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How To Bake Your Own Artisanal Bread In The Kitchen

There is nothing quite as tempting to the senses as a freshly baked loaf of artisanal bread. The aroma, as it drifts throughout the kitchen. Kneading the dough, watching it rise and bake, and then feeling the warmth as you pull your bread from the oven. The crisp sound of falling crumbs as you cut into the crust to get to the soft and tender inside. That delectable first bite, dripping with melted butter. No matter how you slice it, homemade artisanal bread is rustic comfort food at it’s finest. And while it may look tricky to achieve at home, baking your own bread is really rather simple. Here, we’ve gathered a few easy to follow recipes for the beginner bread artisan. They all call for basic ingredients found in your kitchen pantry cabinet, and no fancy tools are required. So, spread some flour on your kitchen island countertop, and let’s get started!

Basic Artisan Bread

This Homemade Artisan Bread from Sally’s Baking Addiction is the perfect first recipe for beginners. It calls for just four ingredients—yeast, bread flour, water and salt—and is virtually foolproof. It’s also deliciously light and airy, like a French baguette, with a slightly chewy crust. Click here for photos and detailed instructions from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Easy Wheat Bread

This Easy Homemade Wheat Bread from Minimalist Baker is a bit heartier, with wheat flour, millet, and oats. And while it requires a few more ingredients from your kitchen pantry cabinet, the recipe is uncomplicated and simple. Once baked, this whole grain bread is crusty on the outside, and warm and tender on the inside. Like a cozy farmhouse with rustic kitchen cabinets, it’s sure to warm the heart. For the recipe from Minimalist Baker, click here.

Savory Parmesan Herb Bread

We love this fragrant Savory Herb Bread from The Stay At Home Chef. It’s easy to make and can be mixed by hand with little effort. The recipe calls for staple ingredients from your kitchen pantry cabinet and dried herbs from your spice drawer, such as rosemary, basil, and oregano. If you prefer, you can also substitute freshly minced herbs from your kitchen herb garden. Click here for the complete recipe from The Stay At Home Chef.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Loaded with spicy cinnamon and juicy raisins, this sweet bake from Fifteen Spatulas is perfect for breakfast. But first, you will need to pull up your heavy duty mixer. The recipe has a few more steps than the others on this list, but it is still simple to make on the kitchen island countertop. It’s also well worth the effort! For the ingredients and instructions from Fifteen Spatulas, click here.

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Creative Ways To Color Easter Eggs Naturally

There is no need to buy artificial food dye to color hard-boiled eggs this Easter. Here are some creative and organic ways to color easter eggs naturally with common ingredients found in your refrigerator and kitchen pantry cabinet — whether your favorite color is yellow, pink, blue or green!

Yellow/Orange

Start by boiling a quart of water and two tablespoons of white vinegar in a medium saucepan on the stovetop. Stir in three tablespoons of turmeric from your spice drawer, reduce the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool the water at room temperature (about two to three hours) before dying your eggs, or try this trick from A Tasty Adventure. You’ll need red and yellow onion skins for color, plus a pair of nylons and fresh herbs to make a pretty pattern. For detailed instructions with photos of Onion Dyed Easter Eggs, click here.

Pink/Red

Again, start by adding a quart of water and two tablespoons of white vinegar to a medium saucepan. While you are waiting for the water to boil on the stovetop, chop two large beets and add them to the pot. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, and let the beets soak for at least 30 minutes or until you achieve your desired color. Strain out the beets and begin coloring your eggs. Remember, the longer your eggs sit in the liquid, the deeper the hue.

Blue/Purple

Finely shred a large red cabbage (about a pound) with a chef’s knife, and add it to a medium saucepan. Top the shredded cabbage with a quart of water (or grape juice for deeper color). Add two tablespoons of white vinegar and a tablespoon of salt. Bring the saucepan to a boil on the stovetop over medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the cabbage and cool the liquid before dying. Blue takes a little more time to achieve than other colors, so be patient.

Green

Boil a quart of water with six cups of fresh spinach leaves. Stir in two tablespoons of white vinegar and let the water simmer on the stovetop until you achieve a deep shade of green. Strain out the spinach and allow the water to cool completely before dipping your eggs. Like blue, green can be tricky. When in doubt, add the dye to covered mason jars and soak your eggs overnight in the refrigerator.

