Kitchen Supplies

When setting up your home, you want to make sure you have the essential kitchenware on hand to create meals with ease and grace. There are many gadgets out there that are great for one thing or another but just not necessary. Meanwhile, there are a handful of items that are absolutely essential to great meal creation.

First on the list of essential items is a good set of cutting knives. Say what you will, you cannot create a meal without needing to slice something, and if you try doing that with a bad knife you will be there all day. Your knife should be made of good steel, and coupled with a good cutting board and sharpening stone. Take care of your knives and they will keep performing for you. Another essential cutting tool, a food processor, will save you hours and tears. Don't try to make soup without it.

No kitchen is complete without a set of cast iron pans. These are essential for everything from stir fries to steaks. Adding in a cast iron Dutch oven will help you create tasty roasts and stews. A stock pot is another key item, perfect for turning your leftover chicken or turkey into stock, or just for creating a large batch of your favorite soup. Round out your stove related items with a metal colander. It is well advised to have at least one 9"x12" glass baking pan and a couple of glass bread pans on hand.

Slow cookers may be the most overlooked, but most needed, kitchen accessory that you should own. With a good sized slow cooker, you can bake chicken and breads without heating up your oven in the summer. These are also essential for setting up meals before heading off for work, there is nothing more pleasant than coming home to an already prepared home-cooked meal. There are many gourmet slow cooker cookbooks out now, peruse a couple and you will see what a great investment the slow cooker is.

Last, but definitely not least, are kitchen utensils. You need a firm, metal spatula with a comfortable grip for flipping, scraping and stirring. Wooden spoons are a must, as is a deep soup ladle. Sometimes forgotten but always needed is the slotted spoon, essential for scooping items up out of their cooking broth. A sturdy set of cooking tongs will come in handy on many occasions, and you can't cook a roast without a meat thermometer. Be sure your kitchen is stocked with these essential items to make meal time fun and easy, and don't forget to add in a pair of oven mitts.