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Harvey’s Brownie Mix in a Jar

Open in case of emergency! Or when hungry…

We all know the holidays can be stressful for many reasons. You’ve got present shopping, holiday cards to write and mail, office or neighborhood holiday parties to attend, laundry and luggage to ready for holiday travel, putting newspaper and mail deliveries on hold, and much, much more on your To Do List this week.  That’s why your pantry needs (at least one, if not a half-dozen) Brownie Mix in a Jar on hand — much in the same way you have an emergency kit in your car or a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. You just never know when you’re going to need the kind of help that only a fresh, homemade brownie can deliver!

This Brownie Mix in a Jar can help you survive the holidays – and every day – in a number of ways, including as a:

  • Perfect last-minute hostess gift
  • Welcome to the neighborhood gift
  • Grab bag gift for the office party
  • Holiday gift for the letter carrier
  • A great way to personalize a holiday bonus for the dog walker
  • Gift any time of the year for that homesick college student (especially during midterms or finals)

In about 10 minutes of time and about $3 for ingredients (not including cost of airtight container or wrapping), you can have a great gift that reflects your personality and that everyone will appreciate. I started this tradition several years ago with family and friends, and quickly learned that it also inspired them to do more baking from scratch. When the ingredients are already on hand and ready to go, it’s so easy – and often more delicious – to bake from scratch. That’s what this Brownie Mix in a Jar gift can do for the recipient: inspire them to be more creative in the kitchen.

I suggest buying a case of one-quart canning jars (about $24 for 12) and making a batch of 12 to have on hand for easier gifting. Buying the canning jars and dry ingredients in bulk will also lower your overall costs. It will also ensure that you have one on hand for your own personal brownie emergencies!

brownie mix in a jar ingredients

 

Holiday Survival Kit: Harvey

10 minutes

Holiday Survival Kit: Harvey

Ingredients

1 quart- or 3/4-liter-sized airtight container
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chunks
1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Instructions

Organize all of your dry ingredients, including measuring cups and spoons.

In a clean, airtight container (such as a jar), layer the dry ingredients in the order listed starting with flour and ending with M&M's®. As you add each layer, tap the sides of container to level ingredients. Seal the container and set aside.

Personalize and print out the preparation and baking instructions (below) to accompany the brownie mix jar.

DIRECTIONS FOR HARVEY'S BROWNIE MIX:

Add to dry mix:

- 1/2 cup butter

- 2 eggs

- 2 ounces milk or water

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease the bottom of an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch baking pan.

Melt 1/2 cup butter. Mix melted butter, 2 eggs and 2 ounces of milk in medium bowl with spoon until blended. Stir in dry contents of the brownie mix, until moistened. Batter will appear slightly lumpy. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until dry around edges and toothpick inserted comes out almost clean. Cool completely, for about an hour. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 brownies.

Notes

Personalize as you wish to create a gift that reflects your personality. For example, you could swap the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips OR swap the peanut M&M's® for chopped walnuts. One of my favorite versions of this brownie mix swaps out the milk for raspberry liqueur and the peanut M&M's® for fresh raspberries.

https://bakedchicago.com/brownie-mix-in-a-jar-recipe/

 

Gifts & Gadgets

Fighting Off the Arctic Blast with Fresh-Baked Cookies from My #MustHaveBox

 DISCLOSURE: POPSUGAR sent me this Must Have Box to try.

The December #MustHaveBox from POPSUGAR had one item that really caught my eye on a wintery day like today: Baker’s Dozen Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix from Sisters Gourmet. I simply added eggs and butter and within 13 short minutes I had a pan of fresh-baked cookies ready to devour.

The rest of the #MustHaveBox included:

  1. ODEME Catchall & Ring Dish
  2. BAUBLEBAR Snowfall Pendant
  3. MANE MESSAGE Date Night Bobby Pins
  4. WINKY LUX Lip Pill in Bunny
  5. DESSANGE PROFESSIONAL HAIR LUXURY Color Restore Color Protecting Top Coat Serum (available at Target)

#MustHaveBox

If you’d like to have some “Happiness Delivered” to your doorstep, try the Must Have Box from POPSUGAR. Get $5 off your first #MustHaveBox with promo code SHOP5.

