I dedicate this entry to Karen, my soon-to-be mother in-law. It wasn't until I spent some time in her kitchen that I really learned to use the right kitchen tools in the right way.
She cooks dinner for her family every night, and holds down a full-time job. How does she do it? Well, mostly passion and practice, but the tools help too. Many people don't like cooking because they don't use the right tools, and as a result, cooking turns into a laborious task with an even more difficult clean up. Sometimes we buy the wrong tools like a "ninja this" or a "something that", thinking we'll use them every day, but all they do is burn through our wallets, take up precious kitchen space and collect dust. So without further ado, here is the list:
1) Dry Measuring Cups: Any recipe that calls for dry ingredients like rice, flour, beans or sugar should be measured in the dry measuring cups and not the liquid measuring cup. Why? because the dry measuring cups are faster to use, more accurate, and because you'll likely need to keep the liquid measuring cup clean in order to use it for the wet ingredients in your recipe.
2) Mixing Bowls: No more using your soup and cereal bowls to separate recipes or using a cooking pot to mix larger batters. We have all been guilty of it at one point or another, but the buck stops here! Using mixing bowls will change your life. I like this set by Duralex because it's microwavable, freezer, and dishwasher safe, and easy to clean. They are also safe to use over a pot for a double-boiler.
3) Mason Jars: These babies rock! I admit that I can sometimes be a food snob, swearing that I can smell the plastic residue on pasta and cereal when they are kept in plastic containers. Glass mason jars are a superior alternative, and much cheaper than buying all these fancy glass jars that do the same d@mn thing! Glass emits no smell, doesn't get sticky when stored for too long, and did I mention it was easy to clean up? You can reuse mason jars without worrying that the food smell will stick to it. I get them in all different sizes for different kitchen needs. They also save you money long-term because you can buy loose beans, oats, etc. and not have to pay the premium for the packaging. I get my loose rice, lentils, and oats at Whole Foods and just empty them into the mason jars when I get home. I also like to refrigerate the ground coffee I buy (for freshness) and store it in mason jars so no fridge smells stick to it... Don't judge me until you've had my coffee.
4) Microplane Grater: This is by far, the easiest grater I've ever used. While it won't replace larger graters for cheese or potatoes, this one is ideal when zesting lemons, limes, and grating fresh nutmeg. I always store it back in the sheath it comes with so please don't dismiss it as part of the packaging and throw that part out! The sheath is helpful with keeping it clean, sharp, and not hurting your fingers when you're looking for it in the drawer.
5) Oil/ Vinegar Bottle: I don't use these for storing olive oil and balsamic vinegar like how it's advertised. I saw Karen use this bottle time and again for canola oil and it was such a simple solution that I couldn't believe all the time I spent going to the large jug of canola oil and trying to measure out just the right amount for each dish I was cooking. Never again! I bought this bottle for like 4 bucks at Home Goods and I keep it right next to my stove for convenience. I refill it with the large jug whenever it starts getting low.
6) LA's Totally Awesome!: This bottle is a "hood" secret. If you haven't spent enough time at the 99 cent store, you're probably not familiar with this product. It's $1.07 with tax and it will change your life! A super degreaser. spray it on your stove and back-splash when you're done cooking and you can wipe it off with a damp cloth. Makes clean up easy, it's even safe to use on clothes with stains before the wash. Oh, and you can use it on pans before you wash them - the grease comes right off!
7) Cookie Dough Scooper: This one is only applicable if you like to bake, and I happen to LOVE it! This looks like an ice cream scoop, and can be used as one, but it has a pivoting mechanism that makes it ideal for scooping out sticky cookie dough in perfect portions. I also use this for portioning out muffins into muffin cups without splattering the batter all over the place = less clean up.
8) Silicone Spatula: No more scraping a spoon against a plate or jar for minutes at a time trying to get the batter out or the smoothie out of the blender. This spatula contours and works like a squeegee to help you get every last bit out. I purchased a small set that's useful for different sized containers.
9) Vegetable Peeler: Until I saw Karen using one, I was skeptical about these. Why would I waste my money on another kitchen contraption for something a knife can do? Well, the truth is these work better than a knife for peeling vegetables. They remove less of the "veggie meat" and help you work quickly - cutting the time at least by half! I like this one by KitchenAid because the handle makes it really comfortable to use.
10) Cutting board: Now I know almost everyone has a cutting board, and why would I just have discovered this in my twenties? But it's not just to have a cutting board, you must have at least two. I have a wooden one I use for chopping vegetables and meats and a stone one I use for cutting fruits. Why? I notice when I cut fruit on the same board I use for meats, it gets an off flavor like garlic and onion (even though it's clean). To avoid this issue, just make sure you don't use the same board. I got my wood cutting board here and my granite one at a yard sale for 3 bucks - yup!
11) Butter Keeper: The issue I have when I want to use butter on toast is that if I get natural butter, it's too hard straight out of the fridge, so I have to opt for a spreadable butter alternative, which is usually packed full of all types of chemicals I can't pronounce. While eating too much butter will give you heart disease, I am an advocate for natural butter in moderation. This butter keeper allows you to keep butter outside of the fridge without it spoiling - how? I don't know, it just does and it's wonderful! Make sure you take off the plastic container lid before storing though - the only lid it should have is the ceramic/stone one.
12) White wine: Okay, so this is not as much a kitchen tool as it is an ingredient, but I use it much like a tool to deglaze my pans when cooking meats or vegetables. It gives soups, risottos, and gravy a depth of flavor you wouldn't normally get without it. As you continue to cook, you will use other ingredients like beer, red wine, etc. White wine is a good choice for beginners and cooking with it is a great way to use leftover wine.
If more people cooked at home, they would be more educated about what goes into their bodies, eat better tasting food, and also save money - lots of money! Hopefully these tools will turn you into a believer.
Love it! Thanks for the shout out!!
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