The HG's Top Ten In The Kitchen

Being past the first trimester, I am beginning to find a bit more enjoyment in the kitchen these days (although, truthfully, it will be even more enjoyable once the summer is gone). After going months without being able to really enjoy cooking, I always appreciate stepping back into the kitchen and getting pleasure from the work that goes on in that room and the tools I have to help with it. So yesterday, while making lunch (buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit, and sausage), I started to make a mental Top Ten Favorite KitchenTools List. Here's what I've come up with.... although I'm sure on another day, my list might be slightly different.

1) My Little Wooden Cutting Board and paring knife* ~ Clearly, the board did not start out its life as a cutting board, but Strider decided that was its new purpose in life when he bought it at an auction; it serves that function beautifully well. It's small enough to fit in one of my cabinet drawers, it doesn't take up much counter space, its edges help keep me (as a messy cook) from flinging food to all ends, and it's lightness means that it can easily be carried over to whatever pan I'm sauteeing veggies in and the ingredients dumped in. I will grant that it is probably too small for a large family, but for our mostly twosome cooking, it's ideal.

And the knife! It is a Chicago Cutlery Parer

that Strider purchased while still in bachelorhood (ja, the man has good cooking taste). It's sleek, it's sharp, it does its job well, and I love it. I probably use it every single day.

2. My Kitchen Aid Grain Mill Attachment Before we got married, Strider's mom found a KitchenAid for under $100 at an auction. She snagged it, and I've been thankful ever since. The flour from this grinder is a little less fine than with a usual grain mill, but both Strider and I have enjoyed everything I've made with it. A bigger, stand alone grain mill will be a fantastic addition to our kitchen some day, but right now there's not space in our apartment kitchen for very many extra gadgets, and being able to get freshly ground flour from the same machine I can mix batter up in, or chop veggies with, is a huge blessing.

3) My Anchor Hocking Glass Measuring Cups ~ I use them to measure, I use them as mixing bowls, I use them (covered with saran wrap) to store extra food in, I gaze at them in admiration of their simple, utilitarian beauty after I've done the dishes... I just like them, folks.

4) My Oneida Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons ~ these were a wedding gift. We'd used the Alternative Gift Registry (and can't say enough good things about it) and with it I requested metal measuring spoons. These came and I've been spoilt ever since. They're sturdy, shiny, pretty (yes, I look purty-lookin' cookin' things), very functional.... and have also entertained the Striderling for great lengths of time. That's what you call a multipurpose tool!

5) Wooden Spoons ~ Stirring veggies, stirring soups, stirring rice, serving rice, helping scrape the edges of mixing bowls (with spatulas too, of course)... these guys are never, ever going out of style.

6) Whisks ~ Eggs, pancake batter, soups.... when I die, maybe I should have a whisk in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other, eh?

7) My Blender ~ It's an old one... I believe Strider got it at an auction (shocking, I know). It's perfect for making smoothies (today's: frozen mangos, pineapple, grapes, peaches, papaya puree, water, and vanilla), for making the best orange julius recipe ev-ah, for helping with recipe prep, for making milkshakes. It's like the little engine that could...I'm afraid some day that it will suddenly decide it can't anymore, though, and then I will have to find a new blender.

8) My Crockpots Yes, I have more than one. And I use them both pretty frequently. Along with meals, I use them to make crockpot apple butter, and one thing on my Culinary Must Try To Do Soon List is cooking beans in the crockpot.

One of my new favoritest favorite meals in the crockpot: a boneless pork roast that I first browned on high heat on the stove with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Then I cooked it slooowly in the crockpot for some amazing pork carnitas. A few days later, I used the leftover meat to make homemade taquitos. I'll share how I did that in another post, Striderling willing (right now I'm letting him tear one of my cooking magazines to shreds. desperate times....)

9) My Kitchen Sink Between one thing and another, our apartment didn't have one for about 3.5 months after we moved in. Don't ever take yours for granted.

10) My Stainless Steel Cookware ~ I am not sure that this set on Amazon is identical to what we have, but it's certainly very close.... and what I have, I love. I saute with the frying pan, and make frittatas.... I make soups with the bigger ones, and occasionally cook a roast in the oven with them. They're easy to clean (that's one thing I don't get about the Push for the Non Stick Stuff; if other things are treated well, they're not that difficult to clean either!).

~ ~ ~

* What's that, you say? I had two items under one category? Weeeelllll.... it's just that they go together so naturally, like peanut butter and jelly or baby spit up and nice clothes, or... you get the idea. ;)

What are some of your favorite kitchen tools and gadgets?