Fall is all about baking delicious apple pies and cooking hearty soups, so this month I thought that it might be a good idea to share three of my favorite tools that certainly get a serious workout in my kitchen this season. Today's list of tools are all multipurpose essentials for my kitchen and make my time spent preparing foods much easier. All practical staples that I would highly recommend outfitting in your own kitchen.
Kitchen Aid 9-Speed Hand Mixer
I was one of many who dreamed of the day when I would finally own a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. Stand mixers (aka "The Work Horse") really are the ultimate kitchen accessory and very practical addition to any kitchen. While I do agree that the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer is a work horse (and work of art), they are not cheap. Not everyone has $300-$500 that they can easily spend on a stand mixer, nor does everyone have the countertop/storage space to accommodate such a prominent kitchen electric.
My alternative solution? The Kitchen Aid 9-Speed Hand Mixer. Not only does this mixer come with all of the same standard attachments as a stand mixer (dough hooks, power beaters, whisk and even a liquid blender!), but it's also a fraction of the size and cost! I have gone through my fair share of hand mixers from all of my cooking and baking over the years, but this Kitchen Aid hand mixer continues to stand the test of time. This hand mixer is definitely a great alternative (or additional) mixing electric for any kitchen.
10-Piece Glass Bowl Set
Whenever I am cooking, baking or even displaying ingredients for a blog post, I always find myself pulling out my 10-piece glass bowl set to help get the job done. I love this set of mixing bowls because there is a bowl size to fit every cooking/baking need, they are dishwasher safe, BPA Free and are beyond reasonably priced ($39.95!). Heck, I have even used these bowls on occasion as serving pieces! You really can never have too many bowls. This fabulous set is definitely a great buy.
Williams Sonoma Silicone Spatulas
When we acquired our nice pots and pans, I quickly realized that the days of using metal cooking utensils were over. In an effort to preserve the aesthetic of my cookware I made the switch over to wooden cooking utensils to avoid any potential scratching. Using cooking wooden utensils was fine at first, but I quickly grew tired of the constant hand washing of each piece and never feeling like the utensils were actually clean. Enter the Williams-Sonoma Silicone Spoonula with Stainless Steel Handle. Discovering this utensil (actually the entire line of silicone cooking utensils) was a breath of fresh air! Not only can they be used for both cooking and baking, but they are also heat resistant up to 600 degrees fahrenheit and dishwasher safe! I love having hygienic cooking tools that can be used for an array of purposes and are safe to use on both my cookware/bakeware. This line of stainless steel/silicone cooking utensils certainly fits the bill!