Confession: When I'm in a bad mood I don't like to cook. No, instead I like to be waited on by waiters who ask me what I want and then bring it all hot and ready like. With a cocktail. I
also like to shop.
But, since
we are in the midst of an uber renovation gone wildly over time and budget (hence:
bad mood) there's no extra cashola for those things I crave. Instead I've been eating cold cereal and making amazon wish lists out the wazoo.
Which is how this
Ultimate Foodie Kitchen Gift Guide came into being. It's full of awesome stuff. Most of it I have, all of it I want. So, take a peeksie and go buy something for someone you love.
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The Ultimate Foodie Kitchen Gifts for UNDER $10
Have it. Love it. ADORE IT. Can be seen in use with my
Zucchini Noodles. Also great for home made hash browns, or making vegetables look all fancy like in your salads, soups, or summer rolls.
Don't have it yet. Want it terribly. Perfect for scooping hot stuff out of hot stuff. I know, enlightening, right? Okay, okay, like eggs from boiling water or
Southwestern Eggrolls from hot oil. It's on my short list of things to buy when a little cash comes my way.
Have it! Perfect for picking up things that are a pain to pick up with smaller utensils. Wow, I'm super awesome at this descriptive stuff today. Okay, like chicken from the baking dish or fried eggs from the pan. Also, fish. But you probably already guessed that part.
I don't have it, but gosh isn't it cute? If my new kitchen is ever finished, it's got a home in my sink for sure.
This is my absolute favorite curry powder. Oh, hell. It's probably my absolute favorite spice. I use it all the time and think you should too. Find it in my
Curry Noodle Soup,
Pumpkin Soup,
Curry Grilled Chicken Wings, and
Spicy Vegetable Curry!
Silicone muffin cups are fantastic. Food comes out with ease - no grease necessary. I use them for cupcakes and muffins, but also for baked egg cups. The jumbo ones are perfect for making a bagel sized egg cup!
This is probably my overall most used kitchen gadget. We go through about 15 pounds of apples a week (yes, my kids REALLY like apples) - this bad boy is a major time saver. Also super helpful for making
Slow Cooker Apple Butter!
I use this measuring cup constantly. It's great for measuring (duh), heating food, mixing, and storing. It's pretty much the bomb diggity of measuring cups.
I love a good spatula. 'Nuff said.
I am terrible about keeping my knives sharp, but this little guy comes in handy when I'm in a pinch and realize I actually do need sharpened knives for the task at hand. Love how this one sits on the edge of the counter while you use it and that it takes up almost no room in my odds and ends drawer. Good stuff.
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The Ultimate Foodie Kitchen Gifts for $11 - $25
You know I love this.
Dark Chocolate Ice Cream at my beck and call? Yes, please. Also great for the kiddos, mine think it's magic!
Mmmmmm...
fresh tomatoes and balsamic glaze. One of my very favorite snacks. I go through about a bottle of this a month. It's fantastic.
I don't have these yet, but I'm getting them! How fun for asian soups or even for appetizers or mini desserts? Yay! It's like a little bit of Top Chef in my very own kitchen.
Full disclosure: I know the gal that wrote this book. She's brilliant and the book is a fantastic resource for everything home and kitchen related. Especially perfect for newlyweds and new home owners. Get thee this book.
Again with the muffin cups! But alas, I love them so. I have these in cherry and they're just lovely.
Promise, last muffin cup recommendation. Aren't they just the cutest, though!
Gone are the days of buying parchment paper! Hurrah!!!
Not just for cutting cookies! We love cookie cutters for cookies, but also sandwich shapes, cheese shapes, brownie shapes. You know, food stuffs. Love a good cookie cutter.
If you use sharp knives or a mandolin, you need these gloves. So much better than lopping off the top of a finger.
More often than not I'm lazy and we eat big fat chicken breasts, but I'd be lying if I didn't tell you how much I love a thinly pounded piece of meat breaded and pan fried. Ohhhhh, chicken parm you call to me.
We got these as a wedding gift about a billion years ago and I still use them constantly. Get both sizes, you'll thank me for it later.
I never knew how badly I needed this bad boy until I got it. Perfect for zesting, garnishes, and I personally love it for grating ginger and dark chocolate.
Mmmmm.... cookies. I cannot stand dropping cookies off a spoon, I'm terrible at it. I mean, first world problems I know, but this little guy makes me happy.
Not just for the kitchen!
(kidding!)
Don't have it, but I can't resist the uber cuteness of a wittle baby owl. So cute.
I'm a little bit of an apron fanatic. I think I need these for Halloween. And also every other day of the year.
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The Ultimate Foodie Kitchen Gifts for $26 - $100
If you've been reading this blog for more than 5 minutes, then you know
I'm a crockpotting fool. I have four. Hah! This one's awesome because the lid clamps down.
Don't have it.
Yet.
I dare you to tell me these aren't fantastic. Dare. You.
