5 Kitchen Gadgets that Work

I am not a fan of having too many kitchen gadgets and I have purchased many that have been an absolute waste of money.  Some gadgets are complicated to use and I end up frustrated, and others are so difficult to clean that they completely defeat the point of saving time by having a specialized gadget.

Today I am sharing a few of my favorite gadgets that have worked for me and have made cooking prep time so much faster.

1. Garlic Press

We love garlic in my family and I add it to almost every dish.  Many years ago I purchased a garlic press and hated it.  I”m not one to “mince” words.  It seemed to juice the garlic instead of pressing it and it would leave a good part of the garlic clove inside the gadget.  Eventually, I tossed it and decided that I didn’t like garlic presses and I would rather keep using the good ol’ knife method.  Then one day looking through Amazon, I found a garlic press (pictured below) that had so many good reviews and decided to give it a try.  I figured it could always return it (let’s hear it for Amazon Prime memberships!).  There was no need for returns because this Kuhn Rikon press has worked amazingly well, and with little effort the clove comes out perfectly minced.

Honestly, if I am only using a clove or two for a recipe, I don’t use a garlic press at all, but when I use more than that…this press is my friend!  Tip: I always wash this right away after using so that none of the garlic left behind in the press has a chance to dry.  It is super easy to use and clean.

2.  Ice Cream Scooper

What’s better than a gadget that does what it’s meant to?  A gadget that does double duty!  I use these ice cream scoopers for the obvious but I also use them to form meatballs (keeps them a uniform size), and to scoop out cookie dough onto a baking sheet.  They are also perfect for transferring the perfect amount of cupcake batter into lined muffin tins.  Since I use them for different purposes, I have more than one size.

3.  Meat Mallet

This meat pounder is sturdy and perfect for tenderizing meat or to even it out for even cooking.  I also like to thin out chicken cutlets so that I can add a stuffing mix before rolling them and cooking in the oven.    I do keep this one in the hand wash category because many mallets are not dishwasher safe since they can lose their shiny finish.

4.  Zester

Zesters are also double-duty kitchen tools.  With these Microplane zester / grater I zest citrus, I grate small amounts of hard cheese, nutmeg and grate ginger.  They are effective, lightweight and easy to use.

5.  Stainless Steel Scraper

This stainless steel scraper is perfect for dividing bread or cookie dough and I always keep it handy to transfer chopped onions or peppers to the pan.  I usually leave this out on my cutting board.

These are some of my favorite gadgets but there are a few more that I will share with you soon.  I added a link to all of these items in the post but you can find many of these at Homegoods or a local restaurant store.  Have fun cooking and don’t be afraid to invest in items that make your job a little easier!

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Delicious Roasted Salsa Recipe 

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