I know, it’s late and I haven’t shown you what’s in my kitchen. Nothing exciting on my side of the fence, sadly.
Recently I was out shopping and decided to stop at Aldi to see what their specials were and it was “American Week” and looky what they had in store. Now before you tell me I should be making this stuff in my kitchen, I know that. It was AMERICAN WEEK. I don’t need to go on. Sometimes you just need to get your inner child filled with a fluffernutter (when nobody is looking because you always get marshmallow on your cheek).
I have an incredibly supportive husband. When he saw the jar he just laughed. Okay, I’ll admit that he laughed when he saw 4 jars. I haven’t eaten them all. I haven’t even cracked open one yet. This is the sort of thing you save for a homesick day.
Next is not a real in my kitchen thing. It’s an idea I got off Pinterest. Want to raise something but not too high? Turn a bowl upside down and put a small plate on it. Bingo.
Okay, after that last one, this one is real. I was walking by the House store at the local shopping center and this happy 3-tiered dish was $10. Ten bucks! I looked at John and he said, “If you want it but where will you keep it?” Without skipping a beat I said, “Next to all your computer crap, okay?”
It came home with me. It’s not worth heaps and I wouldn’t use it to serve high tea to the queen but it’s cute and it made me smile. I’m a sucker for polka dots.
Remember when I wrote about my friend Diana who came to visit? She brought these wonderful chocolate covered macadamia nuts as a gift. They’re coated with white, milk or dark chocolate. Now I must fess up and tell you that if you look closely you’ll see that there’s a tissue in the bottom of the jar because, well, I ate most of them.
Now we’re getting to the good stuff. Our next door neighbours went to Europe for a couple of months and brought us back some gifts. Look at all the bits I can toss in meals to make everyone go “Wow!”
That one was for me and this next one is for John. I’m not sure how they knew he would love chocolate covered dates but they certainly chose well. Thankfully I photographed this box before he opened it. I got one and it was so good. Thank you to Jan and David!
A friend of mine brought this to me the other day. It’s hand made by someone in Buderim – not far from me. I don’t know what I’ll use it for so for now I’ll just look at it.
So that’s it for me for August. I keep saying I’m going to buy some wonderful things so it won’t look like I never enter my kitchen. I’m almost ashamed to publish this after looking at all the other In My Kitchen posts. You can find them all at Celia’s place at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial. You’ll see what I mean. Nifty things in their kitchens. I could have shown you my worms just outside the kitchen door or I could show you a dog who LOVED going out for breakfast. Just in case you needed a dose of cuteness.
I have the marshmallow fluff too I bought it ages ago! not sure what to do with it though 🙂 And I bought my sister the same yellow polka dot cake stand 🙂 so pretty!
you could cook here anytime and it would feel like home 🙂 I’ll think of your sister when I use my dish. I’m going to make some fudge with some of my Fluff.
Fluff makes me so happy, makes me think of my childhood. It was huge in my house!
And that 3-tiered dish, what a steal!
I had to laugh at the 4 jars of marshmallow fluff, too – I don’t eat it, but I might buy a jar, given the chance, if confronted by one and I hadn’t lived in the States for a long time.
I love the yellow polka-dotted tiered serving dish. If the Queen didn’t like it, she could go elsewhere for her spicy chicken wings, crab deviled eggs and bacon-stuffed cherry tomatoes. 😛
Lovely goodies. I’m just amazed you have Aldi in Australia.
I’m so excited I could just burst!!! Guess what day Saturday, August 10th is??? Yep! You guessed it, National S’mores Day!!! I do believe you have the ingredients of the very best S’more dessert going on here, Maureen; Fluff, Chocolate, Dates, sounds like the makings of an In My Kitchen S’mores for sure!!!
Thank you so much for sharing…let me know if you post a recipe for S’mores Day because I’m doing a post Saturday and I’d love to link!
Great peek at the contents of your kitchen cupboards and pantry.
I’ve never tasted marshmallow fluff in my life … I know you can make a quick fudge with it though so I’ve been tempted. My favourite food item in your kitchen is the chocolate covered nuts and the non-food one is the tiered stand. I used to have a glass and silver plate stand but the center rod rusted and I had to throw the whole thing out. I never used it but I had it … just in case I ever did.
Belly rub for Charlie. 🙂
LOL at your marshmallow fluff. That’s really good stuff, isn’t it? We actually use it sometimes (it’s great in fudge). Yeah we can make our own, but if it’s something we just use occasionally – ketchup, for example, although I’ll probably make this eventually just because – it’s easier to buy it and be done with it. Good stuff in your kitchen, but Charlie wins the prize.