Okay, not strictly a cooking/kitchen item, but I read cooking blogs and cookbooks on mine. Everyone should have a Kindle. Everyone.
If there is any random item that I think EVERY SINGLE KITCHEN NEEDS, it's this one. Took me forever to bite the bullet and buy it and I've been kicking myself for waiting so long. This thing has revolutionized my kitchen. I use it in pretty much
all my soups, as well as for making puddings, fresh whipped cream, whipped eggs, butter, seriously, I use it nearly every day.
Got this as a wedding gift from a dear friend. Makes the most incredibly moist chicken. Yum. So. Yum. You can see it in
my Chicken and Couscous post!
Take this from someone who laid their hand on the stove as a small child. If you have little ones underfoot, please get this.
Another wedding present that I have just used the heck out of. Can't make a single complaint, love this mixer.
Admittedly, we don't use the pizza stone often, but when I do remember we have it, I think it's great. Wish my memory was better. Probably need to find a more conspicuous storage place in the new kitchen!
Okay, so turns out this list is mostly stuff we got for our wedding. And lest you think we're newlyweds and I'm just fawning about all the awesome new stuff I recently got, rest assured, we're about to celebrate our tenth anniversary. So, needless to say, this stuff's been through it. I love this grill, and even though we've upgraded to something bigger, we kept the old Weber and still use it for smaller meals and overflow. Everyone should have a Weber.
This isn't the exact item we got for our wedding, but it's similar (don't think the one I have is still out there) - it's so versatile and great for parties.
This is very aptly named. I use this pan every day. (Well, nearly). I actually have two of them because they're so fantastic.
P.S. I have a bit of a utensil obsession.
Another wedding gift! Love these knives. They've stood up to ten years of wear and tear and sharpening and are still going strong.
This is the best thing that's happened to Thanksgiving since the turkey was discovered.
Another luxury item, but it's great for salads and
making pickles, and french fries, and when you have to julienne for a crowd. Make sure to get the
Kevlar gloves though, please.
This one's a little out of order, sorry. It goes with the
Canon Rebel digital SLR camera that I recommend later down the line (although, can be used with any Canon SLR, I believe). This is the lens I use to take all my food photography shots and most of the shots of my kids. I adore this lens and especially at such a reasonable price.
Another cart before the horse. This one's for the
Keurig coffee lover in your life. I dropped hints for three years before my
Keurig magically appeared, and I haven't regretted a single moment of begging and pleading. I love this machine, so get it for the coffee fanatic in your life and then get them a big ol' sampling pack to try out all the great varieties.
What, what? It's another wedding present! I always think of Shrek and Donkey when we pull this bad boy out.
"And in the morning? I'm makin' WAFFLES!" Indeed.
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The Ultimate Foodie Kitchen Gifts - The ‘Spensive Stuff
Okay, I know I already mentioned the kindle above, but this is the fancy pants version. In color, with internet. And Angry Birds. So, if you've got a little extra cash to blow, amp it up baby.
When I first started watching Top Chef and the contestants would scream across the kitchen, "WHO HAS THE VITAMIX?!" I always wondered why the hell they needed vitamins for their cooking. But, now I know. Vitamix is the to blenders what KitchenAid is to mixers. It's a total indulgence (but then, so is this whole list), but it's the best.
Another Top Chef discovery. It grossed me out at first when they would talk about cooking food in a 'water bath' - I mean, I pictured raw chicken cutlets floating in my tub. Gross. But then I learned more and apparently it cooks the very very best meat ever. Aunt Tracy just got one and is relentlessly teasing me with her tales of food perfection. She won't be laughing long though, because I totally intend on stealing it. Or getting my own.
I just got this last year and can't believe I waited so long. Until then I'd been using the mini version and doing small batches. Which works, but is time consuming. Also, this bad boy can do so much more than the mini. I'm in food processing heaven.
We upgraded our cookware a couple years ago (previously had the non-stick stuff but it started wearing and peeling) - this is the set I got (along with the 12" Everyday Pan). I was worried about moving away from the non-stick and whether it would be difficult to cook with, but I couldn't be happier. We do keep one non-stick frying pan for eggs, but otherwise we're total converts.
It wouldn't be a proper foodie gift guide without the revered
KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Once upon a time I had this beautiful beast, but in a brief moment of financial angst we sold it. I regretted that decision immediately and am counting my pennies to get her back!
We have two, one for raw meat and one for cooked food. It's a huge money saver. I think every household should have one.
This was my Christmas gift from Wesley last year. It was a total surprise (I thought for sure he would finally spring for a Keurig) and it was one of the best surprises ever. I adore everything about this pot. Mine's the yellow mustardy colored one.
My beloved Keurig!!! I was not joking when I said I dropped (very obvious) hints for three years before my husband finally sucked it up and bought this for me. If you're the only coffee drinker in your house and hate to be bothered making a full pot, then this is SO for you. It's also great if you and your coffee partner prefer different brews. To each his own! Let peace reign! --- I feel it's worth mentioning though, that I had the mini Keurig at first and was very unhappy with it. I switched to the Elite model and never looked back. Good stuff. Mmmmmm.
