Most important kitchen gadget??

With all the kitchen gadgets out there, what do you think is the most important?

Well I will tell you what I deem the most important, it is your knives!! Why? Well because next to your pans, they are the most used item in your kitchen and frankly your awesome pans aren't going to do you any good if you can't properly cut anything up!! You really need to spend the money on a good set of knives, and this doesn't mean buy the set from the infomercial at 3 am, because it can cut through a can!! Remember, you get what you pay for, if it is 19.99 it isn't a good knife, I don't care what they say it can cut through!

You need a knife that is extremely sharp, well balanced and that has some weight to it. Weight, why weight you ask? Well the weight will help you in your dicing, chopping and julienning!! A little weight means less effort on your part! Extremely sharp is also VERY imporatant, a dull knife is an UNSAFE knife! Yes I know that sounds odd, but it is true! Dull knives have a tendency to slip when you are trying to cut veggies etc and can result in you taking a nice slice off of your finger....ummm I have been there and done that one....not a pleasant experience!! Also if the knife is dull, what you are trying to prep maybe ruined especially if it is soft like a tomato or mango! You will end up with mush if your knife is dull!!

In my kitchen you will find Henckels I love them (Wustof is another great brand)! I would not go back to the 19.99 knife ever! Once you use a high quality knife you will turn your nose up at the rest. They slice through a tomatoes like butter and they stay sharp for a good while! They can also be re-sharpened! A good set of knives is a great investment because they will last for years! I bought my set of Henckels at Costco (which is the best place to buy them if u can find them) I got an awesome deal on a whole set!! Let me tell u they are expensive when you go to the regular store, so when u see them at Costco snap the up!! Yes I know u will freak at them being over $100 dollars but trust me that is cheap for a whole set. Just the chef knife if you were to buy it alone would run u about 80 smackers!! Think of it as a life time investment, it will make the price tag a little easier to swallow!

Well now that you are going to go out and buy a great set of knives, you may want to know a little about how to properly use them. So I found this video that explains basic techniques! It is a pretty good video!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VahnQw2gTQY

Well I hope that you take the time to go out and find yourself a great set of knives! Hey its shopping and it fun, plus it will make it easier for you to turn out some fantastic dinners for your family!!

As always be safe and have fun!!

**hugs

Angelica