When using natural dyes, it’s best to wear disposable gloves to avoid staining your hands. Whether you set up your egg dying station at the kitchen table or on the countertop of your kitchen island, be sure to cover the surface with a plastic tablecloth or kitchen towels for easy cleanup.

4 Decadent Valentine’s Day Desserts With A Healthy Twist

Your New Year’s resolution was to eat healthier, and here comes Valentine’s Day to sabotage your plans! Don’t fret. You can have your cake and eat it too! We’ve searched high and low for sweet recipes that can be enjoyed without feeling an ounce of guilt. Best of all, they can be easily made right in your own kitchen! Here are four decadent homemade desserts with a healthy twist to share with the ones you love this Valentine’s Day .

The proof is in the pudding.

Valentine’s Day is all about love — and chocolate. Give chocolate pudding a healthier spin with this clever recipe from Eating Well. “Chocomole” Pudding is super rich and creamy, and has some surprisingly sweet ingredients from the kitchen pantry cabine t, like avocados, soft and chewy Medjool dates, coconut milk, and agave nectar. Did we forget to mention this delicious chocolate treat is also dairy-free and vegan?

The cake that can’t be “beet.”

Who needs a box of chocolates when they can have a big slice of chocolate cake? This Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe from Always Order Dessert has a secret ingredient that is naturally sweet — roasted and pureed red beets! With a dash of Vietnamese cinnamon from your spice rack and a delectable Truffle Ganache Glaze made with semi-sweet chocolate, this Valentine’s Day dessert is hard to resist.

Good things come in small packages.

Too stuffed for dessert? Never! There’s always room for dessert after a Valentine’s Day dinner when that dessert is Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries. This bite-sized vegan treat from Oh My Veggies proves good things come in small packages. In addition to fresh strawberries, the recipe calls for healthy ingredients from the kitchen pantry cabinet, like raw whole cashews, ground flaxseed, and cacao nibs (or chopped dark chocolate), with maple syrup for a touch of added sweetness. Like strawberry cheesecake, only better!

Looks can be deceiving.

This White Chocolate Raspberry Tart from Cooking Light is the ultimate Valentine’s Day dessert, thanks to its salty, buttery crust, creamy white chocolate filling, and red raspberry topping. While it looks fancy, this recipe is actually quite simple to achieve. It’s also pretty healthy, thanks to Greek yogurt and fresh fruit. Your Valentines will have no idea this amazing dessert only has 188 calories per slice!

How To Make Homemade Trail Mix Without Leaving Your Kitchen

Homemade trail mix is one of those great grab and go snack ideas that not only satisfies your hunger, but also satisfies your taste buds! The perfect blend of crunchy, chewy, salty, and sweet ingredients, homemade trail mix is healthy and easy to make — right in your very own kitchen!

As an added bonus, homemade trail mix is easier on the wallet than store-bought varieties. All you need are a few simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen pantry cabinet. So go ahead, get creative! Once you know how to make homemade trail mix, you can whip up a batch for those marathon holiday shopping trips and another for gifting!

Ingredients

Homemade trail mix is designed to be eaten by the handful, so think small when shopping or raiding your kitchen pantry cabinet. Common ingredients for homemade trail mix include:

Nuts (Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans, Cashews, Pistachios, Macadamia Nuts)
Seeds (Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds)
Peanuts (Spanish, Dry Roasted, Candied)
Breakfast Cereal (Granola, Flakes, O’s)
Chocolate Chips (White, Semi-Sweet, Milk Chocolate)
Carob Chips
Butterscotch Chips
Peanut Butter Chips
Mini Marshmallows
M&Ms
Shredded Coconut
Banana Chips
Raisins and Other Dried Fruit (Apples, Cranberries, Apricots, Blueberries, Papaya, Pineapple)
Crystalized Ginger
Candied Orange Peel
Rye Chips
Cheese Crackers (bite-sized)
Pretzels (mini pretzels, pretzel sticks)
Wasabi Peas
Popcorn

Instructions

Nothing could be easier than making homemade trail mix. Simply spread out the all ingredient packages across your kitchen island countertop, scoop out each individual ingredient into a large mixing bowl, and gently combine all the ingredients with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.

Depending on the ingredients you choose (sweet or savory), you can also season your homemade trail mix with spices from your door mounted spice rack or wood spice tray, like sea salt, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, curry powder, or Cayenne pepper.

