Around the house: kitchen utensils
What would you consider the "essential" utensils in your kitchen?
I was reading a newspaper article (on-line) yesterday which listed the top 10 utensils for your kitchen - thinking I would find some really useful, what I found instead was expensive and very useless items such as pineapple peelers and something you do with strawberries to remove their tops!!!
So I thought I would list the 10 items in my kitchen that I use all the time:
I have excluded such things as wooden spoons and spatulas as they are a given in every home (I would assume).
- Microwave - this is used all the time to stream veggies, re-heat, defrost, melt chocolate and the list goes on. I doubt my sons could live without a microwave.
- Fry pan - I use this almost every night to cook the meat and find it useful when cooking bolognaise sauce, chilli con carne etc..
- Grater - this comes in very handy in summer when I grate carrots and cheese for salads.
- Potato masher - as you may remember from a previous blog, my DH loves his potatoes, particular mashed, so this is used all the time.
- Scissors - these are very handy and it can be frustrating when they go missing, as they seem to far too often!
- Slow cooker - this is so useful in winter, throw something in and by the time it is dinner it is cooked.
- Toastie maker - I doubt my children could live without this item, they make toasties almost every day (sometimes for breakfast). Their favourite is salami and cheese
- Food processor - this is not used every week, but it is so handy when making cheesecake, meat balls and processing soups.
- Handheld mixer - I use this all the time when baking - I have had it for ages and it is a tough little thing, considering what I expect it to do!
- Wooden boards - I have 2 large ones on my kitchen bench that stay there all the time, they are used very day.
What about those useless things (rarely used) taking up precious space in my cupboard - juicer, popcorn maker, ice cream maker and coffee percolator. Why did I buy them!! Who knows.
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Jo,
ReplyDeleteI see "like minds" do think alike. I was going to do a post regarding a similar topic, but you beat me to it, phooey! :) However, mine has a slightly different twist, so maybe I can still pull it off. :)
At any rate, the items you mentioned are items that I use often in my kitchen as well. At the moment, I can't think of any other items besides the ones on your list that I use often.
Blessings,
-Lady Rose
We don't have a microwave, food processor or toastie maker, but we use the rest of the things on your list.
ReplyDeleteOther things we really like using - peeler (we don't just use this to peel skins; we use it to make peeled pieces of carrot in salads, too), plunger (Dan loves making plunger coffee), hand-held frother (we don't just use this to froth milk - we use it to get rid of lumps eg when making gravy or white sauce)... There's probably others, but that's all that comes to mind right now!!
Great list! I wish I had a food processor. Maybe some day. My last blender broke and I'm actually experimenting with not replacing it. I have a stick blender and it's working out for me so far.
ReplyDeleteI think my most frequently used kitchen tool is my big scary sharp knife. I use it all the time and it makes life so much more pleasant than when I had to use a little cheap dull one.
I use my microwave all the time too. It's so convenient!
Mrs Mordecai - I do use my stick blender for soups, but not very often.
ReplyDeleteAs for the food processor - mine broke and like you, thought I could live without it, but much to my delight last Christmas my DH gave me one as a gift. I am about to use it to make cheesecake - it is the best thing for blending the cream cheese.
Very similar list here. Take out the Food processor and add a sharp knife and a potato peeler perhaps.
ReplyDeleteOur Toatie maker is so popular, my sons gave one to my daughter for an engagement gift and she says it has been their most used present.
I had a veggie peeler for quite some time and started using it recently and boy am I glad! Saves me much time while prepping for dinner.
ReplyDeleteMicrowave is a def. must:)
We don't have a microwave. At first, I thought it would be hard to live without, but I don't miss it at all.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what a toastie maker or a plunger is? I use my toaster (just makes toast), hand mixer, blender, sharp knife, and tea pot every day, or nearly. I've always wanted one of those apple core/peeler things that attach to your counter. someday.