Gifts & Gadgets

Don’t Monkey Around With My #MustHaveBox

 DISCLOSURE: POPSUGAR sent me this Must Have Box to try.

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I have to admit that I was extremely curious to find out what would be in my November #MustHaveBox from POPSUGAR. Last month’s box has this stylish compact umbrella (it’s in my glove compartment for those days when the rain sneaks up on me), a tall bottle of brown sugar vanilla shower oil (which I use daily to keep my skin moisturized as winter creeps in) and some dark chocolate cocoa (I’m saving this for the first measurable snow fall of the season).

With the November #MustHaveBox securely on my kitchen counter, I grabbed a box cutter and with ninja-like precision opened up the treasure chest to find:

  1. KENDRA SCOTT Elaina Rose Gold Bracelet in White Pearl (Wow! This elegant bauble will make a terrific stocking stuffer for someone on Santa’s nice list.)
  2. PEHR Chambray Runner in Wine (My dining room table was screaming for a new runner, and everything looks better in wine!)
  3. STOWAWAY COSMETICS Dawn to Dusk Palette (My niece has a birthday coming up. This will help her look good from dawn to dusk, right!)
  4. AJ GOODS Nest Wire Bowl (Perfect for bananas or apples. Doesn’t Monkey look cozy?)
  5. MERI MERI Star Party Picks (These will be perfect for zazzing up appetizers for our next family holiday party.)
  6. OOGIE’S SNACKS Gourmet Toffee Butter Popcorn (This was the first item I opened, and it was definitely the right choice. Deliciously salty and sweet, this toffee butter popcorn was totally addictive!)

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I’m ready for December’s #MustHaveBox for sure! If you’d like to have “Happiness Delivered” to your doorstep, try the Must Have Box from POPSUGAR. Get $5 off your first #MustHaveBox with promo code SHOP5.

Gifts & Gadgets

My Kind of Favorite October Surprise? The #MustHaveBox from POPSUGAR

DISCLOSURE: POPSUGAR sent me this Must Have Box to try.

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This #MustHaveBox arrived on my doorstep earlier this week. I’ve never received one before, and I was more than a little curious about what I’d find inside.  When I opened the box, I found a treasure trove of five (5) eclectic goodies that included:

  1. HENRI BENDEL Packable Umbrella (The perfect size for the glove compartment or briefcase)
  2. LALICIOUS Brown Sugar Vanilla Shower Oil and Bubble Bath (Pardon me for about 90 minutes while I enjoy a hot soak in the tub)
  3. MY CUP OF COCOA™ Dark Drinking Chocolate (Yum!)
  4. MORNING CULTURE Rise & Shine Diner Mug (Everybody knows a classic diner mug is tots adorbs)
  5. MAKEUP ERASURE Mini (I think one of my nieces will be glad to get this)

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And there were two (2) special extras inside my #MustHaveBox:

  • POWER YOUR HAPPY by Lisa Sugar (Can’t wait to read the inside story from the founder of POPSUGAR)
  • REVLON® ColorStay™ Liquid Eye Pen (Another gift for the “other” niece so she doesn’t get jealous!)

Dark chocolate cocoa, a mug, brown sugar vanilla bubble bath and a good book….I’ve got everything I need for a relaxing, decadent bath.

I can’t wait until next month’s #MustHaveBox arrives to see what goodies are in store. Want “Happiness Delivered” to your doorstep? Try the Must Have Box from POPSUGAR. Get $5 off your first #MustHaveBox with promo code SHOP5.

Gifts & Gadgets

Ultimate Foodie Holiday Gift Guide 2014

The holidays can sometimes be hectic, especially when trying to find the right gifts for the serious foodies in your life. Consider me your personal shopping assistant. To save you time and frustration, I’ve pulled together a list of my favorite go-to holiday gifts for 2014. Be sure to grab one for yourself while you’re at it – and make the holidays merry and bright!

