Kitchen utensils: the basics

Hi readers thanks for reading my first official post! I am so excited to share what I believe are the basic utensils you should have in your kitchen, and how much you need to spend. Because I have found that good cookware is so important and if it looks cheap it is cheap. But you don't always have to spend a lot of money to get a great product. Shopping at discount stores and clearance shelves can save you tons of money and get you the best brands! Some of my favorite places to get kitchen items are Ross like stores they often cary high end cookware and utensils for a small fraction of what they would normally cost. And all you have to put up with is maybe a damaged box or it is there because of a big surplus or the packaging has been redesigned or something small like that.

So here is my list of favorites and basics of cookware and utensils.

First of all you need a good set of pots and pans  but you don't need a big set nor do you need to spend a lot of money. You can chose between stainless steel or non stick here are two examples.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-12-Piece-Gourmet-Tri-Ply-Base-Cookware-Set-Stainless-Steel/23080037

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rachael-Ray-10-Piece-Porcelain-Enamel-Non-Stick-Cookware-Set/23262948

what you want to look for is a pan that is heavy bottomed and that has a handle that is screwed onto the pan. These features will ensure first of all a pan that will not warp and that is sturdy when you are picking it up.  

Now on to utensils and knives. 

http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-Professional-Stamped-Stainless-25-Piece/dp/B003DA4RH6/ref=sr_1_35?ie=UTF8&qid=1382900596&sr=8-35&keywords=farberware+chef+knife

These knives from Farberware are very similar to my set.  I prefer these knives because they have a good weight, they are very sturdy and stay sharp. My set is 3 or 4 years old and are still as sharp as the day I bought them. When looking for knives you want the blade to go down through the handle. Make sure the set includes at least a paring knife, utility knife, Santoku knife (this is your go to all purpose knife a MUST HAVE), a slicer this can have a serrated edge or a straight edge which ever you prefer, and a set of steak knives.  The set I posted a link to is a very reasonable price around $50. That is the same amount I paid for mine and they have stood the test of time. But I highly suggest that you go in to a store and inspect the knives for yourself. 

Now utensils. I know we all have so many in our kitchen drawers that we don't even know what half of them do. But I am going to show you the estentials that will keep your drawers neat and clutter free and make cooking easier. 

The first item is Tongs these are so important for serving, mixing, flipping over food; they are a all purpose tool. here are some similar ones to the ones i have I got mine at Ross for much cheaper but this is a good example. and again if they look cheap they  probably preform cheaply.

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-12-Inch-Stainless-Steel-Locking/dp/B00004OCK1/ref=sr_1_1?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1382901535&sr=1-1

The second item is a set of wooden spoons or metal ones I don't like using plastic on heat unless it is silicone because the plastic will tend to melt off and get in your food. And make sure if you have non-stick pans that you don't use metal utensils as it will scratch them. I have a similar set to the ones I have posted below and I love them. Bamboo kitchen tools are great they are long lasting and make wonderful cutting boards for veggies. I cover cutting boards later on.

http://www.amazon.com/Lipper-International-826-Bamboo-Kitchen/dp/B0037NZ5ES/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1382901830&sr=1-3&keywords=wooden+spoons

A good wisk is essential for turning out smooth sauces and gravies. This is an area where you want to go professional like these in the link below are exactly what I use. They will last forever and are a good investment and don't cost a fortune.

http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-Piece-Stainless-Steel-Balloon/dp/B00005EBH9/ref=sr_1_11?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1382902012&sr=1-11

I love big pancake turners. They work great for burgers too. This one in the link below is very similar to mine it is silicone and very durable.

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Silicone-Flexible-Pancake-Turner/dp/B000ND5CBG/ref=sr_1_9?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1382902012&sr=1-9

And of course a ladle a must have for soups, stews and sauces. Don't go home with out one of these. And again, silicone or steel both work great.

http://www.amazon.com/Adcraft-LIPC-8-Stainless-Steel-Deluxe/dp/B004NG9EWW/ref=sr_1_54?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1382902087&sr=1-54

Now the last thing I am going to talk about is cutting boards. It is very important to have two, one for meats and one for veggies. This is the best way to avoid cross contamination. I like bamboo for veggies and a non-porus plastic for meats. And these always get washed in hot soapy water. But don't let any wooden cutting boards soak in water as it will ruin them.

And again neither of these are expensive and can be found even cheaper at stores like Ross or walmart.

http://www.amazon.com/Totally-Bamboo-20-7930-3-Piece-Cutting/dp/B002M782UO/ref=sr_1_13?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1382902586&sr=1-13&keywords=cutting+boards

http://www.amazon.com/Microban-Antimicrobial-Cutting-Board-Green/dp/B00BM9939C/ref=sr_1_20?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1382902586&sr=1-20&keywords=cutting+boards

I hope you enjoy my first post all about kitchen tools! I love questions so please comment! Thanks!

Welcome to my kitchen!

Hi readers and welcome to my kitchen. I have always loved to cook it has been a passion of mine ever since I was a small child. My mom taught me how to cook and I continued gathering knowledge as a I grew older.

With each post I  plan to share a recipe with step by step instructions. I want to show that even the most inexperienced can cook a great meal. I will also share the basics of cooking and how having the right tools in your kitchen can make cooking easier and so much fun.

I love to cook and still have so much I want to learn. I hope  you enjoy my posts and please comment and share your own recipes too!