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A cookbook, of course. There is such a thing as too many cookbooks, but Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook is flying off the shelves this year. Maybe the cook in your life needs one. Though be warned: while the recipes do help you get your vegetables, the language of the book is Rated R (which is probably part of its appeal), so don’t buy it for your kids’ Sunday school teacher.

Ben & Jerry’s. While we’re on the topic of cookbooks, I recommend the Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream & Dessert Book. The only thing better would be moving next door to their factory, where they give out free samples.

Ice cream machine. You can buy an ice cream maker for the kids that requires they roll it around on the lawn, or you can buy one for mom that plugs into the wall. For less than $30, you can give the gift of real homemade ice cream (or gelato or sorbet). Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving.

A Ninja. I can’t even believe how much I use my Ninja. This is no ordinary blender. Easy to clean and tough as nails, I’m not sure how I ever survived without it.

A rice cooker. If the cook in your life frequently makes rice a part of meals, then a rice cooker can save time and energy. It doesn’t take up much counter space and it’s easy to clean and take care of. I recommend the Aroma brand.

Onion goggles. No really, it’s a thing. If you’re tired of watching the cook you love cry into the supper (or skip onions altogether), this can make an inexpensive and charming stocking stuffer.

Memory foam mat. Peeling carrots and decorating cupcakes shouldn’t cause leg and lumbar aches. Get your cook some memory foam to stand on while at the stove or sink and help aches and pains go away.

Kitchen tablet stand. A tablet stand can let your favorite cook catch up on their favorite shows, or keep their recipes within easy glance distance. They even make an iPad stand that doubles as a knife rack!

Posted by Robin

1. I’ve learned that I should have appreciated my dishwasher more. I’m so sorry, dear Frigidaire.
2. It turns out paper plates aren’t as bad for the environment as I’d once thought.  
3. I’ve learned the phone numbers to the closest pizza joint and Chinese food restaurant.
4. I’ve learned that putting a semi-dirty dish into a sink full of dirty dishes makes for a much grosser semi-dirty dish. It may sound silly, but this has been an important lesson for me, and it took several rounds for me to learn this: don’t put the water glass into the sink after a spaghetti supper.
5. I’ve learned that it’s just food. Back when I used to have a dishwasher, I used to treat the slimeys and crustys as if they would infect me with some incurable disease. Now that I have to get a bit more personal with said slimeys and crustys, they’re not so bad. It’s just this morning’s Mini-Wheats saturated into a solid goo. It’s just last night’s late night popcorn butter bowl. It won’t hurt me! I’ve become brave!
6. This is a big one, and Aunt Rita, please don’t read this, as I don’t want you to fall out of your chair, but it turns out that the world will not end if you go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink.
7. I’ve also learned that it really stinks (sometimes literally) to face the task of making breakfast with no clean dishes.
8. I’ve realized that my old dishwasher used a lot of electricity. And water. Both bills have gone down since the accident.
9. I’ve also learned that I don’t really care about number 8.
10. And finally, I’ve learned that I really, really need a new dishwasher.

- Posted by Robin

This is a confusing time of year. The weather is getting much colder, maybe even too cold for ice cream, yet most of us have spent the summer getting ourselves addicted to the perfectly creamy stuff. So, what to do? Do we hang up our scoopers till spring? Or do we buckle down and continue to dine under blankets? I vote for the latter, and that is how I discovered these amazing fall flavors.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
Sometimes I just go crazy and throw a scoop of this on the actual pumpkin pie. I’m not even a huge pumpkin fan, but mix that squashy flavor with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and you’ve got a gourd worth dying for. (Okay, not really, but it’s really yummy.)

Ginger Ice Cream
I found this particular perfection at a local ice cream scoop that makes its own ice cream, but one could also chop up some crystallized ginger and mix it in with vanilla. However you get to it, ginger ice cream offers a treat that is both cooling and warming, both creamy and spicy.

Indian Pudding Ice Cream
My apologies if the name of this dessert offends any indigenous people. The original Indian Pudding (sans the ice cream part) relies heavily on corn meal, and I believe that is where the dessert got its name. The ice cream partially makes up for the name confusion though. With the flavors of cornbread, molasses, and nutmeg mixed with the creaminess of ice cream, you’ll have to stop yourself from reaching for more.

Apple Cider Ice Cream
This can taste so much like the real thing that you can almost fool yourself that it’s healthy. There is nothing like a steaming cup of cider on a cold fall day, except for maybe a cold bowl of apple cider ice cream enjoyed in front of the wood stove.

- Posted by Robin

When it’s 95 degrees out with 95 percent humidity, what is your favorite beverage to reach for? Here are some of mine!

My take on “Good Girl Moonshine”

This is my adaptation of a recipe from Trim Healthy Mama.