Homemade trail mix will keep for up to a month when stored properly in Mason jars (for gifting) or an airtight container (for your enjoyment). If you’re making a large batch, it’s best to keep your trail mix in the refrigerator instead of in the kitchen pantry cabinet. Small batches can be bagged into individual portions for grab and go snacking during the busy holiday season.

Edible Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas And Inspiration

Before you go out and buy a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table, consider creating your own edible creation. Both beautiful and delicious, these personalized designs will be the ultimate conversation starter (or snack) for your holiday guests. From custom cabinets to custom centerpieces, Willow Lane Cabinetry has you covered this season.

Fall Harvest Centerpiece

Seasonal produce is so colorful and full of texture. When arranged the right way, your favorite fall harvest can be transformed into a breathtaking centerpiece for your kitchen or dining room table.

This fall harvest centerpiece from DIY Network is a great example of how easy and beautiful an edible centerpiece can be. To recreate this design, start with a large bowl or crate that can be used as the foundation for your centerpiece, then layer leafy greens like kale or swiss chard. Add seasonal produce that captures the classic fall covers, like pumpkins, turnips, and carrots. Use herbs to fill in any gaps and your edible arrangement is complete.

Simple Kale Bouquet

Kale is more than just a superfood — it is also a beautiful leafy green that makes for a gorgeous fall bouquet. And it’s not just green either! Kale comes in many variegated hues.

As you can see in this edible centerpiece from HGTV, you can find kale in rich purple shades and even white. When combined, these leaves create a beautiful bouquet for Thanksgiving dinner. This variation also uses asparagus to add texture and pops of green, but you can incorporate any fall vegetable or plant of your choosing. This bouquet is so unique, your guests will never believe that no flowers were used!

Colored Pasta Centerpiece

It might come as a bit of a surprise that you have the perfect material for a fall centerpiece right in your kitchen pantry cabinet, but dry pasta can be used to make a beautiful and artistic arrangement. All you’ll need is a few different types of pasta and glass or wire containers.

Home Is Where the Boat Is created this colorful centerpiece using a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors of pasta. You probably already have your standard white or whole wheat pasta in your kitchen pantry cabinet. But you can also find red, green, and purple pasta, which is naturally colored by vegetables. These vibrant shades are perfect for fall and can be combined to create a fun centerpiece for your holiday table.

Apple Centerpiece

Another easy and edible fall centerpiece pairs apple and eucalyptus. This sweet arrangement from Design Improvised takes just a few minutes to throw together, yet still looks professionally designed. It truly is foolproof.

All you’ll need is a small pedestal bowl, different sized apples, and some fresh eucalyptus. The best part about this centerpiece is that you get to enjoy one of fall’s most beloved fruits when dinner is over.

Pumpkin Flower Vase

For a semi-edible centerpiece, turn your pumpkin patch picks into flower vases. By simply scooping out the center, you can create a fall vase that is fun and festive.

Follow these directions from Southern Living, which advises putting florist foam inside your pumpkin and keeping it well watered so that your pumpkin vase will last a full week.

Roasted Nut Recipes For Fall And Winter Snacking

Squirrels aren’t the only ones who love nuts in the winter! From sweet to spicy, here are a few of our favorite roasted nut recipes for fall and winter snacking — whether you’re on the go or curled up on the TV room sofa in front of a crackling fire. All are easy to make and call for basic ingredients found in your kitchen pantry cabinet and spice rack.

Sugared Peanuts

Let’s start with the basics. With just 3 ingredients (peanuts, sugar and salt), Sugared Peanuts are as simple as can be and tasty to boot. Before roasting in the oven, you’ll have to boil the peanuts to make a syrupy coating. For the recipe and easy-to-follow instructions from A Taste of Home, click here.

Vanilla Cinnamon Candied Almonds

Crunchy and sweet with a hint of vanilla, cinnamon and ginger, candied almonds instantly warm your heart when the temperature begin to drop. They take about an hour to roast under low heat in the oven, but it’s well worth the wait. For the recipe from The Chunky Chef, click here.

Candied Cashews

This recipe calls for two types of sugar (granulated and brown) for an extra touch of sweetness. Add cashews and a hefty dash of cinnamon to the mix and you get an irresistible fall and winter snack. For the recipe from One Sarcastic Baker, click here.

Candied Spiced Walnuts & Pecans

Imagine roasted walnuts and pecans sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper, and drizzled with pure maple syrup? Sounds perfectly delicious, right? Now imagine dumping it all onto a baking sheet and popping it in the oven for 15 minutes — no bowl required! Click here for t his simple, one-pan recipe from The Minimalist Baker.

