Yes - I cook

I told you I would be back. You can't get rid of me that easily. WOW What a week. I am so happy to be back home and in the middle of Thanksgiving break, working, doing laundry, cleaning house, cooking dinner and tonight heading out to a Pampered Chef party. Any excuse to get out of the house right?

Like every other Mom out there I get invited to home parties ALL the time. I finally had to put my foot down and not feel like I had to go but rather go to the ones that sell stuff that I will actually use. I have enough Party Lite candles to light up the block, I am real picky about my jewelry, and don't get me started on purses... but Pampered Chef (PC) that's another story. I love PC parties! Someone cooks me dinner, I get to hang out with my friends and buy stuff I actually use. Well that I use now.

Cooking is not my thing. I laughed the first time I went to a PC party. I think I bought a vegetable peeler and some towels and offered to host a party. That was back in the day when I went to every party and felt guilty for not having any of my own. I had my party and ended up with $300 in credit and 2 half priced items. I went crazy. Then the boxes came and I had to figure out what to do with everything. So I started cooking... and now I love it!

You know what I like best about PC. The quality. Everything works really well. I had an egg slicer break and they sent me a new one no questions asked. I am lucky to have a great consultant too. She has her groupies and we go to parties, learn new recipes and host parties of our own to get free stuff. I have my one party a year every May because that is when PC hosts it's Help Whip Cancer and they have cute pink items that they only sell during May and part of the proceeds go to fighting Breast cancer.

OK so here's my list of my favorite Pampered Chef items - today.

Kitchen Shears - I have the cover too and keep these under my kitchen cupboard. I use them everyday for cutting up the kids food, opening things, cutting box tops off the packages. These are by far the item that I use most of all.

Stoneware - it's one of those things that you just have to use to understand it. When I first saw a piece of used stoneware I said NO WAY not going to use it. The I got a piece for 60% off and tried and I am hooked. Cookies turn out perfect and you can use it for anything and everything.

Easy Read Measuring cups - Yes they are just measuring cups but they are wonderful. You don't have to pick these up to see how much you are pouring in because the lines/measurements and on the inside. I use the 4-cup size as a little bowl to mix things that need to be poured into something else.

I have so many more favorite so if you need some suggestions let me know. If you have to have something listed above I know a great consultant or you are welcome to crash my party in May.

I'll leave you with one last thing - a recipe that we made at my last party. YUMMY!

The Pampered Chef ®Mini Glazed Lemon Cakes
2 tbsp butter, softened, divided
2 tbsp sugar
2 small lemons, divided
1 pkg (9 oz) yellow cake mix
1 egg
1 container (8 oz) sour cream

Glaze and Garnish
2 tbsp lemon juice (from lemon used for cakes)
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sugar

For cakes, brush six Prep Bowls with 1 tbsp of the butter; sprinkle evenly with sugar.

Thinly slice one of the lemons using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with thin slicing blade. Remove any seeds from lemon slices and place one slice into bottom of each bowl; set bowls aside.

Zest remaining lemon using Microplane® Adjustable Grater to measure 1 tbsp zest; set lemon aside for glaze.

Place remaining 1 tbsp butter into Classic Batter Bowl; microwave on HIGH 15-20 seconds or until melted.

Add lemon zest, cake mix, egg and sour cream; whisk 1 minute or until smooth.

Scoop batter evenly into prepared bowls.

Place bowls in a circle on microwave turntable. Microwave on HIGH 4-5 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean.

Carefully remove cakes from microwave using Chef's Tongs; cool in bowls 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, for glaze, juice reserved lemon to measure 2 tbsp juice.

Melt butter in (2-cup) Easy Read Measuring Cup.

Stir in lemon juice and sugar; microwave on HIGH 30-60 seconds or until boiling.
To serve, gently tap sides of bowls to release cakes; invert cakes onto Cutting Board. Transfer cakes to serving plates using Mini-Serving Spatula. Drizzle glaze over cakes.

Yield: 6 servings