“Change Your Life” Utensils

There are regular, everyday utensils like a good rubber spatula and a wooden mixing spoon.  And then there are utensils that rock your world and change how you’ve always done a particular cooking step.  The following is a list of utensils that have had an actual impact on me.  They may not fall into the “essential” category, for you could get by without them.  But you don’t want to have to.  They are ‘change your life’ fantastic!

- Pampered Chef’s Mix ‘N Chop – this utensil is perfect for chopping up hamburger, ground  turkey & Italian sausage.  Other utensils may work for such a project, but nothing is as easy or works as well!

Website Description:  A Pampered Chef® exclusive! Unique, beveled pinwheel blades efficiently chop and crumble foods for even cooking and seasoning. Its high-quality nylon design follows the curves of your cookware and won't scratch the surface. A soft grip and thumb rest help you comfortably grasp the handle and chop more easily. Heat-resistant to 428°F. 11". Dishwasher-safe.

 -Pampered Chef’s Small Spreader – works perfectly to smoothly frost cakes & cupcakes, without any lines or bumps that come from knives & other spreaders. 

Website Description: A shorter offset blade gives you the perfect control needed to frost cupcakes. Its ergonomic handle is easy on your hand. 3 1/2" stainless steel blade. Dishwasher-safe.

-Eggsact Egg Timer (or similar brand) – this tool took me from the mess & uncertainty of hard-boiling eggs to a pro!  Not to mention the ease of knowing about soft & medium-boiled eggs now too. 

Website Description:  It's so simple, you'll wonder why it wasn't invented sooner!  This Eggsact Egg Timer takes the guesswork out of boiling eggs. Whether you want your eggs soft, medium or hard boiled, simply place this egg-shaped timer in a pan with your eggs and watch as the timer changes color as the eggs cook. Equipped with an internal sensor that reacts to heat, you can actually boil your eggs to the perfect stage every time. No more wondering when your eggs are done because the timer heats up along with the eggs tells you exactly how done your eggs are. Features: Changes color as the eggs cook (from red to purple) Internal sensor reacts to heat 3 stages include soft, medium and hard boiled Works with any number of eggs.

-Pampered Chef’s Core & More – to be honest, I don’t really have this tool!  I have an earlier version that is just the Corer part.  And that’s the part I really recommend, but this new version comes with an added bonus, which I think sounds good too.  The Corer is great for de-stemming strawberries and taking out the core of a tomato.  You no longer have to cut off half the strawberry to just take off the stem, or do the time-consuming work of wedging a knife down around the core/stem in a circular motion.  It’s such a quick, one-step, no-mess process with the Corer!

Website Description:  Remove stems, seeds and cores from vegetables and fruits with the stainless steel corer. Make melon balls and create veggie boats with the double-sided scoop. Corer end includes an ergonomic handle and protective storage cover. Dishwasher-safe.