I feel like a grownup!!

[AdminAssistant]

A while back, my mom went to visit her sisters. One of them was gearing up for a yard sale and gave my mom a bunch of kitchen stuff that they'd thought I'd need/want. Primarily, this was a set of dishes and a bunch of silverware. (Also in the box were mixing bowls, a cookie jar, an oil warmer, and a pie bird . Ah well, I'll find a spot for it and it'll look pretty.)

I went home for Thanksgiving - a long and arduous journey on broken suspension, both ways - and while I was there I fetched most of the dishes. There was just too much to fit in my trunk, so I left the bowls and cups for the Christmas visit. And now, for the first time in my life.....I have all matching dishes!!! The pattern...it's not something I would pick, but beggars cannot be choosers. The silverware is still a mishmosh of two different sets, but it's nicer than what I had and there's more of it. And perhaps the best part is that I can now give out my old dishes, which are still very nice, to friends.

Just one of those little things that make me feel like an adult. Yay!

[Food Lady]

I've been an adult for a while and I don't have matching anything. Yay for you. You should treat yourself to some pretty glasses if you can. Target has nice ones.

[trailerparkmedic]

Yay! Matching things are nice. I used to have a matching set, but some of it broke/got lost, and then I moved in with my boyfriend, so it's a mismash of stuff again. That's my fault, though.

If you have an Ikea near you, I've found it to have a suprising amount of cheap kitchen things, like silverware and glasses.

I also think you should treat yourself to something pretty, so you have extra pretty-ness.

[AdminAssistant]

I've been an adult for a while and I don't have matching anything. Yay for you. You should treat yourself to some pretty glasses if you can. Target has nice ones.

I only have one tiny cabinet for dishes, and I don't want to get rid of the glasses that I have - an assortment of glasses sold with kid's meals back in the 80's. The Muppets, the Chippettes, and Looney Tunes are all well represented!!! I do have some other "nice" glasses that my mother gave me, but I never use them unless I have company over.

Target does have nice stuff, but my first stop for housewares is always TJ Maxx. Better brands at lower cost, usually.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I have a set of matching dishes...they're plain white, no-frills, and I have 4 of each item (large and small plates, bowls, and mugs). My brother, oddly enough, has the same matching set (I bought 2 sets when I first moved out on my own, but I only ever opened the one since I never really had a need for that many dishes). One of these days I will splurge and get myself a set that I actually like. I've seen some I like at Target...someday I'll make up my mind

[Aethian]

a pie bird . Ah well, I'll find a spot for it and it'll look pretty.

Use a pie bird in your pie to keep the filling in place and to cut down on sogginess in the crust.


1. Find a pie bird to use. They're usually hollow, ceramic figurines about 3 or 4 inches tall. They have a hole at the top for the steam to escape through, and an arch at the bottom for the pie juice to enter. Most are shaped like birds, but they come in other shapes. In fact, pie birds are considered collectibles, and the rarer shapes are highly sought by collectors.

2. Line the bottom of a pie pan with unbaked crust. Set the pie bird in the middle of the crust.

3. Pour pie filling into the crust around the pie bird. Spread the filling evenly around the bird, smoothing the top of the filling.

4. Use a sharp knife to cut a small slit in the center of the top crust. Carefully place the top crust over the filling, lining up the slit with the pie bird. Push the bird through the slit and allow the top crust to sit on the pie bird's shoulders.

5. Snug the dough around the pie bird, pinching the slit if necessary to seal it. Crimp the edges of the crust as you normally would before baking the pie.

6. Allow pie to cool with the pie bird inside. You can remove it after you cut the first piece of pie.

[AdminAssistant]

I appreciate that, Aethian, but I don't make pies. And if I did make a pie, it would be one of my Mom's famous chocolate or pecan pies - and those don't have top crusts. I'm just not a baker! But I do kinda have a retro thing going on in my kitchen, so it'll definitely be a nice decoration.

[Food Lady]

I never knew that about pies! Reminds me of the nursery rhyme "four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie". Oh, man, I'm old...Anyway, I was given Correlle and I love them. They don't chip or break and are so lightweight. But I hate all Correlle patterns. I want new dishes, but can't find cute ones.