I was toasting my bread last night (yep, snacky dinner again) and had to have the toast tongs to pull the toast out of the toaster. It made me think about how much I really use those toast tongs. Then it got me thinking about my favorite kitchen gadgets. I am a huge Pampered Chef fan and love most of their things. After keeping house for 16 years (just celebrated that anniversary) if I were setting up house again there are some must haves that I would want.
My top 3 are:
toast tongs- for who needs to be sticking a knife down into the toaster to retrieve their toast
kitchen sheers- I use mine for everything (I actually have a few pairs) cutting up kid food is oh so much faster with kitchen sheers. And I love the ease of tossing them into the dishwasher to clean them.
Cutco knife- I have 2 and I use them all the time (they are really expensive). They are the type that I opt for in almost any cutting need. And to sing Cutco's praises they have a lifetime guarantee. They have replaced one of my knives after it broke.
So those are my 3 favorite kitchen gadgets. If you could pass on your favorites to your daughter per-say, what would make the list? What are your must have kitchen gadgets? Do share...
Friday, June 27, 2008
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18 comments:
OK, funny cutco knife story-time:
everyone always complains about my dull knives. finally, my MIL bought me two cutco knives for Christmas. I was so excited to use and have them! But then, the first two times I used them, I sliced my fingers. So, I went back to my dull ones for safety sake and the "good" ones sit unused in the drawer! :)
OK, to answer your question:
I have a cookie sheet that I love. It's all old and scratched and stained, but it bakes the best of all. I always choose it over the shiny new ones.
A good springform pan is a must. I also love a good 9x13 casserole dish. One that looks pretty for serving too. My fave kitchen gadget (not really a gadget, I guess) is my electric skillet. It's sweet.
Does this mean you have internet now? :)
Love the cutco knives too - a good peeler - mine's from Pampered chef, I think. My favorite though is the battery powered wisk that Susan gave me one year for my birthday. I've replaced the batteries many times and love it to stir my powered chai tea, hot cocoa and cold drink mixes. Also, any good (has to be be a GOOD one) wooden spoon is a must! I also prefer old fashioned aluminum (not air bake) cookie sheets. What a fun exercise to think about these tools!
Rachael, when I began using my Wilkinsword wedding gift knives (a gift from my hubby's uncle and aunt - I remember after 23 years) after the college-and-career days of using the hand-me-downs, I sliced and diced my fingers a bit, too! BTW, I also love an electric skillet.
My faves:
Toaster oven - mine is 25 years old, a gift from my parents. I've never owned a toaster, and don't want one. Not only can I toast in it; I can bake biscuits and small-family-sized casseroles, broil steak, bake fish...It's not pretty anymore, but then, well, neither am I :)
Spoontula - you know, a rubber or silcone spatula with a spoon shape.
Heavy little saute pan. Since I'm a Georgia girl, it's a fryin' pan. Perfect 3-egg shape, or one nice big pancake.
Little short serrated spreaders. I have 2: 1 is from P.Chef; the other is just as good.
Favorite kitchen tool I'm waiting to inherit (not that I am in any hurry for Mama to die) - her serrated knife/frosting spreader. I've not seen one exactly like it, and it is the best for frosting a cake or slicing a tomato. My sister-in-law knows it is MINE.
Um, I guess someone should admit that we all love our microwave ovens. I admit it.
I'm trying to think of something that I can't live without and I'm thinking it's mixing bowls. I love my bowls and my mixer (thanks Cris). As far as hand tools- I'm a simple gal- no special tools needed.
Clearly I am missing the boat on kitchen gadgets because I have none of those items! :o)
I love my Pampered Chef chopper & could not be without it. That's probably my all time favorite handy item. I also like their cherry pitter, but it's not something I need on a regular basis. Love it when I need it though.
I have been thinking about this since yesterday. I like a lot of my kitchen gadgets, I do a lot of cooking.
1. Kitchen-Aid mixer because it mixes and kneads my bread. I use it several times a week.
2. My pampered chef scoops. The large one is great for muffins, so there is no guessing how much to put in each tin. The medium one is great for cookies. These save me from getting my hands all dirty.
3. I got a forged cutlery bread knife from PC after hosting a show awhile back. It is so nice! I use it to slice bread and tomatoes. I love it.
I too, love my kitchen shears and use them all of the time. Also my Pampered Chef chopper. I use my blender daily for smoothies, so I couldn't manage without that either. Never heard of Cutco knives. Sounds like I've been missing out! Those are my 3, although I don't have a daughter to pass them down to. However, my oldest son is quite the chef. He made my breakfast in bed just this morning, as I was sleeping off a hectic week of VBS and family sickness!
Rachael - didn't get past your comments. It never ceases to amaze me! We were given a big electric fry pan from our best friends for our wedding. They chose that gift as it is the BEST wedding gift they got and they use it nearly every day. We used ours maybe ONCE or TWICE at most until fifteen years after the fact, I decided to give up on it. Give me my old cast iron frypan every time. AND, you use a springform pan! What do you make in it? I have one, but have never used it!
I agree on the casserole dish, though!
My "favorite" kitchen utensil is the wonderful Pampered Chef chopper that I purchased from Ginny after my first one gave up the ghost. That is something I do use DAILY. Well, my Russians are onion addicts.
Hmmm....I'm gonna say:
My new Rachel Ray garbage bowl. I know that I could just use any bowl I have, but hers is cool and looks good sitting out when it's not full of garbage.
My egg chopper makes potato salad and egg salad so much easier to make and the little egg slivers are nicer than the mess I make with a knife (probably b/c mine are dull like everyone elses).
Today I used my pyrex casserole carrier for a picnic. I love that thing. It'll keep a hot dish pipin hot for an hour or so. Today it kept a jello poke cake nice and cold- even on this sweltering hot day.
So, those are my three... for today anyway.
I am also a big PC fan. I couldn't live without my baking stones. Particularly the bar pan, love it! I also love my little cutting board, it is perfect for cutting just a few small vegetables. And the spreaders, I have two and they almost never make it out of the dish drain.
Yes, I am one of those foolish ones who has been shocked sticking a metal knife into the toaster...zzzz sizzle! (maybe that is why my hair is so frizzy)
I love my pampered chef chopper and peeler. I also like my small scooper, I use it all the time for cookie dough. I love my cutco knives too. We bought them when we were dirt poor newlyweds and have loved and used them ever since. I also love our toaster oven, great for re-heating pizza and fried chicken and making yummy hot-melted ham and cheese sandwiches.
My Kitchen Aide mixer and Spoontula! Couldn't make it without them!
Stacia, I had to google the Rachael Ray garbage bowl. Totally new to me. What do you use it for?
Toaster tongs-----never would have guessed. I love my potato peeler, spatula, and heavy duty whisk.
Based on reading your post on kitchen gadgets, it got me thinking. I could not remember where I read the post, so I wrote my own on the same topic.
Thanks to "Permission to Mother", I was able to locate your post again. Happy cooking to all!
Mar Mar said:
First time I saw your toaster tongs I went out and bought some.
Guess the PC cheese shredder is one of my favorites also like my 4 crock pots so I can cook early for large parties. I had 17 people at once here for dinner last week.
Chuck's grandpa sold Cutco way back in the 60's.
Cris,
The garbage bowl is to collect all the food and paper garbage that you create while cooking a meal. You just put it right in the bowl and dump it in the trash when you are all done. You don't have to go to the trash, open it, get your hands germy, wash them and resume cooking for every bit of garbage... just once at the end. Can you tell I've watched quite a few RR cooking shows?
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