Basic Kitchen Equipment

This is a suggested list of basic equipment that will provide for this recipe collection but it needs to be tailored to your own use. Your pots and pans should reflect in capacity and number of pieces the type of cooking you do and your household and entertaining requirements. The necessity of other items depends upon your intentions; if you never plan to make biscuits you don’t need a biscuit cutter, and if you don’t intend to bake cakes and pies you don’t need those pans. Start small and add items as needed.

 

For stovetop use

 2 frying pans with covers – the first one should be a 10-inch and the second could be 8-         inch, another 10-inch, or a 12-inch if it fits on your stovetop

 At least 2 saucepans with covers – 2 quart, 3 quart and 1½ quart are good sizes to consider. If you plan to use a vegetable steamer, make sure one of your saucepans will accommodate it and the cover will fit tightly

 6 quart pot with cover – this is your pasta, soup and stew pot

 

For oven use

 Baking dishes: 7 x 11-inch and 9 x 13-inch – the glass tempered ones are very versatile and can be used for roasting meats or baking desserts

 Broiling pan – a two component rack and pan used for broiling

 1 or 2 baking sheets – for cookies and pizza

 2 8-inch cake pans – for cake, of course

 9 x 5 inch loaf pan – for meatloaf and possibly bread

 8 inch square pan – for brownies and apple crisp

 12 cup muffin pan – also for cupcakes

 Pie pan 

 2 Oven mitts 

 

Utensils and Tools

 Rubber spatula – for scraping bowls

 Metal or hard plastic spatula – for turning over pancakes, fried eggs

 Wooden spatula – for nonstick pans and for scrambled eggs

 2 or more wooden spoons – for everything

 Slotted spoon

 Soup ladle

 Tongs

 Long handled fork

 Wire whisk

 Basting brush

 Grater

 Strainer

 Biscuit cutter

 Funnel

 Toothpicks

 Instant read thermometer

 Potato masher

 Mixing bowls – at least two

 Cutting board – one or two

 Cooling rack

 Rolling pin

 Can opener

 Bottle opener

 Scissors – it’s good to have a washable pair of scissors dedicated to opening food products 

 Vegetable peeler

 Dry measuring cups: ¼, ⅓, ½, 1 cup

 Liquid measuring cup

 Measuring spoons: ¼, ½, 1 teaspoon; tablespoon

 Knives: for paring, for slicing, a chef’s knife, a serrated knife; a bread knife

 Knife sharpener

 Bulb baster

 Icing spatula

 Flour sifter

 Biscuit cutter

 Pepper mill

 Corkscrew

 Plastic wrap

 Aluminum foil

 Waxed paper