You Asked, We're Answering: 12 Go-To Kitchen Tools

We're back with another You Asked, We're Answering and this time we're talking kitchen tools. I've gotten lots of questions about top things to have for the kitchen, knife recommendations, etc, so I thought I'd start a little series about our favorite kitchen items.

We were lucky enough to accrue most of our kitchen utensils and appliances during our engagement (between our huge engagement party and my big bridal shower). I'll try to keep it simple so that all of you can add these things to your kitchen without breaking the bank. I also want to note that these are things that we actually use and love in our kitchen and are vital to our extensive cooking and baking - clearly not everyone has the same obsession that Shaun and I do so perhaps not every tool will apply to every person!

Ok enough rambling, let's just get down to it.

1. {At least} 1 Good Knife

I got a whole set of Cutco knives for my bridal shower and as Christmas gifts from my mom and aunts. They all use Cutco and swear by them. I am a convert. This is the one expensive item on my list that I truly believe is completely worth every penny. Not only does it make chopping a breeze, but it's always safer to cut with a good quality, sharp knife. If you are not into getting the whole set, I'd say pick out one good knife from any respected brand. I couldn't live without my Cutco Santoku knife, which I use every single day for many uses including chopping onions, mincing garlic, slicing apples, opening packages of chicken (ok, not an official use) and lots, lots more.

2. A set of pots & pans (different shapes and sizes)

My mother-in-law got us a set of stainless steel Calphalon pots and pans which we absolutely adore. I'd say that one saucepan and one large skillet are the key items which you can make just about anything in. Additionally, I have 2 nonstick skillets for tricky, sticky dishes like scrambled eggs (impossible to clean out of a stainless steel pan, trust me, I've tried) or pancakes.

3. A rubber spatula

I like the kind with a curved back for wiping down a mixing bowl and getting every last scrap of sauce or cookie dough. I have a whole set of these and use them all.the.time. Whether mixing and plating oatmeal or scraping down a bowl of cake batter, these are tops. Oh and most importantly, they are perfect for those licking-the-spoon moments.

4. Baking dishes/Casserole dishes (non-stick, metal, ceramic or glass)

I have a set of Corningware which come with both glass and plastic tops for baking and storing. Perfect for casseroles and dips. I also have 2 metal baking pans for cakes, stuffing and things of that nature.

5. Whisk

I love love love my red silicon Le Creuset whisk that I got in my Christmas stocking a few years back. Though sometimes I do find myself reaching for a wire whisk, I absolutely love this one for mixing up marinades, combining dry baking ingredients or making a cheese sauce.

6. Baking sheets

I recently just invested in new ones since mine were getting a bit...crapped up. I am a big proponent of covering baking sheets with foil when doing tough jobs like roasting vegetables. I use these just about everyday, whether roasting said vegetables, making cookies, catching spills underneath a pie pan, or baking a pizza. Bottom line is that you just cannot cook or bake without baking sheets, so head over to Bed Bath & Beyond with your coupons and pick some up pronto.

7. Oven safe wire rack

Until this Christmas, this was the only wire rack we owned. It's large enough to hold a batch of cooking cupcakes and has added function by serving as a drying rack for freshly fried tortilla chips (Shaun's specialty). It's also the perfect tool for keeping chicken crispy while baking.

8. Mixing bowls (I like the ginormous ones!)

Though I do have a set of 'normal human-sized' mixing bowls, my mom gave us a set of 2 oversized mixing bowl and I absolutely love them. They are perfect for mixing a big batch of anything without worrying about overspill. Also the ideal vehicle for a large batch of popcorn.

9. Measuring Cups

Can't bake or cook without 'em. I have 2 sets, a really nice one from Williams-Sonoma (pictured above) and a really not-so-nice one from Target (where the measurements are already scratching off the handles). I love having 2 sets so that I don't have to use-rinse-repeat when baking calls for 1/2 of sugar and 1/2 cup of applesauce.

10. Measuring Spoons

Same as above. I hate using my teaspoon for vanilla extract only to realize that I also need it for baking soda. I hate washing things. 2 sets is where it's at.

11. Sieve

I went a long time without one of these, but I'm so happy that I finally picked one up. It's great for sifting together baking ingredients, draining orzo (which gets stuck in the holes of a real colander) or sprinkling powdered sugar over your freshly baked cookies.

12. Mixer (of some sort)

I think my all time favorite tool in the kitchen is my mixer, which I use for all cupcakes, cakes, cookies, and breads. I keep it out on the counter so it gets lots of use. I'm not going to tell you, however, that you need to go out an buy a $300 mixer in order to bake or to have a complete kitchen(though if you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up - bonus for getting one in a fun color!). Instead, I think hand mixers can work wonders! You can get them on the cheap (easily a good one for under $50) and will do just as good a job on your baked goods. They may require a bit of elbow grease, but you cannot beat the price for the function. And if you don't bake? Get one anyway for mashing potatoes!

So there you have it. Our favorite kitchen tools. I have many more, but I thought this would be a nice start. So what do you think? What are your favorite kitchen tools?

Psst...have a question for me? for Shaun? Ask us anything and we'll do our best to answer! Shoot us an email at theavidappetite@gmail.com!

Crunchy Buffalo Chicken Tenders with Blue Cheese Dressing

I got lots of cookbooks for Christmas.

So many to add to my already extensive collection that I cannot wait to dive into each of them. I'm vowing to stop pulling recipes from the Internet and adapting them, but instead to use the pretty books that grace my bookcase.

