While we all have our own ideas about our must-have kitchen gadgets and items, we can all agree on certain items every kitchen can’t do without Some are simple tools, others require a bit of power but they are all needed and useful. Here are my must have kitchen items.

1. Wooden spoon - So simple, yet so handy. Wooden spoons stir without scratching. Whether used for stirring drinks or a delicate sauce, there’s one in every kitchen I know.
2. A good set of knives - Dull cheap knives won’t do when it comes to kitchen prep. We have a set of Henkels chef knives, which we love. A good, sharp set of knives is essential for every cook.
3. Whisk - No, you’re not stirring, you’re whisking. A whisk can froth up scrambled eggs or mix up a batch of pancake batter. It combines your ingredients for a smooth, lump free end result.
4. Pots and pans - Everyone argues over what is best. Copper, cast iron, Teflon. We have some of each we use for different things. For instance, we use our no sticks for eggs and the cast iron for frying fish (outside on the back deck, thank you very much.).  We can get into tips for choosing pots and pans at another time, but it should be noted you get what you pay for.  When it comes to your cooking vessels, you don’t necessarily want to go cheap. Do some research to find out the best product for your needs.
5. Stand mixer - I used to use a hand mixer until my mother gave me a professional quality stand mixer for Christmas a few years ago. I will never go back! Not only could I see the difference in my batters and bakes, but I could taste the difference. All my baked goods came out fluffier and more flavorful. Granted, a good stand mixer will cost you a pretty penny, but it’s more than worth it.
6. Spatulas - A good set of spatulas are necessary for mixing, scrambling, folding and scraping. Like the wooden spoon, every home cook I know has several and none can do without.
7. Tongs - This wouldn’t have been on my list before I met my husband, but it is now. I use our tongs cooking AND serving. When I was young we used tongs for two things -spaghetti and ice cubes. Now we use them to flip items on the grill, serve meats and noodles to our guests and more.
8. Baking Pans - I have several different varieties - again something we’ll get more into detail next time. Keep in mind when baking that certain flavors stay in the pans long after washing. So I like to have pans for breads and desserts, roasting pans for meats and ceramic baking dishes for casseroles.
9. Basting Brush - Basting brushes are perfect for buttering pie crusts and pastries and marinating meats. Get one if you don’t have one - you’ll wonder what took you so long.
10. Coffee grinder - Fresh ground coffee is the best, no doubt. A coffee grinder can also be used for grating cheeses and chopping herbs.

What are your must have kitchen items?

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No, I’m not talking about lasagna that’s left over from a few days ago, I’m talking about lasagna made with leftovers. Every now and then I like to make Leftover Lasagna.

Let me explain…

When I make the sauce for my lasagna, I generally use the crockpot. If I’m not making it from scratch, like today, I put a jar or two of the store bought stuff into the crockpot, add some ground beef, sausage and sausage and let simmer for the entire day. During the last couple of hours I throw in some leftovers. For instance, the taco beef from last night? In the sauce. Zucchinis, carrots, and red orange and green peppers from a salad? In the sauce. Spinach? In the sauce. Now my sauce has lots of nutritious veggies and the left overs aren’t going to waste.

In case you’re wondering. I’ve never had a Leftover Lasagna taste bad. The sauce always tastes delicious. I wouldn’t put anything too outlandish in there, somehow though it all just seems to work.

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The other day after I reviewed Wholly Guacamole, a commentator named Robert suggested I use it as a sandwich spread. I don’t know why this didn’t occur to me before. I love to top my burgers with guacamole instead of ketchup or cheese, why not a sandwich?

I’m here to tell you guacamole is now my favorite condiment. In addition to topping burgers, guacamole is heaven when spread on a sandwich including fresh turkey or chicken, some tomato and even a little pepperjack cheese. I’m not much of a mayonnaise person and I’m not a big fan of mustard with chicken or turkey. From now on it’s guacamole every time.

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I’m having car problems and the roads are icy today, so I didn’t feel like going to the supermarket as previously planned. Even so, there wasn’t much food to work with in my freezer. I settled on a package of chicken wings. Now, I’m not my husband. He doesn’t mind venturing out in 18 degrees to grill up a batch of wings. I’m not that ambitious. What I decided to do was slow cook them in my crockpot.

A few months ago Buff sent me some T.J.Morgan’s Basting Sauce, and I’ve been finding some good uses for it. Today I marinated my chicken wings with the TJ. Morgan’s Teriyaki Sauce - using the Vacu-Seal to get the job done quicker - and slow cooked the wings to perfection. They’re just about falling off the bone. And Ok, I sample a couple since dinner won’t be for a while, and they’re absolutely out of this world.

T.J.Morgans touts itself as a basting sauce, but I also use it as a marinade. The Teriyaki sauce is absolutely divine. Friends, don’t be afraid to experiment in your kitchen. Sometimes the best food is born out of experimentation.