Love the bowl up side down and plate on top. Great Idea.
Loved the Cuteness at the end. 🙂
Maureen, you funny chook, you have great stuff in your kitchen! 🙂 I laughed like John when I saw the marshmallow fluff – oh how my US friends go on about that. I must let them know they can grab some at Aldi if they’re quick! The makeshift cake stand is a neat idea, and your hubby responds exactly like mine does every time I buy something new – “where are you going to store it?”. Sigh. Oh, and that spice trio looks fantastic! xx
I like your kitchen- mainly because YOU are so much fun describing it!
I’ve never bought marshmallow fluff- although I use a lot of marshmallows making Rice Krispy treats for my husband (And he’s Canadian!).
Thanks for sharing.
Wow, Heidi, thanks so much for that comment. I’m blushing a bit. I’ve never been hot for Rice Krispy treats but I’ve certainly eaten a lot. They’re called Rice Bubbles in Australia. 🙂
That reminds me, I have a jar of marshmallow fluff I need to use…
4 jars of marshmallow fluff? This is too funny…
I always wanted a 3-tiered dish, but have not find one that I like…the polka dot is really cute…by the way, thanks for the idea of using a bowl to raise a dish…I sure will be using this idea.
Hope you are having a fun week Maureen 😀
I saw that exact jar of marshmallow fluff in my local grocers store, but never got around to buying any. I do think Charlie is the cutest!
Fluff is definitely an American thing. It makes great fudge. 🙂
I LOVE everything you posted. What fun! I love polka dots, too, and had a wonderful Fitz and Floyd yellow and white polka dot pedestal cake stand once upon a time (now my daughter has it). Your little dog looks sooo sweet! Happy August!
That cake stand must be gorgeous. I wish I had heaps –and heaps of space to store them all 🙂 Thanks so much for coming by, Marianne!
Chocolate coated dates? How decadent and lovely! They wouldn’t have lasted 5 minutes in our house either 🙂 Marshmallow fluff kinda scares me…!!
This 3-tiered dish is so lovely and attractive,and love the idea of upside down bowl & plate.
Thanks, Amy. I liked the sunny dish too.
I raided Aldi too – they had loads of English stuff in there. I came back with Jaffa cakes, licorice, jelly babies, licorice all sorts, chocolate marzipan…..I wouldn’t have a clue what to do with marshmallow fluff though so can’t wait to see what you do with it.
Charlie always looks like he’s smiling – he has the most beautiful eyes he must get away with a lot!
I am probably writing to the converted but if you live in Australia and are homesick after things American: Google ‘GroceryRun’ [part of the ‘Catch of the Day’ org in Melbourne] and you will find a large and everchanging selection of US goods, especially of the sweet variety and all kinds of sauces – very cheap, varies each day from noon, you pay $A11 postage to anywhere in Oz. I have bought most of my food shelf items from there for over a year and the prices are oft incredible! ‘ Catch-of-the day’ very good too and the office PR dept fabulous!!! Oh, love your dates and spices and that plate/bowl ‘trick’ 🙂 !
Maureen: how much did the Aldi cost: it may be less but have just looked it up on GR and what you have shown is $A3.46 today?
Great post Maureen! Love the fluff and the bowl on top of the saucer. And you can never have too many props! Your response to John cracked me up!
The fluff is probably a bit over the top but sometimes your inner expat needs to be fed 🙂
I love your comment to John about the polka dot stand! I don’t think I could have gone past that bargain either. What is it about chocolate and macadamias? Oh so good! I don’t blame you for getting stuck into the jar.
your kitchen looks fascinating to me – I think the grass is always greener over the other side! I love that bowl and plate trick – I have one tiered cake stand and would love more but they are hard to store – even in the corner with the computer crap is full 🙂 Four jars of marshmallow fluff makes me laugh and wonder – it is not something I have ever tasted and I would not know what to do with it. And chocolate covered anything would disappear fast here too
$10? That’s amazing! I would buy it even if I didn’t need it. Love the chocolate covered macadamias. Oh, and the wee dog.
