I really didn’t need to go to Bed Bath & Beyond, but I went anyway.
I mean who “needs” to go? It’s like Target. You really don’t need to and sometimes you really need to avoid it unless you want to find yourself a lot lighter in the wallet, but that’s another story.
I had a store credit at BB &B and a stash of 20% off coupons just burning a hole in my pocket. They never expire.
So I decided to venture into retail chaos but thankfully it wasn’t too crazy crowded since I went on a weekday.
I picked up another Silpat. I have one Silpat, and I have one FlexiPat, but prefer the results I get with my Silpat so picked up one more.
Nothing screams inefficiency like baking cookies one sheet at a time. But I’ve actually done that and hope to never do it again now that I will have two Silpats in rotation.
I could really tell the difference in my recent Dark Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies Stuffed with Chocolate Covered Strawberries that were baked on the Silpat vs. parchment paper vs. Flexipat. <– I prefer the results I got in that order.
I also got another cookie scoop. This $3.99 item has done more for my baking and overall cookie results than any other item. Highly recommended.
I’m bringing the new one to Aruba. I don’t care if I overheat the house by turning on the oven. I will be baking cookies. My theory is that Scott won’t mind about sweating buckets in a hot house after I serve him a few cookies. That’s my theory anyway.
My favorite spatula snapped in half a few weeks ago, and I grabbed the clear one with snowflakes as a replacement.
And how cute is all this egg-making paraphernalia. Too bad I don’t eat eggs. I bake with them but don’t eat them.
The pink egg stuff is sure adorable though.
I’m glad Skylar wasn’t with me or I would have had had peer pressure to buy pink things.
Secret: I’ve never decorated a cake, cupcake, brownies, muffins or anything with professional tools or frosting tips. The closest I’ve gotten for decorating is using a Ziplock bag with the corner cut off.
I thought for $8.49 less a 20% off coupon that I should change that major lapse in life experience and can now be christened into the cake-decorating club.
Any tips on using my tips?
I have also been loving making donuts!
Baked Chocolate Peanut Butter Donuts with Vanilla Peanut Butter Glaze
Baked Cinnamon Bun Donuts with Vanilla Cream Cheese Glaze
Baked Savory Cream Cheese & Herb Donuts
Baked Vanilla Donuts with Vanilla Glaze
My donut pan is the best $8 bucks I’ve spent in all of 2011.
(And the cookie scoop is the best $4 bucks)
Baked Chocolate Peanut Butter Donuts with Vanilla Peanut Butter Glaze anyone?
Great use of the cheapie donut pan.
I originally thought that a mini-donut pan would be a little too “fussy” to deal with and that trying to get the batter in those tiny holes without making a colossal mess and getting more batter in the wrong places than in the correct places would be too challenging.
But now that I have the hang of bigger donuts…
…I figure that I am ready to try making mini donuts!
Questions:
1. What’s on your baking supplies or kitchen items wish list?
Bigger ticket:
Cuisinart or Kitchen Aid food processor
Smaller ticket:
All those little knick-knacks and gadgets that are everywhere in BB & B. I think they’ve built a retail empire by selling gadgets and little trinkets.
Bowls, spoons, cute dishes, cute mugs and cups
I could spend a fortune. In this sense, I am glad I have a small kitchen and no where to store things. Prevents me from going too crazy with things I “need” or just “have to have”.
2. Any baking tools or supplies that you love?
As I said, I love my donut pan. I use the donut pan far more than the donut maker (appliance). I find it’s just as easy to bake donuts in a pan in the oven as it is to use the donut maker.
The drawback I find to the donut maker is that it can’t be submerged it in water so you have to be extra neat when making your donuts or you are left with a burnt-on, crusty mess to clean up. Not a huge issue provided you have a half a roll of paper towels to spare and don’t mind dealing with crumbs.
I also love my cookie scoop.
And if you use cake/cupcake decorating tools or tips, give me your tips on the tips.
For my other fave kitchen appliances and gadgets (the ones I love and the ones I find over-rated), check this post.
Happy Baking Season!
You can use your new piping tips for getting a thicker donut batter into those little mini pans! I use the #10 tip for that same purpose (at least I think it is #10 – it is the largest round hole). Afterward, you can use the teeny hole to pipe pretty decorations on those donuts. Maybe snowflakes to go really seasonal?