I have an older model of this camera and am planning to upgrade. Takes fantastic pictures and videos and fits neatly in your pocket or purse. I thought I would just switch to my iphone for everyday snapshots and videos, but turns out I much prefer the Powershot. Who knew. Every foodie needs a quickie camera for making everyone jealous of what they're chowing on. And this one has wifi!!!
This is one of the biggest purchases I have ever made. It took me over a year to finally buckle down and buy it, but I have been in camera bliss ever since. It has a video feature, but admittedly, I prefer my Canon Powershot for video (less cumbersome) - this camera is still worth every penny for the still shots. All my food pictures and most of my kiddo pictures are taken with the Canon Rebel. You won't be disappointed.
*disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links
What a great list! I added the waffle maker to my Amazon wish list. I'm not a huge waffle fan, but I do like waffles and ice cream. Plus, why should my kids suffer just because I don't like something normal? Haha
ReplyDeleteI love this list!! I would replace the kindle with the new Nook but other than that I want everything on this list!!! I will be sending links to this in my Birthday invitations!!
ReplyDeleteMmmmmn. Let's see... I have:
ReplyDeleteThe Pyrex measuring cup, the locking tongs, the 5mm lens, the Canon Rebel T3, the nice slow cooker (diff brand, same features) the Kindle, the KitchenAid handmixer (LOVE. I love it so much in fact, that it's THE item I buy couples for their household showers.) and Heather's book. :-)
And now I'm drooling over the rest...
What an awesome list! Love it. Might have to show it to anyone thinking of getting me something for gifts.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great list. Some of your favorite things are mine as well. A well equiped kitchen makes cooking so much more fun!
ReplyDeleteThis list is great and super helpful!
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The antients used Christinaity to initiate the "Beginnning of The End". Along the way they used it to initiate other tools which they will use to further mankind into decay and towards the Apoocalypse:::USA, "democracy", capitalism/corporations.
ReplyDeleteOf the tools they have used, religious, political, economic, social is by far the most damaging and seems reserved for those who have experienced each tactic:::
The god's social tool promoted moral decay, whether sexual, behavioral, professional, etc. It created an enviornment where indecency is the norm.
The dogs are dead.
And they're still incurring evil from their prior life(ves).
Junior Seau is a good example::The real, a 20-something in her next life, making progress, so the gods allow her clone host fake to committ suicide, allowing her off the hook incurring evil in her prior life. AND close the restaurant, her legacy in capitalism.
Al Davis should be so lucky.
The antient's leaders, politicians, celebrities, corporate executives, scientists/professionals are clone host fakes, fresh out of high school who woudln't know their ass from a hole in the ground. Without the gods doing their jobs THROUGH THEM they'd only be good for playing with themselves.
There was a very real perception that bi-racial was much worse for the white than it was for the person of color. The liberal culture, which was designed and promoted with the god's tools to achieve their Apocalyptic goals, screamed racism when there was a very reasonable explanation for this reality::::
In this white punishment known as the United States the person of color has already adopted the disfavors/temptations intended for another race. But by associating/mating with a person of color the white is newly adopting the disfavors of another culture.
And this is the reason why people of color are not welcome in the United States. The gods control everything:::The perception they want to create, the thoughts they want you to have.
People of color can't recover from absorbing the temptations from two cultures. And why they become more and more like so many blacks in America:::Veterans at absorbing the temptations of two cultures.
To further illustrate this is why California's educational system/funding was ranked #1 when California was white:::Education being the basis of the affluent economic system. Now even public higher education has become unaffordable.
The gods behave monsterously in the course of managing Planet Earth, matching our decay, but they demand people be good if you are to have a chance to ascend as a child in a future life.
Not only is doing the right things important (praying, attoning for your sins, thinking the right way:::accepting humility, modesty, vulnerability), so is avoiding the wrong things important as well:::"Go and sin no more".
You NEED active parents who share wisdom to have a real chance to ascend into heaven in a future life, and you MUST be a good parent as well to have that opportunity in your next life.
11.24.12
10:35p
Gangnam Style most watched video on YouTube, topping 808 million views.
Gods push ridicule watching the video. Often the gods will speak through me, educating the telepathic audience on their attitudes towards certain issues.
The Koreans have no business participating in this wickedness of popular culture. A white punishment, evident by black exclusion for so many decades, this represents a step down into the abyss for the Koreans.
South Korea a Victim of the United States dating back to the 1950s, remember I say North Korea will be the final element of favor on Planet Earth. Whichever tactic the gods use to cause it's fall, Christianity, democracy through diplomacy, USA violence or capitalism/corporations, once North Korea succumbs to the temptations of Western Civilization the gods will have their green light to pull the plug and initiate the Apocalypse.
This is awesome April! I love it.
ReplyDelete