May, my birthday month has arrived and so far it has not been too cold, yippee, although I am already starting to count the sleeps until Spring…
In my kitchen…
Is a set of broad shallow pasta or soup bowls. There were dirt cheap so I quickly bought a dozen, not that I could seat 12 people for dinner but I couldn’t resist. Never no, I might have a soup followed by a pasta course – just so long as there are only 6 of us at the dinner table.
In my kitchen…
Is a batch of rusks ready to go into the oven. The kitchen has the most wonderful smell while these are baking and drying.
In my kitchen…
Is the most magnificent chicken stock powder. I used it when we lived in Mauritius and then my mom found it at a Chinese store in Johannesburg and has been keeping me in regular supply. I use it to make liquid stock, add it into gravies for extra flavour, sprinkle it over a chicken before roasting and quite honestly could eat it straight from the tin.
In my kitchen…
Is an organic quinoa. Not sure it is any different to the previous quinoa I bought as quinoa on it’s own tastes pretty much like nothing but when made into a salad using the recipe I got from my sister-in-law it is an absolute winner.
In my kitchen…
Is an unidentified bone. I may have asked this question before, so my apologies if I have. Do you know what it is? We found it on the beach so assume it has to belong to a sea creature of sorts.
What’s in your kitchen this month? Please remember to link back to Celia’s blog Fig Jam and Lime Cordial if you partake in the fun.
The Complete Book 
love your bowls!
Thanks Leah! Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
I love your kitchen!
What are rusks? they look GOOD.
When is your birthday?!!! XXXXXXX MISSED You.
You are such a darling Kim! Rusks are hard (twice baked) dried out biscuits which we enjoy with a cup of tea of coffee. Some people dunk them in their tea, me, I prefer them crunchy. I will make you batches to take home with you when you come and visit. My birthday is on Friday 09 May.
Kay’s angel came back to me as it never had the correct document with it to be posted internationally – I have resent it, so hopefully it should be with you soon.
Have a beautiful day dear. 🙂 xoxoxoxo
Lovely post and so many good things in your kitchen, Mandy. I have a thing for white dinnerware, especially when it’s inexpensive… I used to scour the op shops, hence my cupboards are now groaning with plates, bowls, souffle dishes etc etc for 24! As you said, you might have a soup followed by a pasta course, so they would come in handy.
That bone is fascinating! I am keen to know what it is too. xo
How I would love to come and look in your cupboards Lizzy. I bet you have wonderful treasures. I especially have a thing for little bowls and when Pete and I were out for breakfast at a new restaurant, I wanted to ask the waiter where they sourced their little butter and jam bowls – not sure why I didn’t. We will just have to go back again. 🙂 Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
Love the bowls, no idea what the bone is, we have found very strange things on the beach before in Oregon and took them to a ranger station and no one could identify them. We have that same quinoa, it’s great!
Hi Cheri, I do love the mystery of things, but would like to find out what the bone is. I think I shall have to make some quinoa for lunch. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
May is my birthday month also and I’m also counting the days until Spring. It’s very handy to have 12 bowls all the same size. I have no clue about that bone xx
Seems there are quite a few of us having birthdays in May – what a pity we can’t all get together to celebrate. It is oddly very warm here at the moment – not that I am complaining though. Usually by now we are in fully winter woolies. Have a wonderful day Charlie. 🙂 xo
The rusks look great!
As for the bone, I have absolutely no clue what it could be…
Happy May!
Happy May to you too Angie. I hope we can find out what the bone is. Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
Happy Birthday Mandy! Wishing you much happiness on your very special day.
Thank you very much Bam! Have a beautiful day. 🙂 xo
I have the same chicken stock powder. I am Chinese and always bought this but never really thought about if it was the best one. It’s just what I am used to.
Bunny, it is the most wonderful stock ever. Lovely to know we use the same stock powder. Have a happy day. 🙂 xo
Interesting bone. The flat bit looks like part of a scapula; the long bit a forearm? A manatee, perhaps? Take it to a natural history museum – staff usually likes to help out by identifying things for the public. Otherwise, it’s an interesting conversational piece in your kitchen!
Hi Debi. I will definitely have to take the bone with me when I can get to a museum to solve the mystery but like you say, a great conversational piece. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
Is that powder different from the Knorr cubes?
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Misky I think it is a little different – certainly has loads more flavour. Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
Love your rusks…I made them this weekend as well, that smell is amazing!! and Mauritius…love it, love it!!
Hi Penny, thanks for stopping by and I am so pleased you enjoy the rusks as much as we do. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
Mmm your rusks are so perfect, I need them baked and ready! And delicious looking exotic ingredients 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Wouldn’t it be amazing to have an international food exchange week where we send each other our favourite baked goods! Have a beautiful day CCU. 🙂 xo
What a strange bone! I don’t think you can ever have too many bowls can you?
I agree Anne, never too many bowls, or little jugs for that matter. Have a super day and here’s hoping we get to finding out what the bone is. 🙂 xo
Just curious, what are the ingredients in the chicken stock powder?
