Kitchen Essentials

We were lucky to receive some amazing gifts for our wedding that were on our registry and some are so great I need to share. Most of what we asked for was just nice versions of what we already had. We had lots of 70's-era hand me downs, things from garage sales, things from college and even a toaster that you had to press down 3 or 4 times before it worked. So while most of our gifts are just pretty updated versions, some have surprised us in the functional department. Take note.

The best baking sheets, ever. I am constantly roasting veggies in the oven, baking cookies, baking tofu, you name it, so my baking sheets get a ton of use. These are so easy to clean, high quality and dishwasher safe. I will buy these for all future bridal showers, etc., everyone needs them!

I think colanders are so cute, and I've had a few, but if they are colored, the paint chips off and frankly that scares me. These mesh colanders are the answer. They will never rust, they are really fine so you can rinse super small grains in here, and the base on them props them up so the stuff you are rinsing is never sitting in it's own water. Ok, are you still reading? Probably not...

I never knew I needed a garlic press and I think we put this on the registry as more of a novelty thing. (Oops) But it has turned into one of the items we use the most! And its amazing. I think it allows the oils or something to come out and makes the garlic smell better and improves my cooking. Never again will I chop garlic!

Not too much I can say about a cooling rack, but this is just sturdy and thick and doesn't slide all around the counter like some flimsy ones I had in the past. You know, it just sits there on the counter and cools those cookies, as it should, but somehow better.