Workhorses in My From-Scratch Kitchen

 Hello lovelies! 

Today, we're chatting about kitchen details, specifically items in my kitchen that could be crowned "workhorses." I make three meals per day plus snacks from scratch, and these items get used heavily and are worth every penny spent. Let's dive in!

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1. 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet

I keep my cast iron sitting in the oven, ready to go at every meal. I find the 12-inch size perfect for skillet cookie recipes, roasting veggies, and baking biscuits. A lovely bonus is that my cast iron doesn't get washed frequently, so the number of post-cooking dishes is cut down every time I use it!

2. Programmable Coffee Pot

My husband bought us the Ninja 12-cup programmable coffee pot a couple of years ago. I love a programmable coffee pot. Maybe it doesn't make the fanciest cup of coffee, but I set a timer, fill it with water and grounds the night before, and in the morning I wake up to something warm and comforting to kick of my day. In terms of coffee pots, programmable has made all the difference in our kitchen!

3. Kitchenaid Stand Mixer

Stand mixers are pricey, and I held off buying one for a long time because I figured I could mix with a spoon or my hands and save us a bit of money. When we were offered one for free, though, the stand mixer became an easy add to our kitchen counter. I use mine multiple times per week for both sweet and savory dishes. Breads, cookies, meatloaf, chicken salad. The stand mixer makes quick work out of it all.

4. Glass casserole dishes

When I was in college I bought glass Pyrex casserole dishes in different sizes as I learned to cook. Buying them one at a time was maybe not the most cost-effective way to purchase cookware, but I don't own any sizes I don't use either, so maybe we can still count my method as a win? 

The glass dishes are interchangeable with my cast iron skillet in many cases. They're easy to clean up after roasting veggies and meats, the loaf pan is perfect for fresh bread, and all of them are lovely for homemade desserts!

5. Cookie sheets

I have a set of inexpensive baking sheets from Walmart. They get used most often for roasting veggies and making big batches of bacon in the oven, but I've also used them as drip trays under thawing meat, for desserts, and to put under more awkward dishes (like the pie dish) in the oven.

6. Wooden spoons

I love a wooden spoon. They're inexpensive, practical, and kids can use them to play "cooking" without hurting anything. 

7. Chef's knife and Wooden chopping board

Last but not least and coupled together, my perfect chopping duo. I use a sharp chef's knife (you can find inexpensive knife sharpeners to add to your kitchen lineup that can help keep knives in tip-top shape!) and my wooden cutting board daily. We go through a lot of veggies in our home, and nothing feels more homey to me than digging out the cutting board and preparing something healthy for my family. (Except maybe pulling homemade bread out of the oven, that could possibly be more homey.)

That's all for today, friends. Let me know your kitchen workhorses in the comments below!

All the love,

Emily

P.S. Feel free to contact me at admin@tulipsandbasil.com!