My growing collection of pins!
Not since Facebook my freshman year of college have I seen a social network take off so wildly as Pinterest.
I’ve been collecting clever ideas and pretty kitchens for years on another, less visual bookmarking site but have finally given in.
I’ve traded my tags for pins! Find me and plenty of kitchen and home inspiration under Warners’ Stellian.
If you like, follow some of my boards. And then please add your account in the comments below so I can follow you back!
How much do you actually cook in your microwave, versus reheating and defrosting?
All this week, my sister and appliance specialist Angela Warner has been judging the “Twin Cities Live” Microwave Cooking Challenge, which challenges contestants to create delicious and fun meals cooked only in the microwave.
Guess which one is my sister Angela Warner.
Contestants like “Next Food Network Star” contestant Justin Davis and Cities 97′s BT came up with really creative microwave recipes — even microwave cake recipes!
Yes cake…and nachos.
Angela’s on “Twin Cities Live” (on KSTP Channel 5) again at 3 today and tomorrow. You can find the contestants easy microwave recipes (and the not-so easy, too) here, here and here.
AND you can win this Danby stainless microwave from Warners’ Stellian by entering on the Twin Cities Live website.
Coincidentally, we got a microwave cooking book from Panasonic this week, and I thought I’d share this recipe for risotto.
Risotto, that creamy rice pasta, sometimes scares people off because it’s heavy on the “active time” equation of the process (you basically stir for at least 30 minutes nonstop). So the idea of making it in a microwave intrigued me. Let me know if you try this!
From MasterChefs Microwave Recipes Made Easy
Ingredients
5-1/2 cups stock
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 minced yellow onion
2-1/4 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
3/4 dry white wine, warmed
1 cup grated Parmesan
5 tbsp. butter cut into 1 T. pieces
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Directions (note: P10, etc. refers to the power level setting on your microwave)
1. Place the stock and salt in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a lid or plastic wrap and simmer at P10 for 8 minutes. Reserve, keeping the stock covered and hot.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the oil and onion and cook covered at P10 for 2-1/2 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
3. Add the rice to the onion and oil mixture, stir to combine and cook at P7 uncovered for 4 minutes, stirring every minute.
4. Add the warm wine and cook at P7 for 3 minutes, or until wine is mostly absorbed.
5. Add enough stock to barely cover rice and cook at P7 uncovered for 3 minutes, or until about 75% of the liquid as been absorbed; stir. Repeat this process until all the stock is used.
6. When the rice is cooked to al dente, remove from the microwave and quickly stir in the butter, grated Parmesan cheese and ground black pepper. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings.
If you bought a water heater this year — or think yours should be replaced soon — this post could be worth $300 to you.
KSTP reported last night that taxpayers have until the end of 2011 to buy energy efficient products to qualify for incentives, such as a $300 water heater tax credit. See the website for full details on what qualifies and the maximum amounts you can receive.
Also if you for replace your water heater with an energy efficient model, local utility companies such as Xcel and Centerpoint both offer water heater rebates (about $40-$200) , which you can find on the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency.
The people behind the Parade of Homes (the Builders Association of the Twin Cities) awarded 14 of the best homes on the tour with the coveted Reggie Award, as chosen by peers and the members of the public.
Because of our help with two of those projects, we’ve got a Trillium Award for each hand (in case one gets jealous).
Carla Warner, VP/Director of Sales; Bob Rohweder, Contract Sales Representative
We’re so proud to be involved in these award-winning projects and honored to be recognized. Thanks to all involved!
I’m not going to judge anyone for camping out to shed plasma for a flat screen TV today, but I’d like to think the holidays are about more than just “stuff.”
Remember when holiday shopping was leisurely and fun, and shops and gifts were unique and thoughtful? That’s the idea of Plaid Friday, a movement started on the West Coast to celebrate the diversity and creativity of independent businesses.
Plaid Friday is the fun and enjoyable alternative to the big box store “Black Friday”, and is designed to promote both local and independently owned businesses during the holidays.
Warners’ Stellian is participating in our own “Plaid Friday”-like program with other Twin Cities independent retailers.
The Buy Local/Buy Smart Holiday Gift Guide is a selection of gift ideas from local, indie retailers. The money you spend with them recirculates an average of 3x more than the money you spend at absentee-owned national chains.
Plus, the shopping experience and products is usually much better.
Use your American Express card at a local, independent business on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 26) for a $25 statement credit.
As a local (family-owned!) business, Warners’ Stellian is proud to support our community, source our business needs from other local businesses and pay our employees who live and shop nearby.
When Eric Wenzel of Cottage Grove battled cancer a couple years ago, his church provided the necessary help and prayers.
As a thank you for the support they received, Eric and his wife — Karen — decided to pay it forward and began collecting coats and other winter necessities for those in need within the community.
As a result, their organization — Coats of Kindness — collected 450 coats and $500 last year.
