I’ve always been a fan of a great at-home bar. I strongly believe it’s a must-learn life skill to mix up classic cocktails, and as an avid host, it’s important to provide an array...
Looking back on Easter as a child, I remember how excited I was to dig through my Easter basket. Full of chocolate bunnies, malt ball Easter eggs, Peeps, golden coins, and my favorite Cadbury...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
Lets be honest, salads can be boring. So I’m always trying to think outside of the box to come up with salad recipes that I’ll thoroughly enjoy, but are beyond easy to make. Enter...
We’re big advocates for all things entertaining here, and that of course includes tabletops. And setting a beautiful tabletop, whether that’s for a dinner party or a simple Sunday supper, all starts with remembering where the wine glass goes and which bread plate is whose.
Because a beautiful tabletop never goes out of style, and because I know I can always go for a little refresher on tabletop basics, I knew it was due time to pull this oldie-but-goodie out of the archives. It doesn’t hurt that our place settings guide is just as gorgeous as it is helpful. Rustic White captured the guides styled by MKR herself, and the talented Jamie Jimenez helped spell out where each instrument and accompaniment should go in the most stunning way (I think I’ll be a sucker for stunning script on kraft paper forever + ever). Lastly, Vanessa at Vintage English Teacup has one of the most amazing collections of vintage china that I’ve ever laid eyes on, and this shoot always gives me a little inspo for more pattern play on my tabletop at home! Cheers, Kat
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It will come to no surprise to you that spending time in the kitchen is one of my favorite things to do. As you may remember, I vowed to return to making more homemade weeknight meals at home in the new year… and more time around the table has been glorious. I’ve recently become obsessed with a few new tools and gadgets, and I knew it was due time to share my top kitchen essentials from Williams-Sonoma with all of you! Truly, MKR
P.S. I hope by now you’ve entered Williams-Sonoma & Fortessa‘s amazing giveaway to spend time in my happy place (wine country), right? If not, there’s still time! Enter here through March 15. xo
No. One.Philips Air Fryer. You heard me talk about the air fryer last week, but I really cannot stop singing its praises. As a quick reminder in case you missed our chicken wing story, this super high tech, but ultra user friendly air fryer calls for little to no oil and still fries up all of your favorites perfectly. I’ve made wings, fish, potato chips, and next up onion rings!
No. Four.Mini Classic Croissants. Ever since being introduced to these via an Oprah’s favorite things, I’ve never not had them in my freezer. Buttery, rich, and bite size…there really are no words.
No. Five. KitchenAid Pro Mixer. Probably my most used kitchen item, and worth every penny. I do not bake, mix, or make anything without my KitchenAid Pro. And p.s. you’ll have it FOREVER.
No. Six.Silpat Mats. Scratch the above statement; Silpat mats are hands down my most used kitchen item. They keep your pans and cookie sheets perfectly clean, eliminate the use of a non-stick spray, and they even come in mini toaster oven and microwave size. I have six, that’s how serious I am about Silpat.
No. Eight.Chili Lime Rub. This pick is on behalf of the Mr.; no joke he stock piles this rub. If he’s grilling then this is his secret meat weapon.
No. Nine.PL8 Professional Chopper. I was so impressed by this little guy, I snapchatted it the other day (one more reason to follow on Snapchat so you don’t miss out on all my favorite finds…username WAITINGONMARTHA). Anyway, the PL8 professional chopper chops up anything and deposits the perfectly cut pieces into a dish below. I made tacos the other night and was able to using the PL8 was able to chop up 2 onions, 3 jalapenos, 1 tomato, 1 green pepper, and numerous garlic cloves in less then 5 minutes!
Visiting Sonoma last October will go down as one of my favorite trips of 2015, being incredible for so many reasons. I, of course, knew I was in for a treat right off the bat spending time with one of my all-time favorite brands, Williams-Sonoma and gathering around the table with Fortessa in my happy place, the historic Fairmont, was simply second to none. It’s here where I relearned the magic of mealtime.
I’d been to wine country several times before, and with each visit, I felt a renewed appreciation for the time spent around the table. Life just seems slower there. Hours spent lingering at the table long after dinner is done reminds us that there’s nowhere else we’d rather be. Farmers and friends gather around to enjoy the simple pleasures of food and wine, a feeling that you want to bottle and bring home with you.
After this visit with Williams-Sonoma and Fortessa especially, I found myself leaving inspired to recreate the magic of mealtime at home. I wanted to put effort back into our weeknight meals…no takeout boxes, to-go cups or stacks of brown paper napkins. For the new year I vowed to bring the focus back on time spent around the table with conversation, home-cooked meals and beautiful, yet simple details, even if it was for only one more night a week. And dream world, yes, I’d have these gorgeous peonies at every table, duh.
A brand that totally gets those beautiful, yet simple details right is Fortessa. Restaurants, hotels, weddings and events have turned to this family-run business for its stunning dinnerware for decades, but it wasn’t a common name to many households. But now, to my delight, Fortessa invites us to set the dinner table with its at-home collection, sold at Williams-Sonoma. The collection is full of timeless, functional pieces that instantly elevate your dinnertime routine. I’m such a fan of its stemware and gold flatware especially; they’re easy pieces to include on any weeknight tabletop. Tell me is making dinner a priority on your 2016 to-do list? Truly, MKR
