Seeds

Pumpkin seeks are the perfect Halloween snack to munch on while you cut a jack-o-lantern.  But plenty of other squashes have delectable seeds that can be eaten well into the fall and winter.

It is true, sometimes it takes a bit of time to separate the seeds from the gooey insides of an acorn squash (or whatever you are serving up), but the results--spread on a cookie sheet, sprinkled with some salt, and baked until golden brown--are well worth the effort.

Also, waste less.  Good mantra.

Christmas Tree-Shaped Food: Oddly Impressive

I was trolling the interwebs recently, desperately avoiding all the work that is quickly piling up, looking for some Christmas-y blog post ideas. I ended up stumbling on an absolutely astonishing number of food-arranged-as-christmas-tree pictures.  Who knew (not me) that there is such an active food arrangement subculture?  I have to say, I'm oddly impressed.

Here.

Here.

Here.

Here.

Here.

Here.

Hats off.

Ninjabread Men

Get into the holiday mood with these awesome cookie cutters, which you can buy here (once they are restocked).

And for the more zen-minded baker, there are yoga cookie cutters.

Words to Live By

From Dinner: A Love Story, a blog I just can't get enough of.

Too Much Food?

You've gotten up out of your tryptophan-induced coma to find a kitchen full of--you guessed it--the food from last night. Truth be told, I'm a leftover sandwich kind of girl.  But if that's not the kind of hair of the dog you were looking for, Mark Bittman has 20 pointers.

Birkiland Finds

Birkiland is a store that highlights Icelandic design through its online store and pop-up shops.  Good job Iceland--way to keep it creative.

Wall hooks for handles.

Schnapps in a sweater.

Bringing tea to a whole new level.

Hot Gravy

It is almost Thanksgiving, that glorious revisionist history-based American holiday all about eating.

Thanksgiving is predictable in a lot of ways.  It comes around on the third Thursday of every November. There will be turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberries, sweet potatoes with marshmallows (if you are into that), and gravy.  And if your family has a whiner like we do (his name is my Dad), you will get someone telling you that the gravy needs to be heated up.

Some people just feel strongly about the temperature of their gravy.  It has to be hot. Really hot. And that's usually not a problem when you serve, but once second helpings come around and the gravy on the table is half congealed, things get tricky. In my house this ends with a stalemate: Will I or won't I go heat up more gravy for my Dad (I won't). So in the great tradition of peacemaking and Thanksgiving, I give you the heated gravy boat.

Water-heated thermal gravy boat ($6.99)

Large Porcelain Gravy and Sauce Boat with Warmer and Candle ($23.99)

Cordless Gravy Boat Warmer ($24.95)