For the coffee lover on-the-go:

JOCO glass reusable coffee cup

The JOCO glass reusable coffee cup is barista- and Mother Nature-certified.  Available in radiant, eye-popping colors (blue, red, yellow, green, white, black and orange), the JOCO glass coffee cups are stylish, sturdy and a smart solution for enjoying cup after cup of joe. The glass never affects the coffee’s flavor and the container is BPA free. JOCO are the ‘cups that care.’

Take this glass coffee cup anywhere you’d jolt some java. Perfect for in the car, at the office, and even at your local Starbucks.

For the holiday host or hostess:

Crate & Barrel Mint MeltsMint Melts

 A favorite holiday gift of mine for over a decade, you’ll find Mint Melts at Crate & Barrel (in-store and online). These smooth mint creams are sandwiched between layers of premium dark chocolate. If you have the will power, keep a tin in your hall closet for those last-minute holiday party invites.

Absolutely a piece of mint chocolate heaven on earth!

For the movie night fan:

Urban Accents Blockbuster Movie Night Popcorn Gift Set

It’s no secret that one of the best parts of the movie experience is the fresh buttered popcorn! Now Urban Accents (located in Chicago’s Ravenswood neighborhood) has made popcorn the star with this Blockbuster Movie Night Ultimate Popcorn Lovers Collection that will satisfy  savory, tangy, sweet and cheesy taste buds alike. This gift set includes premium White Gold, Jumbo, Tricolor Kernels, White Cheddar, Dill Pickle, Sweet & Salty Kettlecorn, Sea Salt & Vinegar Seasonings, and Buttery Caramel Corn Drizzle.

Everything that Urban Accents makes is original and oh-so-tasty. For a one-of-a-kind spicy gift, try their new Create Your Own Personalized Seasoning Blend. Simply take their quick spice quiz (only 4 questions!) and it will create a custom spice blend exclusively for you. You can even name your blend!

For the drinking buddy:

Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine

Get a jar of Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine in one of 18 uniquely original flavors, including Shine Nog, Strawberry Lightnin’, Harley-Davidson Road House Customs Charred, and Pumpkin Pie moonshine.

Ole Smoky comes in 40, 80 and 100+ proof, and are great for baking, cooking. Try the Apple Pie or Blackberry Moonshine flavors in your favorite brownie recipe for an extra kick.

For the discerning chocoholic:

Vosges Mini Chocolate Library

For the chocolate lover with an adventurous palate, gift any of Vosges Haut-Chocolate’s mini chocolate bar libraries. Libraries were never sweeter!

Try the new Super Dark Chocolate Mini Bar Library or Mini Bacon Chocolate Bar Library flavors. 

For the serious bacon aficionado:

Baconfest Chicago

VIP tickets to the 5th Annual Baconfest Chicago 2015, April 17-18, at UIC Forum. You’ll find hundreds of chefs, restaurants, and vendors featuring the very best in bacon.

You won’t find a larger gathering of porcine products under one roof anywhere in the Midwest. And Baconfest Chicago donates a portion of its proceeds to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, raising over $75,000 last year.

For the ladies who lunch:

Gale Gand's Lunch!

Acclaimed Chicago chef Gale Gand shares her favorite lunchtime recipes in her latest cookbook, Gale Gand’s Lunch!.

If you’re a fan of breakfast foods any time of the day (like me), you’ve gotta try Gale Gand’s Brunch!: 100 Fantastic Recipes for the Weekend’s Best Meal.

For the beginning baker:

Simply Decadent Brownies Cookbook

Download a free digital copy of Baked Chicago’s Simply Decadent Brownies Cookbook.

Available for free exclusively on Amazon.com (December 8 – National Brownie Day, of course! – through December 12).


Disclosure: I was given free samples from JOCO, Urban Accents, and Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine to review. I get no additional benefits for talking about these products or companies. All opinions about these products are 100% my own.

Gifts & Gadgets

Cleaning Up After Four Crazy Pugs With Swiffer WetJet

I was beyond excited when a #BigGreenBox arrived at my doorstep. Little did I know that its contents would make cleaning up after four (yes, four!) crazy pugs an easier task – and leave more time for fun with Bing, Baxter, Della and Marlo.

Swiffer Effect Campaign

Inside was the Swiffer® WetJet. Now I’m a long-time Swiffer Sweeper user, but I’ve never tried the Swiffer WetJet.