• 2 teaspoons fresh-pressed ginger juice (It’s worth the effort.)
• 2 tablespoons raw apple-cider vinegar (with “the mother”)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 quart of water and ice
• I have friends who also like to add a packet or two of True Lemon

Watermelon Lemonade

We all know that lemonade hits the spot on a hot day. I’ve recently learned that it does the job even better when I add pureed watermelon to it.

• Juice from 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 “slice” watermelon, pureed
• Fill rest of glass with water and ice

Kombucha

There is just something magical about Kombucha – it really knows how to kick thirst in the butt. Kombucha is fermented sweet tea, and it is delicious, especially when flavored with lemon juice or ginger. You can find it at most large grocery stores and health food stores, or you can make your own fairly easily. You’ll just need the “SCOBY,” i.e., mother, which you can buy or get from another Kombucha fan.

Maple Limeade

Maple limeade gives lemonade a run for its money.

• Juice of one lime
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Fill rest of glass with water and ice

 Iced Zinger Teas

Celestial Seasonings makes a series of delicious “Zinger” teas. Flavors include Cranberry Apple, Lemon Ginger, and my favorite, Wild Berry. All of these make delicious iced teas. They’re so yummy, you won’t even feel the need to sweeten them.

Water

Of course, nothing actually quenches thirst better than good, old-fashioned water. But you can easily snazz up a glass of H20 with one of the following:

• Sliced cucumbers
• Lemon wedges
• Frozen raspberries

Find more drink recipe ideas on Say Mmm.

Posted by Robin

Looking for some fun things to bring to the Fourth of July festivities? Look no further. Here are some ideas to help feed and delight the celebrators.

Layered Beverages:

You can actually make a striped beverage based on the principle that the more sugary a drink, the denser it is. (Just don’t shake or stir.) You will need red, blue, and “white” beverages of varying sugar content. It’s easy to find a sugar-laden red beverage (cranberry juice, Hawaiian punch, strawberry pop), and then you’ll need a blue beverage with a little bit of sugar. This one is a little trickier, but you can always rely on a sports beverage like Gatorade. Then find a “white” beverage with zero sugar for the top layer. Can’t find a white drink that tickles your taste buds? Try a thin layer of whipped cream instead. Make sure you’ve got some clear glasses to show off your concoctions. (Red Solo Cups will spoil the effect.)

Fruity Flag Kabobs:

You will need about a dozen thin wooden sticks; 20 plump, fresh blueberries; several plump, fresh raspberries; and a bag of mini marshmallows. (Hint: Buy more fruit than you’ll need so that you can choose the most aesthetically pleasing pieces. You can munch on the ugly berries while you work.)

1. On the first five sticks, thread fruit and marshmallows in the following order: 4 blueberries, 1 mini-marshmallow, 1 raspberry, 1 marshmallow, and 1 raspberry.
2. On the remaining sticks, thread fruit and marshmallows in the following order: 1 raspberry, 1 marshmallow, 1 raspberry, 1 marshmallow, 1 raspberry, 1 marshmallow, 1 raspberry.
3. Lay the sticks side by side on a large plate, and you have a fruit-flag!

Fourth of July Chocolate Fix:

Don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen? It only takes a few minutes to make a candy bowl. Today you can buy M&Ms in any color you choose. Head to the craft store and buy some red, white, and blue melt-in-your-mouth-delights and mix them up in a festive, clear bowl.

Posted by Robin

I wish I could give John Mantagu a big hug. “Who?” you ask. John Mantagu, Big John, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. Way back in the 18^th century, he was kind enough to invent the sandwich.

And I couldn’t be more grateful.

As a bona fide carb addict and a working mother with no time, I could not survive without the sandwich. Here are some hacks that I’ve developed (or stolen from other hackers) that make my life easier, and more delicious.

• Peanut butter and bacon. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. I had my doubts at first too. But then I tried that first crispy salty bite. Worried about too much fat? Try turkey bacon.
• Peanut butter and banana. It’s so sweet it’s like a dessert. But eat it as soon as you make it or it gets mushy. Also, try combining this with the first idea by adding bacon.
• Hummus for condiment. No matter what sandwich you’re making, replace your favorite condiment with hummus. It makes for a more exotic experience, and it’s extremely healthy.
• Chicken and apple. Thinly slice an apple and add it to your favorite chicken sandwich. You can thank me later.
• The Thanksgiving sandwich. This one is fairly popular in New England, but just in case you’re reading this from San Diego, I thought I should include this. The Thanksgiving sandwich includes stuffing, cranberry sauce, turkey, and Swiss cheese. Here in the northeast, it’s Thanksgiving year-round.
• Pesto makes everything better. You can add it to just about any sandwich. And you don’t have to actually make the pesto. You only need a few ingredients to get the effect. I make a mean grilled mozzarella sandwich, and I just add whichever of the following ingredients I have on hand: basil, garlic, olive oil.
• Sweet and spicy. This one might be an acquired taste, but I’ve acquired it. Thinly slice a few jalapeño peppers. Make a grilled cheese sandwich with (I prefer sharp) cheddar cheese, jalapeños, and a thin layer of raspberry jam. Yes, really.

