My Top 5 Favorite Kitchen Tools

One of the things that makes cooking so much fun is having a good set of kitchen tools you can rely on.  As we've gotten more and more into cooking over the past few years, we've invested in a few very good quality tools that I think make all the difference. I've linked each item below to a similar product. These are not affiliate links, and I don't receive any compensation for these recommendations.

1. A good cast iron skillet (or two ... or three...)

Are you afraid of using cast iron? I know I was initially.  But when we started removing toxins from our environment, we realized that non-stick cookware had to go.  I did some research and hopped onto the cast iron cooking bandwagon.  And now I'm a total convert, and I don't use any other skillets for cooking.

Did you know that cooking with cast iron boosts the iron content of your food, can be a breeze to clean, AND can go straight to the oven from the stove top? Just a few reasons to love it. 

We have three cast iron skillets--1 large Lodge skillet, 1 medium Le Creuset skillet, and 1 small Lodge skillet. 

For some easy info on how to keep your cast iron well-seasoned and clean, head on over to one of my favorite ladies, Lisa at Farmhouse on Boone to get her tips to seasoning and cooking with a cast iron.

2. A quality set of knives

One of my favorite (and most useful!) wedding gifts was the set of Wusthof knives we received from one of my coworkers (thanks again Patrick!). We cut on a daily basis, including spatchcocking chicken, slicing veggies, and slicing into a perfectly cooked steak! 

A good set of knives makes meal prep so much dang easier.  So do yourself a favor and make sure you have a good set on hand...and be sure you take good care of them!

Quick tip on caring for knives--don't put them in the dishwasher! Instead hand wash them.  Yes, it can be a bit of a pain, but it's worth it in the long run. For a couple other tips to protect your knives, check out this article here.

3. Silicone cooking utensils 

Another item we threw out when detoxing our kitchen were any old plastic cooking utensils.  These can have all sorts of toxins hiding in them, so we switched to a set of silicone utensils like these instead.  

I have loved these! I do have to hand wash them to keep them in tip top shape but its been worth it to know that I don't have toxins invading mine and my family's food. The basting brush is one of my favorites--no more little brush hairs on my barbecue chicken thighs!

4. Wire baking rack

Honestly, I didn't realize how awesome a wire baking rack was until recently. But it has totally upped my chicken game!

Now I don't cook any chicken without it--wings, thighs, whole chicken, you name it, it goes on the rack. It guarantees crispy skin and delicious chicken no matter what cut you're cooking up!

5. A slow cooker

I still haven't hopped on the Instant Pot bandwagon, so for now my slow cooker is my go to. Did you know that slow cookers are known to leach lead into foods? LEAD Y'ALL! Yikes. Here's an article that goes more in depth on the toxins hiding in slow cookers and some suggestions on brands to buy to avoid them.

There's nothing I love more than a simple recipe that I throw in the slow cooker in the morning to have ready to go in the evening. It sure beats having to come up with something to make for dinner at 6 p.m. when the hunger is starting to set in. 

My slow cooker is not programmable.  So if I am not sure I'll be home when it needs to stop cooking, I'll just plug it into a timer like this one and it will shut off until I can take it out. 

If you have other kitchen staples you just can't live without, comment below and let me know!