My Favorite Kitchen Tools

a.k.a. Ole Bluey. Yes, I named my mixer. It's amazing the time and personal energy that can be saved with this machine. Just pour the cream in and go away for a few minutes. Come back to a mixing bowl full of whipped cream. Mixing cookie dough is a breeze, to say nothing of combining cream cheese and sugar. Wow.

Food processors are fantastic machines that remove the menial task of dicing and chopping. Each time I bring home a bag of nut meats, such as pecans or walnuts, I chop them in my processor and put them away for later use.

My husband, a former chef, introduced me to the necessary luxury of using good knives. The three knives I use the most are the paring, the bread and the 8-inch carving, all of the Classic style.

This glass measuring cups holds 2 quarts. I also have a 4-cup, 2-cup and a 1-cup measuring cup.

You've got an hour before guests arrive. Mix your cake ingredients. Pour them into your greased and floured pan. Bake for 55 minutes. Cool in and then out of the pan for a short while. Perhaps drizzle a glaze over the top of the cake, and voila! You've got a homemade cake. Yes, that's why I enjoy using my Bundt Cake Pan, cake in less than 2 hours with only a few minutes prep time.

I especially love my wire whisk and lemon zester. The handle fits into my hand perfectly.

I love, love this gadget. You barely touch your citrus fruit to the microplane and you instantly have zest. It makes zesting so much easier.

You can never have too many of these bowls. (I have 8 in various sizes.) Not only do they make mixing a breeze, but clean-up is even easier. My bowls are used more than any other tool in my kitchen.

If you love to eat rice, this is a must-have. Put in the rice and then the water. Push a button, and less than 45 minutes later you have rice. I like the fact you can put it on up to 4 hours before dinner, and the rice will be kept warm. I use ours 2 or 3 times a week.