Kitchen Basics - What you’ll need…

Kitchen Basics to make your cooking and baking a pleasure. Start with the most basic items and buy the best quality you can. These basics will be with you for a long time. I tend to stay away from gadgets with only one purpose and opt for multi-purpose tools. My favorite places to find quality items: Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, Target, Home Goods and Marshall’s.

Shopping at WS makes my heart beat faster…everything you need and want in the most inspired setting.

Shopping at WS makes my heart beat faster…everything you need and want in the most inspired setting.

Pots and Pans

  • big 6 - 8 qt. pot, with lid to boil water, cook soup, stews

  • 1 cast iron skillet, 10 inch

  • 1 stainless steel 12 inch skillet (ovenproof)

  • 1 saucepan, 3 - 4 qt

  • 1 dutch oven, 3 - 4 qt

  • 2 half/sheet pans

  • 1 cooling rack

  • 1 quarter sheet pan

  • 1 9 x 13 cake pan (for cakes and casseroles)

  • 1 cupcake/muffin pan

  • 1 ceramic or porcelain casserole

  • 9 inch pie dish

  • 2 – 9 inch cake pans

  • 1 loaf pan

 

Equipment

  • blender

  • food processor

  • hand or stand mixer

  • cutting board, wood, colored synthetic

  • salad spinner

  • oven thermometer

  • food thermometer

  • timer

  • salad spinner

  • digital scale

Utensils

  • wood spoon

  • wood spatula

  • stainless steel spatula

  • offset spatula

  • rubber spatula

  • slotted spoon

  • soup ladle

  • long fork

  • tongs

  • rolling pin

  • twine

  • whisks – large, small

  • measuring cups/spoons dry

  • measuring cups/wet

  • pastry brushes – 2

  • lemon juicer

  • pepper-mill

Knives / Cutting

  • solid, sturdy Cutting Board - I use wood, but synthetic options are also good choices

  • 1 chef knife 7 - 8 inches

  • 1 serrated knife

  • 1 paring knife

  • 1 microplane

  • 1 vegetable peeler

  • 1 kitchen scissors

  • 1 box grater

  • 1 set round cookie cutters