Top 5 Kitchen Essentials and Tools! #‎DDDivas‬ ‪#‎HauteMamas‬

So, even though I have little space in my kitchen I have my favorite “Go To” items I use all the time. Earlier this year I shared a couple of my kitchen essentials – simple things that you can get to help in the kitchen. I mean, really – how simple are rubber bands?! But there a couple tools that never leave my rotation. I really do mean to put them away in between uses, but some never make it back.

I do want to note – I am not exactly brand loyal when it comes to some of these tools. I do have a favorite one (or two) in my kitchen, but I love whatever one works the best. That being said, I am a bit picky about using certain tools for certain things – only certain spoons scoop the sour cream, or spatulas are used for certain things. This is all personal preference, and a bit of my OCD. It doesn’t mean that other tools wont work just as well – but these are my Top 5 kitchen tools! Some of these I never knew I needed until I had them given to me…

#1 Immersion Blender

Immersion Blenders, or stick blenders are a great tool in the kitchen. It helps eliminate the need for taking hot batches of soup or sauces from one pot into the blender. You simply drop your immersion blender into your pot or crock and blend to perfection. I bought mine on a Black Friday deal a few years back, and it sat there unused for years. Once I used it to make the perfect soup, it hasn’t been very far from the counter ever since! From soup, to sauce to apple butter – this little tool is so easy to use and one of my favorites!

The best part – they’re affordable! You can buy a fancy high end model, or even a standard model. Mine is a two speed immersion blender and they normally are $30 or less!

#2 Silicone Baking Mat

This is another late addition to my kitchen. For years I’ve been just greasing the pan or using parchment paper. But that can get expensive. I was sent this Sweet Creations Baking Mat to review, and I didn’t think I’d use it that often… Instead it’s always on the pan and being used at least once a week. From cookies, to rolls, crescents and more. Yes, the initial price is a sticker shock – but when you go through two or more boxes of parchment paper over a holiday baking season, you’ll see the value. It’s easy to use, easy to clean and BPA free!

#3 A Good Knife

This is actually in a tie probably for #1 with the baking mat and the immersion blender. Once you have a good sharp knife you will never go back. That being said, you can do this within any budget. At this point my most expensive knife is $40. It’s an investment and I do sharpen it with a steel. I do dream of more expensive knives, and imagine the fancy cuts I can do with them. Invest in a good knife, even if it is under $20, wash it and keep it sharp – you’ll never regret it!

#5 – Cookie Disher/Scoop

I hang my head in shame for all of the years I made fun of people that wanted a cookie dough baller. I mean how many years have people dished them out with a spoon onto the pan? What’s the point!? Well… as I quickly learned: ease of use and uniformity. It makes it a lot quicker, cleaner and easier to knock out a lot of cookies at once. When you’re done, you’re not covered in dough on your fingers (that you just want to lick off anyhow), but have cookies that are all about the same size. Affordable at around $16, they can be used to dish out small scoops of ice cream, sorbet or even make fruit balls too!