#HBSocialKitchen

Because We KNOW Breakfast!

November 1, 2015 By Lena

NOTE: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

… and sometimes, breakfast is a cup of celebration cake, served with a freshly brewed cup of bold, flavourful coffee. Stay tuned for the recipe for this Birthday Mug Cake, and the chance to win a gorgeous Hamilton Beach 12 Cup Programmable Coffeemaker plus a Hamilton Beach Custom Grind Coffee Grinder. Because Hamilton Beach knows breakfast!
DSC_1580a So, the cold weather is settling in and we’ll all start to mentally prepare for the long winter ahead. What better time to step up your breakfast game? A warm, nutritious and satisfying breakfast fortifies your body against the elements, and keeps you alert and focused so you can make the best of your day. Hamilton Beach, the leader in small appliances, is leading the way with inventive and creative ways to enjoy breakfast. Today, I’m happy to share some of my favourite products that are must-haves for you this season. …

This Dried Fruit is Anything But Dry.

August 16, 2015 By Lena

NOTE: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

I’ll admit it; I don’t think a food dehydrator has ever been on my culinary wishlist.

I mean, I’ve never sat around on a Saturday afternoon thinking, I wish I could dry some fruit. I mean, who does… right? Except now that I have spent a Saturday afternoon drying fruit, it’s a process I’d definitely like to repeat again… and again… thanks to the Hamilton Beach Food Dehydrator.
Back-to-school is around the corner. The opportunity to load up my boys’ lunchbox with healthy snacks – without preservatives or additives – is very attractive to me. And since my little guys love fruit, why not concentrate the flavours, make it completely portable, and have it available for them when they want it? Friends, I’ve seen the light: I totally need a food dehydrator. …

Coconut Ice Cream with Buttered Rum Sauce and Grilled Pineapple

July 2, 2015 By Lena

And…. I made the ice cream MYSELF! Three cheers for homemade goodness on a hot summer day. You can do it too with the Hamilton Beach 1/2 Quart Ice Cream Maker – enjoy ice cream, sorbet, gelato, frozen yogurt or custard in as little as 20 minutes. That’s right, just 20 minutes!
There seems to be a stigma that homemade frozen desserts are difficult to make, when truly, it couldn’t be more simple. In fact, with the Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker, it’s pretty foolproof. …

Wake Up to Your Favourite Beverage

May 18, 2015 By Lena

Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

It was December 2005. I had spent the night – for the very first time, eek! – at my then-boyfriend’s place. In was an airy loft, with wall-to-wall windows and a homey setting that was unfamiliar and welcoming at the same time. In typical Lena fashion, I found myself wide awake at 6:00am. Next to me, my boyfriend slept soundly, no doubt enjoying a well-deserved Sunday morning sleep-in.

I tossed and turned. What time does he wake up? I wondered.

If it was say, 7:00am, I could deal. A quick bathroom break and a swish of mouthwash, and I could wait it out. But what if he was more like a 9:00am waker upper? Or – gasp – a nooner?

I mentally counted forward from our bedtime of 12:30am. 6 hours… 7 hours… surely I could bet he’d be awake in about an hour or two at the most…

8:15am. Still asleep.
8:56am. Oh! He scratched his cheek! And then turned over and resumed snoring.
9:32am. This. is. torture.

Inspiration struck. I could make coffee! I mean, who doesn’t wake up when the aroma of fresh coffee permeates the air, right? I tiptoed down the stairs (two-floor loft by the lake, ladies – yeah, there was a reason I reeled that fish in) and realized almost immediately that there was one flaw in my master plan: I had no idea how to make coffee.
So sue me! We had those K-Cup coffee things at the office, and my parents are tea drinkers, so I didn’t grow up with a coffee brewer. I considered the contraption on his countertop (which, looking back, was a very basic model compared to the rocket-science renderings today) and wondered if I could work it out based purely on a physical assessment.

1. Water reservoir: Easy enough. Just fill to the “fill line” indicator for 12 cups. Better safe than sorry!

2. Filter: Also, a piece of cake – except it took me 20 minutes to find them. WHO stores filters with their spices? Oh yeah, bachelor here.

3. Coffee grounds reservoir: Add 10 scoopfuls – that should be enough, right? Okay, add more. Going on the assumption that strong coffee is better than weak coffee. Press start. …

It’s Always a Party! Introducing the Kettle Style Popcorn Popper!

February 15, 2015 By Lena

Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

Salty, savoury popcorn with a sharp burst of cheesy goodness and a mild, Italian herb flavour. Do not adjust your computer monitor. You HAVE just stumbled on the perfect popcorn, popped in the perfect popcorn popper.
Now I’m not one to mince words, so I’m just going to come out and say it. You need the Hamilton Beach Kettle Style Popcorn Popper in your life. You need it like meat needs salt. Like apple pie needs cinnamon. Like Kanye West needs an awards show. And once you have it, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Introducing… the very best small appliance for every popcorn lover you know.
Yeah, that’s it right there. Kind of looks space age, doesn’t it? But whether it’s a date night in or a movie-watching party with friends and family, this popper delivers. Enjoy hot and delicious theater-style popcorn that can be prepared and served right in the same bowl! Simply measure your oil and kernels into the popping chamber and turn it on. (I swear, that’s all there is to it.) When the popping slows down to two seconds between pops, your popcorn is ready to eat.

Even better? The Kettle Style Popcorn Popper is dishwasher safe, and the top and bottom nest for space-saving storage. Plus, you can pop up to 24 cups per cycle, so your family is never left waiting for more. It’s actually kind of perfect. …

New Year, New Rituals.

January 4, 2015 By Lena

Note: The following giveaway is open to Canadians only.

I can’t believe I pulled it off. I did it! I actually unplugged for almost two whole weeks. No blogging, no social (okay, a little social) and most of all, no obsessive email checking. I was officially off the grid for 10 days! Did you miss me?

At first, it felt a bit strange… especially if you consider that it’s been almost six years since I’ve had a real holiday. No seriously! The trips I take – they’re press trips, which means that I’m actually working non-stop. Even when my workplace is the Caribbean or a Disney park. But this… this was a bona fide staycation that I needed oh so much!

So what did I do? I shopped online. I shopped in-store. I re-organized my closet. I decluttered and purged. I slept in, read chick lit and mystery novels, and ate a lot of food. I joined Weight Watchers. I took time every single day to savour a few moments for myself. I made posh coffee house drinks in my Hamilton Beach Cappuccino & Espresso Maker.
And most importantly, I made a promise to myself to continue these rituals in 2015. Because a few uninterrupted moments of bliss, every day, does a mind, body and spirit good. Love the way I think? Then we need to get a Hamilton Beach Cappuccino & Espresso Maker in your home, too. …