December - the month of kitchen gadgets!

It all started when Jarrod and I decided to devote $50 of our Christmas gift budget to buying a dutch oven. We'd been looking, researching, and validating for months. Jarrod convinced me that it was a vessel that we needed and it would enhance our lives incredibly. We budgeted to spend $50 each on the other for stocking stuffers and $50 on a dutch oven. Done and done.

A few days later, this arrived in the mail:

It's beautiful and Jarrod is already planning meals around this new dish. It matches our Fiestaware and looks beautiful in our kitchen. It's 6 quarts, oven safe, and beautiful. I can't wait to see what kind of one pot meals Jarrod can make with this.

The same day the dutch oven arrived, I received the word that I'd won a prize pack on the Newlyweds Blog. Pretty soon we will be the proud owners of a Misto Gourmet Sprayer, and electric wine bottle opener, and our very first silpat!

The silpat has been on my list for several years but I couldn't justify spending the money. Now I cannot wait to make my chocolate chip cookies on it! I'm also very excited about the misto. We use cooking spray more than I'd like and I had been looking into alternatives - this is perfect. No harmful chemicals or artificial things in cooking spray but without the heavy, greasy fat in just pouring on the oil. Naturally the wine opener is attractive to me... I'm looking forward to enjoying a glass of wine once baby arrives!

We received a generous Christmas check from one of my favorite family members for the holidays and decided to use the money to purchase our very first Kitchenaid mixer! I've wanted one for years, but again couldn't justify the expense. Jarrod got on board a few months ago when he realized it would make bread-making easier...and he decided he wants to grind his own sausage! So, we also purchased the meat grinder and sausage stuffer attachments. 

 I can promise you that I will put this baby to good use! Because our counter space is so limited, we'll need to move some things around to make the necessary space for the mixer. I'm thinking our toaster oven will need to move into the pantry so that this mammoth mixer (it weighs more than 20 pounds!) can have a permanent home on the counter. We went with a chrome color in hopes that it will always match our kitchen. Our appliances are completely mismatched now, but someday perhaps we'll have an entirely stainless kitchen and the mixer will look awesome.

Jarrod will make sausage very soon, but the first thing on my list is divinity.

Source: newlyweds-blog.com via Leanne on Pinterest

I'm not keen on it with the nuts, but think it'd be delicious with chocolate chips... or mint chocolate chips! They remind me so much of my mom's pavlova - that'll definitely be something I made in the mixer very soon - at least as soon as fruit is in season again! Honestly, I've wanted a kitchenaid stand mixer for at least 10 years so that I could make pavlova! I'll definitely be making it this summer!

On top of all of these delightful and useful tools, I also went with a kitchen theme for Jarrod's birthday as well! He's been wanting a kitchen torch for a long time so I bit the bullet and placed an order for this baby:

I also got some pretty ramekins so that he can practice his creme brule skills. There will be a few kitchen gadgets in his stocking as well, I imagine, but I'll share those at a later date - don't want to ruin any surprises!

It's definitely the Christmas of Kitchen Gadgets at the Johnstons and we couldn't be more thrilled. I'm excited about the things we'll be able to do with these new tools - we'll definitely be sharing everything we do and learn along the way!