I think I may have just totally talked myself into a new recipe idea. . . .
thank you for this tip!! #10 or the largest one…for the mini donut piping…why didnt I think of that. Thanks for the tip!
I would love a stand mixer and a set of All-Clad pans. Maybe I’ll win the lottery!
Oh my gosh, I totally would have bought that piggy pan and made myself piggy pancakes. ah! I love it!
pancakes..ahh, well, I just need to go back then for it :)
What a fun shopping trip. I so need a donut pan. And a cookie scoop. And a silpat. And then I will need some looser pants too :)
I was just reading ‘vegan cookies invade your cookie jar’ last night, and Isa and Terry mention baking only one sheet of cookies at a time because they cook more evenly. So according to them, you’re not inefficient at all! But I’m sure you’ll still benefit from the extra silpat.
I always think I want a stand mixer but the reality is I’ve never ever come across a recipe that I really needed it for. It looks great on the counter though, if you have the room for it – which I don’t. As for my fav baking appliance, I would have to say my vitamix. It is just my fav kitchen thing. I use it to mix the wet ingredients in baking, and sometimes to make icing or glaze. Easy peasy!
ive read that before in other cookbooks about 1 sheet at a time but seriously..unless you work for Betty Crocker and it’s your job to bake and recipe test cookies, who DOES that?! I guess baking them one at a time is live-able, but it’s waiting for them to cool way down to room temp before you put dough back on them that takes…an hour++. Not in my timeframe budet :)
BB&B is the danger zone for me! The stand mixer is on my wish list too, but I don’t know where I’d put it.
I was just on there and purchased a steamer and an oven thermometer – how I didn’t have these items, I have no idea.
I like to store all my items in the cupboards too…but I’d find a place for it. Even if I had to donate other things…ha!
they never expire?!?!?!?!
thank you for the hottest retail tip of the year!
i’m emailing ALL of my friends and family right this very moment! x
correct! enjoy!
I didn’t realize those coupons never expired!
My MIL is getting us a food processor for the holidays…we used to have one (it was our first appliance that we bought together!) but it died. So I’m excited for a new one!
I absolutely love cupcake decorating! Last year I worked on it with one of my students (I teach homeschooled kids) and we ended up making some really creative ones. One thing we did was practice on a sheet pan, using the tips and the frosting, just filling it up with patterns and shapes, playing around with them. That helped us to master the feel of it before moving on to the cupcake!
every time I mention they never expire, someone always learns that tidbit (and the commenter right under you too!)
and I think it’s awesome you teach H.S. kids, too!
Oh dear, I think it would be very dangerous for me to even be in the vicinity of a BB&B…
I LOVE my silpat! It makes cookies taste so moist :) mmmm.
Dallas & I went kitchen shopping the other day! I got spoiled with new toys for baking and cooking with :D It’s not even Christmas yet!!
and not only moist but just uniform and less messy and just…better!
agreed! :)
Love this post ;) I’d definitely like a kitchen aid mixer – a red one would be nice :) I love my garlic press, nut chopper and zester, little things that make cooking just that little bit easier!
A good set of fun measuring cups are on my wish list!! There are some cute measuring spoons at pier 1 too!! LOVE, LOVE!!
xxoo
I need a new spatula like WHOA. I even brought home my 20% off coupons, but managed to avoid the craziness of BBB over Thanksgiving weekend. It would have been a nightmare.
I really want a food processor, but I have nowhere to store it. And I kin of want that cookie scoop now. :)
Have a safe trip!!
life changing results with the silpat + scoop.
having the right tools for the job makes the finished product that much better. you’d love it!
Wow,..:) my fav gadget is my plastic bowls,in which I luv mixing thins and spatula :)
Oh ya! A Vitamix is on my list! ;)
Immersion blender! Immersion blender! And now I’ll be throwing one of those baking mats on my list as well. Also, I’d secretly LOVE a vitamix but I’m not even going to ask for that one…
I asked for that cookie scoop as an xmas stocking stuffer! I can’t wait to use it! A silpat is also on my list, and lots of other small kitchen things. A Kitchen Aid mixer is definitely on my dream list–so it a Vitamix and a juicer!
juicer…try craigslist. It’s a SUPER common item for people to use a half dozen times and then not use it.