DH's Sweet Christmas Gift: Alton Brown Books, Weird Al CDs & More!

[chefann]

I just had to brag on how sweet my DH was.

Back in October, I created a wish list on Amazon, with some books and CDs that I wanted but didn't NEED. I told Dan (DH) about it, since he struggles to think of gift ideas. Then Thanksgiving week he ordered a color laser printer for us, and we decided that would be our Christmas gift, since it was still a couple hundred bucks, even on sale.

I purchased a couple of small things for Dan - a TV stand from Ikea for the printer (that thing is huge!) and yesterday I picked up a pair of ear muffs because he lost his when he was in Germany last week. So he tells me yesterday that he has some things (yes, plural) for me, here they are. He ordered me everything from my Amazon wish list! Well, except for the $60 box of Godiva chocolates. So now I'm the proud owner of all 3 of Alton Brown's books (I'm Just Here for the Food, I'm Just Here for More Food, and Gear for Your Kitchen), CD copies of the Weird Al albums I didn't already have on CD, and Bartlett's Quotations. awwww......

I've been reading Gear for Your Kitchen and I'm going to start putting portions of that into my monthly newsletter. He's got some great advice on purchasing kitchen tools that I can so use to my advantage!

 

[lacychef]

Awww that is sweet! But, why not get the chocolates too? just kidding! Things you wanted, & it will better your biz; doesn't get much better!
My dh can't stand to wait. He came home the other night with a little box & bragging cause he'd been to the jewelry store. I like to wait & be surprised on Xmas eve though. Plus it's fun to make the kids wait! hehe

 

[ShanaSmith]

so... did ya ask him for a receipt so you can deduct it from your taxes

 

[ChefAggi]

I just had to brag on how sweet my DH was.

Back in October, I created a wish list on Amazon, with some books and CDs that I wanted but didn't NEED. I told Dan (DH) about it, since he struggles to think of gift ideas. Then Thanksgiving week he ordered a color laser printer for us, and we decided that would be our Christmas gift, since it was still a couple hundred bucks, even on sale.

I purchased a couple of small things for Dan - a TV stand from Ikea for the printer (that thing is huge!) and yesterday I picked up a pair of ear muffs because he lost his when he was in Germany last week. So he tells me yesterday that he has some things (yes, plural) for me, here they are. He ordered me everything from my Amazon wish list! Well, except for the $60 box of Godiva chocolates. So now I'm the proud owner of all 3 of Alton Brown's books (I'm Just Here for the Food, I'm Just Here for More Food, and Gear for Your Kitchen), CD copies of the Weird Al albums I didn't already have on CD, and Bartlett's Quotations. awwww......

I've been reading Gear for Your Kitchen and I'm going to start putting portions of that into my monthly newsletter. He's got some great advice on purchasing kitchen tools that I can so use to my advantage!

I saw one of the books "I'm Just Here For The Food" in a cook book book club I was thinking of getting back into again. So I take it they are good books!! hmm might have to look into those! Especially that Gear Up Your Kitchen.. Perhaps I"ll take a visit to my local Chapters store this afternoon after work and see if they have a copy of this!

Cheers!

Cheers

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Ann - that is so sweet! I know we can all get frustrated w/ those men of ours - but then they do something so thoughtful....keeps you coming back for more!

I know I have had to learn to keep my "wish list" short, because my DH will buy everything on the list that I thought were just suggestions....

 

[cmdtrgd]

I love all the Alton Brown books and DVDs!!!

 

[tlennhoff]

What a great hubby. Merry xmas.

 

[chefann]

so... did ya ask him for a receipt so you can deduct it from your taxes

Ooh-- gotta remember to do that!

I do know that he used some Amazon gift certificates he had, and paid for the rest with his Amazon visa, so the purchase will actually generate more GCs. And I'm sure he clicked through from our car club, so they'll get a kickback. But my list gave him the idea to start his own. He's got an exhaust manifold on it.


Tasha, Happy Hanukkah. (I don't want you to feel left out.)

 

[chefann]

Here's an exerptI thought you'd all like a sample of Gear for Your Kitchen. Here's the section on roasting pans. Please note that our roasting pan fits all the good points.

A good roasting pan is one of the most multi-tasking tools known to cooking man. A good roasting pan is not merely a container meant to convey food to the oven - that's something even a buck-fifty disposable foil roaster could do. A real roaster is fit for the stove top as well as the oven, and that's pretty darn valuable when you consider the fact that cooking methods such as roasting, braising and stewing usually require steps involving both.

Take your standard everyday roast. Odds are you're going to sear the meat either before or after roasting it and if you're a wise cook you'll return that pan to the stovetop when the roast is done for a good deglazing and subsequent sauce building. With a good roasting pan this is a one-pan deal. Okay, you might have to break out some heavy-duty aluminum foil to make a lid, but other than that, you're covered.

One of the most important considerations in choosing a roasting pan is the type of handles it has - and the handles you choose depend a great deal on how much space you have in your oven. I have two roasters, a small and a large, and the large one has vertical handles that stick straight up from the end of the pan. If it had horizontal handles - as does my small roaster - I wouldn't be able to get it into the oven. I have to say that I use my small roaster twice as often as the big one. At 14 x 11 x 2 3/4 inches, it's the perfect size for braising spare ribs or slow cooking a mess of stew. Both operations require a lid and that is what heavy-duty aluminum foil is for - among a thousand other things...By the way, the only handles I'd never have on a roaster are the swivel type that lie flat against the end walls of the pan. They're impossible to get a hold of with oven mitts and that's just not right.

When it comes to roasters, heavy is good - heavy works. Heavy absorbs heat, evens out cold and hot spots, and helps to prevent scorching. Heavy is, however, heavy and it can be expensive. I shelled out close to $150 for my small roaster because I wanted a clad pan. I've never regretted that decision even for a second. Heavy pans don't warp and they don't wobble. I also like high sides because if the pan is heavy, the food inside it will actually roast more evenly due to the even radiation of heat. And here's another thing, a heavy roaster can help to level out the thermal ups and downs of the average American oven, which can wander anywhere from 20 to 75 degrees off its mark.

 

[tlennhoff]

Tasha, Happy Hanukkah. (I don't want you to feel left out.)

Thank you. It has been a good one. Friday night is last night and I think I'm making apple latkes if I get to my mom's early enough.

 

[chefann]

mmmm..... sounds good.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

WOW! Ann - that was an amazing excerpt - I'm adding that book to my list of "suggestions"! Actually, I asked for a B&N GC...so either way, I'll probably be the owner of one after Christmas!

 

[chefann]

There are a lot of fantastic tips about deciding which tools you really need. And suggestions for other tools that people may not have thought of. I'm glad I added it to my wish list.

Tonight I'm going to start flipping through the other 2.

 

[mommyhugz1978]

That was really sweet of him!!!

 

[Tara1021]

HOW NICE!

I'm a teacher and got a Barnes and noble GC for christmas from one of my kids. I think I may have to use it toward one of those books. I LOVE Good Eats! Alton is soooo cool.

 

[cmdtrgd]

Alton is so great for explaining the basics that you need in order to create your own recipes, too.

 

[chefann]

I started filpping through I'm Just Here for More Food, which is about baked items. Very nice! It's grouped by method of mixing, rather than by food, and there are som eyummy sounding recipes (Cheese Bread, Carrot Cake, etc.). I'm only through the first chapter.