Can you feel the chill in the air? Yup, it’s that time of year again when we start to seek refuge indoors and look for activities to keep us occupied at home. One big trend in 2020, due in part to missing restaurants and coffee shops, has been the widespread increase in budding home chefs and bakers. Whether you are new to the culinary arts or a seasoned pro, our ingenious modern world has provided us with some ‘must-have’ kitchen tools that will save time and money and make your kitchen adventures more satisfying and successful.
1. Food PRocessor:
This item alone could be considered the cook’s best friend because it is so versatile. With it you can shred cheese or slice meat; make mayonnaise, pate, dips, hummus, peanut butter, and whipped cream; and chop or slice any number of vegetables in minutes. They are easy to clean and the food is far tastier than the supermarket counterparts.
2. Slow Cooker
Rather than using your oven to cook the main meal, this little life-saver is a great way to use up leftover meats and vegetables – just toss them in with some broth, let it cook all day, and you’ve got a great soup or stew! Many crockpot dishes from chili to casseroles can provide multiple meals: just freeze the leftovers to reheat! This invention is a must for a family with a busy schedule especially when different family members sometimes need to eat at different times. This simple tool ensures a hot meal is waiting without requiring you to put in the effort of cooking multiple times.
3. RICE COOKER
Rice is a staple of most any cook’s pantry. This often-overlooked machine is the best and most energy efficient way to cook your rice to absolute perfection every single time – no more boiling over the stove top or producing burnt or slushy concoctions. Another little-known use for your rice cooker is making oatmeal for breakfast. The internet is a bottomless source of great new recipes to try and you can produce a warm, hearty breakfast in less than 20 minutes with minimum effort.
4. FOUR-SIDED STAINLESS-STEEL GRATER
This may seem like a strange item to recommend, however, a good grater is not only a great time saving gadget for quickly grating cheese, it’s handy for grating raw vegetables of all types, from carrots to radishes, potatoes, and much more. It doesn’t take much muscle and is often much faster than chopping with a kitchen knife.
5. CARBON STEEL WOK
You can save time in the kitchen and cook fabulous meals by using a carbon steel wok – there is only one pot to clean and fresh veggie-based meals can be ready in minutes. The options are endless, stir-fry meats and veggies and then change up the flavours with different sauces and add-ins like peanuts and noodles. Let your imagination run wild.
Cooking and baking can be very satisfying and relaxing pastimes, not to a mention yummy ones as well! There is nothing like the smell of fresh banana bread cooling on the rack or the feeling of accomplishment when providing fresh, healthy meals for yourself and your loved ones. Taking advantage of a few simple tools and kitchen items will not only save you time, but in most cases, it will save you money as well plus you will find cooking and cleanup time to be greatly reduced.