Again this year, you can drop off your clean, gently used coats, snowpants, hats and gloves at Warners’ Stellian’s six Twin Cities appliance stores, in St. Paul, Minneapolis, Edina, Woodbury, Maple Grove and Apple Valley. Edina, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Apple Valley, Maple Grove, and Woodbury.
Also accepting donations are Fury Motors in South St. Paul and Lake Elmo, Wenzel Financial Service in Cottage Grove and Eric’s church, All Saints Lutheran Church in Cottage Grove.
You have till Jan. 15 to drop off your coats. Monetary donations can also be made, which will be used to purchase new coats. Contact: Coats of Kindness 7584 80th St., Suite 3, Cottage Grove, MN 55016 or by calling 651.485.9981.
I’m plotting the semiannual cleaning of my office, which only predicts one thing: Extreme Warehouse Sale.
This weekend marks a rare two-day window during which hundreds of appliances are priced at or below our cost.
But in total we’ll have thousands of deeply discounted appliance — in every category — marked down because they’re closeout models, floor models, scratch and dent, discontinued.
All items come with a full factory warranty. Metro area delivery is available for $75, so people should arrange to pickup their purchase within 14 days for the best savings.
Financing is available, and we can either approve you on site or you can get financing approval now.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 12 from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Warners’ Stellian Warehouse. 550 Atwater Circle, one mile north of I-94 on Dale Street at Topping Street, St. Paul.
Artist's rendering of customer
Yesterday, we received pretty much the sweetest letter from a customer in recent memory.
Not only did it remind us how great our customer service department is, it rhymed (well, mostly).
We’re so very appreciative of our customers (especially now through 10/24 during our Customer Appreciation Sale), that we’re delighted whenever the sentiment is returned.
I’m publishing the poem with you here, because it’s too cute to be shared with only an envelope:
I arose this morning
Happy as can be
Went into my kitchen
And what did I see?Water all over
My nice clean floor
I opened my refrigerator
And couldn’t believe what I sawA small lake in the bottom
Some frozen, some melted
I dashed for the phone
I really needed helpTomorrow, they said,
My fridge would be fixed
I said OK
My popsicles melted off their sticksI called back again
And with Lauren in St. Paul I pleaded,
Oh somehow can my fridge get fixed today?
And by gosh she conceded and they were on their way.An hour or so later
Mike & Bill did arrive
When the truck pulled up
I was so happy I almost criedWhat a great team
They saw the problem right away
Out came the tools
And eventually, the ice melted awayWhat a great company
to do business with
Which I have for many years
Give a toast to your employees, use champagne not beerI wanted you to know
What great people work for you
Anytime stop by for a cold one
The bottles are cold thanks to your crewRegards, Mike
Seriously, customers. Any time you offer creative appreciation AND beer, you have our attention 
Months ago, we helped the super cool, Minneapolis foodies Carrie and Robert Shidla create a cook’s kitchen for their episode of DIY Network’s “I Hate My Kitchen.”
Magnetic Productions' videographer shoots our pink truck during the delivery of the Shidla's appliances. Remember all that snow? Ick.
Delivery guys Dave and Brian navigate the range into the living room, where it lived during the remodeling.
Our episode finally aired last Tuesday, Sept. 20, so I can finally share the photos.
Carrie is such a doll; she happily posed with her new LG fridge for me. She LOVES to cook, so she was so excited to have a beautiful, functional kitchen.
And now for the big reveal (drumroll, please?)…
Photo courtesy of DIY Network
We chose all LG appliances. Click on the image for more information on the specific product.
Photo courtesy of DIY Network
Photo courtesy DIY Network
Photo courtesy of DIY Network
Photo courtesy of DIY Network
If you missed the episode (I can’t post it online, unfortunately), you can catch it when it replays on DIY Network (ch. 121 on Twin Cities Comcast). Here’s the schedule (all times in CST):
Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m. & 2:30 a.m.
Sept. 29, 4 p.m.
Oct. 11, 9 a.m.
Oct. 16, 1 p.m
Coming to a pantry near you. Actually, it could be your pantry, which is really nearby.
Warners’ Stellian Appliance has jumped on the homemaker-trend bandwagon by offering our very own canning class.
Partly inspired by our beautiful, functional kitchen vignettes and partly motivated by my desire to pickle, I managed to wrangle master food preserver Liz McMann of Mississippi Markets Co-op and blog Food Snobbery Is My Hobbery into teaching a small group how to can their own Dill Pickled Green Beans.
You’ll walk away with plenty of know-how for your own food preservation efforts, and most importantly, your own jar of beans. Plus, it’s only $10 — we provide everything.
Canning class: Dill Pickled Green Beans
Saturday, Sept. 24
1-2:30(ish) p.m.
Warners’ Stellian-St. Paul, 1711 N. Snelling Ave. (more location details)
Want in? RSVP to me (Julie) at jawarner at warnersstellian.com. Hurry! Spots are limited to 10.
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