Things I Love!

So here are a few 'tools of the trade'...not that I'm really in the cooking trade by profession... but these things always make cooking so much better, easier, and for some reason they make stuff taste better!

If you like to cook and come across these items, seriously consider them.

• Cast Iron Grilling Pan - a friend of mine used a Mario Batali cast iron grilling pan to make zuchini and butternut squash. Yes, I know. Sounds...earthy, right? But, it was delicious because the squash was put into risotto and had a ton of flavor. I've prepared zuchini, portabello mushrooms, salmon and a few other items in the pan and they turned out fantastically. I found our grilling pan at Crate & Barrel on sale! There are plenty of others out there if you don't feel like making Chef Mario any richer. 
• Good Set of Knives - This was one of the things that came into the kitchen courtesy of my husband. Instead of the random knives accumulated over the years and using them for everything, a set of knives include steak knives. Good knives make chopping so much faster and while you need to be careful while handling them, they're actually less likely to slip and cut you. 
• Olive Oil Spritzer - a coworker got me this for Christmas and it's one of the most used things in the kitchen. Now instead of spraying a chemical cooking spray in the pan before sauteing, you just spray a quick spritz of olive oil. I think it's about $10...hey, it was a gift! 

So I'll add more great tools of the trade in the posts to come. Hope these help you!