So it’s January and many of us have resolved to take better care of ourselves and eat better food, and save money. The problem is that if we don’t have good ingredients on hand and a few essential tools, it becomes too easy to reach for the take out menus.
I recently made a list of essential tools for a bachelor friend of mine who is looking to increase the odds of having “overnight” dinner guests. So I made him a list of tools and ingredients to help him execute an enticing dinner and spread the love! But seriously, these are tips that will impress anyone from your latest crush to your friends or family.
Essential Kitchen Tools 
- Cast iron pan (doubles as protection against prowlers)
- Tongs (better to grab with)
- Thermometer (for chicken, turkey, steak and other meats)
- Pepper mill (keep things spicy aka antioxidant)
- Sheet pan (for roasted potatoes, stuffed peppers, stuffed mushrooms or cookies for the holidays or Valentine’s Day)
- Salad bowl for mixing and serving
- Mini food processor or bullet (for smoothies, pestos, soups and sauces)
- Dutch oven (for soups, stews, braises or roasts)
- Omelette/sauté pan (also for veggies and anything else you want to saute)
- Chef’s knife
Essential Ingredients
These are ingredients you can have on hand that keep for quite some time in the pantry or the fridge.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Parmesan cheese
- Sea salt
- Truffle oil
- Red wine
- Dry pasta
- Favorite jar of tomato sauce
- Dried Mushrooms from Fine Gourmet Foods from Oregon
I look forward to hearing about your culinary conquests so please DO cook and tell!
