Jennifer Garner's Cleaning Hack Is Genius
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You know Jennifer Garner from movies like 13 Going on 30 and shows like Alias. But you love Jennifer Garner from her online series Pretend Cooking Show, where she lives out all of our Food Network star fantasies in her own kitchen. Of course, Garner's cheeky commentary, along with the messes and bloopers, make it that much more fun to watch. She recently partnered with KitchenAid for the Made with KitchenAid cookbook, which will have recipes sourced from cooks of all levels. We sat down to talk with her about her secret kitchen hacks, her fave cookbook at the moment, and her go-to speedy meal.
This partnership is all about elevating the everyday. How do you do that in your kitchen?
Anytime you are putting something fresh on the table, to me that's elevating the everyday. It doesn’t have it be perfect. It doesn't matter if it's burned in part and you've scraped it off. Anytime you have put yourself into what is going in front of your friends or family, that's elevating you every day.
You are working with KitchenAid on a new cookbook. Tell me about that.
There's a cookbook contest. You hand over your version of a recipe, and if it works for KitchenAid, they'll put it in their cookbook, which I think is pretty fun.
I feel like you could watch any episode of Pretend Cooking Show and see your love for your stand mixer.
It's my best friend. I've called it my BFF since before calling something your BFF was cool. It was like my first purchase in LA, seriously. She has had a facelift, I haven't, but you know, never say never. My first one was silver, and the one I have now is gray. But there's a new one that's a beautiful berry color called beetroot.
I have that one!
You do? Do you like it?
Do you want to see it?
Oh my god, yes. Can you show me? I feel like I'm in this partially so I have access to the new beetroot color. So pretty.
Okay, back to what we all really want to know: What’s always in arm’s reach when you are filming Pretend Cooking Show?
I should probably always have dish towels within arm’s reach because I spill. I have a teaspoon and a tablespoon measurer that are really long. They're thin, but the handle is the longest I've ever seen. They make it so easy to just dip into flour, sugar or spices.
What a kitchen tool you can’t live without?
I can't live without my zester. I feel like everything is better with lemon zest or a little bit of chocolate or a little bit of parmesan. There are so many things to do there.
I got deli paper to wrap sandwiches in. And I use them all the time just to put on top of my cutting board when I'm making guacamole or if I'm cutting raw chicken, just as a barrier even if I'm going to wash it after. It just makes cleanup so much easier.
Okay, it's a weeknight and you need a quick meal. What are you making?
I like to marinate an ahi tuna steak in this infused oil of lemon, lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, and a bunch of thyme. I cut them in half because I want it to be so speedy. I have my rice maker make brown rice, and I get kale from my garden and go [mimics chopping movements] on that bad boy. And then I will make a brown rice, kale, avocado, and seared tuna bowl and it is very good.
Well, now I’m hungry. What’s your current fave cookbook?
I'm still in love with Modern Comfort Food [by Ina Garten]. Every time I open it, it gets me through something. Have you tried the Oreo ice cream because you think it's gonna be too much? And you know what? It's not. It should be too much, but it’s exactly just right. And the Emily Blunt potatoes in there, I make on repeat. I have to hunt her down and tell her. Gosh, those are good potatoes.
What else have you been making in your kitchen?
There's a new KitchenAid attachment that makes shaved ice. We made shaved ice palomas. They're very good. And if you lived in California, you too could have a paloma garden—a grapefruit and lime tree.
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