Useful, multipurpose utensils that make cooking enjoyable. Earlier in life, my kitchen consisted of a dull knife, one wooden spoon and a metal bowl. I still cooked with adventure, but everything was twice as hard and successful results were not guaranteed! These are everyday tools and I promise they will make your life easier.
If you want to up-level your kitchen “cred,” buy a pair of tongs. They can flip, toss, turn, and scrape.
The ultimate multitasker, this utensil is a tried-and-true friend in the kitchen.
This tool is as useful for sauteing vegetables as it is for stirring morning oatmeal. A must have!
It’s nice to have two sets of measuring cups, one for dry ingredients and one for liquids.
Metal measuring spoons are stronger than plastic and last longer. I use these everyday.
A medium strainer works well for many tasks. Make sure it can strain pulp.
Look for a peeler with a good grip and a blade opening at least 3 inches wide.
Once you start using kitchen shears, you will find thousands of tasks for them.
Cut and scrape the ingredients directly into the pot.
A strong stainless-steel whisk with a solid round handle will make for easy work.
Start with a 5-quart pot, which is small enough to make dinner, but big enough to squeeze in a whole chicken.
Look for bowls that have a rubber bottom edge to reduce the slip factor. Deep enough for splatter control and wider enough to allow for whisking.
There is no single tool for cooking that you will rely on more than a sharp chef’s knife.
The pointed tip of a paring knife gets into tight spaces a larger chef’s knife cannot touch. It’s perfect for slicing smaller fruits and vegetables.
A serrated knife blade cuts through tomatoes like a charm and does double duty on bread and tough-skinned vegetables like squash.
A stainless-steel grater does more than grate cheese. It can grate onions, carrots, and chocolate too.
The all purpose pan. Skillets have slanted edges and are always measured in inches across the top. Invest in quality.
There are a lot of things you can prepare with a sturdy stockpot: soups, pastas, and corn on the cob just to name a few.
Use this versatile pan to reheat rice, warm broth and even melt butter for popcorn. I recommend an ovenproof, nonstick stanless-steel pot with a long handle and a tight fitting lid.
A food processor can make quick work of tough, hard foods like nuts and seeds and can quickly grind onions and garlic.
