Thanksgiving is around the corner.  It is time to think about what tasty recipes will be served to family and friends.  Thanks to a client I discovered that social networking is now in the kitchen and making this process so easy.

If you have mastered Facebook and love to cook you have to check out www.KeyIngredient.com.  Registration is free and you can organize your recipes for private use, share with only family and friends, or open up to the world-wide web.  It only takes a minute to register and then start entering your favorite meals.

The program even creates shopping lists from the recipes you plan to cook.  When you search for recipes others have shared, there is even a place for comments to be posted that could save the trouble of cooking a mediocre recipe.

While this program is free, a Digital Recipe Reader is available from Neiman Marcus.  This hand-held device will keep your kitchen green and truly make your recipes paperless.   Of course if you have a computer in the kitchen; even better.

Check this out and when your guests leave and ask for the recipe, just share your Key Ingredient screen name.

 What do you desire for your new pantry? 

• food storage
• an oasis to enhance your culinary skills
• a place for extra cooking utensils

This project was designed as an old fashion, yet elegant, pantry.  In consulting with the interior designer wicker baskets, once used for vegetable storage, are now used for bagged chips and snacks.  The wrap around pantry features glass inserted into wood shelves which give more light.  One lower corner features a rotating Lazy Suzan for easy access to the rear.

Organize food by categories.  Modular POP Canisters from The Container Store keep baking items and pastas fresh and make it easy to see when supplies are low.  Quattro Stagioni Jars  provide the “old fashion” look for nuts, candies, and beans.

Your pantry can have a complete new look by cleaning out all unused and out of date food.  Keep most needed items at eye level.  New containers will not only provide a “fresh” look, but keep foods fresh for your family.

Bon Appetit

Chris