Swiffer WetJet

The Swiffer Sweeper is great for picking up dust and dog hair.  With four pugs, there’s dog hair everywhere. If you didn’t know, pugs actually have two coats of fur (an overcoat and an undercoat), so they SHED BIG TIME. Bing and Baxter, my boys, are dark apricot fawn pugs so their fur is easy to spot on the couch but not so easy to see on the hard wood floors. And Marlo and Della, my black pug girls, leave a trail of black fur everywhere. Keeping the floors clean from dirt and dog hair is a daily chore.

Readers of Baked Chicago know I hate doing dishes, and really any type of clean up. But I like having a clean house and especially a clean kitchen. I do have a weekly maid service that comes in to “power clean” the bathrooms and dust everything (I’m highly allergic to dust and pollen) but in between the weekly cleanings life happens.

So I’m constantly cleaning up muddy paw prints, shedding hair and the occasional human spills. [Yes, even a neat freak like me has been known to drop an egg on the floor or spill baking ingredients while whipping up a batch of brownies. What can I say? Culinary artistry isn’t always pretty.]

Prior to getting the Swiffer WetJet, I’d either use a wet rag or my Swiffer Sweeper with a wet cloth to clean up a dirty mess. But the Swiffer WetJet is so much more convenient because it’s got the cleaning solution built into the handle. And when you store it with the attached pads, you literally can grab it at the first moment a spill or dirty accident happens and use it immediately.

I used it on my kitchen hardwood floors and I was able to attack the dirt faster than any other method I’ve tried before. Less time cleaning means more time to play with the pugs. And everybody in my household likes that!
We take turns in this house with weekly chores. It’s Marlo and Della’s turn to help clean the floors. Bing and Baxter are supervising our work from the couch. That counts as a chore, too! 

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When I think back to growing up, my mom pretty much took care of cleaning the entire house until we all got old enough to help out. With two sisters and three brothers, there was no division of labor along gender roles. Everyone helped make the mess, so everyone had to help clean up. Admittedly, I wasn’t the tidiest kid until after college. Suddenly when you’re the only one responsible for taking care of yourself you learn that it doesn’t get done if you don’t do it.
 This floor is sure to pass the #MomTest thanks to help from Della and Marlo. 

Part of this product review for #CleverGirls was to spread the #SwifferEffect by giving a second #BigGreenBox to a non-Swiffer user who could use some cleaning help. I immediately thought of my younger brother, who has two pre-teen sons and more pets than I can count. [Don’t be insulted, Sam, but I chose you!]
It’s time to spread the #SwifferEffect and I’ve nominated my brother Sam. No shade. Just sayin’. 

Check out this fun video with Eric Stonestreet and his mom.

I know exactly how he feels. Like Eric, I’m glad I’ve got my “army of Swiffers” to count on to keep my house clean and give me more time to play with my pugs.

Fall in line Swiffer Duster, Swiffer Sweeper and Swiffer WetJet. Forward march!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Gifts & Gadgets

Urban Accents® Gourmet Spices & Blends

Whether you’re an experienced master chef or you just like to dabble in cooking at home on the weekends, the most important tools in your kitchen to make your culinary creations the most delicious they can be are found in your spice cabinet.

High-quality spices and spice blends can turn a bland dish into a flavor burst that you’d want on the menu for your last meal on earth. Personally, I love to experiment with different spice blends to turn some of my favorite comfort foods (like an omelet for a weekend brunch) into a new flavor experience. That’s why I was delighted to discover a local Chicago company called Urban Accents®, which specializes in gourmet spices and spice blends.

I’d seen them in my local grocery store, but it wasn’t until the International Home & Housewares Show this past spring that I really learned about the wide variety of products they have – and they are literally less than 4 miles from my home. Now that’s local food sourcing!

Over the course of several weeks, I tried a wide range of spices and spice blends in a variety of foods, including: Italian meatballs, Brussels sprouts, turkey burgers, omelets, meat loaf, cooked carrots and fresh corn on the cob.

