Super Saturday - "Getting to know your Kitchen"

After all the Pantry talk last week... Let's move on into the Kitchen! If you want to be a successful cook, you need to get to know your kitchen. Today for class we would like you to just spend 30 minutes in your kitchen... looking around, seeing what you have, making a list of what you may need or want to get. Make sure you get yourself organized so that you feel comfortable in your surroundings. When we were putting our thoughts together for the section of our blog, we become acquainted with the new show on the Food Network called "The Worst Cooks in America". Little did we know that there were truly people out there that knew so little about their kitchen. So whether you are a seasoned chef, new beginner or somewhere in between, just relax and have some fun as we travel through a cooking school worth of experiences. Below you will see a list of the things that I recommend everyone having in there kitchens... (remember it is only a suggestion list)

If I were only allowed to have twenty five things in my kitchen....

1. Chef’s knife: Used very frequently.
2. Paring knife: Used less frequently, but often enough to need it.
3. Serrated knife: Used very frequently
4. Two plastic cutting boards: One for meat, one for vegetables. Both medium sized.
5. 12″ cast iron skillet: Because I can use it for stove top, grilling and baking.
6. 10″ non stick skillet: Having two skillets is good, this one is good for eggs and other things that require a completely non stick surface.
   
7. Large Stock pot: Something inexpensive that can I could boil pasta, shell fish and soup.
   
8. Medium Sauce Pan: For tomato sauces, gravies and anything else that doesn’t need a big pot, maybe 3 or 4 quarts.
9. Colander or Strainer: Do I really need to explain....
10. Tongs: They come in handy pretty frequently, whether for flipping a steak or serving salad.
11. Two or three wooden spoons: I use these all the time. Cheap and useful.
12. Baking Spatula: Sometimes things need scraping and I can't live without mine
13. Cooking spatula: The big flat wide ones that will flip pancakes and eggs.
14. Cooking ladle: For dishing liquids
    
15. Large slotted spoon: Again, one of those items I just gotta have.
16. Whisk: Also can't live with out mine
17. Blender: You can do anything in your blender that a food processor will do... plus some.
    
18. Cheese grater: Only choose the box style since it has a variety of grating sides and it is more durable and sturdy.
    
19. Baking / Cookie Sheet: With a rim, jelly roll style.
20. Springform Pan: Can't make cheesecakes with out it!
    
21. Pyrex baking dish: 9 x 13 with handles
22. Mixing bowls: Large & Medium
23. Measuring cups: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 cup sizes. I am bad but I measure both my dry and liquid ingredients in my dry cups. And I don't need measuring spoons, because I was taught to measure from my grandmother and she always used the palm of her hand. 
24. Storage Containers: I prefer Tupperware but anything will work
25. Large Serving Platter: So that I can serve what I make....