If you had $500...

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Mrs. Cuillo

Sous Chef
Joined
Dec 16, 2006
Messages
717
Location
Virginia
As some of you know, I am new to the cooking world and I am very limited to what I have to cook with. Without going into a long story, I am going to have $500.00 to spend on cooking essentials. What are some things that y'all use pretty regularly that would be useful for me as well? I live in an apartment if that makes any difference. Here's a list of the things that I already have:

knives
measuring spoons/cups
griddle
non stick pots and pans
1 8x11.5" baking dish
GF grill
round cake pans
bread pans
muffin tins
1 cookie sheet
cooling rack
hand mixer
spatulas
wooden spoons
small cutting board
1 of each large and small glass mixing bowls
whisks
plastic stirring spoons (some are slotted, some aren't)
Better Homes and Garden cookbook
colander
toaster oven





I believe that is everything . If not, I will post what I forgot. Can't wait to see what I get to buy!!:chef:
 
Anything you can find made out of silpat!
Maybe some cast iron skillets?
A few really excellent knives (you don't need a whole set).

13x9 casserole dish
a big stock pot
food processor
blender
mandoline (I love these)
Kitchen Aid mixer
hand mixer
I'll think of more. :)
 
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Not necessarily in order:

A good cast-iron skillet
Cast-iron or Le Creuset Dutch oven
Microplane grater
2-quart glass mixing/measuring/batter bowl (I have 3 and use them all the time.)
Good, thick potholders
Electronic probe thermometer
Instant-read thermometer
Hi-temp silicone scrapers and spatulas
Electronic kitchen scale (Salter makes the 11-pound capacity one I use. Best deal I've seen anywhere is at CutleryAndMore.com: Wusthof Knives, All Clad Cookware, Henckels Cutlery, Calphalon, Le Creuset, John Boos & More.)

All the items I listed above I use on an almost daily basis and I don't cook for a crowd. It's just Buck and me.

Have fun buying new "toys!":)
 
I'd get a second cookie sheet, it's so handy to have two
and also a pair of kitchen scissors. I use mine all the time.
 
Jan, Katie, and Trish all came up with good ideas. The only thing I can think of to add is a springform pan.

But get the cast iron skillet without further delay!
 
I don't think I saw silicone cookies sheet liners. I have three and would be lost without them. I line my baking sheets with them when making cookies and various apps etc. Nothing sticks, nothing burns and they are so easy to clean!
 
PytnPlace said:
I don't think I saw silicone cookies sheet liners. I have three and would be lost without them. I line my baking sheets with them when making cookies and various apps etc. Nothing sticks, nothing burns and they are so easy to clean!

Here's what I've been using for about 7 years: Kitchen.

I even bought a set for my daughter for Christmas a couple of years ago. She uses hers all the time. They work as well as Silpat, etc. and are far less expensive.
 
I agree you def. should consider adding:

Kitchen Aid Mixer - I was previously adviced to purchase the Hobart Kitchen Aid Model because the new ones now just don't last as long....I guess the Hobart are built better. I love mine!

Food Processor

Microplane

Cast Iron Skillet - I have my mothers. I remember her telling me that if I ever bought another one to buy an older used one manufactured by Griswald.

Really nice cutting board....size depends on the space you have but I like the larger ones so I can push items chopped to the side and continue chopping other things.

Pepper Mill

Good Set of cooking pans..... skillets that can transfer to the oven.
 
Gosh I would say nothing.

Unless you have to spend the money right away, put it aside until you find a need.

But if you gotta buy stuff now would ask myself what do I like to cook.

If you like to bake, a KA is very useful.

Don't know how good your knives are but a good chef knife is always a good investment. There are many and you might want to spend a bit of time figuring out which you might want to own.

Always like pots and pans I can put in the oven, start a dish on top of the stove and move the pan into the oven. You can often get very good buys at restaurant supply stores.

But think about what you want to cook.

If you really want to make your own tortillas, you might wish a tortilla press (although Mexican women have made them for centuries without them).

Didn't see a food processor on your list. Those can be very useful.

Course you can always buy cookbooks, and that is another question altogether.

To sum it up, figure out what you want to cook, or what you have found lacking, and go from there.

Five hundred bucks for a cooking bash, sounds great. Enjoy.
 
microwave oven...will save you much time and mess
food processor
stand mixer...you don't have to start out with a Kitchen Aid
stockpot 8-12 qt.
heavy dutch oven (you might spend a few $$ on this one)
2 insulated cookie sheets for baking only
2 cheaper baking sheets for meats, etc...line with foil when using
1 insulated 13x9 baking pan
large ladle
potato masher
set of stainless steel bowls (if you have room)
knife sharpener
large silicone cutting board
rolling pin with canvas mat and cotton sock for pin (available online at baking sites)
2 pie pans
Joy of Cooking

Except for the mat & mit for your rolling pin,the Dutch oven and perhaps your stock pot, you can find most of these things at a discount stores. I believe in using good cooking implements, but when you're starting out, you need to get all the basics on hand first. In time, you can replace the cheaper stand mixer with a Kitchen Aid, but it will serve your purpose for a while.
 
Iam not a big baker, so I use my Kitchen Aid hand mixer alot, big one seldom, but that is me. 9 x13 pyrex I use alot for casseroles and box cakes - brownies. Love my electric fry pan for many uses, Dutch oven and my unhealthy deep fryer !
 