Bon appétit! Let us know which is your favorite!

Posted by Robin

The Say Mmm Android app currently lets you clip recipes, organize recipes, and manage shopping lists, and now we have added the ability to synch, view and manage your meal plans.  Adding in the meal planning piece fills out that last main part of the Say Mmm website so it is faster and easier to do from your phone.

In the meal planning section of the app you can view all your plans by day, week, and month and scroll through your plans on your phone.  In the daily view you can add meals for dinner, lunch, breakfast and two other meals for snacks.  Just press on the meal and start typing and it will automatically look up meals you have added in the past for faster entry. You can also add notes and move plans to other days with a pop up calendar that is also now on the individual recipe view to make adding recipes to meal plans simple.

The app is available on the Google Play Store, and there is also a mobile website that iPhone and other smart phone users can use from their mobile browser. 

Our Say Mmm Recipe Clipper App started as an easy way to clip recipes from all over and easily manage them on a phone or Android tablet.  We have just added one of the other main features from the Say Mmm site, the grocery shopping list. 

Now you can see all the grocery lists you create on Say Mmm on the app, where it is faster to scroll through and check off items while in the store from your phone.  The lists can be sorted by area, store, and alphabetically depending on how you like to view your list. 

Use the plus button at the top to add new items, and they will be automatically categorized by area of the store. If you want to edit or recategorize an item, just press and hold on the item to open the area for editing.

Items will disappear from the list when you check them off to keep the number remaining items shorter, but you can also use the check box button in the top navigation bar to see the list with checked and unchecked items if you want to see the whole list or move items back to the list by unchecking them.

Entering a recipe name into the shopping list will automatically add all the items needed for that recipe into the list, and you can add items for recipes from the individual recipe pages with the check box button at the top there.

For iPhone users, we don’t have an app yet, but you can still use the mobile site at m.saymmm.com in the iPhone browser. 

Say what you want about Valentine’s Day, but if nothing else, it offers us a great excuse to dip things in chocolate. For all chocolate dipping, I heartily recommend Ghirardelli chocolate. It’s a little more expensive than the generics, but it is oh so worth it.

While I’m about to give you a few ideas of things to dip in chocolate, remember that dipping anything in chocolate is probably a good idea.

Salty Pretzel Sticks

Pretzel sticks seem to be the rage, and they are indeed delicious—salty and sweet perfection. This is an easy one for those of you who are new to chocolate dipping. Simply melt your chocolate of choice and then dip two-thirds of a pretzel stick into the chocolate. Lay it on wax paper to cool and solidify. You can also buy pretty little pretzel bags at large craft stores to make your pretzels more giftable.

Wine Bottle

A few years back, someone gifted me with a chocolate-covered merlot. I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited. And Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity to pay it forward. Simply melt some chocolate and then dip a wine bottle in it. The professionals shrink wrap the bottle first, so that when you peel away the wrap, the chocolate elegantly breaks off. If your wine bottle has to travel far to get to its recipient, you might want to buy a pretty cellophane bag to wrap it up in.

Fruit

You might also splurge for some fresh strawberries. Strawberries dipped in white chocolate makes for a delicious variation.

Cake Balls

These are a little more work, but they might be worth your trouble. Use a boxed cake mix and make a cake. Simple so far, right? Once cake cools, crumble it into a big bowl and mix in about 12 ounces of frosting. Once the frosting is evenly distributed, roll the mixture into 1 to 1 ½” balls. This part is good for the kids. Place balls on wax paper and chill in refrigerator for a few hours. Now it’s time to dip in the chocolate! Dip chilled balls, one at a time, on a large spoon, into melted chocolate. Keeping the ball on the spoon will save you from chasing it around the bowl of chocolate and possibly losing some cake crumbs in the process.

There you have it! Happy V-day! Happy dipping, sharing, and treating yourself!

Posted by Robin

Now you can easily clip recipes with the Say Mmm Recipe Clipper app for the Kindle Fire. 

Clip recipes you find on Google or any website with a few easy steps: 

• 1. Click on the Menu icon in your Kindle browser and select “Share Page”. 
• 2. Select the Say Mmm “Add Recipe” button. 
• 3. Check and Save the Recipe that appears in the Say Mmm mobile site.

That’s all there is to it, and Say Mmm can usually automatically save the recipe name, image, and grocery list along with the link.

You can also sync recipes from your Say Mmm account to your Kindle where it is fast to view, search, and sort your recipes. The Say Mmm Recipe Clipper app will save your recipes to your Kindle for faster viewing, and works with the Say Mmm mobile site (http://m.saymmm.com), where you can also edit recipes, plan meals, create grocery lists, and more. You need to sign up for a free account to use the app.