Kitchen Wants, Finds and Favorites

Ah yes, if only I had unlimited kitchen space for mini appliances, tools, cooking vessels, and so forth. Though we have a nice sized kitchen, unlimited space for kitchen items is obviously not realistic, so choosing wisely is important. Even when I am not planning on buying something for the kitchen at that moment, I like to have a mental "wish list" for those items. Of course, I do own items that I must say I would not want my kitchen to be without. Some of them are a bit of a financial splurge while others are fairly inexpensive. Either way, here are a few (of the many) things that spark my interest.

                                                                                      Images by Williams-Sonoma

1. "Multi-cooker" Slow cookers: Most people know what a slow cooker is, but now you will find models that also have the capability to do a lot more than slow cook your dinner. Although the specific capabilities do depend on the model, the ones that grab my attention offer you the convenience of browning, sauteing, slow-cooking, roasting, and steaming in the same cooking vessel. There are not a whole lot of these out there right now but I would not be surprised if additional manufacturers jumped on board. Its on my list! If interested, here is where you can purchase the one pictured above; Cuisinart Multicooker

                                                                     Image By KitchenAid

2. KitchenAid Stand Mixer: This is really something that every kitchen should have. With all of the attachments available for it, you can get the ones that would be most relevant to what you would use it for. I myself would like to get a few upgrades for mine, but even without a collection of attachments, I still find myself using it fairly often. It is great for baking, but with the attachments you can make anything from salsa to fresh pasta. It is a bit pricier than other stand mixers, but this one will last a long time and has many more uses than simply mixing cake batter. For fun, it comes in a wide variety of colors; even lime green and yellow if that's what you're into.

Image By QVC

3. Vitamix Blender: I got a Vitamix last spring and I just love it. Aside from mixing up some darn good (and very healthy) smoothies, it has a number of other uses as well. I don't know all of the specifications, but I do know that the design and power of the Vitamix allows for one to make soups, sauces, sorbets, and more. There is a cookbook that has recipes to be used with the Vitamix and rather than just drinks, it has things for every meal of the day. The premium models are larger than your average blender, but considering how useful it is and what it can do, that can be expected. Also, if you are looking for a simple blender to whip up a milkshake from time to time, I will be honest and say it would not be worth the money. I, on the other hand, am thrilled to have it in my kitchen.

                                                              Image By Williams-Sonoma

4. Mandoline: If you have no idea what I am referring to by a mandoline, you will probably recognize it by the picture above; its a tool with adjustable and sometimes interchangeable cutting blades for easy, versatile slicing. There are various models out there and it really depends on how you expect to use it as to which product to go with. I would look into the adjusting capabilities and whether or not it offers interchangeable blades for different cuts. Keep in mind, a mandoline can be very dangerous if not used properly and I would definitely purchase one that not only has a quality hand guard, but is sturdy as well.

Image By Amazon.com

5. Food Thermometer: In my opinion, this is a must have when it comes to the kitchen. Cooking food to the proper temperature not only influences the flavor, but for some foods it is a safety issue. I recommend a digital thermometer that you can have in the food while its cooking with the base and temperature reading outside of the oven/pan/etc. Be sure to read how to use it correctly and to be aware of what temperature your food needs to be. Look around at the different kinds of thermometers there are and see what would best suit your cooking needs, price range or preference.