Studio Sale

We have been designing and producing pewter gifts for nearly 25 years. Inevitably, some of the things we come up with never become top-sellers. Some of them just aren't right and get put aside as seconds.

What to do? From time to time we have had Studio Sales here in Eugene. However, our customer base has grown and many of you cannot just drive over to Taylor St. and shop at our sale.

Our solution: Bring our Studio Sale to YOU, online! We are constantly adding to it. So if you don't see the perfect item this week, there will be new pieces the week after. Everything is marked down from 25% - 50%. Some items are one-of-a kinds. We have multiples of others.

Mother's Day Special

If your name is Paula Deen and you make a living by cooking on The Food Network...well, then, all of your Measuring Spoons and Cups are free! For the rest of you, we have a Mother's Day Special....

Here's how it works:

1) visit our online store

2) place an order by May 2nd

3) enter this coupon code: momblog10 at the check-out and receive 20% off your order

Note: Does not apply to Stoneware or the Studio Sale

BROWNIES, BROWNIES AND MORE BROWNIES!


I have been collecting recipes since I was about 17 years old.

I used to go to used bookstores and pore though the old Gourmet magazines. When I was a babysitter, I browsed through the parents’ cookbooks (once the kids were safely asleep). I read recipes everywhere I go.

I especially love to collect brownie recipes. I have always been fascinated by how many variations there are on such a simple little dessert.

I even have a chart that I made from 31 different brownie recipes – to get a visual lay-out of the ratio of butter to sugar to flour to chocolate, and so forth.

This chart is a great help when I want to make a batch of brownies. I try to stock every kind of chocolate but invariably, I run out.  All I have to do is turn to my chart and see which recipe matches the ingredients I have on hand.

Here is a recipe I made recently which has a different twist – the addition of cinnamon. These are rich! Chocolate lovers will devour them. Non-chocolate lovers may find them a bit much!

Cinnamon-Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

(with credit to Bon Appetit – 2001)

Brownies

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced, room temperature

4 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts

Ganache

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350°F.

For Brownies:

Generously butter 8x8x2-inch baking pan, dust with flour.

Mix first 3 ingredients in small bowl and set aside.

Heat chocolate and butter in saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth.  Set aside.

Beat eggs and sugar in large bowl until mixture thickens and falls in soft ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

Stir in flour mixture in 2 additions, blending well after each. Gradually add warm chocolate to egg mixture, beating until just combined. Stir in walnuts.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake brownies until top is set and tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack.

For Ganache:

Whisk all ingredients in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted and smooth. Pour evenly over brownies in pan.

Chill brownies until ganache is set ( about 2 hours). Cut into 16 squares.

Top 10 Gift Ideas for Mother's Day

Mother's Day (May 9th) is kind of a big day for us here at Crosby & Taylor. How could it not be? First of all, three of us are Mothers - and yours truly is also a Grandmother. Secondly, we believe we make gifts that are perfectly suited for Mother's Day!

Here are 10 great gift ideas from our online store (from $ to $$$$):

(note: You can get 20% off any of these gifts by entering this coupon code: momblog10 when you check-out. Good through May 2nd.)

1) Swirls Heart Hook - $10

2) "Home is where you are happy" Switchplate cover - $17.50

3) Heart Salt Cellar - $19

4) Heart Spoon Rest - brand new product! - $20

5) Dragonfly Coffee Scoop - $25

6) Petite Salt Pot - Bird Motif - $29

7) Regular Salt Pot - Fleur de Lys motif - $39

8) Heart Measuring Spoons - $78

9) Heart Measuring Cups - $178

10) Vineyard Super Post - $265

Seattle

I was in Seattle last month with my daughter and her bridesmaids. They had a lot of fun trying on dresses for my daughter's upcoming wedding. Our time there was too short. If I had had more time, I would definitely have paid a visit to the Wallingford Center. This is an old school building that was converted into retail spaces. Among the many fun shops and eateries is a place called Crackerjack Contemporary Crafts. They have been carrying our products for over 20 years. Next time you are in the area, you might want to pop in.

Birds, Butter and Paula

We have just sent off our new Bird Measuring Spoons and Bird Measuring Cups to Paula Deen.  How could we not?  She owns all of our other designs so we figured we better make sure her collection was complete. Paula is too special for ordinary wrapping paper. We made our own wrapping paper out of - can you guess? - butter wrappers of course!

The Birds have arrived!

Our new 24 piece Bird Collection has arrived just in time for Mother's Day (May 9th)! Each piece is embellished with tiny birds or nests - or both!

We invite you to come see them all at our website. You can enter this coupon code: momblog10

at check-out to receive 20% off your order.

(Note: This discount cannot be applied to Stoneware or Studio Sale items. Good through May 2nd.)