Urban Accents Very Veggie - Vegetable Lovers Collection

Photo courtesy of Urban Accents® Gourmet Spices & Blends

The Very Veggie Vegetable Lovers Collection is a gift box that is jam packed with gluten-free spice blends perfect for fall root vegetables. It includes:

  • Balsamic & Roasted Onion Veggie Roaster — A blend of onions, balsamic, garlic, brown sugar, sea salt and spices
  • Parmesan Mediterranean Veggie Roaster — A blend of Parmesan cheese, lemon peel, onion, garlic and spices. Contains: dairy
  • Sweet & Spicy Moroccan Veggie Roaster — Moroccan-inspired blend of paprika, chili, garlic, cinnamon, mint and more.
  • Asian Curry & Honey Veggie Roaster — Asian-inspired blend of honey, cumin, cayenne, vanilla and spices.
  • Chipotle Parmesan Corn Cob Shaker — A slightly spicy blend of chipotle, parmesan, salt and garlic.
  • Chili Lime Corn Cob Shaker — A spicy combination of Serrano chiles, lime and sea salt.
  • Sweet & Tangy Pickling Spice — A traditional 10-spice blend of coriander, mustard seed, allspice, ginger and more.
Urban Accents Grill Master - Complete Grilling Collection

Photo courtesy of Urban Accents® Gourmet Spices & Blends

The Grill Master Complete Grilling Collection is a carnivore’s dream. It contains:

  • Chicago Steak & Chop — The ultimate windy city blend of sea salt, pepper, garlic & red pepper for beef and pork. Sugar Free.
  • Kansas City Classic Rub — Sweet & spicy grilling and roasting blend of brown sugar, ancho, chipotle and allspice.
  • Argentina Steak Rub — A unique Chimichurri blend of red pepper, oregano, sea salt & citrus. Sugar Free.
  • Sonoma Pepper — Citrus peels, garlic & Tellicherry pepper. The perfect topper for veggies and peppered beef. Sugar Free & Salt Free.
  • Vermont Grill Dryglaze — Maple sugar melts with sage and thyme for a rich-tasting.
  • Santa Fe BBQ Dryglaze — Honey granules melt with chili pepper and garlic for sweet-heat BBQ flavor.
  • Athenian Herb Dryglaze — Honey granules melt with thyme & sundried tomato for light Grecian flavors.
  • Mandarin Ginger Dryglaze — Demarara sugar melts with horseradish powder, orange peel & garlic. Contains: Wheat

With so many spice options, I did have a favorite. I’m fond of pepper. If you forced me to choose between salt and pepper, pepper would usually win for me. I found the Sonoma Pepper to be exceptionally versatile, working well in meatballs, on potatoes and in eggs. The hint of citrus and garlic really elevates the pepper flavor. I use it instead of ground black pepper now for most dishes. My peppermill has become jealous!

Urban Accents Corn on the Cob2

I also enjoyed the Corn On The Cob seasonings. I microwaved fresh corn on the cob (5 minutes on high) and brushed each ear with butter. Then I sprinkled generously on the corn. I think the Chili Lime seasoning was my favorite between the two.

Urban Accents Corn on the Cob

And you could also use these spice blends on popcorn just as easily. Melt a little butter to drizzle on the popped corn, then sprinkle with Urban Accents and gently toss.

Urban Accents Turkey Meatballs

Of course, I had to try the Chicago Steak & Chop spice blend in hand-made Italian meatballs. Urban Accents calls it “The ultimate windy city blend of sea salt, pepper, garlic & red pepper.” I would totally agree. BEST. MEATBALLS. EVER.

Urban Accents Patty Melt Onions 2

All of the packaging for Urban Accents has a minimalist appearance, yet it’s cool while also being quite practical. I really enjoyed the recipe suggestions and tips found on the outside of every bottle, bag or container.  Those recipe tips inspired me to take the Balsamic & Roasted Onion Veggie Roaster and add it to the grilled onions that became part of my famous Patty Melt.

Urban Accents Patty Melt Onions

You can see how delicious it was. I still have day dreams about that Patty Melt. It was that good.

Urban Accents line of products is quite expansive. They now carry BBQ sauces from Lillie’s Q – a popular Chicago BBQ joint.

