Five Favorites You Didn’t Know You Needed For Your Kitchen

I have a few kitchen faves that friends and family turned me on to that I really can’t imagine not having on hand!  I wanted to share them with you and ask you what you didn’t know you needed but now can’t live without in the kitchen?

1.  A Bowl Cozy – These covers are perfect for warming up a bowl in the microwave.  I love Trader Joe’s Frozen Oatmeal in the morning but it requires over three minutes in the microwave!  That means that when I reach in to take it out, my fingers are scorched by the steaming hot porcelain bowl. These “cozys” for your bowls protect your fingers and your tables!  We also use them when we re-heat Big Momma’s Turkey Chili the next day too!

2. A Massive Measuring Cup – When I ordered this 7 cup enamel measuring cup, I have to admit that I didn’t realize how big it was!  When I opened it the box on arrival, I was shocked but thrilled.  It is great for recipes that require large amounts of any ingredient and I can’t tell you how much we use it!  We store it hanging with our pots and pans.  You can find extra large 8 cup measuring cups fairly easily as well but I love this durable enamel and the great blue and white design adds charm to our kitchen rack.

3.  Layers of Cake Stands – When I registered for our wedding list many years ago, the kind saleslady who helped guide me suggested that I add several sizes of cake stands to my list.  I imagined that we would use them when we entertained but we really use them every day!  I love layering a variety of heights on my kitchen island filled with baked goods or treats so that when my children are in the kitchen or friends are stopping by, we have savory and sweet bites that look great and are easy to access.  We also use them often to feature Millie’s baked treats!  Here is a link to my favorites that I sell on ShopKSW and I linked some others below…

4. Clear sheet covers – Although they are intended for job tickets, I keep these clear sheet covers in my pantry and slip in whatever recipe we are using.  They protect the paper from spills and drips and messy fingers and are firm enough to stand up strait in an easel.  When we select a recipe on line, we print it out and slide it in and when we cook from a book, we often make a copy and use that to prevent our pretty cook book from getting dirty.  They are also “wipe-clean” so we mark our ingredients and shopping list on the sheet covers with dry erase markers!

5. A Salt Pig – A salt pig is also referred to as a “salt crock” and is more popular in other parts of the world than it is in America but we can’t imagine cooking without it!  The large opening makes it easy to grab a pinch of salt and add it to whatever you are making.  They are usually made of stoneware which prevents moisture build up and we leave ours out and filled with salt next to our cooking utensils at the stove. Some active chefs line up several of them so that they keep other spices on hand!  We like the open style for easy access but I linke a lovely copper piece with a cover and a space for pepper in the look book below…