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 So, I'm no longer an active Pampered Chef consultant. I should probably remove the links from the review posts... 

I read some of my old posts and wondered why I stopped writing. It's so handy to be able to look back and see where I've been. And R is jealous of all the stuff I wrote about the older children. Haha. She never gave me a chance to write! But we're working on it.

Bob had surgery on his right shoulder the week before Thanksgiving, 2022. He had bursitis and bone spurs. In the weeks following, he had physical therapy, and did some work around the house. It was a nice balmy December and January, so he got quite a bit done.

In fact, he/we finished the remodel of the old garage, turning it into a master bedroom. 

Once upon a time we'd planned for that space to be my library. Then we just about gave up on getting it to a livable condition, and just before Covid we ordered a shed/portable building that we planned to finish out and make a library/school room/play room. Bob wired and insulated it; put up lights and drywall. I painted the interior and it was quite cozy. We measured and talked... The day I ordered the 12 bookcases, I had a moment of second-guessing. And next thing you know, Riah and Ced had moved into the library/schoolroom side of the shed! They put up a partition wall, and the other side became the dedicated playroom.

But then what? 

We moved the school into the dining room and closet (where Riah had been sleeping). And the garage decided to be the master, and our old master became the library.

The garage had rough, uneven concrete floor, and that had been our biggest hangup. After discussing several options, talking to professionals, and taking measurements, we decided to just have an uneven floor. lol. We put thick sheets of foam insulation down, then plywood decking, then vinyl plank floor. Yeah, I have shims under my bed to make it level. What can you do?

We replaced all the exterior walls, and divided the space into a bedroom, a closet, and a laundry room. I had hoped for an additional bathroom (2 bathrooms for 9 residents gets a little sketchy), but it wasn't feasible. We were able to make a passage from the bedroom to our existing bathroom, so it isn't bad.

Our previous bedroom was about 9 1/2 x 12 - not a rectangle shape - with a 2x3' closet. Our new room is about 15x15, with a 7x7' closet. I haven't got used to the wide open feel yet, and still change clothes in the bathroom. We moved in the night before Bob went back to work: mid January.

Since then we have assembled 11 of the bookshelves. (2 had broken parts, and 1 was missing the hardware, so we haven't got one together yet.  Bush Business Furniture sent one replacement part, but I only requested the others yesterday. Yeah, I'm a procrastinator.) And then we carted the books in from the building - by hand at first, and then 3 trips of the Honda Pilot. If we keep the three shelves in the living room, it will just be enough. EEK! I have some duplicates, and there are some I can probably do away with. Well, actually, I already pulled out 2 boxes full. But there will be more. In fact, I sat down at the computer just now to type up 2 recipes from a cookbook that I can pull out.

 

Too much to put in all the details. But I am so happy and loving my situation right now that I hardly know what to do with myself.

So, maybe I'll write now and then. Who knows?

Stone Bar Pan

 

The Stone Bar Pan is my favorite stone.

Top features:

It’s an inch deep, so you get good circulation for things like chicken nuggets, but they don’t slide off when transporting or flipping or stirring.

Biscuits brown nicely without burning, and no danger of the butter cooking out and dripping on my oven floor.

Perfect size and shape for sheet cake (or jelly roll).

Two of the pans fit side by side in a standard American oven, so you get more pizza in less time.

Like all stones, it improves the texture and consistency of the food baked on it, and will develop a non-stick surface over time.

Now, Pampered Chef has improved on a classic by making the stoneware safe for use under a broiler, and dishwasher safe! (Please refer to the use and care guide for details)

Rapid-Prep Mandoline

 

Being a YouTube sensation in harder than it looks. Sigh. I wanted to do videos of several of the products, but it hasn’t worked out that way so far. Anyway, The Pampered Chef has already created professional videos on most of the product pages, showing best techniques and features.

The Rapid-Prep Mandoline is one of the items with videos, so go check them out.

For myself, I have used my mandoline a few times now, and am really impressed. If I have a complaint, it’s that I’d prefer an even smaller slice option, and maybe a “waffle” cut. Not that I’d use that much. So why am I impressed? I’ve had 2 other mandoline slicers before, and enjoyed them immensely (especially at pickle-making time). But both of those, with their various features, leave a good chunk of waste at the end of the useful slicing abilities, especially if you use their included food holders. I got around this some by wearing cut-resistant gloves and pushing the food through up to my fingertips. Not exactly ideal.

BUT… the Rapid-Prep Mandoline managed to safely push through every last bit of carrot! I lifted the food pusher, ready to pull out the waste chunk, and there was nothing there! I was really excited.

In addition, 99% of the sliced food landed in the container, which snaps very cleverly to the legs of the mandoline, which have suction cups on them so it doesn’t go sliding around.