Hi Norma, the ingredients read as follows:
“Salt, Maltodextrin, Flavour Enhancers (E621, E635, E631), Cornstarch, Chicken Meat Powder, Sugar Flavourings (Contain Milk, Egg), Chicken Ft, Vegetable Oil, Yeast Extract, Soy Sauce Powder (Contains Wheat, Soyabean), Spice.”
Hmm, I am never sure which are the bad E’s and the not so bad.
Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
Thanks Mandy. I too wonder which is the bad “E”?????
From what I can find one of the E’s is MSG and the others glutomates too. http://curezone.com/foods/enumbers.asp
Have a lovely Saturday Norma. 🙂 xo
Why, you’ve got some interesting finds in your kitchen this month! We are mutual in sometimes buying something I might not need at present but might in the near future :). Now I wonder what animal represents that bone find…
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Hi Julie, good to know I am not the only one who can’t resist buying something for the kitchen. Strangely there is always something I could use which I don’t have yet! I really hope we get to the bottom of the bone mystery. Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
Every visit to your kitchen brings new pleasures! That bone is fascinating. I’ll be very interested to hear what it is. If anyone identifies it! And now you’ve got me thinking it’s time to cook up some quinoa again. Maybe with chicken stock! 😀
xoxoxo—hope you have a fabulous week!
Kath
Kath, it is always so lovely hearing from you, you make my days so much happier, thank you for that! I think the bone is going to be a mystery for a while yet – I might just have to get an expert’s thoughts. What a brilliant idea cooking some quinoa in scrumptious chicken stock! 😀 Have a wonderful day dear. 🙂 xo
Mandy, I know that chicken stock powder, it’s been around since I was a little girl! And I think your pasta bowls are a great purchase – not only do they stack well, but you can use them for soup, pasta AND dessert! 🙂 Love your mystery bone – maybe it’s from the big whale carcass you found ages ago?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find out what the bone belongs to – Pete and I need to get back to the beach to see if we can find more. Mom has also now purchased a few of the multi-purpose bowls, they really are great. I was thinking of getting a few more and keeping them aside as gifts, filled with baked goods. Have a lovely day Celia. 🙂 xo
Those white bowls look too good to put in a cupboard. Stylish and cheap, what more can you ask for in life?
These bowls are definitely a double win Francesca. Have a beautiful day. 🙂 xo
Say, it’s my birthday month too. We need to celebrate together. Awesome find on those bowls and let’s face it, you could have some in the dishwasher and need more so of course it’s reasonable to have a stack of them.
I’ve never heard of chicken powder, so that’s a new one on me but it sure sounds interesting. As for that bone, I wouldn’t have a clue what creature it came from but as I’m looking at it, I think you could use it as a bowl scraper. Just think what people’s facing would look like if they watched you use it and you casually said…”oh this? Just an old bone I found outside”. Conversation piece no matter what.
Hee hee, I love the way you think Diane. What a pity the bone is a little fragile, otherwise I would definitely use it as a dinner shockers with friends.
I must add that the bowls stack beautifully in the dishwasher so that’s an added bonus. Nothing worse than the ones the take up too much space. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
I have seen that chicken stock only once and should have bought it after reading this. I have no idea what that bone is but I hope someone tells you. 🙂
Hi Maureen. I do hope you can find the stock powder again – it is really wonderful. I shall have to do another post with the details of the bone if we find out what it is. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
chicken powder? What! Why have i never heard of this before! its genius in deed. I want to get some now and I love the rusks! Never made them before but printing out your recipe as I type:)
I do hope you enjoy the rusks as much as we do Belle, we can’t get enough of them and I hope you can get the chicken stock powder. Have a beautiful day. 🙂 xo
Well I thought that bone was going to be something that your dog dragged in. I want to love quinoa, I really do but it’s flavorless (as you say) and I think spectacularly dull. If I want to use a grain, I prefer bulgar wheat or freekah so theres some flavour and a bit of resistance. Cheers!
Hi Fiona, I haven’t heard about freekah, think I shall have to investigate that and see if I can find it here. I love trying new things. Have a super day and thanks for the tweets! 🙂 xo
I’m like you and always buy lots of china…who knows when something will chip. 🙂 I love there shape and think you will get lots of good out of them.
See, now I am going to have to buy a few spares just in case some chip. Don’t tell Pete though. They really are a lovely shape Karen and I am already getting a lot of use out of them. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
rUSKS ARE RELATIVELY NEW TO ME, SO ITS NICE TO SEE YOU RECIPE LINK,
Hi Shaheen, I hope you get a chance to try these rusks, they are fabulous! Have a super day. 🙂 xo
That bone looks like from a stingray
We also thought so at first Raymund but can’t find any pictures to match what we have. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Another great IMK post, Birthday Girl! I hope yo do something special on your birthday. Each one should be celebrated. Mom had a favorite “chicken base” that she used much like you use yours. It was a sad day in the two-flat when the company went out of business.
