The ALDI Specially Mascarpone Cheesecake did THREE things
– Caused seconds on dessert = a very rare occurrence
– Kept me awake thinking “can I fit a freezer InMySmallKitchen”
– Wondering had I died and gone to Arthur Av Bakery Heaven

Friday Fact: Mise-En-Place Is Worth The Effort

As an important element of my “10-20-30 Minute” Life Style
Mise-En-Place is not only worth the effort but it makes many things possible

So do you Mise-En-Place in the Kitchen or anywhere else?

For How to in the kitchen, a nice summary of the steps

Minute 1-5: Read Recipe TWICE or More – the only way to avoid unpleasant realities, like you don’t have the necessary ingredients, so may need to plan a substitute. (like mixing Heavy Cream with Ricotta to make a Marscapone alternative.

Minute 6-10: READ RECIPE AGAIN and then GATHER Tools and needed pots, pans, ice bath, whatever – Because no one wants to stop fail just because the sheet pan is still waiting in the dishwasher and your sauce is about to burn

Minutes 11-18: Prep Each Ingredient, measure or cut those veggies as need for a proper or custom mirepoix once all your ingredients are prepped and ready leave nothing in your space but what you will need. If you are not cooking now, get all the ingredients into the fridge or freezer as needed.

Miunutes19-20 : Clearing the debris – Rinse and add dirty stuff to the dishwasher –

take a nap, read a book, enjoy afternoon snack or tea, answer email, happily knowing that getting dinner going is only a matter of minutes whenever you want to start.

Minutes 20-21: Set Up Work Area
This is usually even less than a minute – mostly just grabbing the tray from the fridge to the work area that already has tools and such ready and waiting.

InMySmallKitchen Minute 22-30 is final prep/assembly
Using recipe, lay out the ingredients in the order needed

Most of the time much of this can be done in advance and in some cases I freeze the “ready for the oven” or the Ninja Foodi so dinner can be freezer to table in as little as 30 minutes, but usually averaging under an hour.

Admittedly, the 30 minute part may be longer, because of longer unattended cooking time (like 45 minutes in Pressure Cooker or Air Fryer

But mostly it is about “relaxed” cooking

It all starts with Mise-En-Place InMySmallKitchen

Learn to meditate on paper.
Drawing and writing are forms of meditation.
Learn how to contemplate works of art.
Learn how to pray in the streets or in the country.
Know how to meditate not only when you have a book in your hand but when you are waiting for a bus or riding in a train.
Above all, enter into the Church’s liturgy and make the liturgical cycle part of your life–let its rhythm work its way into your body and soul
– Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation

Every ALDI Aficionado knows the pain of weekly food finds disappearing until the next time…
NOTE: since the ratio is about 3 bars per tin, an excellent reason to try more than one flavor of the wonderful Moser Roth bars.
STICKER SHOCK: At ALDI via Instacart the price is $2.19 each for the Moser Roth. on Amazon it was $12 for two.

A few days ago I mentioned in my GAB Food Craft Making and Methods group, I recently came across a “new to me” on line seller who has made it easy to shop “Made In the USA”. Politically speaking, I live in the USA so want to support US Jobs. Personally, I do believe you should, when possible support goods and services produced in your home country.

EverythingKitchen com as a new to me source for “Made/Assembled in USA” I wanted an easier to clean grinder for coffee and herbs and spices. I had sort of set my mind on KitchenAid Set, which included the Stainless Grinder and Accessory Bowls –

The grinder comes with a 4oz bowl, great for our daily pot of coffee. The accessor set of two smaller bowls and three lids (two to seal and store, one shaker top) to be used one for sweet and the second for savory as soon as I find a way to mark them.

I found the “set” both on Amazon.com and KitchenAid.com BUT only in the Silver and I wanted EMPIRE RED. Well turns out, by purchasing the Grinder separately I had a choice of Silver, Onyx (Black) or Empire (Red) at EverythingKitchen and the accessory set (sold out in other places) separately for the same total price total price.

Incidentally, I placed my EverythingKitchen order using the “made in USA” (and of course found more to add) Late in the morning on March 5 and was a bit concerned because of FedEx Ground track record around here, but is did arrive as promised in 3 business day – well packed and as soon as I have a moment to get it washed and set up will be replacing the rather old and likely soon to die one on my counter. It will get its first serious workout next week when I do my monthly “blends” making. so update to come.

Just one more way for me to
EnjoyTheMaking
InMySmallKitchen

p.s. Amazon is affiliate link for your convenience, but politically speaking, you can purchase thru KitchenAid or EverythingKitchen with out benefit to me or Jeff Bozos. (pun intended)