Behind the Camera: In the Kitchen

Food Blogger: My 12 Favourite Tools in the Kitchen

Many of my friends and family ask me what my favourite tools are in the kitchen. I find the right tool helps you get the job done right! So just like Oprah has her list of “Favourite Things”, here’s my list of “Favourite Tools in the Kitchen”:

  1. My KitchenAid Mixer
    I use my KitchenAid mixer for EVERYTHING. Seriously, everything. Muffins, breads, cookies, whipping cream, cream cheese dips, mashed
  2. potatoes. If there is one tool I use the most often it’s my mixer. Although any stand mixer will do the trick, only KitchenAid has stood up to every challenge I’ve thrown at it.
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  3. Stainless steel measuring cups and spoons
    Nothing compares to the quality of stainless steel. Washing it is easy and even after year of abuse, my stainless steel measuring cups and spoons look brand new. You can’t do much in the kitchen unless you have something to measure your ingredients with.
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  4. Silicone Spatula Set
    I love my silicon spatula set so much I always buy these as Christmas gifts to share with friends and family. I have multiple sets as when I get started in the kitchen working on my batches of Christmas cookies, I go through so many in a day I don’t want to get slowed down by having to stop and wash them. Into the dishwasher they go!
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  5. Aluminum Cookie Sheets
    Funny store: I had my kitchen designed around my cookie sheets. I have 10 of them. This may seem a little excessive but again, during the holiday season when I’m making multiple batches of cookies, I find it easier to let my cookies cool on the cookie sheets while I move on to the next batch of cookies.
    Cookie sheets are great for more then just baking. I use them for roasting potatoes, cooking prosciutto wrapped asparagus and baking sweet potato rounds.
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  6. Ninja Blender
    Not only is my Ninja Blender on my favourite’s, it’s on my son’s as well. I have a Ninja blender. While there are other brands available, I like the design with 6 blades on a removable shaft positioned in the middle of the pitcher. The ingredients never have to make it to the bottom of the pitcher. Our main use for the blender is to make smoothies, I’ve used it to make soup, crepe batter and salsa.
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  7. Hand Blender
    This is only a recent addition to my kitchen. While I’ve used my blender in the past to make soups (see above) a hand blender is really want I needed. (SO much easier and way less messy) I can also use the hand blender to help puree tomatoes for spaghetti sauce.
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  8. Silicon Oven Mitts
    These are a personal preference but after gifting a pair to my girlfriend, I never truly appreciated what a blessing they are to have in the kitchen. As my girlfriend pointed out: they are long enough so you don’t burn your wrists or forearms, you will NEVER burn your hands (sometimes the heat makes its way through cloth ones) and the best part is they clean so easily! All the things I took for granted until she pointed out these amazing facts.
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  9. Balloon Whisk
    This was probably one of my first purchases when I first moved out of my parents house. Good bye fork, hello WHISK!! While the ones from the dollar store will suffice, investing in a good quality one will save you money in the long run. Trust me on this. I’ve had them rust out on me, bend and eventually make their way into the garbage can sooner rather then later. My OXO brand has been with me for years and still holding steady. I certainly don’t need to list all the many uses of a whisk.
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  10. Metal Mixing Bowls
    Mixing bowls are a must. The type would be a personal preference. I like metal because, well, they don’t break. We all get clumsy sometimes, some members of my family more often, and to save my sanity I’ve just decided metal mixing bowls are the way to go. I also have a good selection on hand in many different sizes. I use my mixing bowls for everything (obviously) I would be lost without them.
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  11. Food Processor
    This may seem like an indulgence but one I can not live without. A food processor is especially great when you batch cook or can or don’t like to chop onions. Oh yeah. If I know I have to cut more then one onions, my food processor comes out. No tears!! (until I open the lid) I use my food processor to slice my cucumbers for pickles, shred my carrots for carrot cake, grate cheese for freezer meals and even chop tomatoes for my spaghetti sauce. It’s an investment and one more item you need to find a home for in your precious cupboard real estate but truly invaluable in my opinion.
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  12. Baking Cooling Racks
    Pretty self explanatory – everything that comes out of my oven hits my cooking racks. I also use my cooking racks to cook bacon on in the oven, cook chicken wings on and are invaluable for my parmesan chicken fingers. Dipping something in chocolate? You can also use cooling racks to let the excess chocolate drip off.
    Fun tip: trying to stack stuff in the fridge or freezer but don’t have a lid? Place a cooling rack on top of the bottom container then place your second container on top of the cooling rack.
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  13. Pasta maker
    Ok. Indulgent. Totally, totally indulgent. But when I make homemade ravioli or lasagna with fresh pasta and my family groans at the dinner table over how delicious the food is? Yup. Totally worth it. You would not realize how ridiculously easy it is to make fresh pasta. If you find it’s a lot of work making pasta, get the ladies together for an afternoon of pasta making! Everyone will leave with some freshly made pasta and you’ll have enjoy a fabulous afternoon.
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