I was going to wait a few days before bombarding you with another Rocco DiSpirito's Now Eat This! recipe, mainly because I just feel bad for the other cookbooks. It's like they are just begging to be opened. But since I've developed a major obsession with this cookbook - for its ease of use, its healthy recipes, its photos of a very attractive looking Rocco - you're getting it today instead of next week. I made these tenders tonight and they completely changed our world.

Is it sad that I speak this way of chicken? Perhaps.

But it's so true. These tenders are not only crunchy and flavorful, but the elimination of frying keeps them light and healthy. As Michael Scott would say, it's a win-win-win.

Oh and if turned up buffalo tenders isn't enough, how about DIY blue cheese dressing? It's creamy, light and has convinced the mister and me to never ever go back to the bottled stuff.

Somebody stop me before I start singing from the rooftops.

Crunchy Buffalo Chicken Tenders with Blue Cheese Dressing
*Adapted from Rocco DiSpirito's Now Eat This!
For the tenders:
1 C whole wheat flour
2 C panko breadcrumbs (I could only find regular, not whole wheat)
4 egg whites
1 lb chicken tenders
1/2 C Frank's RedHot Sauce
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
For the blue cheese dressing:
1 C low fat mayonnaise
1/2 C low fat sour cream
1/4 C buttermilk (I made my own)
1 tbsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed, please!)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
5 oz low fat blue cheese crumbles
kosher salt
black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Set up an oven-safe wire rack over a large baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray. Next, set up your dredging station. A bowl for flour, a bowl for egg whites that are whisked until foamy, a bowl for the panko breadcrumbs and a package of chicken.  

Coat the chicken in flour, then submerge in egg whites and then coat with panko. Lay on the wire rack.

Once the chicken is breaded, sprinkle with salt and pepper and spray with nonstick spray. Turn the chicken over and repeat. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (for thinner tenders, it might be less time). I flipped them over about midway through. The panko will turn golden and crispy.

Meanwhile, heat up the Frank's RedHot in the microwave and make the blue cheese dressing (and be prepared to never return to that store-bought stuff again).

To make the blue cheese, whisk the mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, Worcestershire, blue cheese crumbles, salt and pepper together until combined and creamy. Though the original recipe called for garlic paste (1 clove mashed together to form a paste), we thought it was overkill so I am not recommending it in this adapted version. I'm still tasting garlic which I find unnecessary at this juncture in the evening.

Once chicken is done baking, brush the chicken with the RedHot. I used a silicon pastry brush.

 

I even got my multitask on while doing this part. I'm on the phone with one of my very good friends who had some fantastic news to share!

Serve with a dollop of the blue cheese sauce and any other accompaniements you choose. Shaun whipped up a yummy couscous with baby bella mushrooms and chopped baby carrots.

 

You may also have noticed that some of these photos are not at an angle that can be gotten from my usual countertops. That's because tonight we broke in our brand new kitchen island!

A gift from my parents, we are so thrilled with this addition to our avid kitchen. It still needs some finishing touches so I'll do a full post about how it came to be and how it's functioning in the coming weeks. But meanwhile, I just had to share it because...well, it. is. awesome!!

So there you have it. A quick, delicious and healthy weeknight meal and a new kitchen fixture to boot. I can't wait to share more details about how we (mostly my mom) DIY'd our new island and to give you the grand tour!

What are your favorite weeknight meals? Any quick and easy ones to share?

Banana Bread Redux

Happy 2011! Though I typically settle into a bit of a depression over holidays passing by (especially saying buh-bye to Christmas tunes!), this year I'm trying to get excited for other things in my life instead. Like shedding a few pounds after tossing the leftover cookies, getting back to a workout routine, and planning to see friends who we haven't seen since before Thanksgiving due to time inexplicably flying by.

On New Year's Eve, I spent the day at my parents house, breaking in my new camera by taking lots of photos of this little cutie.

 

Shaun and I opted to stay in with a Boardwalk Empire marathon. What can I say, we are obsessed! Is anyone else watching? The night was capped off with a little hors d'oeuvres spread in front of our Christmas tree.

 

On New Year's Day, we hopped the Path into the city for a little lunch and Rockefellar Center with Shaun's parents, aunt, uncle and cousin. No matter how many times I see the tree, it never gets old.

 

Meanwhile, in my time off from work last week, I worked on some new recipes. Last year, I tested out The Joy of Cooking Banana Bread Cockaigne and it quickly became one of my favorite quick bread recipes. But when I realized that I had a bowl full of these...

I thought I'd change it up and try out a healthier option. You know, part of that whole post-holiday cut the fat thing. Oh and please don't judge me for allowing a bunch of bananas to rot on my countertop. Thanks.

But look what came of those ugly things! I was so happy with how this bread turned out. Let's face it, by substituting applesauce for oil and honey for sugar, it's not necessarily a sure thing. But this bread was a moist, filling one that I'd surely make again!

Whole Wheat, Almost Sugar-Free Banana Bread
*Makes 1 loaf
1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C honey
2 tbsp Splenda brown sugar blend
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 bananas, very ripe and mashed
1 3/4 C whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 C hot water
1/2 C chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat the applesauce, honey and Splenda brown sugar blend.

Meanwhile, mash up the bananas.

 

Add the eggs to the applesauce mixture and mix well. Beat in the vanilla and mashed bananas. Stir in the flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Add the baking soda to hot water. Mix to let dissolve and then add to the bread batter. Lightly stir in the walnuts. Pour into a greased loaf pan.

 

Bake for 50-55 minutes.

Slice up and enjoy!

So there you have it. A simple way to change up your standard banana bread into a delish, healthy, guilt-free option! So what do you think?

And for the question of the day: How are you beating the post-holiday New Year blues? Or are you simply psyched to kick off 2011?