5 Non-essential kitchen items that are essential to me

This is just a little list I’ve put together of my most loved kitchen tools.  None of them are really needed in the kitchen, you could do without them, but I use these so often that if any stopped working, broke or went missing, I would definitely replace them asap.

Silicone Spoon:

I purchased one of Silicone Spoons from Stevens ages ago, and now have a few in different colours.  They are awesome for mixing as they scrape down the sides of the bowl really well and if you are making something like fudge, the mix doesn’t stick to it.  We use these all the time for general cooking too.

Kitchen Aid:

Back when I first started getting quite into baking I treated myself to a Kitchen Aid, which I put on lay-by as I had only just started working.  It felt like it took absolutely ages to pay off and finally take it home.  But, I love it.  Stand mixers make baking a breeze – chuck everything in the bowl and it mixes it for you.  Clean up is easy too.  Simon loves using the Kitchen Aid to make pizza dough too.  I got mine in black to match our toaster and jug and the colour works well in most kitchens, but there are so many gorgeous colours available.

20 cm Square Cake Tin:

I have a 20cm square cake tin, with a removable base which I don’t ever make cakes in.  But, I use it for all my slices and when I make fudge.  I love using it instead of an actual slice tin as the removable base makes food easy to get out of the tin.  Also, I like that it has taller sides – I don’t need to guess a tin size when I am experimenting with a new recipe as I know the mix isn’t not going to spill over the sides.

SodaStream:

Simon and I were given our SodaStream machine as an engagement present and it has been the best gift!  We love it when guest come over and want to try it, and can choose what flavour they want.  I’ve also used it to make up some lemonade to make Lemonade Scones with.  I also like being able to have sparkling water on hand when I want something refreshing to drink.

Jamie Oliver Frying Pan:

So, yeah, I think every kitchen needs a frying pan which means this item might be a bit of a cheat.  However, I’ve included it as Simon and I used to always buy cheap frying pans.  One day when we were in Briscoes and they had a sale on frying pans (haha, a sale, at Briscoes?) and we decided to bite the bullet and get a fancy Jamie Oliver one.  There was much debate about whether to buy it or not as we could have picked up about ten cheap ones for the same price.  I’m glad we did though – it is still going strong, is still non-stick and it has a nice heavy base so it doesn’t buckle on the elements.

What are your favourite kitchen tools to use?  What would you rush out to replace, even though it probably isn’t a necessity?

Banana Berry Icecream

This Banana Berry Icecream is so simple, yet so delicious.  It is vegan and lactose free and made from only two ingredients – yup, just two ingredients!  Using just banana and berries, you can make this healthy, frozen treat, which I have found just heavenly on the hot Summer afternoons we have had lately. 
The texture kind of a mixture between icecream, sorbet and frozen yoghurt.  I found it tasted quite sweet and it was hard to believe that there wasn’t sugar added in.  You could experiment with this recipe – maybe take out the berries and try adding mango, or try mixing through some chocolate syrup to make a banana chocolate treat.

5 bananas
1 cup frozen mixed berries

Thinly slice the bananas and place them in a container, in the freezer for 3 – 5 hours.
Place the frozen banana slices in a blender.  Add in the cup of frozen berries and then pulse together until smooth (I found using the ‘chop’ function on my blender the most effective setting).
You can serve immediately, or place in a sealed container in the freezer to firm up and eat later.

*Blender c/o KitchenAid.

KitchenAid Blender Giveaway Winner…

The winner (chosen by a random draw) of a brand new KitchenAid Blender is…

Heather Pestana

Congratulations Heather!  Please get in touch with us via email or in a a private message on our facebook page – we need to know your contact details and what colour blender you would like!

Thank you so very much to everyone who entered the giveaway.  It was fun reading all your comments; what you would make or who you would give the blender too.

Please, if you haven’t already, help us say thank you for such a great prize by sending the folk at KitchenAid an appreciative message on twitter or giving them a ‘like’ on their facebook page.  Check out the rest of the gorgeous KitchenAid range on their website – there’s still a bit of time before Christmas for you to hint at what you would like for a present!

Once again, thank you to everyone who entered and to KitchenAid, and congratulations to Heather.

KitchenAid Artisan Blender Giveaway!

Earlier in the year we were super privileged to be able to giveaway a KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer for our blog’s 3rd birthday.  Now we are wrapping up the year with another amazing KitchenAid giveaway; this time we have a KitchenAid Artisan Blender up for grabs.  Wahooo!

An indispensable culinary tool, the KitchenAid Artisan 5-Speed Blender with 1.75L BPA-Free jug combines professional performance with sleek design. This bench-top Blender makes easy work of stirring, chopping, puréeing or liquefying a variety of foods, from slushies, smoothies and cocktails to dressings, dips and donuts.  The KitchenAid Artisan Blender also features a 'PULSE' button for extra bursts of power and an 'ICE CRUSH' button to transform cubes into fine, snow-like powder (just like what you see in the video above – perfect for Christmas Day and New Years celebrations). You'll be amazed at the versatility of this power packed machine.


