I always thought that I navigated around my kitchen and prepared all my favorite recipes pretty well, but after watching the Food Network Channel, I've added some gadgets in my kitchen that I never used to own before...just because they look good sitting there, or that I actually changed the way I cook so I can use them. This may sound really off the wall, but for one thing, I have had one teeny tiny cutting board forever. After watching Guy Fieri and Tyler Florence chop chop chop away on their nice chopping block, I had to run out and get one of those nice big thick ones with feet to prepare my veggies because it just looks so good instead of my tiny little board that has been in my family forever. Also, I always have fresh herbs in my kitchen as opposed to the dried ones in jars just because it looks good and my recipes taste much better. I feel so professional now.

I'm sure a lot of you have pretty fabulous kitchens. Heck....I don't even have a food processesor yet, but I plan on getting one because it just looks sooooo good.

Anyone else out there being influenced by the cooking shows???

I bought a food processor after a period of watching Food TV a ton. I haul it out now and then, but don't use it all the time. I hate clutter on counters and I'd probably use it more if it was out though.

I really want a salt pig after seeing Nigella use one (not in robin's egg blue, though).

I don't want to clutter my kitchen counters, but after really looking at those kitchen shows, I've been inspired to just cook a different way. In fact, I just organized my kitchen junk drawers, too. I really like to cook, and I find that I am trying out new gagetry and techniques, hence the new chopping block.

a microplane grater, i use it all the time now.

^lol yuuup. although ive gone thru 2 of em that dont seem to work as well as the ones on their shows

Probably the only addition I will not be making to my kitchen is the Ronco Salad Spinner. I feel so inspired by these shows. Now, I just want to master chopping veggies like a pro without cutting off finger tips.

Well, I don't watch much TV, but I read some gourmet cooking magazines occasionally and I do watch Top Chef and once in awhile I'll see the Iron Chef Challenge.

Basically for me it's Pampered Chef shows and walking through Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table that do it to me. Oh, and food forums (I belong to a bread making one and a cake decorating one - I make cakes for fun/small business).

Now, I have a 10.5 by 10.5 kitchen with 42" tall cabinets and a new 36" wide, 8 foot tall pantry and my kitchen is full. I have a "couple" things I don't use (waffle maker, a specialty cheese slicer, a few cake pans), but I go through my things quite regularly and purge. I use everything in my kitchen at least once a year. I host a thanksgiving dinner, so for instance, my big roasting pan only gets used that once and so on.

I find that having the right tools make all the difference in ease of preparation and end product results.

I'm trying to think if what things I've gotten that I felt were an absolute waste for the money and have subsequently donated or thrown out.... hmmm.... OK, Garlic press (i've tried 3 kinds and I still find chopping by hand is much better or with a mechanical food chopper), chocolate thermometer spatula, food mill (other things work and are smaller), mini food processor (mechanical one works better and is more green), part of my fondue set. We do use it a couple times a year, but we don't use all the dipping bowls or the oil bowl. We use it for cheese and chocolate.

And things I've gotten after watching shows or hearing people talk about it? Besides the obvious like a good mixer and food processor and heavy duty pots and pans, the GADGETS that save me TONS of time are these:

Apple peeler, corer, slicer. Man that thing is slick. I can prepare 11 cups of apples for pie in about 10 minutes or less whereas doing it by hand takes a good 30 minutes or longer.

Food chopper. I use it for herbs and garlic all the time and just quickly rinse with water imediately after using it so it never needs major cleaning.

Knives for the job. Sometimes in one meal I'll use 3-4 different knives to make it easier to prepare.

high quality digital scale that goes up to 10 lbs

baking stone for the oven

salt pig (I have an antique one I've used for years)

Oh, and my new favorite thing since I make bread every couple days is a flexible silicone pastry mat. It's marked for size, things don't stick to it, is floppy, stores small and it leaves NO flour mess on my counter. I literally roll out my dough, sweep off the flour and put it away for the next day. No more dough stuck to countertops or wasted time cleaning flour off everything.

I could probably think of more quite easily. My husband thinks I'm nuts, but he also sees things being used, so he can't complain too much!

Originally Posted by Compass Rose

Probably the only addition I will not be making to my kitchen is the Ronco Salad Spinner. I feel so inspired by these shows. Now, I just want to master chopping veggies like a pro without cutting off finger tips.

I have a Williams Sonoma salad spinner and I LOVE it. I wash and cut my greens - all of them for the week. I spin them, drain the water out of the pan, and then put the lid on and store in the fridge. It has a way to lock the spinner part down. So, for the week, we can just grab what we want and we all know that washing every day little by little takes longer than doing it all at once.... IT can hold two heads of lettuce (romaine or red/green leaf).

The salad spinners DO make a difference. Water on leaves is no good.

[quote=berryblondeboys;8754505]
Food chopper. I use it for herbs and garlic all the time and just quickly rinse with water imediately after using it so it never needs major cleaning.

.............. a flexible silicone pastry mat. It's marked for size, things don't stick to it, is floppy, stores small and it leaves NO flour mess on my counter. I literally roll out my dough, sweep off the flour and put it away for the next day. No more dough stuck to countertops or wasted time cleaning flour off everything.quote]

bbb......is that food chopper one of those little gizmos that you work by hand by whacking the top about 10 or 12 times? I would like to get one of those. Also, I've been eyeing that very pastry mat because the last time I made noodles and dried them on my countertop, I might as well have used Elmer's Glue because they were stuck to the countertop and I had a nasty mess!

Originally Posted by Compass Rose

bbb......is that food chopper one of those little gizmos that you work by hand by whacking the top about 10 or 12 times? I would like to get one of those. Also, I've been eyeing that very pastry mat because the last time I made noodles and dried them on my countertop, I might as well have used Elmer's Glue because they were stuck to the countertop and I had a nasty mess!

Yes, the food chopper is the thing you whack at the top. Love that thing. I use it probably every 2-3 days. And treat yourself to a pastry mat. I got mine at a TJ maxx awhile ago. Nothing is worse to clean up in the kitchen than dried on flour/dough. I always soak the offending spot, but it doesn't soak in.. and then scraping it with the fingernail and so on. I haven't done that in 2 years now and I don't miss it!

I love my garlic press! I use garlic is almost EVERYTHING (except baking, usually... hahaa) and it is so much more convienent for me to use.

Definitely baking stones from Pampered Chef and silicone baking sheets from France.

Originally Posted by LeaD

I love my garlic press! I use garlic is almost EVERYTHING (except baking, usually... hahaa) and it is so much more convienent for me to use.

I find I spend more time cleaning and getting out the stuck garlic than is worth it. What do you do with the garlic that doesn't get pressed through? Just toss it? I always peel it out and then cut that up. I've tried with and without the paper around it and nothing differs, just a lot of waste. I either thinly dice it while holding it (my husband's aunt taught me how to do that) or I peel it and then chop it with the food chopper). I use garlic in almost everything too.

I love cooking! After watching too many food shows, I want a pressure cooker (thanks, Iron Chef America), a 14 cup food processor, some silpats, a spice grinder, and a santoku. We just moved into a new house with a nice kitchen, so I'm going to buy the food processor after Thanksgiving!

berryblondeboys, you've sold me on the salad spinner!

Originally Posted by berryblondeboys

Apple peeler, corer, slicer. Man that thing is slick. I can prepare 11 cups of apples for pie in about 10 minutes or less whereas doing it by hand takes a good 30 minutes or longer.

Is this an all in one gadget or is that a list of 3 separate gadgets?