Many of you that know me personally, know how much I love kitchen gadgets. I love things that make cooking much easier and make the experience that much more fun. Cooking a meal every single night of the week is not an easy task so I like to locate kitchen gadgets that make the experience enjoyable and memorable. Here are some of my favorites.
1. Kitchen Aid Mixer: This mixer is absolutely amazing! If you do not have a stand mixer, put it on your Christmas or Birthday list. It is a must have. The best thing about the Kitchen Aid mixer is that you can buy separate parts to make pasta noodles, ravioli, ice cream and much more. I mainly use mine to make cookies, knead bread, or whip up a meringue (*watch for tonight's post to see what I will be doing with meringue!) This mixer is my lifesaver because it can just mix on its own without me touching it, which I think is meant for a multi-tasking like myself. One of my favorite styles of the Kitchen Aid mixer can be seen on http://thepioneerwoman.com, who is an amazing cook by the way, but I cannot get over the beautiful mustard yellow color and the bright flowers that cover the mixer. Way too cool!
2. Non-stick skillet: My mother bought me a non-stick skillet one year for Christmas and I have used it to death! This skillet is perfect for almost anything that I want to make on the stove and the best part is, it does not stick! It is a big skillet and holds a ton of food. I think I use this skillet at least 3x a week. Thanks, Mom!
3. My newly-purchased Food Micro-Torch. My husband and I went to Bed Bath & Beyond this weekend and purchased a torch that I can use to make that burnt topping on creme brulee, lemon meringue, etc. without having to use the broiler. I have always wanted one of these torches, but could not find the right size. This one is a hand held torch and is the perfect size to store in my kitchen.
4. Mortar and Pestle: I purchased a gray marble mortar and pestle from a small kitchen store near where we live and absolutely love having this around to crush large spices and bring out the amazing flavors of herbs. In addition, it is a great showpiece in your kitchen especially if you get a beautiful marble color.
5. Lemon Zester: Anyone of you that knows me well can vouch for the fact that I love lemons. I make a lot of recipes with either fresh lemon juice or lemon zest incorporated. I just cannot get enough lemons! In addition to lemons, I also use it for limes when I am making a more Mexican-flavored dish.
6. Keurig Coffeemaker: This coffeemaker is so amazing and simple to use. I love the simplicity of waking up on a Saturday morning and making a cup of perfectly brewed coffee. The aroma fills the house unlike anything else can and all at the push of a button. I have to say, we are blessed to be living in such a technologically-enhanced world because I do not know what I would do without half of this stuff in my house! Many of my co-workers know my addiction and love for coffee. I do not do it for the caffeine, but rather for the warm feeling and amazing smell it gives off when brewing.
7. My hot pink PureKomachi II knife: Yes, I said hot pink:) These knives come in amazing hot colors and are an incredible knife to work with. I use this for finely chopping herbs, dicing fresh veggies, cutting through a big slab of salmon and many more things. I use this knife every single day when I cook and it is probably about time for me to get another color:)
8. Williams-Sonoma Breadmaker: My husband and I received a beautiful Williams-Sonoma breadmaker for a wedding gift and I could not have been more excited. My mom makes the most amazing yeast rolls I have ever had in my life and I was thrilled that I would get the chance to make my own (even though mine are not half as good). This breadmaker is another time-saver because I can throw in the ingredients, push a button and within an hour or so I will have a freshly-baked loaf of bread. It does not get any better than that especially when you are a bread-lover like myself.
9. Crockpot: This was another wedding gift that my husband and I received several years ago and came with three different sizes of ceramic bowls that you can use depending on the size and type of the meal you are making. I use my crockpot a lot more in the winter months than during the summer because there is nothing like coming home to a warm meal on a breathtakingly cold day. If you do not own a crockpot, go get one ASAP! This will save your life especially if you work long hours and lead a busy lifestyle as my husband and I do.
10. Olive Oil dispenser: I recently found the coolest Rachael Ray olive oil dispenser at Kohl's. I had been looking for one that was a little out-of-the-ordinary and one that fit my personality and stands out in my kitchen.
I have a ton of other gadgets and fun utensils that I did not include on this list, but I thought I would start with my 'Top 10' for now. Enjoy!
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