Whether self-isolation or a New Year's resolution has inspired you to cook more or you're starting to get burnt out on cooking your own meals, revamping your kitchen tools can make all the difference.
That's why we asked Spinach and Bacon food blogger Erin Aronowitz (@spinachandbacon) for some of her tried-and-true recommendations for kitchen gadgets. She specializes in delicious, easy-to-make recipes that anyone can enjoy!
In her list, you'll find simpler tools like towels and spatulas, but you'll also find some versatile pieces of equipment. See how her stock measures up to yours, and read all of her recommendations carefully for some time-saving tips!
This tough little grater is awesome for grating ginger, garlic, turmeric, fresh parmesan, lemon peel, and more. I buy ginger in bulk, and then I keep it in my freezer so that it doesn't go bad. Anytime I need to use ginger in a recipe, I take out my ginger and I use this grater to grate fresh ginger super easily.
It has a super comfortable handle and a no-slip foot so that it won't move while you are grating your food. It also comes with a protective cover for safety!
This 7-in-1 multi cooker does it all. I use it primarily for its pressure cooker feature, but you can also use it to sauté food, make rice, slow cook, and even make yogurt! I have been using my Instant Pot for years to make fork tender meats, soups and stews.
Because it cooks on a timer, the meal comes out perfect every single time. Also, on warmer days when you do not want to turn on your oven, this Instant Pot can ensure you are still able to get tons of meal prep done without heating up your whole house.
I recently switched to all cotton dish towels to dry dishes or clean countertops. I used to use paper towels to clean countertops, but I started looking for a more eco-friendly alternative and found these cotton towels.
You can usually reuse these several times and then throw them in the laundry to clean. It saves you from using hundreds of paper towels, and dries and cleans surfaces super well. They hold up well after multiple uses and they are extremely handy to have around the house for cleaning! They also come in a few different colors.
I have had this food processor for over 10 years and it is still going strong! I use it to make everything from pesto to peanut butter to cauliflower rice. It also comes with awesome discs so you can easily shred a block of cheese, shred potatoes to make hash browns, or even slice veggies to make chips.
It is super easy to clean and has a safety lock so that you never have to worry about it starting before you are ready. It is a powerful little machine that will help make cooking prep a breeze!
An immersion blender is a great tool to have around the kitchen if you make a lot of soups, sauces, condiments, or purees. I've had my immersion blender for years and it has never failed me.
Instead of having to pour your soup into a food processor in batches when making soup, you can just turn off the heat on the soup, and then use your immersion blender right in the soup pot to puree.
This hand blender is so easy to clean and takes up such little room in a cabinet. This is something I always buy if I see it on a friend's wedding registry because it is such a useful kitchen tool!
I never knew that they make baking sheets in more than one size, but once I found out, my life was changed.
When making cookies, I always struggled to fit two baking sheets in my oven at the same time. It seemed like the sheet on the bottom rack cooked differently than the sheet on the top rack. And the two sheets never seemed to fit side by side, unless I was using a very big oven. Not anymore.
Buying these extra-large baking sheets lets you make two batches of cookies, or even meatballs, at once. That can save you so much time, energy, and gas (if you use a gas stove like me). Also, if you make a lot of sheet pan dinners, you can fit the whole meal on one pan!
By using parchment paper instead of grease, I must have saved myself over a million calories this year. I am not a calorie counter, but still, I would like to avoid excess when I can.
Nothing sticks to parchment paper, so you can always lay it down on your baking sheet before you cook anything. Plus, it acts as a protective layer to the pan so it makes clean up a breeze.
It has a high smoke point, so it can withstand most oven temperatures, which is great! Whenever I see parchment paper on sale or sold in bulk, I jump on it!
10.25 in. with Silicone Hot Handle Holder
$34.48
I love my cast iron pan! It has been such a great addition to my pan collection. You can use it to cook steaks on the stovetop, but you can also use it whenever you want to make a dish that starts on the stovetop and finishes in the oven.
Whenever I make meatballs I like to brown them on the stovetop first. Then, I can just take the whole pan and put it in the oven to finish cooking without having to transfer the meatballs to another pan. I have also used my cast iron pan to make dips like buffalo chicken dip and spinach artichoke dip.
This kitchen tool doesn't get used every day, but it is still super useful. You can use this to add sauce to ribs during the cooking process, brush butter on poultry skin, add butter to delicate sheets of phyllo dough, add egg wash on top of dough for a smooth shine, and more.
The basting brushes of the past used to be made with very thin hair-like bristles, and it would be so hard to clean them and get all of the liquid or butter from between each bristle. This silicone basting brush has silicone "bristles" that wash off so easily with warm water!
The GIR Get It Right Flip spatula is my favorite everyday spatula. Nothing sticks to it, and it has a wide surface to get under fried eggs, burgers, chicken breast, everything! Also, the handle is one smooth piece, so water doesn't get stuck in the handle during the washing process leading to a weakened handle.
This spatula can rest on your pan without burning and is just the perfect accessory for your kitchen utensil supply. This spatula comes in a few different shapes and sizes, but I love the "ultimate" for everyday use.
Now that you've got some ideas for how to streamline your kitchen, go try out some new recipes or see if you can get a little more out of your favorites. Finding a cooking method that works for you isn't always a linear path, but with Erin's recommendations, hopefully you're one step closer to finding your perfect kitchen setup!
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