Hehe how funny is marshmallow fluff. I got given the regular one and the strawberry one for a review a while back. I couldn’t bring myself to use it. I love the idea though! Such cute cake stands. I want to pinch them 🙂
I think you have some wonderful things in your kitchen! And next time you could always take a photo of Charlie in your kitchen (I’m guilty of putting my dogs in my IMK posts!) I love the look of the chocolate dates and I think your cake stand with the polkadots is gorgeous xx
Some lovely goodies there indeed Maureen! What nice neighbors to bring you back presents like that too, and you can never have too many jars of fluff 🙂
LOVE Fluffernutter Maureen,true!
Have a VERY funny story about how MANY years ago, it got caught up in customs here and sen sent back to my godmother in the States too!
Love your polka dot cake stand and macadamia’s of any kind were my dad’s fave!
Thanks for this month’s kitchen view!
Cheers! Joanne
You are too funny! Any ideas on what to make with the marshmallow tea? I spit my tea out laughing when I read that you stuffed the jar with a tissue. Byron Bay has so many fun little chocolate shops. I picked up some Byron Bay cookies that I found here! That is a great idea on the instant cake plate, too.
Yeah, well, somebody’s got to do it 🙂 Most people wouldn’t point it out. heh
Fluff! That’s crazy :). And I love that you totally know how to counter any shopping criticism with a reference to computer crap. Touché!
Maureen, I like the idea with turning the small bowl over with the plate on top- that will come in handy when I need a cake stand. Thanks for the idea!
Maureen, these posts are such a fun way to get to know “you.” Loved the polka dot serving dish, too. And what a CUTE pooch!
Hi Maureen! Loved seeing all these goodies in your kitchen…and what a brilliant idea with the bowl and plate! Ryan adores marshmallow fluff and he would probably love it if I brought four jars home. Thank you for sharing!
I use that kind of marshmallow for making grasshopper pie.
Thanks for sharing
Well now those chocolate dates look like just the thing… yum! Love the polka dot plate stand.
Hehe I do that to make cake stands too. I wish I had more cake stands but I have a major storage issue! 😛 It’s lovely seeing what’s in your kitchen this month Maureen!
Thanks, Lorraine. I’m getting way behind in everything and I asked myself today, “How does Lorraine cope??”
I suddenly have a craving for chocolate nuts and chocolate dates presented on a polka dot tiered platter 😉
Well come on over!
LOVE your bargain hunting with the layered-stand! I believe thats the sprinkle set from Maxwell and Williams ?!?!? I have the tea set in purple and yep – I love the polka dots too!
yes! They did have the purple ones but I felt that the yellow would photograph better. We’ll see!
Ohhhh the byron bay macas are the bestest! I can’decide which is cuter…..the dog or the little ceramic carafe thingy…..
Sometimes it would be Charlie but a lot of the time it would be the ceramic carafe thingy 🙂
I think I would have had to buy the three tier plate as well…love polka dots.
I am so in love with that plate and bowl idea. Truly inspirational. Can’t say the idea of Marshmallow Fluff appeals but I truly get the need to seek out foods from home (says the one that sought out Twisties whilst living in London). You have great friends. The gifts are fantastic.
LOL, now you know how we Americans feel about Vegemite. 🙂 Twisties and Cheetos often make my day LOL
Marshmallow fluff – when I discovered they had them at a store here in Nigeria, I bought 6 jars. My kids love fluffer nutters, and I’ve used it in a S’mores Semifreddo – delicious! (http://food52.com/recipes/6731-s-mores-semifreddo).
Thanks for the ‘stand’ idea – a bowl on its backside has its uses! That’s one I’ll be nicking right away!
And I love all your goodies – the half eaten jar of choc macadamias and the dates!
Dear Maureen, Just adorable!! Inka loves breakfast out too. Adorable!
My kitchen does not have many things left in it. You might notice I use the same 2 plates!
Thats o.k. though it matters what is on the plate.
I think the yellow polka-dot tier is cute too.
Blessings dear. Catherine xo
Not only do I like those polka dots, I like the fact that they’re not quite perfect and a little skewiff. Lovely to meet you last night – so much energy and enthusiasm. I would never have guessed that you were all of 22!
I try to hide my age, Fiona, but 22 it is. and maybe some more and some on top of that.
Oh you do have some cute things in your kitchen…but I like Charlie the best!!!
Aww I didn’t know you’re a sucker for polka dots, me too!!!! Love polka dots and striped sailor patterns… 😀 Love this series – I can have a peek at your kitchen!
Oh my goodness I ADORE that yellow polkadot stand – so cute. I was never allowed to have fluff growing up, but American marshmallows are one thing I craved terribly after moving here ;D
Maureen! You are too funny!!!