Lucky Bug's Profile

That is awesome! We are lucky to have a big island in our kitchen, but if we didn't, I'd definitely consider something like this. LOVE that it is on wheels and can be moved and re-purposed (like to serve a buffet or something) - makes it a very functional piece.

I once searched every supermarket within a 15 mile radius of my home for lady fingers to make Tiramisu. No luck. So, I made a white cake on a sheet pan, and cut it as needed to fit my dessert dish. It may not have been "authentic," but it sure was delicious!

I also have the cheap, ceramic one from Ikea that I bought years ago. The inside of the mortar and the end of the pestle are un-glazed (to make it abrasive, I assume) but it has polished up after some use. It works really well in a pinch though for crushing up small quantities of whole spices. I've also used it to crush up garlic with coarse salt.

I don't use it too often, but it's small enough to leave out on the counter next to the stove so I don't forget that I have it!

I can see the argument about these being hard to clean (although I'm sure a quick soak in the sink would do a fine job) but seriously, what is the bubble made of that you keep your kid in??

I would also be concerned with the strength of the legs that are already on the chair. The swivel rocker base seems like a fantastic solution to this though. You could remove the current legs, and then build on a box (maybe upholstered in a solid blue or other contrasting color for aesthetics??) to get it back to its original height before adding the swivel rocker attachment.

Or maybe you could take it to an upholstery/furniture repair shop for some recommendations on modifying the chair.

And, cliodog, while I understand your concerns about gases, phthalates, etc, not all of us can afford to replace every piece of furniture and plastic in our homes when we have a child.

Thanks for giving a pregnant lady one more thing to crave! lol My mom used to make this for us when we were kids with a pat of butter (or margarine, more likely), some brown sugar and a splash of milk. She called it "mortar" as in "bricks and mortar." I'm not sure exactly where she picked that up though!

Check out these bulkhead lights from Home Depot: http://tinyurl.com/body47

They are technically exterior lights, but I don't see why you couldn't re-purpose them and use them indoors. Anyone know?

(You can find more if you do a Google search for bulkhead lights, or bulk head lights.)

I love Giada's Ricotta Pancakes with blueberries. There is also a recipe for a honey syrup that goes with them (I add a little lemon zest to the syrup when I make it, and it is awesome with the blueberries) http://tinyurl.com/63mqoz

Jeni_Rae and Lexo - Alton Brown has a recipe for making a pancake pre-mix: http://tinyurl.com/6krapq

I think he also has one for hot cocoa.

My first thought was also, "Can I just buy the towel by itself so I have more than one?"

Definitely a great DIY. What about metal snaps instead of velcro? That way, no sticky velcro to catch stuff, and no zippers to match up if you want multiple towels!

I've seen quite a few accidents with hot liquids in blenders in the restaurant kitchen where I used to work, so I'd go for an immersion blender on that alone! I have the KitchenAid immersion blender, and I love it. My favorite things about it are the variable speed control, and I can remove the blending shaft from the motor for easy cleaning (you can even toss it in the dishwasher - although a quick rinse at the sink usually does the trick).

I haven't used it for soups, but I have used it on several occasions for making fresh fruit sauces right on the stove top, drinks or smoothies, and I plan to use it to make baby food.