by Mirthell Onyx
My second home is in the kitchen. I feel at peace in there. The aroma of the soup, the sound of boiling water, and the warmth of the oven are very familiar to me.
Like a second family.
I have been cooking for over twenty years. From Thanksgiving to church potlucks, my way of giving back has been by providing people with warm meals to fill their bellies. The smile on people’s faces when they would receive a plate of my meal is great, but what’s even better is when they take their first bite. It makes me feel accomplished seeing people savor my food.
If only they knew the blood, sweat, and tears behind the meal.
Cooking can be a chore, for sure. The tedious tasks of chopping, measuring, and cleaning after cooking sometimes makes me want to throw in the towel and order a pizza. That would be much easier than making lasagna for three hours.
Thankfully, many kitchen gadgets have been made to help cooking easier. Check out these cool items to make your kitchen life easier. No more stressful Thanksgiving dinners!
Multifunctional Cooking Spoon
“My wife brought these spoons to my attention and showed me all the things they claimed they would do. I was skeptical, to say the least. But I ordered a pair, and I was very pleasantly surprised! These spoons are Awesome! One of the big claims (that I doubted) was that you could mash potatoes… I just didn’t really believe these spoons would do that good of a job, but I was wrong! These spoons have become our go-to for mashing potatoes! They even do a better job than our Pampered Chef potato masher! Great product!” — Amazon Customer
Food Slice Assistant
“I have used it to keep meat, bread, and vegetables in place while I cut. There is just enough room for me to fit all 4 fingers comfortably through the handle. I have medium-width hands.” — Amazon Customer
Snap Strainer
“I bought these “pot strainers” because I was tired of getting my hands burned by steam. I used to have to use a lid or a colander to strain things, but no more! These snap strainers not only saved my burned hands but solved the problem perfectly! I’ve used them on several different size pans and pots having one handle or two, and they worked. The clamps open pretty wide and fasten securely to the edge of the pot/pan, whether they have a lid rim or not. I’ve used these to strain cooked/boiled potatoes, spaghetti, and ravioli, and nothing has fallen out of the pot and into the drain. (Of course, I’m careful when I’m tipping the pot/pan.) They’re also a BREEZE to clean! I would highly recommend these silicone snap strainers without reservation!” — Anne
Garlic Press Rocker
“Here is the thing. My garlic was a bit too old/dry. When I tried to mash it with this thing, barely anything came through the holes. Most of my garlic didn’t get mashed, and I got a bunch of garlic left unmashed (see picture). Basically, it was a huge waste. When I cut cloves across in 4-5 little “coins,” then I was able to mash them all without much or any waste at all. So that’s a little tip for ya if you have the same issue. Not sure if it was my garlic or if this thing doesn’t work too well. However, it’s worth the money just for that garlic peeling sleeve thingy. I can’t find enough words to describe how much I hate peeling garlic. I even started buying canned garlic to avoid peeling, but that was a bad idea. The green tube thingy works like magic! No more peeling garlic cloves or smashing them with a knife! Other components (a brush and a knife) did their job well.” — Lena
Oil Sprayer Mister
“I used to use a basting brush to put oil on my garlic bread, then I found this spray bottle. It doesn’t spray too much, nor does it spray too little. It is just the right amount. I highly recommend this spray bottle for those that cook a lot and use olive oil. I have only tried it with olive oil, that is why I only speak of olive oil. I haven’t had any clogging issues at all. It is easy to fill as well. This is now my go-to kitchen item when olive oil is required.” — Amazon Customer
Meat Tenderizer Tool
“Very easy to use. I’m handicap don’t have a lot of strength. Still love a tender steak, so this worked out great for me.” — Thomas
Herb Scissors
“Great for processing fresh herbs. The slicing guide and cleaning accessories were nice bonuses.” — Bret
Angry Mama Microwave Cleaner
“These are very cute. Study and large in size. Yet will fit any microwave. Vinegar water works perfectly in them. I was surprised by the great size and the cute figurines they even make it fun for me to want to clean the microwave.” — Amazon Shopper
TofuBud Tofu Press
“I like this product because it does everything you’d expect in a tofu press, and they have put a lot of thought into the design. It’s easy to use, easy to clean, and is self-contained. The spring is adjustable with just the right tension. It comes with two plastic plates with holes in them, so it presses evenly and drains well. When done pressing, the box itself has a lip for pouring out the excess water, so the process isn’t messy at all. When you’re finished with it, all the pieces clean up nicely and store back into the container perfectly.” — Roselle
Dash Rapid Egg Cooker
“If you are on the fence about getting one of these, GET ONE. It really is as easy as it sounds to have a perfectly cooked egg, no guesswork. If you’re particular about egg yolks like me and like them soft but not runny or raw, I’ve attached an image of a perfectly soft boiled egg that was cooked as directed (I timed it, this one was 11mins. You don’t have to time it at all as the buzzer will go off, just for reference). Just have an ice bath ready next to the cooker and let the eggs sit for a minute or two in there…peels come right off. Makes healthy eating a breeze in the morning! Where has this been all my life?” — Rebecca