Happy New Year, everyone!
It’s the first week of January 2016 which can mean only one thing: it’s In My Kitchen time! In My Kitchen is a great monthly blogging event originally hosted by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial who has passed over the reins to Maureen @ The Orgasmic Chef. In My Kitchen showcases the kitchens of a group of food writers and bloggers. If you are interested in joining, please follow the instructions from Maureen available on her January 2016 post linked above. Before letting you peek into my kitchen, I would like to take the opportunity to thank Celia so much for beginning and maintaining this blogging event for so long. Thanks to her and this event, I’ve gotten to meet and make quite a number of blogging friends. I’m sure I’ll meet just as many with Maureen at the helm.
In my kitchen are some rather wonderful Christmas presents. From my mom and dad, I received a zoo inspired cupcake set:
I also got a rather awesome and useful apron, that doubles as a cooking reference guide ranging from roasting times and freezer life spans to temperature guides and abbreviations of various cooking guidelines, (to someone looking at you it looks like all the instructions are upside down but for the wearer you can lift up the apron and have a quick read). I haven’t used it too often but it may be my favourite thing!
My sister and her husband gave me a salt and pepper shaker set. At the moment it’s put away as we have several other sets around the kitchen.
They also got me this water bottle as I am notorious for leaving half glasses of water all around the house. The bottle is a firm favourite with my niece who likes to drink “Maggie’s water”.
In my kitchen, we have pickled herring. Seemingly my Grandpa used to eat this at Christmas and one year my mom got it and several (but not all) of us really liked it. It’s now a bit of a tradition for when those who like it are home to have it on Christmas Eve. I fall in the “I can’t believe I like this – it’s so slimy” category. Nevertheless, I still eat it each time, and remind my mom to buy it!
In my kitchen, we have my Mom’s Date Roll, although this is shaped in the form of a wreath! It’s a dessert that we traditionally have at Christmas and (most) Thanksgivings. It’s quite simple to make and a firm favourite. I helped to prepare it this time and I couldn’t get over how easy it is!
In my sister’s kitchen, my nephew, niece and I, made peanut butter sandwiches. I first heard about these from my friend, Jamie, who I went to college with. We had been Facebook friends for years but only reconnected really since I moved to Korea. The recipe I use is based on hers, and you can find it and more ideas on her Facebook page, Jamie’s Kitchen under her 2013 photos. This was the 4th time that I’ve made these handy “cookies”.
At the beginning of December, my sisters, nieces, nephew, mom and I went on a trip to Galway to the Christmas market. I don’t have too many photos from it on my cameras as we used my sister’s but here are some of our memories:
Lastly, my friend, Joe, sent me a postcard from Korea. Thanks, Joe!
So that’s it folks until February! Until then check out the other In My Kitchen posts on Maureen’s blog and have a bit of fun peeking into lots of different kitchens. Have a great January and all the best for 2016.
Spoon in a Saucepan 
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i grew up in a region that had had lots of Dutch migrants in the 50s so foodstuffs like salted licorice and rollmops were common. still not sure if i like them though:)
Haha! I know the feeling – licorice is big here but I’ve never had salted licorice before. Every time I eat try some I can never fully decide if I like it. I know I don’t hate it but I’m not sure that it’s something I will ever buy for myself.
I’d love the recipe for the date roll, it looks delicious. I love pickled herring as well, there is always a jar in the fridge for emergency hunger attacks. Is it really slimy, hmmm. Guess I never thought of it that way. And the upside down apron looks very useful.
Thanks, Liz for stopping by! I hope to share the date roll recipe next week or the week after.
You always have pickled herring in your fridge?! That sounds like a fridge my brothers and I might just raid – them more often than myself! Hope you have a great weekend. Take care!
Hi Liz, the recipe for the date roll is finally up! Sorry for the delay!
https://spooninasaucepan.com/2016/03/01/mams-celebration-date-roll/
Maggie, what a fun, festive kitchen you’ve featured this month. FYI, my Dad was “big” on pickled herring, too, and I came to like it (LOVE IT) when I was about 13 years old. (Yes, even if it’s slimy!) A local store used to import by the GALLONS (they also showcased and sold “lutefisk” in an old clawfoot bathtub in their display!) — such are the vagrancies of regional flavors and/or our diverse heritagess. 🙂 Wishing you a delightful New Year and hoping you’ll share your Mom’s date roll recipe soon (or point me to a previous link!) Loved your upside down apron & S & P shakers, too!
I will certainly share the Date Roll Recipe soon – I hope to do so in the next few weeks. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing that story about your Dad! I really like it – and it’s funny what things people like to eat or have a tradition of eating, isn’t it?
Hi Kim, how are you? Hope you are having a good new year.
The recipe for the date roll is finally up! https://spooninasaucepan.com/2016/03/01/mams-celebration-date-roll/
Please share the date roll recipe!
I will!
Hi Lori, here is the date roll recipe: https://spooninasaucepan.com/2016/03/01/mams-celebration-date-roll/
What a fun apron! I make a similar peanut butter cracker cookie but dip them in melted almond bark, thus the white color. Then of course we lots of holiday sprinkles on top! The holiday market looks so fun, I miss those from Germany. We just don’t have anything like that here.
My friend’s recipe called for almond bark but I didn’t have it in Korea and I’ve never seen it here either -hence dipped in chocolate! Sprinkles are great aren’t they?
The holiday market was fun but I really want to go to one in Germany at some stage! That would be brilliant!
I love that apron and appreciate that it’s been printed so the wearer can read it. So often they forget this. Your Mom’s date roll sounds really interesting!
Thanks for being a part of In My Kitchen! Happy New Year!
I agree and I love that it will not only keep me clean but it’s a nice and handy guide as well. I hope to post the date roll soon, will let you know when it’s up! Thanks for having me on In My Kitchen. Happy New Year!
Hi Maureen, I finally got the date roll recipe up. I hope you are doing better!
https://spooninasaucepan.com/2016/03/01/mams-celebration-date-roll/