Previously, I had shared with you my top five essentials for kitchen tools.  (I even did a bit of Christmas shopping with those in mind, buying the glass measuring cup for teaspoons/tablespoons and a knife sharpener  as gifts.)  Now it's time to share some more favorite kitchen items.  These are not essential, just really beneficial to have!  Maybe you will find something for that tough-to-buy-for person.

1. Gel Pro mat.  This mat helps to keep my back from hurting too much when I spend a long afternoon in the kitchen.  I seriously think every woman who has ever stepped on it has commented on how nice it is.  I am very thankful for mine.  (These are available in different sizes and colors.)

2. Counter scraper/Dough knife and Bench Knife.  If you ever put dough on your counter, you know that it can be a bit of a mess to clean.  I really like my "dough knife" to do the scraping for me.  It's just plastic, but so handy!  If you need to divide dough, it is also good for cutting it.  I linked to a plastic version, like mine.  You can also get them with a stainless steel "blade."  Years ago (prior to children) my mother-in-law and I took a bread baking class at King Arthur Flour in Vermont, and they allowed us to keep the dough knife.

3. Large cutting board with groove for "juices."  This is great for a roasted chicken, turkey, or watermelon.  I prefer my smaller boards for less messy items, but the groove makes a huge difference in catching the juices from the meat or fruit.

4. Canvas pastry mat and rolling pin cover.  These certainly make rolling pie crust so much easier.  Just make sure to flour the mat and the rolling pin cover well, and it will really help with making pie crust.  (I had a silicone pie mat before, but it only frustrated me.)

5. Hand-made dishcloths.  When it comes to scrubbing dishes, I prefer only to use knitted (or crocheted) dishcloths.  I get one every year for Christmas.  (Thank you, Grandma!)  Over the past ten or so years, I have had to throw away only a couple of my dishcloths, but they really are very durable.  (If you do not knit or crochet yourself, try a craft fair or Etsy.)


~ Annette {This Simple Mom}