Toddler Cafe - Jennifer Carden [7]
scissors of all sizes and strengths * This is the tool I reach for most often in my kitchen. I leave them out in a jar on the counter because my drawer would wear out from opening it and closing it all day long! Get a good-quality heavy-duty pair, a pair for cutting packages open, and a small pair. Make sure they are dishwasher-safe. To give them a quick sharpen, fold some aluminum foil and cut away; this will sharpen the blades.
food chopper or food processor * Mincing food can be a monumental task and could make a person not want to cook. If you have a good-quality food chopper, though, you can mince with ease. Does your kid really care if his carrots are perfect ½-inch squares? No. I love my food chopper because it is small and easy to clean up. When I buy nuts, half the bag gets chopped and stored so I always have them on hand. Food processors are also handy for kneading dough and puréeing ingredients if you don’t have a stick blender.
stick blender * My most valued possession in the kitchen; I am not sure how people get along without this little gem. This is a must-have because it is easy to clean and quick to use. The recipes in this book are quick to make with this handy tool. If you don’t have one, use a potato masher, food mill, stand blender, or food processor, depending on the recipe.
mallet or meat tenderizer * This is the other tool I use almost every day. It quickly crushes ice, cereal, and stale bread for breadcrumbs. You will find yourself rummaging around for this tool all the time. If you can’t find one, grab an old hammer or the bottom of a heavy soup pot.
knife * A good-quality, sharp knife is a must. Cooking will become more enjoyable and less of a chore if you are not trying to cut your carrots with the likes of a spoon. A really good 8-inch chef’s knife and a sharp paring knife are a great place to start. I also love having a few cheap serrated knifes around since they never seem to go dull.
tongs * Put away that fork—there are tongs for that. I love this invention; get a good pair with a bit of rubber on the handle for easy gripping. A short pair is perfect for flipping meat in a pan, and longer ones are great for checking food in the oven.
micro grater * This is another leap in kitchen technology. If you don’t have one, get one. This is a perfect tool to grate frozen ginger root, frozen cheese, carrots, chocolate, and citrus zest. There are different shapes; I like one with a plastic handle and flat grating surface. The face is basically a bunch of tiny razorlike blades, so grate with care and a smile.
rice cooker * Invaluable in the kitchen, it makes rice quickly and perfectly, putting an end to bland processed instant rice. With a cooker you can toss in anything you want, such as spices, herbs, or frozen vegetables, and it is perfect every time.
sugar shakers * These are invaluable in the kitchen; fill them with cinnamon-sugar, cocoa, powdered sugar, and wheat germ. This is a huge time saver for an instant sprinkling of fun. Try putting maple sugar in one; a little goes a long way.
high-temperature spatula * Forget scraping scrambled eggs off that old wooden spatula. It is the twenty-first century, so get yourself a silicone spatula. The silicone is nonstick and won’t melt or burn, and they come in fun colors. They come in all shapes and sizes, too; the small ones are perfect for scrambling eggs or scraping cake batter from a bowl.
strainers of different sizes * These are so handy; you can use them for dusting foods with cocoa or straining out lemon seeds. Make sure you have tiny, medium, and large ones.
mini muffin tin * Makes kid-sized muffins, quiches, and tarts, and helps reduce cooking time, too.
mini tart shaper * This is a wooden dowel with a ball on the end that presses dough placed in a mini muffin tin into a tart shell. If you can’t find one, wrap the