Gone are the days where we had to begin toiling in the kitchen early in the morning to make ourselves and/or our family a decent dinner. Outside of marinating things overnight, and there is even a gadget for that, cooking has become more convenient. With the latest gadgets and myriad of delicious recipes readily available, preparing a meal or dessert doesn’t have to be a long process. There are five gadgets that we all should have in our kitchen to ease the perceived burden of meal preparation.
Air Fryer
Think of an air fryer as a convection oven with mobility and a price point that doesn’t break the bank. Having that $3,000 convection double oven is a kitchenista’s dream, but until then, the air fryer will do. Nothing beats a golden piece of fried chicken goodness, but the crunching factor and increased health benefit of not dealing with health risks traditional frying encourages, makes the air fryer a great alternative. With gloves on prep your wings by cleaning them and cutting them if necessary. Pat dry, lightly massage oil of choice and season accordingly. Dip chicken into seasoned flour. Align in the fryer then place on 370 degrees, and cook for 15 minutes on each side. Trust us it'll be crisp perfection.
Insta Pot
We all love a good pot of rice and beans alongside our favorite greens. Let’s not get started on a good roast. We all know preparing these things can be a lengthy process, but not with an Insta Pot also known as a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers work by doubling the temperature inside the pot to cook things in half of the time. Season your greens, toss them in the pot with your onions and smoked Turkey. Then add some low sodium chicken stock and in 45 minutes you have the perfect greens without the headache.
Automatic Pot Stirrer
If you are a person who loves creole food then you know the basis of all great creole food especially gumbo starts with a great roux. For gumbo, you need a deep chocolate- colored roux. That can take at least 30 minutes to achieve with you standing over the pot continually stirring so your roux doesn’t burn. The auto pot stirrer takes the back breaking work out of standing over the stove and watching the roux.
Cast Iron
Although Caraway pots are my favorite cooking pots to use, I love a good old school cast iron. Whether it’s a Dutch oven or a skillet, the potential is limitless. Cast irons regulate heat evenly. No matter if you are searing protein or whipping up a great batch of honey butter cornbread, that cast iron is going to get the job done the first time around. It’s oven safe and its one of the best tools to use for searing.
Mortar and Pestle
This is a great addition if you want to create a wonderful paste or expand the flavor and aromatic profile of your herbs and spices by grinding them. Mortar and pestles can be found anywhere in a variety of sizes and materials for a great price that will boost your cooking experience and dishes.