Helpful Things

TOOLS

FOR BECOMING A

CONFIDENT HOME COOK

Cooking at home is super easy when you have a few things in place:

image Useful kitchen tools

image A well-organized kitchen, including a fridge and pantry stocked with versatile staples

image Great meal-planning skills

image An efficient system for buying groceries

image Delicious recipes

image

I included this section so that you too can gain the confidence in order to become a great home cook. Imagine a kitchen that’s a comfortable, happy place and full of ingredients that you love. You can have that! It takes a little planning, and it might require you to clean out a drawer or two that are full of past-their-prime condiments, but I promise that the tools in this chapter will help you create a home-cooking culture that your family will be so thankful for. Feel free to refer to this section again and again until you get into a rhythm that feels best for you and your family.

Kitchen Gear and Gadgets

When it came time to make a list of my “essential” kitchen tools, I had a hard time narrowing it down! The truth is, the items below get used in my kitchen almost every week. And because I have a tool for every job, cooking and baking are a whole lot easier. I’m not recommending that you go out and buy every single item on this list. Collect items over time, don’t buy the best and the fanciest, and do the best you can with what you have.

SMALL APPLIANCES

image Blender

image Food processor

image Stand mixer

image Immersion blender

image Kitchen scale

image Slow cooker

image Toaster

POTS AND PANS

image Baking sheets

image Cake pans (round, rectangular, and square)

image Bundt pan

image Muffin pans

image Casserole/baking dishes (small, medium, and large)

image Roasting pan

image Dutch oven

image Skillets (small, medium, and large)

image Cast-iron skillet

image Saucepans (small, medium, and large)

image Large stockpot

TOOLS AND UTENSILS

image Mixing bowls

image Dry measuring cups

image Liquid measuring cups

image Measuring spoons

image Good knives (chef, paring, serrated—different sizes)

image Ladles

image Wooden spoons

image Spatulas

image Potato masher

image Slotted spoon

image Tongs

image Metal turner

image Vegetable peeler

image Whisks

image Microplane

image Instant-read thermometer

image Box grater

image Colander

image Mesh strainer

image Can opener

image Garlic press

image Kitchen scissors

image Citrus juicer

image Pastry brush

image Pizza cutter

image Salad spinner

image Cooling racks

image Bench scraper

image Pastry blender

image Rolling pin

image Silpat baking mats

image Parchment paper

image Ice cream scoop

image Pepper mill

image Salt cellar