In case I don’t get the chance, have a wonderful birthday, Mandy. Eat lots of cake. You’re a runner now. You can afford it. 🙂
My Pete and my folks will be with me on my birthday on Friday John so I couldn’t ask for anything more. I shall enjoy a piece of cake for you and me. 😀 Have a happy day. 🙂 xo
G’day! loved your bowls too and thank you for allowing me to learn something new re your rusks!
Thank you for this month’s kitchen view too!
Cheers! Joanne
Hi Joanne, it’s always nice sharing something new with everybody. Have a wonderful day. 🙂 xo
Love the bowls which you will get a lot of use out of for sure. Add some of your stock to the water when you cook your quinoa, it will make a world of difference 🙂
Thanks Tandy. I might have to serve a quinoa salad in one of my bowls. Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
Birthday month…. Yeassss…. Love birthdays, are you planning fabulous things. Hmmm, damn the oceans between us, gonna have to work on fixing that.
Not much at all happening in my kitchen, I’m such a slacker, couple of fish fingers, a few tomatoes from the garden and a stick of butter. Sigh!
So, has anyone figured out how to email cake yet? Did that beam me up thing ever happen? Have a rippa rest of week lovely lady. Hugs from Oz. xxx
Yes, damn the oceans between us! Imagine what a ripper we could have if we lived closer. Imagine how incredibly rich and famous we are going to be when we figure out how to email cake! Have a beautiful day too darling. 🙂 xo
My opinion about white dinnerware is that it’s always a good thing to collect such pieces, they are so versatile. Soup, salad, pasta, or even small serving bowls for a party — you will get many uses out of them.
I do hope you have a wonderful birthday this month, that your entire month is filled with sweet surprises and the joyful celebration of life. 🙂
Judy, thank you so much for such beautiful birthday wishes and I agree about white dinnerware. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Interesting bone…would make an interesting kitchen decoration.
I have been thinking about using it and a few other bones we have found as art on the walls. Have a happy day. 🙂 xo
I’ve read every comment trying to find out if anyone knows what the bone is!! Love those bowls. I’ve started buying all our table ware in 10s. It’s the most we can get round the dining table. These would be perfect for so many different dishes. GG
Hi GG. I was really hoping somebody would have known what the bone is – Oh well. I will have to take to to an expert of sorts. The bowls are really very handy, so glad I bought them. I would love to be able to seat 10 people – maybe one day when I am big. 😉 Have a super day and thanks for stopping by. 🙂 xo
it’s uncommon to see a quinoa and msg chicken powder in the same post (healthy food vs artificial food additive), but i really adore the shallow soup bowl!!!
Guess I have the balance right then Dedy. I really am super pleased with my bowls. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Great peek inside your kitchen! Thank you! Quinoa is great isn’t it?! It really does a nice job of taking on whatever flavors you want it to. I make a salad with grapes, almonds, vinaigrette and coriander and it is so lovely. Love the white bowls! And rusk looks delicious. It sounds almost like a biscotti? Do you slice it after the first bake like you would a biscotti?
Hi Lauren – I absolutely love your quinoa salad – I will definitely be trying that just as soon as I get some grapes. Rusks are the “sameish” as biscotti, except they contain eggs. Yip, you slice then up after the first bake and then dry them out. These really are scrumptious. Have a super day. 🙂 xo
Happiest of Birthdays! I always love seeing your kitchen, Mandy, and I’m with you on those plates! They would get a lot of use around here. I have no idea about that bone, but it looks like it might have been bigger and got eroded a bit on the sides? We have Knorr here!! Everywhere!! So if you run low I can mail you some!! xx
Smidge, you are the sweetest! Thank you! Have a wonderful day, 🙂 xo
Happy (belated?) Birthday, Mandy! Do hope you have (had) a wonderful celebration! Thanks, too, for your sister-in-law’s quinoa salad recipe… sounds delish. (Just printed it off…) Have you had any success identifying that washed-ashore bone? Intriguing… I love beach ‘finds,’ too. 🙂
Thanks you very much Kim. I had a wonderful birthday – hope they can all be like that. I would love to hear how you enjoy the quinoa salad – I can’t get enough of it. Sadly the bone is still a mystery. Think we will have to take it to a professional of sorts to help identify it. Have a super weekend ahead and thank for stopping by. 🙂 xo
The bone is a rib from a turtle
Hi John, thank yo so very much for solving the mystery – you are a star! Have a wonderful and happy 2015. 🙂 xo
My father also found one of these bones and have determined its a turtle rib bone. Very cool find!
Hi Bek, yes quite right, I found out soon after posting about it. Have a lovely day. 🙂
Hi!
I realize this post is now dated, however I came across the image of the your bone on a google search trying to identify the same exact bone myself…
It is from a sea turtle!! 🙂
Subsequent to finding out what it is, we have found another one on the beach. Just last week we found a complete shell of a turtle. We have an ever growing collection. Thanks for stopping by and have a super weekend. 😉