It’s really easy to use, very well designed, and safer and more efficient than any other mandoline that I’ve seen. Two enthusiastic (and intact) thumbs up.

Mix 'N' Chop

I first saw the Mix ‘N’ Chop at a party about 13 years ago, where the consultant used it to break up Italian sausage she was browning to make a copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Tuscona. I was so impressed that I added one to my order on the spot.

So, yeah, I’ve had this tool – which comes with a five-year guarantee – for 13 years.

I use it about twice per week, whenever I cook ground beef (usually from frozen).

Reading the reviews on the official website, I see that people also use it to shred chicken, break up canned tomatoes, and to mix meatloaf!

Mine has dulled over the years, so I’m swapping it out for the new one that come in my Consultant Kit 

 

enrichables

 

If you watched my unboxing video, you saw a small green package called “Enrichables Pea Protein.” I didn’t really know what to say about it, as I’d never seen or heard of it before. So, if you are curious, as I was, read on!

It is a very fine powder, pale yellow/off white in color, with no discernible taste. 

 

What is the purpose? Why should anyone want to buy it?

Well, many people want to include more protein in their diet, for various reasons, and this is an easy and inexpensive way to do so. Each scoop of the powder has 2.5 grams of protein. Without adding flavor, texture, or strange additives, you can easily enrich your own loved recipes by simply stirring in a scoop or more of the Pea Protein.

It is non-GMO, vegan, and free from the major allergens.

I have successfully added Pea Protein to spaghetti sauce and chicken casserole. I would have added some to a smoothie, but I forgot. We seriously couldn’t taste it!

You can buy this one bag at a time, but once you use and love it, The Pampered Chef offers a subscription service on a monthly, 3-month, or 6-month plan which can be paused or canceled at any time. A really cool bonus feature of the subscription is that each month The Pampered Chef offers a list of items that can be purchased as an add-on, that will ship for free along with your Enrichables! Who doesn’t love free shipping?

In addition to the Pea Protein powder, we also offer a Super Veggie Enrichable, and a Kale & Fiber Enrichable. Bob is always looking for fiber, so I have purchased the Kale & Fiber packets, and will be subscribing. I made this recipe https://www.pamperedchef.com/pws/smorrow1/recipe/Breakfast+%26+Brunch/Deluxe+Cooking+Blender/Green+Monster+Muffins/1606000 twice now, and the children are begging for more. The recipe could be adapted to other mixing methods, I’m sure.

In short, this product line has my hearty endorsement.

Who loves popcorn??

Do you love popcorn but hate paying $3 per bag for the stuff? Or the NOISE of a traditional hot air popper? Or the W A I T?

Let me introduce you to the Microwave Popcorn Maker from the Pampered Chef.

It’s made of collapsible silicone for easy storage.

The vented lid doubles as a measuring cup.

Add butter or oil if you want, and just “pop” it in the microwave ;)

Ovens vary, but it averages two minutes for a bowl full of fresh, hot, chemical-free popcorn

You can make multiple batches back-to-back with no worries of overheating, and when you are done, the whole thing goes into the dishwasher for easy cleanup.

Personally, I’m regretting that shiny new hot air popper I bought on Black Friday. The Microwave Popcorn Maker is going to see a lot more use, and its smaller and easier to clean. The hot air popper left fewer kernels unpopped in our home test, but the benefits of the Microwave Popcorn Maker outweigh that by far.

Any comments or questions? Let me know, so we can learn together.

 

Smooth edge can opener

 

Who hasn’t struggled with a can opener?

There are so many styles: manual and electric, side cutters, top cutters; even people who use side cutters as if they were top cutters!

I’ll be honest; I had a Pampered Chef brand can opener before, but didn’t love it. It seemed to struggle with generic brands of cans. But they must have noticed, too, because it was redesigned several years ago.

Since I received my Smooth-Edge Can Opener with my Consultant Kit, I have used it exclusively. The other three can openers in my cabinet are quite neglected. I can say with confidence that it is the best can opener I’ve ever owned. My memory is faulty, but I’m pretty sure it’s the best I’ve ever tried.

Why?

The Smooth-Edge Can Opener can handle a variety of cans – even the pull-tab style! It is easy to operate (my daughter can manage it, and no other). It doesn’t leave a sharp edge on the lid OR the can. It doesn’t cut into the can, spilling liquids. It doesn’t tear the paper and make a mess in the food. It stays clean. It’s easy to grip, with a single handle rather than two parts that must be held together. It’s compact, fitting easily in a drawer or pocket. It comes with a 3-year warranty. Why buy a “cheap” can opener that leaves you struggling, frustrated, and shopping again? This beauty will do the job. Guaranteed.

The product page has a nice video demonstrating the best use, for those of us who need a little help.