Before I went to college and before I got married, I really had no clue what was really important in the kitchen. If you're like me, it was all a learning experience. I thought I'd let you know of a few things that I can't imagine cooking or living without. Like I said before, growing up I didn't learn a whole lot about cooking in the kitchen and I really didn't pay all that much attention. I knew that some things were definitely essentials that were used a lot - baking sheets, casserole dishes, steak knives, hand mixers, and pots and pans. I didn't know that there were differences in how each of those items that could make or break your cooking experience though.
I'll warn you right now, I'm not a music snob and I'm not a fashion snob, but I could quite possibly be a kitchen snob. I SWEAR by Pampered Chef, Cuisinart, and Kitchenaid brands. Most of the items I'm about to show you are those brands and I'm telling you what-it makes a difference having a good brand.
These items are not in any particular order...except for the first one.... And many will understand why.
1) Cuisinart Coffee bean grinder and brewer
Y'all, I live and breathe for my coffee in the morning. If I don't have a cup in the morning, by mid afternoon I've got a nice headache forming. Addicted to caffiene...it could be worse, right? Having good coffee is probably something that's a non-negotiable for me. Sure, the grinder sounds like 3 dentists drilling on your teeth at the same time, but there is NOTHING like freshly ground coffee. Yum.
2) Oxo seal and fresh containers
Since we're on the topic of coffee...I keep my coffee beans, flour, sugar, splenda, cereal, and even my running gels in these containers. They help keep my kitchen organized, fresh, and I always know what's in the containers and how much I have of it. Nothing's worse than getting ready to bake, only to open up a jar that holds your flour to see that you have 1/2 cup of flour left and you need 2 cups.... I buy them at Home Goods because I refuse to pay full price for them.
3) Good Pots and Pans
Almost as important (just barely) as a good coffee maker, are the pots and pans. I've had these for over 3 years and they're holding up really nicely. The only problem with these are the rubber handle covers move around on my big soup pot, but what are you gonna do? It cooks my food evenly, heats up nicely, washes easily, and it's non-stick which is awesome. I wash them by hand, which I guess, is the only downfall. These Calphalon pots and pans are at Kohl's and are almost always on sale. If you cook a lot in the kitchen or are planning to, I highly recommend good pots and pans.
4) Gel Pro Chef Mats
I just got these mats the day after Christmas. AH-MAZE-ING. Seriously. I used to have just regular old mats and the more I cooked in the kitchen the more my back would hurt. I specifically remember one day when I had spent the majority of the day cooking and washing dishes and my back, legs, and feet throbbed and ached the rest of the night. I was able to put these puppies to the test last night for my special occasion dinner and was impressed when at the end of the night, my feet, back, and legs felt great! Definitely worth the money spent! The bigger mat is around $70 (if you can use Kohl's cash and a 30% off coupon, they'd be a steal!) and the smaller mat is around $40. I love Kohl's because you're practically guaranteed a sale price and then if you're lucky, you can get even more if you get a 30% off coupon. Anyway, these mats made me feel like I was walking on clouds while I cooked.
5) Kitchenaid mixer
I've already professed my love for this thing, but I had to add this on here. I used to have a hand held mixer and it worked just fine. In fact, I never really saw the big deal in these mixers....until I got one when Steve and I got married. I never put two and two together until I had this machine. So while I'm mixing cake batter or anything else, my hands are free to continue cooking or getting other ingredients together. Genius I tell you! One of the best things in my kitchen. Plus, it's red, t's cute, and I look like a 50's housewife when I wear my apron to use it :)
6) Good measuring cups
These sweet little babies are Pampered Chef. I LOVE THEM. They're easy to read, come in a set of 4-a 4 cups 2 cup, 1 cup, and 1/4 cup, and they nest inside of each other.
Aren't they cute?? I like the handle on them and when you are measuring with them, the numbers are extremely easy to read. I use these practically every time I cook anything.
7) Measuring Spoons
These are also Pampered Chef. I love these, too. They're easy to clean, read, and can measure anywhere from 1/8 tsp to 1 full tbsp.
8) Can Opener
I love my Pampered Chef can opener. I was given this by my sister when I moved into my first apartment in college. It is really nice, leaves clean edges (so no cutting yourself on sharp open cans). It's lasted for a long time and I love it. Steve doesn't care for it because he's not used to how you have to hold it to open cans, but I think it makes a lot of sense.
9) Rolling pin and mat
I got these at Christmas and I've pretty much used these every other time I cook. I like the rolling pin because it feels good on my hands when I'm rolling the dough. The mat (like many other things on here) is easy to clean, read, and rolls up nicely on my rolling pin.
10) Henckel Knive set
These knives are amazing. Steve sharpens them every time he begins to chop something. I really don't know what else to say about them...but I'm glad we have a good knife set.
11) Cast Iron Skillet
We got this cast iron skillet a little over a year ago. We don't use it too often but when we do, we're always impressed with it and it's cooking quality. This is one of Steve's babies. He takes care of it and makes sure he oils it up and cures it. I believe this is an Emeril Lagasse cast iron skillet.
So those are a few things that I couldn't live without. Lots of people may think all of these are no-brainers, but some of the things I have are things that I never even knew I needed until I had them. I hope this helps any people who are about to venture into cooking or thinking about getting new items for their kitchen.
Happy New Year and Happy Cooking!
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