Kitchen Gadgets – Part 2

Back in January I posted about my favorite kitchen gadgets.  To make my list they had to be inexpensive (under $50) and small (tiny cabinets!).  I really do believe that you do not need gizmos and gadgets to be a successful cook, but I do have some favorites that make life easier.  I love to cook and spend time in the kitchen, but I also have a lot of other important things to take care of in the course of the day.  So, anything to make life easier is great!

I have two new gadgets to add to my previous list of four.  Like the others on my list these are both compact and inexpensive.

Meat Thermometer – I think it is a hostess’s worst nightmare to food poison her guests.  I think it is even more of a nightmare for a mom to food poison her family (G-d forbid).  That is why I think a meat thermometer is a great gadget to have.  You can find them ranging in price anywhere from $10 to $110.  There are hundreds of thermometers on the market.  There are traditional thermometers, digital thermometers and even grill forks with built in thermometers.  I do not think you need to spend a lot of money on this.  You really just want something that is easy to read and accurate.   The one I have is digital and costs $20.  It is great because you are able to definitively tell the internal temperature of whatever you cook.  I really only use this for meat, mostly poultry.  Yes, there are other ways to tell if your food is cooked properly, but it’s nice to know for sure 🙂

The Misto – I love this thing!  It is a spray bottle that uses air to create a mist of whatever oil or vinegar you put in your Misto.  You simply fill it half way with oil, put the cap on and pump, pump, pump.  When you spray you get a fine mist to coat your pan or food.  It is a great tool for healthy cooking in that you are using less oil than pouring from a bottle.  It is a cook’s friend in that you can get a nice even coating on whatever you are cooking without spots of oil collecting in one area. It is non-aerosol so it is better for you and the environment.  Also, it does not have any chemicals or propellants which is important to me.

I use my Misto all the time.  I keep it filled with a good quality olive oil.  I have a friend who keeps a few around – for two or three different oils and vinegars.  I make eggs often and use it to spray my pan before cooking.  It is also great to spray on breads or vegetables before roasting or grilling.  I do not know who thought of this invention, but I am happy they did!