The Hallway

So, I have a story for you.

I once found a blog. I can't remember how. But, I won a cute little notebook and set of pens from a giveaway she hosted. Then, she came to home deliver it because, guess what! She lived a few streets over!

From then on, we'd comment on each other's blog, share our love of cooking, smell delicious Scentsy scents together, and then we decided to take turns sponsoring each other's blogs!

It's Shannon from The Hallway!

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Hi everyone! I'm Shannon and I blog over at The Hallway. I'm excited to be taking over Tayler's blog today to share the five kitchen gadgets that I think everyone should have.

My husband, Colby, is a chef, so quite a lot of cooking goes on at our house. These five things aren't your average kitchen appliances, so you might not currently have them, but for how much they're used, I think it's worth investing the money to have them as part of your kitchen!

1. Ninja Master Prep Pro: I love having this Ninja as opposed to another, maybe more high tech blender, because it doubles as a food processor and it's super easy to clean. I make everything from smoothies, to hummus, to curry in mine!

2. Cuisinart Panini and Sandwich Press: I never knew how one little sandwich griddle could change my life, but if you don't have one in your kitchen, you're seriously missing out. It's the easiest way to take your sandwiches to the next level! I make grilled cheese, chicken pesto, turkey and swiss, and my absolute favorite, my husband's Cubano. The possibilities are endless!

3. Pizza Stone: Colby and I make pizza all the time and it's one of our favorite things! (Especially when we score unrivaled cherry tomatoes at the farmers market - recipe here.) Before we had a pizza stone, we tried making pizza on a baking sheet and it is just nowhere near the same.

4. Chinois Strainer: A chinois strainer is a very fine mesh strainer, unlike the larger metal ones that you would use to strain spaghetti. You can get either a small one with a handle, like the one pictured above, or a larger one that can fit more. It has tons of uses that a normal strainer can't handle. We use it mostly for infusing flavor into soups when we don't necessarily want the ingredient in the soup, such as bay leaves or garlic cloves.

5. Silpat Baking Mat: I love my Silpat mat! We had it on our wedding registry but didn't get it, and it was one of the first things I rushed out to buy once we moved into our apartment. I bake cookies all the time and it makes it so easy, mess free, and uniform!

Do you have any of these? If so, do you agree with me that they make cooking so much easier? And if not, what are your must-have kitchen gadgets?

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How did you come up with the name to your blog?

My last name is Hall, and I pretty much just love puns and wordplay! I thought The Hallway would be a cool name for a little community, and a place to have adventures as a newlywed.

What is your blog's mission or goal?

My goal is to create a space where people can have fun, get to know each other, and feel alive. I blog about all kinds of things, from food, to marriage, to animals, to music, and more. Sometimes I write to teach you something, sometimes to make you laugh, and sometimes to make you feel.

Besides blogging, what are some other hobbies of yours?

I read a lot, do some yoga, and play soccer. I play the occasional video game with my husband and I also love hiking and being outside!

What is the best thing about blogging for you?

The community! I have met so many awesome people (Tayler included) and that number grows every day!

What are 3 of your favorite posts you've written?

Here they are: The Struggles and Victories of Fitbit, My One Day in Yoga School, and 5 Ways to Stay Healthy When You Work in an Office