Kitchen Gadgets!

We woke up to snow this morning...

My feelings on it? Sorry Mother Nature but it's a little too little, too late!  If I couldn't have a white Christmas then why on earth would I want a white New Years?!?

Oh well, Kai's excitement was priceless.  She was walking around all day trying to eat the snow. :)

I found celebrating my mom's birthday was MUCH more exciting than the snow.   Her birthday actually isn't until the 29th but since she'll be working that day we decided to P.A.R.T.Y. today.  We had lunch at Ruby Tuesdays, where I once again got the 3 Sides + Salad Bar to split with Kai.  I get the grilled zucchini and Kai gets the mac and cheese and we split the steamed broccoli.  AND she picks off my salad plate - tomatoes, chopped egg, cucumber and of course, the most delicious croutons ever baked!  

Then it was off to my parents house for gifts and some Euchre. My mom and I teamed up against the boys and won one out of three hands.  Of course the Hubs turned up a bower EVERY time he dealt so I'm calling a Shenanigans on him and claiming the entire bout a tie. lol!

As for the presents, my mom got a new Cordless Dremel from my dad and an accessory from us...

Watch out woodwork, here she comes!

oooh, the PERFECT accessory!

After a fun time visiting we headed home and I got caught up on some work (not everyone had today off, lol!)  Then it was FINALLY time for dinner which meant I got to break out some of my new toys. :D

The Hubs and Kai just wanted Campbell's Soup and Grilled Cheese so that's what they got.   BORING!!!

I wanted something more substantial so out came my new Salad Spinner...

Complete with an "emergency stop" button?

And one of my new fruit scoops...

And my new measuring cups and spoons...

I made a Avocado Spinach Pasta Sauce...

AVOCADO SPINACH PASTA SAUCE

Large Handful of Spinach - cleaned then dried in a fancy salad spinner :)

1 Avocado - flesh scooped out using a fancy scoop (or just a spoon if you don't have a new fancy scoop)

2 T Lime Juice - Last Summer I juiced a bunch of limes and froze them in an ice cube tray so I used 1 cube, nuked so that it was melted.

1/4 t Minced Garlic - measured using a fancy red measuring spoon. :)

Add everything to the food processor and blend until smooth.

Of course if you're making pasta sauce you'll need some pasta.  BUT who would want to get out a little pot to make pasta for just one person?  Certainly not me.  Fortunately I got a Wolfgang Puck personal cooker for Christmas so I didn't have to!  Into the little cooker went 3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Rigatoni and 1 Cup of water.  Then I just turned it on and after about 10-20 minutes (I didn't keep track at all of how long it took) the light changed and it was done.  No need to strain it or anything. :)

The perfect amount

Then I stirred some of my sauce, pasta and some Nutritional Yeast together...

I may have licked the bowl when I was done...