Monday Must Have & My One-Year Blog Anniversary

It is Monday.

And being that it is Monday, it's time to feature a new Monday Must Have, since it has been a bit too long since I've had one. AND it just also happens to be the exactly one year ago today, I started Jillicious Discoveries, and I still can't believe how fast the year went. But more on that a little later.

Today's Monday Must Have is one of my personal kitchen gadget favorites: The Fluted Pastry Wheel. Ahhhh, this little kitchen gadget is so fun to use and frankly, I wish I could use it everyday on every dessert. Anything you use a knife on to cut or trim edges on, you can use this cute, little pastry wheel on instead.

For example, remember this post? It was during this challenge when I was introduced to the homemade graham cracker and since then I've turned a blind eye to the boxes of graham crackers in the store and have made more batches of these tasty little goodies and every time I get to use this fun little tool.

Just look at these edges. So much more exciting than cutting with a regular knife.

More pastry wheel uses include; edging for pasta, ravioli, cookies, crackers, lattice work on pie dough, crimping on dough edges and anything else you can think of in your culinary adventures.

WOW--it's been one-year of blogging here on the Jillicious Discoveries blog and I just wanted to say...

First, a big shout out to all of you who I've gotten to know in this fun world of blogging and to those of you who have visited and commented and then even came back again! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I've learned much from your ideas and comments and experiences and from following your wonderful blogs, I've been truly inspired to learn more in this vast culinary field we are a part of.

Second, I will continue into this second year of blogging by sharing my experiences, and insights and all that I continue to learn and figure out along the way. I hoping to make a few changes in the next few months and I'm excited to share them with you here.

And finally, no anniversary is complete without a gift of some kind, so in keeping with the traditon of celebrating...

I'm giving you the chance to WIN your own Fluted Pastry Wheel and a package of these fun little "shower caps" (another favorite from a Monday Must Have during the year) and yes, it is open to ANYONE no matter where you live!

Just leave a comment with your email or a link for me to contact you and answer the following questions:

1) What would you or do you use the fluted pastry wheel for in your baking experiences?
2) What would you like to see or read more about on this blog?

I will be accepting your comments/entries from now until next Monday, May 3rd at 8:00 pm (PST). The winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010. *One comment/entry per person.

Happy Monday!!