Earlier this week we had a look into what we suggest having on hand for a once a month cooking day. Those items can either be purchased or borrowed from a friend. I am notorious for stalking Craigslist for them as well. Gently used can be a big money saver. You definitely don’t have to break the bank for equipment.
However, if you find yourself with those items already and are wanting to make a bit of a wish list for the holidays, perhaps there are some other things that are not necessary but perhaps would be nice to have on hand. Some of you have also asked about some of our favorite items to have on hand that might not be on the “necessary” list but that we find very useful. So we thought we would write another post spelling out some of those items.
- Pampered Chef Mix N’ Chop – Aside from my pairing knife I am not sure there is another piece of equipment that gets as much use in my kitchen as this little gadget. It is AMAZING for chopping up ground meat when you are cooking it. Such a simple invention that I absolutely swoon over.
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KitchenAid Immersion Blender
KitchenAid Immersion Blender – I can’t say enough about this piece of equipment. It is absolutely amazing! I call it the “Immersion Blender on Steroids”. Not only does it work as an immersion blender but it chops, whips, and much more.
- Flexi Cutting Boards/Mats – We love these for chopping and easily placing items into pots and bowls because of their flexibility. I think they would be excellent for rolling out dough as well!
- FoodSaver – I actually don’t personally have one of these but some of our staff does and swear by it. Try the model linked but there are other models listed on Amazon.com as well. Just find the one you think you are most likely to use and would fit in your space.
- Whirlpool Freezer – Really? This should have probably been on the basics list except for the fact that you can do once a month cooking with just a refrigerator freezer. BUT if you want to put something on your wish list for Christmas that would make once a month cooking a whole lot simpler, this would be the thing. I love the Whirlpool ones because they have those handy sliding baskets for storage. And I am a fan of the chest freezer over the stand-up but I do now own one of each; they have their pros and cons.
Your TURN! What would you add to this list? Your BEST once a month cooking kitchen essentials?
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