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10 Time Saving Tools for the Kitchen. 

Busy Cook? or know a Busy Cook? Help speed up the process of Meal Time with these Gifts. 

Less than $100

 

Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer

Crock pots are wonderful, but sometimes there isn’t enough prep time in the morning routines. Or I forget to plug the thing in!  Enter the Electric Pressure Cooker!  This has changed my way of cooking in the kitchen.  I don’t know where I was when these came out several years ago, but I jumped on the bandwagon last year and my oh my, amazing!  What does it do? Everything a crock pot does, but FASTER.  Pressure cooking cheap pieces of meat into tender bites.  How about making boiled eggs for salads without having to remove the shells? This countertop appliance can do that in less than 15 minutes.  I have enjoyed cooking in my IP this year, I even took it with me on vacation.  Fork-tender BBQ Ribs in an hour and no heating up the kitchen or getting up early to put the meat in the smoker. Oven-baked-potato taste, but all done in the Instant Pot (affiliate link).  Steam veggies, cook fluffy brown rice and quinoa the failproof way.  I could go on….so Check out the reviews! 

note: I have cooked with off brand pressure cookers and the results are NOT the same.  Watch for sales and save yourself some hassle and buy the Instant Pot (affiliate link) Brand.

Pampered Chef Salad and Berry Spinner

It’s time to serve dinner but you are still waiting for the lettuce to ‘drain’.  I never knew a Salad Spinner could change my life! Plus I save $$ on all those paper towels I used to use wringing out wet lettuce.  Did you know that lettuce will last longer in the fridge when it’s dry vs. being wet? I love this Pampered Chef Salad Spinner (affiliate link) because it has two sizes in one.  The small basket is great for berries.  This tool saves TIME and MONEY! If the Pampered Chef is too pricey, then look at these other suggestions.  **I have tried the Spinners with a crank handle and you can get a faster ‘spin’ with a plunger handle, which is faster drying time.**

J.A. Henckels International CLASSIC 7″ Hollow Edge Santoku Knife

I didn’t realize how much time it was taking me to cut vegetables, meats, etc until I was gifted this knife.  Granted, I probably don’t hold it correctly, but let me tell you the time I can save by using this type of knife. See how the bottom edge is basically flat? That means all that cutting surface is hitting the cutting board.  Chop Chop Chop!  Do you struggle to cut a sweet potato, need to slice raw beef roast into bite-size pieces? Chop fresh herbs? I even chop my lettuce with this knife. When I travel to places where I will be cooking, this knife goes with me.  It’s that much of a time saver!  You need to have at least one Santoku Knife (affiliate link). Think how long it takes you to chop a fruit or vegetable tray.  I am in love with this brand, but feel free to check out these other Santoku Knives.

Less than $50

 

Ninja Master Prep Professional Chopper, Blender, Food Processor 

Do you omit nuts from recipes because you don’t have time to chop? Or are you tired of chasing the nuts as you attempt to chop them?  Ninja Master Prep (affiliate link) to the rescue!  I love how quickly I can chop or whip together ingredients with these cute little food processors.  It’s one motor that sits on top of multiple containers.  That’s right, you can easily do an herb whipped butter compound for your steaks in one container, and a nutty oatmeal crumble for your apple dessert in the other.  These are what I use when I want to powder my Freeze Dried Food or make a Smoothie.  Tip: to make clean up a breeze, rinse in water after use. These blades are sharp, so not advisable for young kids to handle.

 

The Pampered Chef  Garlic Press

This tool is essential to using fresh garlic.  No peeling, no chopping and it keeps your hands from garlic smells. Swoosh! It’s that quick! Place garlic clove inside the Pampered Chef Garlic Press (affiliate link), squeeze the handles together, scrape the minced garlic right into the recipe.  Open and flip out the skin to the trash with a butter knife.  It even comes with a gadget to clean out the holes.  See how fast that was?  Tip: after use, place in a cup of water until you have time to wash it. I prefer the Pampered Chef model, but feel free to look at these too.

 

Less than $15

 

Set of 4 Flexible Cutting Board Mats

Do you ever find yourself having to wash a cutting board while cooking a meal? You know, you start with your meats and then realize you need to cut something up for your salad. Have you ever skipped something because there was no time to wash a cutting board?  Cutting Board Mats (affiliate link) are the deal for you!  Not only are they cute and colorful, they are also dishwasher safe. This makes dinner prep easy, and no thinking of ‘what do I need to chop first?’ If you hang a post-it hook inside your cabinet door, they hang perfectly next to your pots and pans.

 

 Kitchen Aid  Stainless Steel Meat Tenderizer 

I love this little Meat Tenderizer (affiliate link)!  While we all love that thick juicy piece of meat, it takes longer for it to cook. And when you are rushed to get dinner served because you are on the GO, pounding that meat into a thinner piece, means less cooking time. Yeah!  And I promise the meat will still be juicy and tender. Dinner Served!  I like using the smooth side for chicken and the rough side for beef.  The best part is it makes your serving sizes look larger too.  This is a must if you want to make Chicken Parmesan, it creates this nice large chicken cutlet that you can bread and coat with cheese. Yum.

 

Less than $10

 

Excel Blades K11 Razor Blade Scraper

This little time saver is if you have a smooth top stove.  When splattered food gets stuck all over your cooking surface, add up all the time you spend trying to scrub it clean.  Enter the Blade Scraper (affiliate link).  Run the razor under the food particles and they pop right up vs trying to scrub down the food particle to the glass top. This is not child-friendly, it is a razor, but you can store in a nearby cabinet.  Also works great on stoneware, non-coated bakeware like a pizza pan.  Place razor edge parallel to surface and push.

Wilton 2103-1112 Scoop-It Batter Spoons

Mixing something in a bowl? Then you need these Scoop-It Batter Spoons (affiliate link).  With the rubber edging, this makes sure every drop of batter gets used!  No more batter left in the bowl. What?! These will save me time? Yes, how long do you spend trying to get the last of the pancake batter in the frying pan? One swirl of the bowl with these, and it’s done.  The middle one is perfect for filling up muffin tins.

 

 

Silicone Spatula 4-piece Set,Heat-Resistant Spatulas,Non-stick Rubber Spatulas with Stainless Steel Core

Cooking with non-stick pans has left us all with some melted spatulas, right? These can clean a bowl, jar, cooking utensil quickly, making sure you stay on time with anything you are making.  Silicone Spatula (affiliate link) are Heat resistant, and so versatile.  No more waste with these in your kitchen plus saves you from time because you can get those last Tablespoons out of your Jars!  Similar to the Batter Scoops, but these will go places the scoops can’t reach. Lots of color choices and they make wonderful gifts!

 

I hope these help make your time in the kitchen more efficient.  I know as life gets busier, it’s difficult to get dinner to the table. These tools have helped me tremendously when I have been in a pinch, may they do the same for you.