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Category: Register For Your Kitchen

It’s time to register for… The Kitchen–Part One

You might be asking yourself…who is Traci and why does she know anything about what to put on my registry.  Bridal & Registry was my life for what seemed like a million years, about a million years ago. I was the Bridal Director for all 70 Elder-Beerman Department Stores, so of course I had to give them a shout out!

So knowing all of this and training the home teams and consultants in each store was a huge part of my job…loved it.  And they say…write about what you know, so here goes.

 

Bakeware:

You might say…”But I don’t think I am going to bake.”  Well, even if you are just going to heat up pizza rolls, you need some bakeware.

 

Items to Consider:

  • 2 cookie sheets (more if you like to make cookies…hint, Break-n-Bake cookies count!)
    • Hint:  Line cookie sheet with tin foil if baking something greasy like pizza rolls or heating up a piece of pizza
  • 12 cup muffin tin…”what, I have to make cupcakes?” 
    • No, but this is perfect for individual breakfast casseroles, muffins, and more.
    • Maybe you whip up your grandma’s zucchini bread recipe…bake it as muffins instead of a loaf of bread.
    • Maybe you grab a packet from the baking aisle of lemon poppy seed muffin mix…you see where I am heading with this, trust me you need a muffin tin.
      • Hint #1:  If you ever plan to make more than 12 cupcakes someday…you need 2.
      • Hint #2:  Spray with Pam or use liners for easier clean up and don’t overfill
  • Cake Pan…”seriously, I am never going to bake a cake!”-got it ok, leave this off the list but check out the Pyrex list below.
  • Jelly Roll Pan…”my head is going to explode, what is a jelly roll?” Ok calm down, this looks like a cookie sheet but has shallow sides. I am going to give you my mom’s Texas Sheet Cake Recipe…you will need this pan for that. It is also great for anything you might place on a cookie sheet that might spread or get ooey-gooey.

 

Janet’s Texas Sheet Cake Recipe:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

Shift together, set aside

1 stick margarine

4 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder

1 cup water

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup buttermilk

Bring to a boil, keep stirring, turn down heat and then add dry ingredients and stir.

Take off the heat, add 2 eggs and 1 Tablespoon of vanilla. 

Stir, pour into jelly roll pan, Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

For the frosting:

1 stick of margarine

1/3 cup milk

 

  1. 4 Tablespoons for Cocoa Powder
  2. Bring to a boil
  3. Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  4. Stir and remove from heat.

 

When you take the sheet cake out of the oven, use a wooden spoon handle and poke holes all over the top of the cake, while the cake is warm and the frosting is warm, pour the frosting all over the top of the cake.  You want the frosting all over the top and to seep down into the holes.  The frosting will harden up, then when you bite into a piece you will have frosting goodness inside and on top!  Delicious.

 

Yep, this recipe is necessary…so add a jelly roll pan to your list.

 

  • Cooling Rack…multi use, of course to cool cookies, other baked goods, but in a pinch place in the jelly roll pan to elevate meat while baking so it doesn’t sit in the fat or get soggy on the bottom (ie: Chicken Cordon Blue, or other meat items with bread crumbs around the whole outside-you’ve seen them in the freezer section or even a roast.)
  • Utensils: Check out Oxo Good Grips.  Love them so much.  Own almost everything they make.
  • Need to Have: Tongs, rubber spatulas for scraping bowls, large spoons, slotted spoon, whisk, ladle, turner (flipper), chip clips, pizza cutter, ice cream scoop/spade, colander/strainer, hand held can opener, kitchen shears, measuring spoons, measuring cups, vegetable peeler, corkscrew, mixing bowl(s), plenty of large sized dish towels (cotton), tea kettle, salt & pepper set
  • Nice to Have: Pasta Scoop, strawberry huller, garlic press, jar opener, rolling pin, turkey baster, cheese grater, egg slicer
  • Pyrex:  glass
    • large measuring cup, mixing bowl set, 9″x12″ rectangular baking dish (perfect for lasagna or brownies), 8″x8″ square baking dish, Pyrex Portables (rectangular baking dish with carrier with hot/cold pack). This is the bomb.com. Check back for details on registering for small electrics, cookware, china/crystal/silver and how to set the table properly!

 

Keep calm and register on:

Places to register in and around Dayton, Ohio:

  • Bed, Bath & Beyond
  • Elder-Beerman
  • JC Penney
  • Kohl’s
  • Macy’s
  • Target

 

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a fantastic local registry option. 

The Little Exchange, located in Oakwood.

Call to make an appointment (937-299-1561), select your registry items. 

Guests can shop in the store or on-line.

 

Be prepared to spend time in the store, they pack a ton in and there is SO much cuteness! The best part, all proceeds benefit Dayton Children’s Hospital. www.thelittleexchange.org

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