Top 10 Kitchen Must-Haves

We all have those things in the kitchen we just can’t live without. My list likely includes upwards of a thousand items, but I decided to post my top 10 instead. These aren’t in any particular order. Each has been my most needed item depending on what it is I’m doing.

1. Panasonic Bread Maker – Ninety percent of the time, when people come for dinner, they get bread from the bread maker. It’s so easy, has time bake and makes great bread. It also makes dough so I can make rolls without all the work.
2. KitchenAid Stand Mixer – I use this nearly every time I bake. It mixes my cakes, cookies, brownies, etc. It even beats egg whites so I don’t have to stand there. Plus, this thing lasts forever!
3. Silpat Non-stick silicone baking liner – I can’t make cookies without this. I’ve tried a few substitute brands, but Silpat is the best. My cookies come out perfectly every time and it’s so easy to clean.
4. KitchenAid Digital Hand Mixer – I love this hand mixer because it has seven speeds! Seven! I use this to make frosting, mashed potatoes and occasionally use it in place of my stand mixer.
5. Pyrex Nesting Bowls with lids – These are so versatile. I use them for mixing, storing, transporting food and this weekend I even baked a cake in one! They are durable and secure.
6. Cookie Scooper – Another must-have for me when making cookies. There is no rolling dough with this, plus all the cookies come out the same size. I also use this when making cupcakes and muffins to measure the batter exactly.
7. Microplane – This is another versatile kitchen tool. I use this to zest fruit and grind spices, like whole all-spice.
8. Kitchen Scale – This comes in handy in a lot of circumstances. If a recipe calls for a certain quantity of a canned item and you choose to use fresh, this is great to have. This is also nice for measuring meat.
9. Rival Crock Pot – If something happened to my Crock Pot, I’d replace it the same day. This is a wonderful way to have a great meal without spending a lot of time.
10. Cuisinart Ice cream maker – I have to admit, our ice cream maker doesn’t get a ton of use, but whenever it does we think “we’re so glad we have this!” This particular ice cream maker produces delicious ice cream without a ton of effort and extra supplies.