If you’re looking for a gift for the foodie in your life, you can’t go wrong with any of the gourmet gift selections. This year, I’m asking Santa for the Blockbuster Movie Night Popcorn and Fabulous Foodie Spice Blend Collection, which has 24 globally-inspired, blended spices. They’re color-coded by World Flavor: American Adventures, Pan Asian Flavor, Global Exotics, Latin Heat and Old World Classics. 

I guess that means I’m going to have to be extra good through December 25!

Disclosure: I was given a free sample of  Urban Accents®’ Very Veggie and Grill Master gift sets to review. I get no additional benefits for talking about this product or company. All opinions about this product are 100% my own.

Gifts & Gadgets

YouCopia Classic SpiceStack®

If your kitchen cupboards are like mine, sometimes you’re afraid to open up a cabinet door for fear of what might come falling out.

And as much as I try to keep my kitchen clutter to a minimum, it’s hard to organize little spice bottles on a shelf (that are sometimes too high to reach) or in a drawer. When I got the opportunity to review YouCopia’s Classic SpiceStack® product, I was genuinely excited because – with so many spices as a baker – I have trouble keeping track of what I have and where it is.

First let me share the story of how I discovered YouCopia. I was attending the International Home + Housewares Show at McCormick Place, where global companies showcase what’s new in the industry for the home. Companies from over 2 dozen countries, and I got the chance to meet Lauren Greenwood, one of YouCopia’s founders.

After seeing the range of cool storage solutions they have, I learned they were a Chicago company. Go Chicago! And they are exactly 1.7 miles from my house. Small world, huh!

http://youtu.be/DTfe1_rG5Tk

Here’s a shot of the cupboard next to my stove and kitchen sink. It’s the portion of my kitchen counter where I tend to do the most mixing, prepping. I have two very narrow shelves (my house was built in 1892 so everything is narrow and small by today’s standards) where I keep the majority of my spices. I use two Lazy Susans so I don’t have to grab blind – because I’m too short to see what’s in the back.

YouCopia_1

As you can see, it’s not awful but it’s hardly easy to find things. I’m constantly having to readjust labels so I can read them from their position on the turntable. And I’ve got too many spices for the turntable, so some jars get put to the side and other small jars get stacked on one another.

So I emptied the shelf with the most spice jars to make room for YouCopia’s Classic SpiceStack®, which holds 24 full-size or 48 half-size spice bottles (round or square). Wouldn’t you know I found I had duplicate bottles of ground cinnamon because I thought I’d run out. One of the bottles fell off the turntable and landed at the back of the shelf; I wouldn’t have known it was there except when I removed all the spice jars.

Currently the Classic SpiceStack® comes in either white or silver/black. Two things I liked immediately out of the box: NO ASSEMBLY REQUIRED (yeah!) and units are stackable. The package comes with 96 removable drawer labels (48 printed and 48 blank), so I quickly matched the labels to the spices I had. In less than 4 minutes, I had a compact, neatly organized spice caddy that stored more spice jars in one shelf than I could previously store on a turntable.

YouCopia_2

As I mentioned before, being short makes it hard to reach upper shelves so I used to be forced to pile on all the often-used spices inside the lowest shelf – just to reach ingredients I cook with frequently. But the YouCopia Classic SpiceStack® has the ability to slide out a tray of spices and lower it to an easily reachable height.

YouCopia_3

With the labels on each compartment of each shelf within the YouCopia Classic SpiceStack®, I can quickly find what spice I need without having to “spin the wheel” or guess where it is.

YouCopia_4

By assigning a space to a specific spice, I was able to group like spices together to make it easy to get multiple spices together for any recipe.

If you’ve got tons of spices like me (I’ve got to buy another Classic SpiceStack® for the shelf below), they do make larger models, including the Chef’s Edition SpiceStack® which holds 30 full-size or 60 half-size spice bottles.

I think this product, as simple as it is, is quite genius. It’s really functional and easy to implement, use. My only recommendation to YouCopia would be to consider extending the number of colors the SpiceStack® comes in. White and silver/black are great for most kitchens, but I always enjoy a pop of color so I wouldn’t mind this in a tangerine or Caribbean blue.

