Five Faves Friday (on Saturday)

I haven't blogged my Five Faves Friday in a while so I'm totally due! I'm just one day late.

I just can't go another minute without sharing this find with you. It is by far my favorite find this year and it just goes to show you that I have spent the first part of 2009 in the kitchen, not my scrap room...

the kapoosh knife block

My biggest pet peeve in the kitchen lately has been my knife block. The slots are just not the right sizes for my knives, especially my big santoku knives. Problem solved. This knife block has no slots. You just put the knives in any which way! Love it!!

I'm also loving this pot. It's a big oval shape so you just throw your long pasta in it without breaking it. Nate is obsessed with "ghetti" so we use it a lot!

I love Bake It Pretty. I've been ordering lots of cupcake wrappers and cupcake boxes from them. Check them out!

I can't get enough of Chef Tyler Florence. He has this show on Food Network where he has the "Ultimate" recipe for all of your favorite dishes. I recently made his Chicken Cordon Bleu. Absolutely to die for!! You have to use the best ingredients when you cook for the best results and Tyler Florence always does.

I was given a challenge recently from my good friend Jenny L. to make a big, soft, chewy Snickerdoodle cookie. Well I came up with one that is pretty darn good. I'm not a big fan of the Snickerdoodle because there is no chocolate in them (lol) but everybody I gave them to loved them! Now my friends are blaming me for their weight gain! Whatever! So this is a fave of my family and friends.

Here's the recipe:

Lori's Big, Soft, Chewy Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup Hershey's cinnamon chips


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.
Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture. Fold in cinnamon chips.
Chill dough
Meanwhile, mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.
Scoop tablespoon size globs of dough and coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar/cinnamon mixture and bake 12 minutes.
Remove from pan immediately to cooling racks.

Those are my faves! Hope you love them!

Special K's job is going great. One of the company he reps is a candy company which makes the most amazing chocolate. Starts with a d and is a type of bird. YUM! Loving the samples!

♥Lori♥