I love kitchen gadgets!…………wait…..Let me rephrase that…..
I LOVE KITCHEN GADGETS!!!!! Give me a fistful of cash and the choice between shopping at the Mall and Someone’s In The Kitchen, the kitchen store will win every time, hands down! That place is dangerous for me….:) Ditto for Pampered Chef. Oh who am I kidding? The kitchen section at Target hurts my checkbook….
These are not paid endorsements (I wish!), none of the manufacturers of any of these products give me free stuff (I really wish!) for recommending their products. Its just a bunch of things that make my cooking life a little sweeter…:)
My Expanding Colander: How did I survive without this rockin’ little gadget?? The handles slide out so it fits over the sink, when fully expanded it will strain at least 2 pounds of cooked pasta and then folds back up and takes up very little space in my cabinet! (always a bonus!)
The Mix ‘N Chop: Those Pampered Chef peeps are smart! This is perfect for breaking up hamburger/sausage while cooking which is what it was designed to do, but it also works really well to mash potatoes, and when used to stir scrambled eggs while they cook it makes them really fluffy!
Silicone Pot Holders: I somehow manage to always get a corner of the potholder in the dish…my old-fashioned cloth potholders were always stained and icky looking. These can be run through the dishwasher every night and they look beautiful!!! And the waffled ones also makes a great hot pad….oh, and they’re extremely heatproof too which duh, is really their purpose!
The Measure All Cup: Another brilliant Pampered Chef invention….love it most when I have to measure a solid like peanut butter ‘cuz all you have to do to get the solid out is push up from the bottom, like a Push-Pop!
My Sweet Little Cork Screw: For obvious reasons…’nuff said! 🙂 **giggle!**
These next three items are more than gadgets, they are invaluable to me so I’m including them as bonus recommendations.
Bialetti Aeternum Skillet: When Bialetti says non-stick they are not kidding! I really want to get away from the traditional non-stick coated cookware as I read more and more about the health risks associated with the chemicals they release into the food. So I researched alternatives and decided to try the Bialetti Aeternum. It’s nano-ceramic interior coating is free of PFOA, free of PTFE and free of Cadmium. (I have no idea what any of those initials actually stand for, I just know they are bad!) I have yet to be able to get any food to stick in this pan including what I thought would be the ultimate test: scrambled eggs with no butter, no cooking spray, no nothing! Eggs slid right out! I’ve only had it a couple of months, so can’t attest to it’s durability over time, but at around $30 bucks for the 10-inch skillet it won’t break the bank to replace it in a couple of years if I have to.
Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 12 inch Everyday Pan: This pan is so versatile it’s ridiculous! I’m still getting the hang of cooking certain foods in it without the food sticking, but I’ve fried chicken in it, made casseroles that needed to go from stove to oven and if you’re addicted to braising as I am (the reason I bought this pan!) you’ll love it! It goes straight from the burner to the oven and then cleans up very easily, or so Luke tells me (I cook, he does dishes!).
I am replacing my beloved red Kitchen-Aid cookware with the Calphalon Tri-Ply with the addition of the Bialetti for the times when I need non-stick…Just as soon as I catch the Calphalon on sale!!
Wusthof Classic Knives: I swear I heard Angels sing when I opened the box these were in last Christmas!! They are completely amazing, they stay wicked sharp and make any chopping/slicing task so much easier, I’m not even kidding! I use the shears to cut up chicken, as well as vegetables. The kitchen store definitely does not give these away, but they are absolutely worth the cost. I have the 6 piece starter set, but I will be adding to it one knife at a time!!
There you have a few of my recommendations! Now go forth and boost the economy with fun kitchen stuff!!!
🙂
Gram-Cracker 