Rosemary Thyme Spiced Mixed Nuts

This fragrant recipe calls for fresh herbs and a variety of mixed nuts, including cashews, pecans and almonds. Seasoned with cumin and cayenne pepper, this savory snack is easy to make and can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Click here for the recipe from A Farmgirl Dabbles.

Smoked Paprika & Garlic Roasted Almonds

What could be easier than tossing whole almonds in olive oil with a blend of salt and zesty spices, spreading them evenly on a baking sheet, and roasting for 10 minutes? For a satisfying and simple snack when hunger strikes, click here for the recipe from Heart of a Baker.

Are you ready to try one of these recipes? Raid your kitchen pantry cabinet for squirreled away nuts, sugar and spices, preheat your oven, and let’s get snacking!

How To Organize Your Pantry Like A Pro

Is your pantry out of control, stuffed to the brim, without any semblance of order? Stop the madness and start the New Year right by giving your pantry a much-needed makeover! Here at Willow Lane Cabinetry, we know an organized kitchen is a happy kitchen. Follow these helpful tips to organize your pantry like a pro!

Step 1: Sort And Purge

Before you can tidy up your pantry, you need to sort and purge. That means pulling everything out of your pantry and sorting like items: Pastas in one pile, canned goods in another pile, cereals in the next, and so on. Toss out anything that is stale or past its expiration date. And since it’s the New Year, the same goes for anything you really don’t need, such as unhealthy snacks and sweets.

Step 2: Clean And Spruce

Now that your pantry is empty, pull out those cleaning products and thoroughly wipe down all surfaces and crevices. You may also want to spruce things up by adding some decorative shelf liner, and if necessary, giving the walls a fresh coat of paint.

Step 3: Zone And Label

Once you have eliminated any expired and unwanted pantry goods, and sorted everything accordingly, it’s time to assess what is left. Identify the categories that your remaining items fall under, and create designated, easily accessible zones in your pantry to contain everything. These zones might include breakfast items, baking necessities, jars and sauces, healthy snacks, breads and grains, or whatever suits your needs. Sort canned goods into sub categories such as fruits, vegetables, soups, and beans, and group them neatly on a lower shelf. Place items you use on a daily basis at eye level, and items you use the least often on the top shelf. Once you are finished, label each zone so you can stay organized and quickly find what you need.

Step 4: Organize And Accessorize

Here is where the fun begins! Professional pantry organizers advise that you store your dry ingredients in clear, stackable, airtight containers. This includes flour, sugar, rice, pasta, cereal, and dried beans. Plan your meals at the beginning of each week, and group non-perishable recipe ingredients in separate bins, one for each day. Bins are also great for corralling paper goods, potatoes, onions, coffee and tea, bags of pretzels and chips, and even breads. A well-organized pantry also makes room for cooking necessities, like oils, dried herbs, and spices. These staples should be readily on hand in your pantry. Or better yet, install a door mounted spice rack inside a cabinet door close to your stove for easy access. In addition, our vertical door rack fits an 18” wide wall (or base cabinet), and is the perfect solution for housing foil, plastic wrap and zip-top bags.

Once your pantry is in tip-top shape, you may want to take it step further and organize your kitchen cabinets with additional storage solutions. Visit Willow Lane Cabinetry and browse our online selection of inside cabinet accessories, including cutlery trays, pull out waste containers, tray dividers, cookware organizers, and more!

Welcome to Willow Lane Cabinetry — the #1 place to buy affordable, semi-custom cabinets online! Let us help you create the kitchen of your dreams with our 100% free kitchen design service. We offer all wood, semi-custom kitchen cabinets, fully assembled and delivered for free, with standard features like soft closing doors and drawers, and 6-way adjustable steel hinges. We give you more and save you money! Visit our website to see our beautiful products today!

Written by Tiffany. Tiffany honed her skills as a writer and editor working in the fast-paced newspaper, magazine, and television industries. Tiffany is also an award winning graphic designer, with extensive experience in the worlds of mass media, publishing, and advertising. As a designer, she also has a strong eye for interior decorating and color. Tiffany has a BA in Communications and a minor in Fine Art. She is a natural cook just like her mother, and rarely uses a recipe. She also enjoys reading, photography, painting—and most of all, spending time with her husband (a skilled DIY’er) and two sons.