These are my kitchen tools that get used just about all the time. I have lots of gizmos and gadgets, but I don’t use every specific tool each time I cook. A lot of times I just make do with my favorite ones.
1) KitchenAid Professional Lift-Stand mixer
What’s not to love?! I adore my mixer, especially now that I have the flat-head beater with spatula edges, no more scraping the bowl! I don’t have many attachments, only the ice cream maker now, but I’ve got my eye on the pasta roller or meat grinder next. My only complaint with the lift-stand mixers is that you only have a stainless steel bowl option, the tilt-head versions have a glass bowl you can purchase as an accessory.
This was a gift one year for Christmas and I was skeptical. I’ve never been a fan of silicone bakeware but I decided to give this bowl a try. The reason why I love it is because you can flex the sides to pour out of it easily. My stainless steel mixing bowls (with rubber grip bottoms) don’t have a pour spout so pouring out of them can be tricky. I really like using this one for pour batter recipes like pancakes because I can mix and pour out of the same bowl. Plus it’s dishwasher safe!
Mine are from Williams and Sonoma, but you can find these just about anywhere. They are the best for scraping out of small containers. A good rubber spatula (especially the scoop kind) is a must-have kitchen basic, but I find myself using the smaller varieties even more.
4) Pampered Chef large round stone with handles
This one had to do battle with my Pampered Chef stone bar-pan to earn this spot. But, the bar pan does actually get put away, the round stone (affectionately called the pizza stone in my household) doesn’t ever leave the stove or counter top. I prefer to bake on stoneware when I can, and we use this stone for everything- baking, reheating, pizzas, big piles of nachos, you name it. One trick I’ve learned with your stones is using them to help bread dough rise. They work because they hold heat so well and stay warm so long. I’ll heat mine in the oven then place the hot stone either near or under my bowl of rising dough and it creates a nice warm environment to get that yeast working.
I cut my pizza with kitchen shears, aka scissors. It’s weird but true. I also “chop” my green onion by snipping them with my shears. Ditto with chicken. I know how to use a knife, but I’m much savvier with scissors. So anything that is in a strip-like shape and needs to be chopped or diced, I forgo my kitchen knives and use my shears. I also use them for opening various food packages. My favorite pair actually comes apart like salad tongs and is dishwasher safe (easy to clean!)
Some other tools that earned honorable mention:
· My stone bar-pan
· Garlic press
· Pampered Chef Mix-n-Chop tool (for ground meats)
· Glass prep bowls
I am usually not a drinker of the Pampered Chef Kool-Aid, but I have to agree that the Mix 'n Chop and their little glass prep bowls are AMAZING! Both of these items I have purchased for all of my school kitchens as well as my own at home.
ReplyDeleteI also understand about the glass bowls. Doesn't make as big a difference to me at home, but when demonstrating at school the kids are fascinated by watching dough/batter/etc whip up inside a see-through bowl.