In addition to the SpiceStack®, YouCopia has stack products for coffee, tea and baking accessories. You can find YouCopia at traditional bricks-and-mortar stores, like Target, The Container Store and Bed, Bath & Beyond. It’s also available online at Amazon.com. Click here for a complete list of where to buy YouCopia products. Coming this fall are some exciting, new products, including YouCopia’s version of a Lazy Susan that looks like a real winner.

You should also check out their website, where they have a fun blog with organization tips from an industry expert, a free e-book “30 Days of Organizing,” and a forum where product fans called YouCopians share their organizational stories.

Now that my spices are neatly organized, I think I need to work on the loose lids and pans that I pile into the cupboard next to the stove. What part of your kitchen needs to the most help to control the chaos?

Disclosure: I was given a free sample of YouCopia’s Classic SpiceStack® to review. I get no additional benefits for talking about this product or company. All opinions about this product are 100% my own.

Gifts & Gadgets

Shopping Just Got Easier (+More Fun) With #AmazonCart

Collective Bias disclosure for BizDev shops

I’ve been an Amazon.com customer since January, 2001. That’s more than 13 years – longer than a lot of other relationships in my life. I’ve never really enjoyed the ceremony of traditional shopping…the traffic…crowded parking lots…busy checkout lanes…and (usually my luck) the store being out of the one item I needed most. Amazon changed the ceremony of shopping for me and now I shop at Amazon.com at least once a week.

I’ve purchased nearly every kind of goods and services that Amazon offers, including a Herman Miller desk chair, an electric snow blower, a lawn mower, and countless grocery care packages to surprise my mom or nieces away at college. To say I was super excited when Collective Bias (#cbias) approached me to review the new #AmazonCart collaboration between Amazon and Twitter would be a serious understatement.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAm6pa9hPKA

#AmazonCart

Getting started was easy. Once I connected my @BakedChicago Twitter account to my Amazon Prime membership, I was ready to go.

My daytime schedule is quite hectic, so I usually grab my iPad after dinner to browse Twitter and other social networks while watching the evening news. I already follow @Amazon, so now when I see an interesting product featured in a Tweet with an Amazon product link – like the spiral vegetable cutter below – I can simply hit REPLY to that Tweet with the hashtag #AmazonCart.

#AmazonCart #cbias #shop

Then just moments after, I receive an email confirmation that I’ve successfully put this product in my #AmazonCart. I can review my shopping cart at my leisure and finalize the purchase when I’m ready.

I have been known to sometimes forget if I’ve responded to a Tweet. I accidentally hit REPLY twice, but #AmazonCart caught that and sent me an email after the second Tweet letting me know that I had already put the item in my cart – and if I wanted two of product I could simply edit the quantity when I made the purchase.

#AmazonCart #cbias #shop

I admit it. I’m a bit of a kitchen gadget-aholic. And there have been times when I’ll buy an item that looks cool, but that I really don’t need. You’ve been there, too, right!

What I really like about #AmazonCart is that I get the satisfaction (and convenience) of the impulse buy, but I’m not forced to make the final purchase right then and there.

I’ve gotten into the routine of shopping with #AmazonCart after dinner and then going online  the next day to review the contents of my shopping cart. That gives me time to fully consider my purchase, as well as research other color options. The black spiral slicer featured in the Tweet was cool, but I opted for the ocean blue version to add a pop of color to my kitchen. Good call, don’t you think!

Because I don’t do much traditional window shopping, somtimes I don’t know a better product exists until I see it somewhere like an Amazon featured product Tweet. This “low-tech” banana slicer is a great example.

I buy about 8 bananas a week, minimum. I don’t eat bananas, but my four pugs – Bing, Baxter, Della and Marlo – eat them everyday with their breakfast. I slice up one banana and divide it among their dishes. At first I used a simple table knife to slice the bananas, but getting even slices that are divisible by four takes too much brain work and hand-eye coordination for first thing in the morning. Then I tried a banana slicer gadget that had very sharp blades. So sharp that even gently touching them with the back of my finger cut my skin and drew blood.