So, are you keen to win and treat yourself or someone you love with a new KitchenAid Blender this festive season?  One lucky reader will be winning one of these fabulous machines in the colour of their choice.  To get yourself in with a chance to win, leave us a comment below sharing either what you would make with the blender (we will be sharing more great videos to give you some ideas), or, if you want to win it to give as a gift, who is the lucky person you want to give it to and why?  Make sure you include your name so we can contact you! Entries are open to all New Zealand and Australian residents (yup – our Aussie fans can enter this one too!).  Entries close at 5pm Monday 16th December – just in time for your prize to get to you for Christmas.  The winner will be announced here on the blog and over on our facebook page.  If the prize is not claimed by the 20th December, it will be re-drawn.

Help us say thank you to KitchenAid for such an awesome prize and giving you the chance to win by giving them a like on facebook or following them on twitter.

Good Luck and Merry Christmas everyone!

KitchenAid Giveaway Winner

The lucky person to win our KitchenAid giveaway is…

Jeanna Berriman

We used a random number generator to pick our winner at random – it spat out number 57 at us, which counting down the comments gives us Jeanna.  Congratulations Jeanna!

Thank you so very much to everyone who entered.  It was really heart warming reading your comments and finding out what recipes you enjoy off the blog.

Please, if you haven’t already, help us say thank you for such a great prize by sending the folk at KitchenAid an appreciative message on twitter.  If you want to get dreaming about all the attachments you want to go with your new mixer, check out the KitchenAid website or sign up to their newsletter to get all the latest KitchenAid recipes and info to your inbox.

Once again, thank you to everyone who entered and to KitchenAid, and congratulations to Jeanna.

KitchenAid Giveaway!

It's our birthday this month!  Can you believe that BMTB is 3?!  Over the last few years we have shared over 300 recipes with you all, many of them have been made in our freestanding mixers.  We both believe that these little beauties really do make baking better and freestanding mixers don't come any better than the KitchenAid Stand Mixers.
So even though it is our birthday, one of you lucky readers are going to get the best present any baker could ask for…

A KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer!

We are very excited to announce that KitchenAid have given us one of their KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixers (RRP NZ$995.00) to giveaway.  And, the winner gets to choose what colour they would like.  There’s White, Almond Cream, Empire Red, Black, Cobalt Blue, Yellow Pepper or Green Apple to pick from.  Cool huh?!


A KitchenAid Stand Mixer is a baker’s dream come true.  It will save you time and energy, while providing outstanding results.  In fact, the unique planetary mixing action allows the beater to spiral to 67 different points on the bowl for quick and complete mixing.  That’s the highest beater-to-bowl coverage in the industry!  Also, the trademark hub allows for the attachment of numerous accessories, allowing your mixer to be transformed into a pasta machine, meat grinder, ice cream machine, vegetable slice, sausage maker and much more.

Help us say thank you for such a great prize by sending the folk at KitchenAid an appreciative message on twitter.  If you want to get dreaming about all the attachments you want to go with your new mixer, check out the KitchenAid website or sign up to their newsletter to get all the latest KitchenAid recipes and info to your inbox.

To enter, leave us a comment below (click where it says ‘comments’ next to the ‘posted by’ information) telling us what colour you would like and your favourite recipe from Baking Makes Things Better.  Make sure you include your name and either leave your email address, like us on facebook or follow the blog so you can find out if you have won.
The giveaway closes 5pm Thursday 14th February.  We will announce the winner on Friday 15th February on our blog and facebook.  The giveaway is open to New Zealand residents only. The winner will be chosen at random and contacted once the competition closes. If we have not been able to contact a winner by 5pm Monday 18th February, the prize will be re-drawn.

My new baby

Sooo pretty!  And shiny!  Ooooo!

So, not as cuddly as Courtenay’s little Max (who is coming in for a visit at school on Friday *squeee*), but meet my Kitchen Aid.  I picked it up the other week but I haven’t tried it out yet.  Thought I should probably read the instruction manual and watch the DVD before I play around and break it.  There’s not much to figure out I’ve since realised.  However, it is back in it’s box because in just over a week we will be re-locating to a new home.  Simon and I are moving in together!  So, once I’m in the new place my baby will be set free and have a new perch where its beauty can be admired and, like all children, we will have fun and I will try put it to use – non of this slouching about biz.

Once I have moved I can also unpack my Joseph Joseph goodies from their boxes.  I have their ‘elevate’ kitchen tool set, the ‘hands on’ salad bowl, and the 8 piece nesting set.  I am quite excited about seeing it in the kitchen cupboards.

Yay :)

P.S.  Once all the craziness has died down I might actually get back to doing some baking.