apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We don't have a waffle iron. It's one of those small appliances that's only good for one thing, and we don't eat that one thing often enough to warrant owning one.

But if we could use it to make cookies? Maybe we'd reconsider.

We saw this tip at Fine Cooking and were immediately intrigued. Crispy, chewy, thick oatmeal chocolate chip cookies baked in 90 seconds, just like a waffle. What do you think?

We are pretty close to overdosing on pasta dishes with squash. It's one of our very favorite things to eat this time of year. Butternut, acorn, delicata... you name it. The sweetness and creaminess of winter squash is so perfect in pasta, whether it's in big chunks or puréed into a sauce. If you haven't tried this combination, do it tonight. It's easy.

Applesauce is one word, but pearsauce? That one isn't common enough to warrant its own one-word name. Maybe it should be, though. We've got a bag of seckel pears we need to use asap, and we're wondering why we've never thought of making pearsauce/pear sauce...

More sugar! Halloween is over, but we're not quite finished with the candy. We saw a slideshow of photographer Craig Kanarick's work over at Saveur and thought it was pretty sweet. We could see these prints in a modern kitchen (or, if you really want to drive your kids crazy, a child's room). Take a look...

Pot pie feels like a weekend dish to us. You have a little extra time to make the pastry, and it's just as cozy and comforting as making a bit pot of stew... only you get a bonus buttery crust along with it. If you're looking for something besides the classic chicken pot pie, check these out—one lobster, one seafood, one vegetable.

Several weeks ago, we bought some Rick's Picks Kool Gherks. They were delicious, but they didn't last long. And when we'd finished them, we realized we had a beautiful, flavorful brine full of peppercorns and herbs and garlic cloves that we hated to throw out. Especially since we spent about $8 or so on the jar.

We remembered a tip Rick had given us more than a year ago about reusing brine. Well, this one has given us three batches of excellent pickles since...

Which common kitchen utensil do you think it is? We actually have two (maybe three) of this space-hogging tool, and as we thought about de-cluttering this week, we realized we never, ever use it. We bet you have at least one in your utensil holder, too...

This restaurant shot, which we're guessing is at a classic Southern joint, proves our point. Wouldn't that plate look funny if, instead of collard greens, there was a scoop of corn? Or butternut squash? We think every dinner plate looks better with a pop of green somewhere.

Whether or not you're involved in an organizational overhaul as part of our Fall Kitchen Cure, you might find some inspiration in this simple, clean spice rack from Anna at Door Sixteen. She elevated some basic IKEA bottles with Martha Stewart labels and spaced the racks so she could still close the cabinet door. Get more tips from Anna, below...

We love how this kitchen has clean, crisp modern touches right alongside some really traditional elements—the toile-like wallpaper and the wooden cabinet (maybe it's antique?) tucked into the far right corner. It belongs to a woman who's known for her fancy, iced-to-perfection cookies in every shape, size, and character. Know who it is?

Q: My wife and I had dinner at Morel's near the L.A. Farmers Market, and they had an amazingly delicious creamed corn polenta.

I'd like to make some at home, but I'm new to polenta and need help finding a recipe. Any ideas?

Sent by Patrick

If you think grits are, indeed, glorious, then this is a book for you. But even if you're not sold, hear us out. This book veers way off the breakfast path, with recipes for savory polenta main dishes (very popular right now), desserts (grits pecan pie, anyone?) and a bunch of things to do with plain old cornmeal. We're loving one super easy cornmeal-jam cookie right now. Get the recipe, below...

Orange juice was always part of breakfast when we were kids (drink it before you brush your teeth, always), but as we've gotten older, we've stopped buying it. With more than 100 calories in 8 ounces—and we often pour more than that—it seems like a sweet indulgence instead of a healthy drink.

After reading this post, we now know that even cartons that say "squeezed from fresh oranges" are heavily processed. So unless it's freshly squeezed that morning (or part of a special occasion mimosa), we usually skip it. What about you? Is OJ always part of your morning routine? Take our survey after the jump.

Name: Samantha and Jacob
Location: Berkeley, California
Rent or own? Rent
What does your kitchen need? Oh good lord, what DOESN'T it need?! I'm a professional photographer, but I was thisclose to becoming a chef. Having a stylish, welcoming kitchen is just as important to my culinary creativity as the rest of my apartment is to my artistic creativity (since I work from home).