? Calligraphic Drawing: A How-To Guide and Gallery Exploring the Art of …
The first time I went into a restaurant supply store, I was in awe at the wonderful array of kitchen products. Nowadays, online sources like KaTom Restaurant Supply’s website, KaTom.com, bring that wonder as close as our computers. Honestly, I can spend more time browsing through KaTom’s vast selection of kitchen supplies than I care to admit.
* Complimentary product received for review.
Based in Kodak, Tennessee, KaTom Restaurant Supply was founded 1987, launching KaTom.com in 2001. While their main website is a great source for kitchenware, their blog is a great source of information and recipes. As they put it, “The KaTom Blog is a go-to source for food enthusiasts and professionals of all levels to find culinary inspiration….You are in the right place if you are looking for helpful tips and tricks, new recipe ideas, and advice from leading industry professionals.”
KaTom generously sent me a digital thermometer for my review, the Update THDP-450 Digital Pocket Thermometer. I believe a good instant-read thermometer is indispensable for ensuring that your food is perfectly cooked as well as safe to eat. I’m loving the Update Pocket Thermometer’s features; my favorite is the cap, which not only protects the probe when not in use but also snaps onto the handle to extend its length, keeping my hand a safe distance from, say, boiling jam. This gem of a thermometer’s temperature range of -40°F to 450°F will aid me in all my kitchen adventures.
But oh, the blog! The KaTom Blog has an amazing variety of recipes, and I wanted to try one using my new Update Pocket Thermometer. My countertop oven tends to over-brown baked goods, making it hard to judge when they’re done, so I did some research and found that quick breads are done when the center reaches 200°F to 205°F. I chose the KaTom Blog’s recipe for Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries. Using the thermometer to guide me, I found that my delicious bread was actually done 10 minutes early. Success!
In searching for a recipe to try, I bookmarked several to make in the near future; here are my top picks:
• Pineapple Fried Rice
• Cream Cheese Coffee Cake with Almond Topping
• Cheesy Chicken-Mushroom Lasagne
• Butternut Squash Fries (which I may try to adapt to make in my air fryer)
You’ll find recipes at the KaTom Blog for snacks, non-alcoholic and adult beverages, one-pot meals, main and side dishes, baked goods, desserts, and more. Plus, their Learning Center provides information mainly targeted to restaurants but with many articles relevant to home cooks, as well.
There—I’ve not only shared a yummy recipe, but I’ve also enabled you to spend hours browsing kitchen supplies and recipes at KaTom.com and the KaTom Blog. You’re welcome (wink, wink)! P.S.: Don’t forget to visit KaTom on Facebook, too.
Disclaimer: A. Bailey received complimentary products for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ. This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we will receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thanks!
When our beautiful dog Maverick came to our home from the shelter, he brought three things with him: His name, his collar, and a black fleece blanket with pink and white hearts on it, which is appropriate because he’s an older dog with heart problems. …
Having moved to the South not long ago, I’m loving Southern cooking, and Southern Living is my go-to source for inspiration. So you can imagine my joy when offered the chance to review The Southern Living Party Cookbook: A Modern Guide to Gathering by Elizabeth …
Are you a country music fan? If so, chances are that you’re a Martina McBride fan, as well. As an award-winning singer-songwriter, she has been at the forefront of country music for many years. But did you know that she also has a televised cooking show and is a cookbook author? Martina recently released her second cookbook, Martina’s Kitchen Mix: My Recipe Playlist for Real Life (Oxmoor House, October 2018), a collection of recipes for the food she prepares for and shares with the people she loves.
* Complimentary book received for review. This post contains affiliate links. Please see our full disclosure located below.
Along with the recipes, Martina tells stories not only about the food but also about the memories, people, and places she associates with it. It’s an intimate look into her life, including her childhood on a Kansas farm, her successful music career, her home, and her family and friends. Even if you’re not already a Martina McBride fan, you’ll be drawn into her world, and you’ll find yourself joining the ranks of her many followers.
Like most good home cooks, Martina approaches recipes as a starting point rather than something that must be rigorously adhered to. In her introduction, she writes, “When I’m cooking, my imagination lets loose and rarely do I stick to a recipe as written….It was important to me to create recipes for this book that were versatile enough for you to do the same….It’s what makes cooking fun!” To that end, many recipes include “ad-lib” tips for variations to get you started in making the recipes your own.
Another feature I really like about Martina’s Kitchen Mix is the “Don’t Knock It ‘Til You Try It” series of recipes sprinkled throughout the book. These little gems are quirky or oddball-sounding foods, mostly from Martina’s childhood. For example, I can’t even imagine what a Banana Mayo “Thing” tastes like, but I want to find out, for sure!
The recipes in this lovely cookbook cover pretty much anything you’d want to make—beverages, breakfasts, snacks, appetizers, soups, entrees, sides, salads, and desserts.
Here are a few that caught my eye:
• Pumpkin Cornbread with Cinnamon-Honey Butter
• Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Avocado, Cucumber, and Red Pepper Salsa
• Spicy Roasted Fall Veggies with Herbs
• Risotto with Asparagus, Peas, and Basil
• Thai Slaw with Peanut Dressing
• Baked French Toast with Pecan Crumble and Blackberry-Maple Syrup
• Creamy Garlic Pasta with Parmesan Cheese
Martina’s Kitchen Mix is a cookbook you’ll find yourself turning to again and again for recipes and inspiration. Be sure to visit Martina at her website and on Facebook, too.
* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!
Giveaway: One lucky winner is going to win their own copy of Martina’s Kitchen Mix, thanks to Oxmoor House, an imprint of Time Inc. Books.
Giveaway Details: This giveaway is open to residents of the US ONLY age 18 and over. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering. This giveaway will close on February 16th, 2019 at 11:59 pm EST time. No purchase necessary to enter or win.
Disclaimer: A. Bailey received a complimentary product for review purposes & feature on The Classy Chics blog. No monetary compensation was received. A. Bailey’s thoughts, opinions and words are 100% her own. Your thoughts may differ. Please read the blog’s terms of service policy before entering any giveaways. The Classy Chics are NOT responsible for prize fulfillment or shipping of any items won from this blog. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we may or may not make a small commission which helps to support this website. Thank you!!!
Late last year, America’s Test Kitchen launched a new brand, America’s Test Kitchen Kids, to encourage kids to get cooking. Their free kid-centric website is aimed at kids aged 8 to 13, providing videos, recipes, quizzes, experiments, and more, to pique kids’ interest in food …
Of all the crafts I’ve undertaken over the years, one I have always admired but never tried is making books by hand. Anything more than a simple accordion seemed beyond my capabilities, but I’ve found inspiration in The Art & Craft of Handmade Books by …