After some thought and Aunt Dot's comment, I have another suggestion about how you can spend your $500.

Such things as a Kitchen Aid/Hobart mixer or a food processor will eat up a large portion of your toy allotment.

Instead, use your money to purchase some of the less expensive tools. Doing this will give you lots of new goodies, which will give you "toy" satisfaction.

Use these tools and save your pennies for some of the more expensive items. You can cut your teeth on some of the lesser expensive things. If you discover you don't like or won't use often some of the things you have on your list, you won't have spent too much money.

Just a thought to save some of your money.
 
Thank you everyone for your input!! I appreciate all of it. I am very interested in the Kitchen Aid mixer. After searching DC, all I hear, aside from MAYBE two complaints and they were about attachment pieces, are great things. What is a good model? The most popular one out right now seems to be the Artisian 5 quart one. I've searched on Macy's, Amazon, JCPenney, Target...you name it. I find them to be about $300.00. Is this a reasonable price? I want this to be with me for the long run...any input is great!
 
Katie E said:
After some thought and Aunt Dot's comment, I have another suggestion about how you can spend your $500.

Such things as a Kitchen Aid/Hobart mixer or a food processor will eat up a large portion of your toy allotment.

Instead, use your money to purchase some of the less expensive tools. Doing this will give you lots of new goodies, which will give you "toy" satisfaction.

Use these tools and save your pennies for some of the more expensive items. You can cut your teeth on some of the lesser expensive things. If you discover you don't like or won't use often some of the things you have on your list, you won't have spent too much money.

Just a thought to save some of your money.

Are you reading my thoughts?!?:) That's kind of what I am looking for but I also would like to get the big things out of the way with this money. I am very far from being weathly but I make enough money to pay my bills and still have a paycheck to just kind of "play" with. I wouldn't mind using that money for my littler things. What are some less expensive tools that I should get? I appreciate your help...I know I should save some of this money as you suggest, but I never buy things for myself. I would like to think of myself for once instead of worrying about everyone else. (I hope that doesn't sound too self centered!:ermm: )
 
I have to echo the KA mixer--I got one for Christmas this year and it was like opening my first Easy Bake oven when I was a kid...what a rush :) I use it all the time, not sure what I did without it.

I also received a food processor and use that all the time as well. I know they are big expenditures, and I always said I'd save up for them too--but never did.

I have a 5 qt Artisan in beautiful RED--its like my mid-life Ferrari!
 
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Pyrex and metal mixing bowls. I have a metal mixing bowl in London that has saed many a day. I got a budt insert and found out having MADE the cake, that it did not fit any of my tins....out came the metal mixing bowl! Melting cocoalte over a saucepan of water....

I find I am missing my souffle dishes a lot here. A big soufle is a quick and easy, but gratifyingly impressive supper with salad, all year round.

I do not believe it is possible to own too many wooden spoions of different sizes and shapes.

A really bendy flexible spatula, and a firmer one (you don't say what types you already have)

A huge mixing bowl. A really huge ceramic one. Ours saves the benches from mess when DH is pizza making, it does me for dough of all sorts, and big or multiple batches of cake mix. It also gets used for soaking the ham at christmas.
 
Mrs. Cuillo said:
Thank you everyone for your input!! I appreciate all of it. I am very interested in the Kitchen Aid mixer. After searching DC, all I hear, aside from MAYBE two complaints and they were about attachment pieces, are great things. What is a good model? The most popular one out right now seems to be the Artisian 5 quart one. I've searched on Macy's, Amazon, JCPenney, Target...you name it. I find them to be about $300.00. Is this a reasonable price? I want this to be with me for the long run...any input is great!

These are my opinions on kitchen tools. Amazon and its free shipping are a great money saver.
Shop on Amazon for many of your needs. A KA can be had for under $200 which will serve you MANY years.
A Silpat or exopat can be had for under $10--I have cooked for DECADES and never used one.
Again on Amazon, a microplane. However, more than a specialized microplane, you need a box grater for shredding, grating, etc.
A mandoline is a VERY specialized piece of equipment for slicing. For the most part, a good sharp knife will do the same thing with more versatility for use.
GOOD knives are probably the single most important kitchen tool. YOu don't need many--paring, chef's, and I love my santuko.
A good set of pans can be found on Amazon for under $150.
Heavy aluminum cookie sheets--$5/ at Costco.
Fine Cooking magazine did a review of food processors. While KA and Cuisinart came in first overall, the economy FP rated best was the Black and Decker at $40.
A cast iron frying pan is a nice thing to have. Shop flea markets for one that is already at least partially seasoned. It should be cheap--$10 or so. If it isn't it could be in the collector category (Favorite, Wagner, others)--look for another one.
Shop at Tuesday Morning, TJMaxx, SteinMart, Marshall's for kitchen equipment/gadgets.
Shop at attic sales for casserole dishes, etc.
 
My food processor is also an economy model--I find I use the KA for bread and pasta making, and have the grinder attachment and ice cream maker attachment with it as well, so the food processor I use for really chopping things finely or slicing or whatever...but I do use it!

:)
 
What about spending a bit on food items you normally could not afford?

Foie Gras
Sushi grade seafood
Truffles or just truffle oil
Parmesan Reggianno
Game birds
Elk, Bison, Wild Boar
Saffron
 
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