Kitchen Essentials

When you walk into a kitchen store, or even a Home Goods, and it's filled with thousands of gadgets, utensils, different types of baking sheets, all sizes of pans, pots, knives, stock pots, crock pots and whatever else they have, chances are you start to feel overwhelmed, especially if you're starting from scratch.

When you're first starting out, there are a few essential items you need, and then you can always build later, like the fancy ice cream scoop or the asparagus steamer.

1. Invest in a good knife 

The Calphalon Katana series are really great knives.  It is lightweight and incredibly sharp even from owning it for almost 10 years.  I use it cut everything from pineapple to beef.  It's a very versatile knife, and although it is an investment, this will last you a very long time.  

You want to be sure you invest in a good knife.  A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one, especially because you're going to pay a lot more attention and be a lot more careful when you're using a very sharp knife.

2.  Finding a useful saucepan

Not only is this saucepan only $20, but I think it's one of the best products out there.  I use it to heat up sauce for pasta, make couscous, oatmeal, reheat soups for lunch...the list is endless.  They last forever, clean up perfectly, never scratch and cook evenly.  This particular saucepan is only 2 quarts, so you will need one bigger for making pasta's and big batch soups, but this is a must for smaller meals.  Look for stainless steel options - they last a lot longer.

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3.  The right fry/sauté pan

I like to use Calphalon products mostly because I trust the name and they have lasted me a long time.  This 13" covered fry pan is a great item to own because not only can you make a multitude of meals in this pan, but it is also oven safe, so you save yourself on dishes when needing to start cooking on the stove top before transferring it to the oven.

When you are looking for a pan, make sure it has a decent weight to it.  Lighter pans are easier to warp, which means uneven cooking.  You also want to make sure the lid properly fits the pan, so that when you are steaming vegetables for instance, the steam isn't escaping.  This particular pan is very heavy bottomed, allowing for even cooking every time.

You will also want to find yourself a good omelette pan that is nonstick and about 8".  They are perfect for eggs, omelettes, grilled cheese, etc.  I like to get those at a Home Goods because they have a wide variety and are super cheap (around $10).

A note about non-stick cookware:

They don't last forever.  Take proper care of them for longer lasting use, but once you start to see the nonstick begin to come off, it's time to trash the pan.  Those little fragments can end up in your food and are toxic.

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4.  Spatulas

I have had the same Oxo Good Grips large spatula forever.  It's about $10, and you will probably end up using it almost every day.  They hold up well and can be cleaned in the dishwasher.  If you are using nonstick cookware, you'll want a spatula like this that has silicone so it doesn't scratch, otherwise feel free to purchase a stainless steel spatula.

5.  Baking Sheets

This is a great sheet to use to make cookies, roast veggies, bake chicken, etc by Analon (found on Amazon).  It holds up well and doesn't warp as quickly as most other sheets I've used have.  For easy clean-up, use tin foil over the sheet pan  and then put the food on the foil - no mess on the pan = no dirty dishes to clean up after!

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6.  The Cutting Board

When it comes to cutting boards, I don't approve of the plastic ones.  Even after just one use, little bits of plastic can get into your foods, and it is also much harder to keep clean.  Plastic harbors bacteria much more than wood boards, which is why I always chose these.  

Bamboo is known to last very long, however teak is even better.  Some types of wood will split after a while from wear and tear, so it is best if you can find a whole block of wood rather than one that has separate boards molded together.

This cutting board is large enough to handle anything you need to use it for, and the little canals along the edges will trap any excess juice from making a mess on your counter.

When cleaning these boards, wash and dry immediately - don't let them air dry, that's what makes them wear out too quickly.

7.  Mixing Bowls

These nesting bowls from William Sonoma are one of my favorite things I own in my kitchen.  They easily store together to maximize space, and there is a size for every need.  

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8.  Measuring Utensils

This is the best measuring cup because nothing spills when you go to pour it.  This one is for measuring liquids, and there are different measuring cups for dry ingredients.  It's important you have both for accurate measurements.  

The measurements are in the cup, so you don't have to pour and then hold it up to see the amount (if you've ever used the old measuring cups then you know what I'm talking about).  

Nothing fancy here, you just need good, durable measuring utensils, and stainless steel will always last longer than the plastic ones you'll see.  The bottom cups are what you use to measure dry ingredients.  This set is also just $8.00, so you really can't beat that price.

9.  Dutch Ovens

This is what you will use to braise meats, make soups and chilis and roast foods in the oven.

A good dutch oven should be enameled like this one, but it doesn't have to be a Le Cruset, which costs around $350+.  This one is from the brand Crock Pot, and I own this exact one and I LOVE it.  They come in oval and round shapes.  I prefer the round shape because it sits on the stovetop perfectly over the heat.  The oval ones are great if you're using it more in the oven.

Make sure you read the directions on how to care for your dutch oven, these are not dishwasher safe.  They are very heavy too - but that's what makes them so great and keeps the heat evenly cooking the food.

10.  A Stock Pot

This is great for making pastas, sauces and soups.  I recommend the Farberware brand because it is cheap yet durable and well made.  The lids fit securely and they clean up easily.

11.  Colanders

Unless you find a stock or sauce pot with a built in strainer in the lid, you'll want to find a medium sized colander to drain pastas, steamed veggies, washed berries, etc.  They have all kinds of different strainers out there, but yet again I go for the stainless steel over plastic any day.

12.  A Good Cheese Grater

You could easily buy pre-grated cheese from the store, but did you know that those are full of preservatives and starches to keep the cheese fresh?  I always grate my own cheese, also because it's a lot cheaper to buy that way too.

I like this box grater because it's good to use when shredding a big block of cheese, and you can use it to shred cheese for a garnish for meals easily as well.

13.  A Soup Ladle & Cooking Spoons

Lastly, you'll want to have some good wooden spoons to use to sauté and stir foods as well as a good ladle that will last you forever.  I use wooden spoons because they are safe to use on non-stick pans and last a really long time.  They also just look nice in your utensil crock on the counter versus black plastic ones.

14.  Everything Else

You will probably want to also have a can opener in your arsenal, but other than that, this list will give you a good start.  Ok, and a good set of oven mitts so you don't severely burn yourself taking things out of the oven..

You could easily busy yourself with buying garlic presses, a Cuisinart Mixer, an immersion blender, or a fruit zester, but for now, what I have listed above is a great starting point to get you going!