Friday Love List

Welcome to the first installment of a brand new column. Every Friday, we’ll share some of our favorite recent finds. It may be cooking equipment, a new recipe, a favorite podcast, a cookbook or just an interesting article. The idea for this addition came from  Milly’s Kitchen, and if you sign up for her newsletter you’ll receive her Love List on Wednesdays. I stumbled upon her site because she hosts photography retreats in places like Paris, Greece and Portugal that I’m itching to attend. I’ll be gathering “Friday loves” from my amazing marketing director, Melissa Garlington, as well as all of you. Let us know if there’s something you’d like to share with the Smart in the Kitchen community. We will include our favorite finds in future posts!

1. I must confess…I am the leftover queen.  Nothing is better than cooking a big pot of soup and freezing some for an easy dinner down the road. Or taking delicious restaurant food home for tomorrow’s lunch. Then what do we all do? Save the plastic container from takeout and let it jam up space in cabinets and drawers. Why not recycle them and be done? Each time I am tempted to put the plastic container in the microwave to reheat, I hear my friend Jill telling me all about the toxic chemicals seeping in my food. Then I saw the amazing OXO glass container set Marcia uses from Williams-Sonoma and bought one for myself. They stack easily in the freezer or fridge, plus come with pretty colored lids. Now guess what Jill is getting for her birthday this year? — Melissa Garlington
2. I’m the kitchen gadget guru, never met a gadget I didn’t like. The Ikea Chosigt Grater with Container is an easy way to grate your cheddar and store it in the container for future use. As Marcia and the Pioneer Woman say, stop buying the pre-grated cheese that adds preservatives to your bag. — Melissa
3. Also, I’m really into frothing my own milk and creamer before pouring my coffee in the morning. The Aerolatte Deluxe Edition Milk Frother with Stand is easy to use and inexpensive. — Melissa
4. Every time I read Bon Appetit editor Alex Beggs’ newsletter, I laugh out loud. Read her latest installment, a review of new Trader Joe’s products for 2019. — Marcia
5. Speaking of good reads, if you haven’t stumbled down the rabbit hole of Katie Considers you may want to. — Marcia
6. Last thing for today, if you listen to podcasts, check out Criminal. My sister-in-law Katie recommended it and I can’t stop listening. Episode 49, about the friendship between the editor of Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Encyclopedia and a prison inmate, will be a bright light in your weekend.  — Marcia