Gifts for the Kitchen

If you have someone on your list that loves to cook, check out a few of these ideas.  I have all of these in my kitchen, and they all get used constantly! Most of these can be found at local specialty kitchen stores or online at websites like Amazon.com.

iSi Basics Flex-it Measuring Cups, Set of 3 (approx $25)

I received these as a gift last year and wasn't sure what to think.  I have a liquid measuring cup as well as metal measuring cups.  So why did I need more?  These do more than just measure.  You can use the big one to make smoothies with your immersion blender then easily pour directly in to serving cups without spilling.

You can pour pancake batter, drip free.  Cupcake batter... filling for mini quiches, pies, muffins.  I think of more uses every time I bake something.

Immersion Blender ($20 and up)

You can puree soups as they cook on the stove.  In the pot!  No need to transfer soups to a blender.  You can use your immersion blender emulsify, whip, to make smoothies, milkshakes, salad dressing, mayo, quick blending of batters or mixes.

I have the Cuisinart Quick Prep, which costs around $20.  Its not fancy, its just your basic immersion blender.  Plus, mine came with a mixing cup that fits the blender perfectly.  I've never had an issue with it, and mine gets heavy use.

Trudeau Utensil Pot Clip (Prices vary, but start at $7)

Best invention!  My mom and I have given these to most of our friends.  Used them as stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, as a garnish to a kitchen themed gift...  They come in a rainbow of color options.

It clips to the edge of your pot and holds your mixing spoon or spatula so you don't have to deal with placing the utensil on the kitchen counter and making a mess.  If you don't have one of these, add it to your wish list.  Better yet, just buy one for yourself the next time you're near a kitchen shop!

Silicone Sleeve for Pot/Pan Handles ($8 and up)

I have made the mistake of grabbing the handle of a hot frying pan that needs to come out of the oven.  Do not make this same mistake!  The next day I went out and purchased a silicone pot handle sleeve for all of my All-Clad cookware and to protect my hands the next time a recipe calls for a dish to go from stovetop to oven.  This isn't something people usually think of for themselves!

They come in a variety of colors.  This is a purchase for someone with cookware that goes from stove to oven. This isn't a must for everyday stovetop cooking. 

 

Silicone hot pads or mitts ($8 and up)

Anyone who bakes or cooks can always use a nice set of hot pads or mitts.  I'm embarassed at the amount of hot pads and mits that I own... thick cotton, the 'Oven Glove', holiday themed,... but my silicone hot pads are my go-to item.  They withstand a lot of heat, can be used as a protector of tabletops, can be rinsed off in the sink (instead of the need of a washing machine with cloth pads/mits), and come in a variety of colors.

I own the brand from Sur la Table for both the silicone sleeve hot pad, and love them! 

Mini Food Processor ($35 and up)

I have the DeLonghi mini food processor that is no longer available online (very similar to the Cuisinart brand).  Perfect for grinding flaxseed, oats, seasonings and herbs, making breadcrumbs, making baby food, etc.  Making small batches of salsa, dressings...

I have the giant Cuisinart, so having the option of using something much smaller for quick items is nice.  Plus, it has less parts to clean.

Kitchen Scale ($20 and up)

I LOVE my kitchen scale.  It allows me to: measure things exact; divide things evenly (like pie dough or cake batter poured in 2 pans...); easily half a recipe or double/triple a recipe when odd measurements are involved.  These days, I think most people assume kitchen scales are used for dieting.  But if you love to cook, a kitchen scale is a must.  I've even used it to weigh non-food items.

I have the EatSmart Precision Pro.  It measures in ounces/lbs/grams/kgs and has a tare feature that lets you subtract the weight of the plate or bowl holding the item you're weighing.

Salt Keeper ($10 and up)

I cook/bake every day of the week.  This results in lots of salt being used.  Salt in boiling water, seasoning steaks, chicken or fish, marinades... I used to keep a mini glass prep bowl full of kosher salt on my stove.  It was very convenient, but very unattractive.  It also spilled on occasion, and cleaning spilled kosher salt from my circa '84 stove is a chore.  Thats where a salt keeper, also called a salt pig, comes in handy.

