Tip of the Day 4/26/12

I have a confession to make, I am a shoe-aholic and a kitchen gadget junkie. I love them both. Walking through a kitchen supply store is so much fun and I always see something I just know will be a great tool in my kitchen. I do have some really useful tools I have picked up over the years, but also have some that have only been used one time. I keep them sorted into locations that are sensible for usage, the pancake turner style spatulas are next to the stove, the bowl scraper style spatulas are near the Kitchen Aid stand mixer etc. It is a good idea to go through these items and pare them down to the ones you actually use and place them in the most accessible spots in your kitchen. I would like to suggest a few really useful tools for you to consider for your kitchen. These are based on recommendations from a professional chef that Richard and I took cooking classes with and they have changed my abilities in the kitchen. They make cooking more fun. A good set of knives and a steel are vital. You do not need 10 different knives, Chef Ali recommended four and we are able to cut and chop everything with these, a large blade and medium blade chopping knife with a curved blade for proper chopping, a serrated blade, sometimes referred to as a bread knife, for slicing everything from bread to meat, and a paring size. An immersion blender and mandolin are two tools that will simplify many tasks and can take your cooking skills to a new level. I also recommend a good heavy duty stand mixer like a Kitchen Aid, a food processor, and blender. The small tools are really determined by your cooking style, a garlic press is fine if it makes you more comfortable, but the side of your knife works just as well. I love my egg slicer and use it often, but it is not a need. More tools will not make you a better cook, but the right tools and appliances will help. An organized kitchen will be one of your biggest assets. Take some time today to clear out the unused items and look forward to cooking in a well organized space.

Word for Today, Hands: Years ago I remember seeing ads in magazines showing two pair of hands and you were supposed to guess which pair was the mother and which was the daughter. There was also an ad campaign for many years for a dish washing liquid that was supposed to not just clean your dishes, but soften your hands. Many women, as a final act before going to sleep, smother their hands in cream hoping to stave off the aging process. I always loved my Mom's hands and hoped mine would remain as beautiful and soft as hers as I aged. Hands represent strength and gentleness, a firm handshake or the gentle touch of a mother checking a child's forehead for a fever. It is interesting that God's hands are mentioned many times in the Bible. They represent the ultimate gentle yet firm hand. We are held up by them, our lives are written in the palm of them, they created the world, they touched the lame and blind to heal them, and children were touched and blessed by them. Those hands were also nailed to the cross as Jesus died for you and me, pierced through and torn on our behalf. The scars remain and someday we will look upon them. "The Lord upholds him with His hand."