10 Kitchen Items For The Home Cook

Good wooden spoons are a must in the kitchen. For stirring, mixing, and folding, these spoons are always at the ready in my kitchen. They are great for this salad and exceptionally helpful when mixing Out Of This World Baked Spaghetti or Sausage & Cheese Bread.

These potatoes are tender and flakey on the inside with an amazing super crispy skin. I love using the air fryer for this recipe since it is easy to use, requires no special instruction, and clean up is easy since the basket can go in the dishwasher. Not only does it make great baked potatoes but Chicken Wings, a Whole Chicken, and Sweet Potatoes come out perfect every time!

Whether you are cooking on the grill, stovetop, or oven, every home cook needs this thermometer! It's waterproof, has a backlight for easy reading, and has cooking times listed on the handle. I use it for pork tenderloin, Herb Butter Chicken and Potatoes, and Balsamic Chicken Thighs.

Million Dollar Dip made with just a few simple ingredients is totally addictive and deserving of its name! For any recipe that calls for shredded cheese, it's ALWAYS best to shred your own. For large quantities, like in this recipe, I use my food processor. It makes the job easy and fast. I also use it for Pimento Cheese and Green Goddess Dressing.

Made with tender chicken, tomatoes, and green chilies tossed in a creamy, cheesy sauce, this is pasta casserole taken to a whole new level! The kitchen tool that lends a hand to this recipe is the box grater. I use this simple tool several times a week and it never lets me down. It's great for grating cheese for this recipe and so helpful for Cauliflower Fried Rice and Instant Pot Mac & Cheese.

This super simple recipe is destined to be a new favorite on your supper table! One of the reasons? The crock pot does all the work. It turns inexpensive ingredients into super flavorful food that's also easy to prepare. I use my 6-quart or my 8-quart crock pot at least once a week. They give me back time and produce great dishes like Lemon Chicken, Game Day Meatballs, and Spinach Artichoke Dip.

This is pressure cooking made easy! I'm a big fan of the instant pot and love how easy it is to use. It's a multi-cooker that serves as a pressure cooker, slow cooker, and rice maker. I use it for this scrumptious Garlic Herb Rice, No-Soak Pinto Beans, and Parmesan Garlic Noodles. These simple recipes are infused with an amazing flavor all thanks to the instant pot.

Fresh, crisp Skillet Green Beans made in just 15 minutes is one of life’s simple pleasures! Cooking made simple, yes, but there are many reasons to use a cast-iron skillet. They can take the heat for searing or grilling meat and are easy to clean with no soap needed. They are super versatile since you can cook a recipe like these green beans using one or Squash Casserole, Lemon Chicken, and even Beef Stew.

One of my all-time favorite things to use in the kitchen is my dutch oven. I use it almost once a week and cook everything from this Braised Chicken Leg Quarters recipe to my Award-Winning Chili. It's heavy-duty and can go from the stovetop to the oven. Yes, a dutch oven may be a bit pricy but they are worth every penny and will last for years.

This decadent treat whipped up in less than 15 minutes using a whisk is great served with fresh fruit, cookies, or your favorite salty snack. Sturdy wire whisks are a must in any kitchen. Whether they're used to whip up a dessert like this dip, Blue Cheese Dressing, or help out with Green Bean Salad, this unassuming tool is one that I can't do without.