This smaller kitchen really cooks

My new best friend forever is Ikea.

Since a recent move I've made several trips there. I went from a cavernous kitchen with lots of cabinetry to a smaller one with about two-thirds as much.

With all my cooking paraphernalia, this wasn't a good thing.

The challenge became organizing my new kitchen like a stealth submarine. Every nook and cranny had to be utilized.

First, on what was a bare wall, I installed a 6-foot wire shelving unit with seven 4-inch-deep shelves to hold all my spices, specialty salts and small baking supplies.

For maximum space between the top shelves and the pantry ceiling, I added clear plastic pull-out drawers filled with items I use occasionally like bamboo skewers, tea lights, paper doilies and cocktail napkins.

I had planned to stash cookie sheets, pizza pans and trays in a large wicker basket to set on the floor at the end of a cabinet. I got the idea from Ina Garten in her "How Easy is That?" cookbook. But so far I'm still on the hunt for this perfect stash-all basket.

For the time being, I'm storing my hefty-sized cooking equipment horizontally in two of my favorite Ikea doohickeys - Rationell Variera metal pot lid organizers. These accordion-like racks are pronged and adjustable, making them perfect for holding plates, cutting boards and small trays upright.

Before the move, I ruthlessly tossed all plastic food-keeper pieces that didn't have corresponding lids or bottoms. Those that remained are fully accessible but behind closed doors in a lower cabinet next to the stove. I removed the shelf, so when I open the cabinet I can see everything I have.

I screwed metal bars to the wall under my cabinets on each side of the stove and hung simple S-hooks from them to hold cooking utensils like wooden spoons, measuring cups and whisks. Pretty handy adjustment, even if I do say so myself.

Having a bookshelf big enough for all my cookbooks is my latest dream. I have at least eight boxes of them stacked in the garage. But the current bookshelf situation can be summed up in three words: There is none. I can't believe I missed this detail.

This week's recipe would make a great hostess or welcome to the neighborhood gift. Everyone loves the time you take to make a homemade gift, especially when it's food.