These pretty ceramic or wood vessels for salt are meant to be kept out on the counter and within arms reach of the stove or kitchen prep areas. Available in many colors too!  I own a beautiful olive wood salt keeper from Sur la Table.  It is higher priced ($48.95) but a little piece of art on the kitchen counter, and something I never would have bought for myself.  One of my favorite gifts that I received this year.

These are just a few of my favorite things in the kitchen.  Do you have a favorite thing in the kitchen, or that makes the perfect gift for a person that loves to cook?

Brownies

Tonight I'm hosting a pool party for the alumnae association I belong to.  To get in the sorority spirit I made some brownies and gave them a personal touch. 

You can do this with any dark or chocolate cake/brownie and powdered sugar. 

If you have a larger cake you can lay a doilie on top of the cake and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Gently lift up doilie and wah-lah!  A beautiful design!

To make the Kappa and Gamma above, I cut the letters out of stiff cardboard that the brownie mix came in.  GASP.  Yes, I used brownie mix.  I know, not really my style, but we're running low on time people!  I cut the brownies and then lay the K and Γ randomly throughout the pan and sprinkled the powdered sugar.

Have fun with this!

Got Milk?

Coolest thing ever!  Well, for chocolate milk lovers, anyways.  These special 'straws' turn regular milk in to chocolate milk as you sip!  They run about $2 for a 5 pack, and come in a variety of flavors.  I bought ours at our local grocery and finally gave one to Blake today as a reward.

He thought it was so cool!  The milk in his glass was white, but as you suck the milk through the straw, the little chocolate beads turn the milk to chocolate flavored.  He let me have a sip because I was very curious, and I thought it tasted really good.  Whoever came up with this idea was pretty clever.

The straw has seals at both ends so the flavor beads don't fall out.  Very genious, and great for travel if you wanted a little treat and don't want to pay for chocolate milk. 

The straw lasted for one big glass of milk. 

Fire Wire and Citrus Sauce

My mom gave us a cool gadget called a "Fire Wire".  Instead of using the wooden skewers for grilling, the Fire Wire is metal and very flexible and long.  It allows a large amount of food to be placed on each, can bend and twist for small grills or ovens, and the loop/handle stays cool.  We've used it twice in the past week and love it!  Only downside is having to take the food off the wire before serving, since each wire can hold up to 2-3 servings. Available online or at specialty kitchen shops and nicer grocery stores in the Seattle area.

While testing out the Fire Wire with huge baja shrimp, I made a really tasty marinade/sauce.  Take about 1/3-1/2 cup orange marmalade and mix in 2-3 tsp whole grain mustard.  I placed the shrimp on the bbq, and after flipping I coated the cooked side with the sauce.  I coated the other side of the shrimp before serving. (sauce will burn due to sugar content, so don't apply before grilling) 

It added a nice citrus kick that wasn't too sweet.  This citrus-mustard shrimp would go great on a salad or even a side of rice for a quick and easy meal.

Kitchen Gadget

Tony gave this little hand mixer to me and I love it!  The Ratchet Multi Mixer is perfect for salad dressings, dressings for pasta salad, or even beverages that need a mix.  I think you need one.

Gadgets

I couldn't resist posting a few gadgets that I think are pretty cool. 

The first is this box grater that has measurements on the side so you can measure how much you have grated.  Love it!  This style grater is now available at most kitchen shops.  Some even have a little receptacle on the bottom to catch all you grate and measure it that way.

Below is my new favorite cutting board for smaller projects.  Its an over the sink board and has a basket with drain holes to dump scraps.  We compost all our food waste so catching it all in the basked is pretty handy!  Even more handy is the fact the basket collapses so it is easy to store.

Utensil Gadget!

I love this little gadget.  It saves my counters from getting dirty. It saves my spatula or spoon from sinking in soup or getting too hot.  For about $7 you can enjoy this little wonder for yourself!  They are sold at kitchen stores, or you can get online at Sur La Table.

This little lid gadget looks pretty cool too!