Kitchen WEEK- cooking tools

Ina says that you don't need much to have a great functioning kitchen, just chose the right stuff. Here's some tools that I use all the friggin time AKA items I wish I'd had the foresight to register for before I went out and bought them myself.

MIXER. Hand mixer or stand mixer. Obviously you know what I prefer but I still own and use my hand mixer as well as the sexy beast known as my kitchen aid stand mixer.

FOOD PROCESSOR. I have a big one and a little one. I use both. I love both.

GREAT KNIVES. This I don't have in abundance, just one or two. You need good ones.

STRAINER. To keep lemon seeds from falling into my soup and OJ from being to pulpy.

POTATO MASHER. Nothing else smashes potatoes quite as well or anything else that needs smashing like white beans for my 15 minute white bean soup.

STAINLESS STEEL MIXING BOWLS. I got mine from Costco. They have a rubber bottom so they wont slide around AND they each come with a cover so I can transport what I make to Aunt J's for Thanksgiving or store in the fridge when I'm done. UH-MAZING.

More than one set of MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS Because I keep one by the stove for cooking stuff, and one for baking stuff, I need more that one set to have one clean and one sitting in the sink waiting for me to wash it.

FUNNELS. Yes, funnels, use them all the time. To refill the olive oil thing, to put my tea in a travel mug, to put mustard seeds into a jar. Trust me, the $2 are worth it.

A PLAIN OLD BUTTER KNIFE. I could write a whole blog about a plain old butter knife and how much I use it during one baking session. Leveling the dry ingredients,

TONGS. To grab hot stuff, to flip hot stuff. To be HOT STUFF.

SPATULA. I own four. Three regular sized, one tiny. They are indispensable.

STAINLESS STEEL PAN. Someone gave us this one pan as a wedding gift. I didn't register for it, nor thought I would use it ever. I use it almost every day. The food cooks really well in it and it's impervious to my many scratches and the food that gets on it. Sure it's a bitch to clean but Matt is up to the challenge. He's my big strong man.

BAMBOO SPOON. A million times better than a regular wooden spoon, it doesn't stain and I dunno, it's just awesome-o.

While we're at it, do not ever buy a stupid salsa making chopper tool or a rice cooker. The salsa making chopper tool was totally gimmicky and didn't work well and the rice cooker, oh yeah I have one, it's called a saucepan, works just fine.
Also, I have a flour sifter, I have used it to make one item repeatedly but the rest of the time I just take a wooden spoon and mix the dry ingredients. Lazy? Defeats purpose? My cupcakes come out just fine thankyou.