Best appliances for Beginning cooks
Be the King or Queen of Breakfast
As anyone, who has read any of our blogs or our newsletter, knows, I love to cook. It’s what I do to relax, what I do when I’m happy and when I’m sad. If I’m uptight or worried , cooking takes my mind off. I have found it to be one of the most enjoyable hobbies I have ever had.
I enjoy thinking about a meal or a certain dish, then finding the recipe and shopping for the ingredients. Actually cooking whatever, while enjoying a glass of wine at the end of the day, is what I especially relish.
Rita and I are retired and one of our great joys is entertaining our friends. That is so much fun. Most good times start with some food and/or a drink. If you are a beginning cook, don’t be afraid to invite your friends to share your creations. People love being entertained and if you cook and invite them, you’ll soon become they’re favorite person.
Breakfast is the easiest meal to learn to prepare and it’s one your family and friends will love you for.
But, all beginner cooks need to invest in a few great appliances that will make their cooking and entertaining adventures SOOOO much easier. This post is about a few of our favorites and I admit, I didn’t have all of them when I started cooking but you can always ask for birthday and Christmas presents.
The Basics - We Can't do Without
At our house, we can’t do without a Coffee Maker and a Toaster. Rita survives on coffee (at least 3 cups every morning). And actually for the coffee, we grind our beans fresh so that makes a coffee grinder indispensable I have avocado toast every day (on my own homemade bread), so there’s a need for a toaster and the Bread Machine. Then, on the weekends, we usually splurge & have an egg of some sort, bacon and maybe a waffle. There’s 2 more appliances (a griddle and a waffle iron).
Here are some of the appliances that we use and like. Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, using these links. As part of the Amazon Associate program we earn a this small commission (at no extra cost to you) from qualifying purchases.
The first coffee maker listed, is what we have now and we like it. The 2nd is the one we’ll be getting next because of the single serve option (nice if you have someone drop in for a cup)
https://amzn.to/2XzYpZm Programmable Coffee Maker, 12 Cups Coffee Pot with Timer and Glass Carafe, Brew Strength Control, Keep Warming, Mid-Brew Pause, Coffee Machine with Permanent Coffee Filter Basket, Anti-Drip System
https://amzn.to/3nScTP5 Hamilton Beach 49976 FlexBrew Trio 2-Way Single Serve Coffee Maker & Full 12c Pot, Compatible with K-Cup Pods or Grounds, Combo, Black
Our favorite Coffee Grinder is this one: https://amzn.to/2XGzLqq
The great thing about Coffee grinders is that they can also be used to grind spices and herbs. So, as your cooking expertise grows, you’ll be all set for some of those additions.
Our present Toaster is utilitarian at best. I’m sure we’re going to invest in a new one like these:
a simple, 2 slice, wide slot or if you want something more,
A 4 slice, toaster-oven with convection heating as well. We’ve had toaster ovens before and even though you have a lot more use-options with these, they take up counter space (which I don’t like to give up). It’s really personal preference, tho.
Next and really my favorite appliance is my Bread Machine. About 20 years ago, my sister-in-law gave me a machine, saying someone had given it to her and she never used it. Since that time, I’ve experimented with all sorts of recipes and many different bread machines (in truth, I’ve even purchased some for a few dollars at a thrift store.) This is my current favorite. https://amzn.to/3tYOk48This one’s very inexpensive and works great.
In reality, they all do pretty much the same thing, though some do have settings for gluten free. Since we’re not gluten intolerant, we ‘ve never needed that.
Check out my blog “Mom’s Basic Bread” to get you started.https://ritasartfulife.com/moms-basic-bread-recipe/
Affiliate Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you, using these links. As part of the Amazon Associate program we earn a this small commission (at no extra cost to you) from qualifying purchases.
The 2 More Optional Appliances
These two are the Waffle Iron and a Griddle. We really love good, crispy waffles but since we both try to watch our weight, we don’t have them as often as we’d like. This Waffle Iron https://amzn.to/2Zl7VjR
is a great one, easy to clean, makes crispy, crunchy waffles. You’ll love it!
The Griddle https://amzn.to/3CAuYW2 is really a choice that depends on how much you’re going to use it and also (for us) how much storage you have. A skillet would always do BUT, think about it this way. What if you wanted to prepare a breakfast/ brunch for some friends. All of these appliances would make it easier to prepare and the last 2, waffle iron and griddle would really make a statement in presentation.
In Closing.....
Cooking and entertaining can become a truly rewarding hobby and one that all those close to you will love you for. It’s so much fun to have get togethers and parties for your family and friends.
Sharing food can be a great ice-breaker with new neighbors, new acquaintances, new relationships and so much more.
Check out some of our other blog posts on Appetizers, brunch dishes, desserts & more. https://ritasartfulife.com/food-recipes/
We have lots of great recipes that are both delicious and easy to make!
“Good Cooks Never Lack Friends”