Must-Have Cooking Tools and Gadgets

Must-Have Cooking Tools and Gadgets

Great Kitchen Tools Under 50 Bucks

You might not realize that a successful cooking experience depends on a lot more than having a good recipe and high-quality ingredients. That’s why we’ve provided this list of tools, utensils, and other accessories that will help make your life just a little easier in the kitchen or on the grill. If you’re unsure whether any of these products would be worth it, give it a try. You might find that investing in a helpful kitchen tool pays for itself in the time and energy you’ll be saving!

Wifi Meat Thermometer

Long gone are the days of hovering near a smoker or grill to manually check the temperature. This handy grilling accessory will send an alert to your smartphone once the meat reaches a pre-set temperature. Its large digital display and wireless technology help take some of the hassle out of grilling so you can focus on the good stuff. For a complete review of other WiFi thermometers check the full review completed by the Meat Geeks.

Buy here for $50

Stainless Steel Herb Scissors

stainless steel herb scissors

If you’re clumsy with knives or not very comfortable handling sharp edges, investing in a pair of herb snippers designed just like scissors can be a helpful, safe alternative. A set of five blades and a portable safety cover that makes them safe for travel. Simply place a small handful of herbs between the blades and cut like a piece of paper. You’ll find that your cuts are straighter, evenly sized, quicker, and safer for the whole family.

Buy here for $8

Silicone Snap and Strain Colander Accessory

strainerAvailable in black, red, and green, this snap-on strainer comes with special clips that fit most standard size pots. You’d be surprised at the amount of space you’ll save in your cabinets when you trade in your old, bulky colanders for a snap-on. Despite its compact, lightweight size, the portable strainer is ideal for pasta, vegetables, even more dense foods like sliced potatoes. Not only that, but it’s dishwasher safe, completely reusable, and, of course, heat-resistant.

Buy here for $11

Bottle Opener Multi-Tool 2-Pack

bottle opener

This handy pack of two innovative multi-functional bottle openers will eliminate the need for different-sized bottle openers. With different compartments made for twist caps, pull-tabs, classic beer caps, even jar caps, you can open any bottle or jar with ease. Great for those suffering from joint stiffness in addition to those just looking to clear up space in a cluttered kitchen drawer. These bottle openers claim they can not only protect your hands but also save time and space by combining all the different types of can openers or cap removers you can think of.

Buy here for $15

DIY Chalkboard

DIY Chalkboard

A couple weekends ago, I was able to get my craft on…and it felt amazing! I have a bride this summer that was wanting to have a chalkboard for her ceremony. I knew this was something I could make!

I asked my dad if he was interested in a father son daughter project and of course he was up for it. I went out and purchased all of the materials and was super excited to get started.

The last father daughter project we did together was probably back in school making some school project. I remember doing a cotton gin for school which was pretty much awesome. Then we had to make a car in junior high that ran off of batteries (I had an unfair advantage because my dad is a mechanic:)) It was always a good time.

I asked my dad if he remembered making my mom a dishwasher…..not that kind of dishwasher. My mom would always tell us what she wanted for Christmas and then we would tell Dad and he would help us get it. This one particular year, she wanted a dishwasher. Well, that was pretty much not happening considering the cost was crazy. So, being the smart ass  good humored person that he is, he made a doll out of wood that would hold scrub brush and a sponge. Mom laughed so it was totally worth it.

For the chalkboard, I definitely needed help. I have used a drill before, but never for anything other than just putting in a screw. I never had to drill the hole first. It was quite a learning experience. Apparently, I drilled in the hole a bit crooked so my dad had to fix it…whatever. You live and you learn;)

 

Miss M was able to help with the painting which she was super excited about! We put two coats on of the chalkboard paint and waited for it to dry. While that was drying, we hung out with the family and enjoyed some time together.

 

Finally, when the paint was dry, we put it all together. It was my first time using a air staple gun…PS AMAZING! I am not sure why I would ever need to OWN one per se, but I want one. So easy and so fun!

The hinges were spray painted with some paint Dad had around for car parts, so that dried really quick:) Then it was time to put it all together…hinges, chain…ta da!

 

I had to touch up some spots on the stained part of the wood, but it was super easy and I am absolutely in love with it. Miss M even got to test it out to make sure it really was a chalkboard:)

All pictures were taken with my phone so I realize they are not the best quality:) I cannot wait to use this in a wedding and take some good pictures of it!! Thanks for stopping by!

Winter-Themed Wedding Reserved Cards

Winter-Themed Wedding Reserved Cards

This past weekend, I needed to make some reserved cards for a bride we are working with. Her theme is a Winter Wedding and the decorations are gorge!! She just needed a little something for her reserved cards for the family tables, so I went ahead and got out my trust Silhouette Cameo and went to work.

I found this perfect Snowflake Place card and went to work. I had to resize the images a bit on the cutting mat so that they weren’t so small to be able to be viewed as a reserved card. Then, I simply changed around the grouping of the shapes so that I could cut them on different colored paper and it worked perfectly!

I met with her last night and she absolutley loved them!!!  I cannot wait to see them on the tables with her winter themed wedding decorations!!