Then I saw this plastic banana slicer in an Amazon Tweet, so I hit REPLY with #AmazonCart and decided to check it out. I liked that it was dishwasher safe, but there were no sharp edges for me to cut myself. Now my pugs enjoy fresh sliced bananas on their breakfast and I don’t have to worry about slicing myself if I’m still not quite awake.

#AmazonCart #shop #cbias

So far, I’m really enjoying the new #AmazonCart. I can’t wait to see how both Amazon and Twitter collaborate to expand this service and if they introduce others.

If you have a Twitter account and Amazon Prime, then all you have to do to get started with the new #AmazonCart service is connect them at Amazon.com.

Social shopping just got way easier and a lot more fun!

Disclosure: Baked Chicago is an Amazon affiliate program member and the Baked Chicago’s Simply Decadent Brownies Cookbook is available in print and for Kindle at Amazon.

Desserts/ Gifts & Gadgets

Holiday Survival Kit: Harvey’s Brownie Mix in a Jar

Open in case of emergency! Or when hungry…

We all know the holidays can be stressful for many reasons. You’ve got present shopping, holiday cards to write and mail, office or neighborhood holiday parties to attend, laundry and luggage to ready for holiday travel, putting newspaper and mail deliveries on hold, and much, much more on your To Do List this week.  That’s why your pantry needs (at least one, if not a half-dozen) Brownie Mix in a Jar on hand — much in the same way you have an emergency kit in your car or a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. You just never know when you’re going to need the kind of help that only a fresh, homemade brownie can deliver!

This Brownie Mix in a Jar can help you survive the holidays – and every day – in a number of ways, including as a:

  • Perfect last-minute hostess gift
  • Welcome to the neighborhood gift
  • Grab bag gift for the office party
  • Holiday gift for the letter carrier
  • A great way to personalize a holiday bonus for the dog walker
  • Gift any time of the year for that homesick college student (especially during midterms or finals)

In about 10 minutes of time and about $3 for ingredients (not including cost of airtight container or wrapping), you can have a great gift that reflects your personality and that everyone will appreciate. I started this tradition several years ago with family and friends, and quickly learned that it also inspired them to do more baking from scratch. When the ingredients are already on hand and ready to go, it’s so easy – and often more delicious – to bake from scratch. That’s what this Brownie Mix in a Jar gift can do for the recipient: inspire them to be more creative in the kitchen.

I suggest buying a case of one-quart canning jars (about $24 for 12) and making a batch of 12 to have on hand for easier gifting. Buying the canning jars and dry ingredients in bulk will also lower your overall costs. It will also ensure that you have one on hand for your own personal brownie emergencies!

brownie mix in a jar ingredients

 

Holiday Survival Kit: Harvey

10 minutes

Holiday Survival Kit: Harvey

Ingredients

1 quart- or 3/4-liter-sized airtight container
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips or chunks
1/2 cup dark brown sugar

Instructions

Organize all of your dry ingredients, including measuring cups and spoons.

In a clean, airtight container (such as a jar), layer the dry ingredients in the order listed starting with flour and ending with M&M's®. As you add each layer, tap the sides of container to level ingredients. Seal the container and set aside.

Personalize and print out the preparation and baking instructions (below) to accompany the brownie mix jar.

DIRECTIONS FOR HARVEY'S BROWNIE MIX:

Add to dry mix:

- 1/2 cup butter

- 2 eggs

- 2 ounces milk or water

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease the bottom of an 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch baking pan.

Melt 1/2 cup butter. Mix melted butter, 2 eggs and 2 ounces of milk in medium bowl with spoon until blended. Stir in dry contents of the brownie mix, until moistened. Batter will appear slightly lumpy. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until dry around edges and toothpick inserted comes out almost clean. Cool completely, for about an hour. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 brownies.

Notes

Personalize as you wish to create a gift that reflects your personality. For example, you could swap the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips OR swap the peanut M&M's® for chopped walnuts. One of my favorite versions of this brownie mix swaps out the milk for raspberry liqueur and the peanut M&M's® for fresh raspberries.

https://bakedchicago.com/holiday-survival-kit-brownie-mix-in-a-jar/