Necessities (in no particular order)
1. A set of pots and pans
Seems pretty common sense, I know. I got a set almost exactly like this from Walmart for about $30. It came with two sauté pans, three pots, a large plastic whisk, slotted spoon and a slotted turner. However, after a year of use, the pots and pans we use most often are starting to burn on the bottoms from the coil burners. I knew when buying the set that it would probably only last me through college and maybe one or two years after that. Then, I was hoping to splurge on nicer pots and pans after getting my own apartment and knowing what I use most often, which would be:
- 10" inch saute pan: In the set was an 8" and 10" pan. I find myself using the 10" more often for the pure reason that I have more room since I typically cook slightly in bulk to create leftovers. Even making grilled cheese is more convenient in the 10" pan. The 8" pan is just slightly too small, but it's nice for some recipes, especially if you have to brown two things and don't want to/can't use the same pan.
- 1 quart pot: I know, I just got finished saying how nice it was to have more room, and here I am listing the smallest pan as the one I use the most. Here's the thing: I usually only cook pasta for myself or myself and my roommate. So, I don't really need a huge pan because I'm usually just cooking pasta in it. Also, the 1 quart pot I have has easy-pour grooves on the sides, so I don't even need to use a strainer. I do use the 2 quart pot a decent amount, especially when making packaged pastas that I'm afraid won't fully fit in the 1 quart pot. I can't name one time that I've used the 4 quart Dutch oven pot (other than the other two being dirty and I didn't have time/want to clean them).
I was lucky enough to have one of these in the basement that I was able to take with me. I have a huge sweet tooth, so this is perfect for making cookies. It's also really nice when you're heating multiple things up at once (like chicken bites and sweet potato fries, in a completely hypothetical situation). However, if you have something small to heat up, you don't want to use this stone. If a small part of the stone is cold compared to the rest of it, it'll break from the heat in the oven. So, either get a smaller stone like this (which I also use quite a bit) or use aluminum foil.
3. GEORGE FOREMAN
This is the perfect example of something I didn't know I needed until I had it. I got it for Christmas because my mom and, incidentally, my godfather are geniuses who knew how essential it was. Since I had two grills, I got to choose which I wanted. I ended up going with this grill because of the removable plates. They're also dishwasher safe, so who couldn't love that? I first started using it to make grilled cheeses, paninis and pizza pie irons. Then, my roommate and I made burgers, and I absolutely fell in love. The green light doesn't only let you know when it's preheated, it also knows when the items inside are grilled to perfection. If you have the chance, I HIGHLY recommend you buy a George Foreman or at least put it on a wish list for someone else to buy for you as a gift.
4. Crockpot
For the most part, crockpot recipes tend to be cheaper and really simple. If you're going to have a rushed dinner but don't want to run through McDonald's again, it's nice to throw something in the crockpot in the morning. Then it's ready by dinner time with very little preparation. The meals turn out to be pretty delicious and don't require much effort.
5. Mixing Bowl
It doesn't really matter if it's plastic or glass, but any kind of mixing bowl is pretty essential to have. I have small and large plastic bowls as well as small and large glass bowls. I say the more the merrier when it comes to mixing bowls! Especially when you're baking or doing a detailed recipe that require mixtures in multiple bowls.
6. Toaster
A toaster is always nice for bagels and stuff like that, but I do find myself using it less now that I grill the entire sandwich on my trusty George Foreman.
7. Mini-Baker
This is especially nice to have when making casserole-esque recipes. I know my roommate and I use it all the time when we make chicken tetrazzini (that we may or may not be slightly addicted to). My mini-baker is like this one, but the mini-baker doesn't necessarily have to be stoneware. It can be metal, but the stone is nicer at evenly cooking. As long as there's something in your kitchen that's a bit of a deeper dish to put in the oven, you're golden.
8. Keurig
This is especially nice for all of the coffee lovers. It's so much better in college to have a Keurig because you don't have to brew an entire pot of coffee for one cup in the morning. Plus, it's really quick and warming up and brewing the coffee. I usually buy a big box full of the cups at Sam's Club and they end up not being too expensive. My roommate and I also use a Keurig without cups in them to brew hot water for tea. It's a nice way to portion it out.
9. Cutting Board
I'm fortunate enough to have a small and large cutting board, but if I had to choose one, I would choose the large board. Although the links aren't the exact boards I have, they are the same size. These boards are nice for the slicing and dicing done to the size, whether that's chicken or onions. Go with the bigger size if choosing just one because it's better to have more space on a cutting board than not enough.
Non-necessities (but nice every once in a while)
1. Small strainer
I don't use this much, but I know my roommate uses it a lot for cleaning off fruits and vegetables. The one I have isn't carried by Pampered Chef anymore, but it's just a 6" base, 8" rim and 5" height.
2. Handheld mixer
I use this a decent amount, but it could also be done by hand. Handheld mixers are nice for whipping something on high speed that would be difficult to do by hand. Or those days that you don't feel like putting in the effort to mix it by hand. I got this one at Walmart for less than $10. It doesn't really have a slow speed and will probably die within the next year, but it's nice for just having it as an option.
3. Pitcher
I haven't been using this much lately, but it's really nice for powered mixes. I have this one from Pampered Chef, but even a regular pitcher without the built in stirrer is nice to have every once in a while.
4. Food chopper
Okay, the disclaimer is I actually don't have one of these in my apartment, but I do use it quite a bit at home. The plainer recipes I typically use don't call for too many things needed chopped finely, but my mom has recipes that do. So, this is not necessarily an essential for me, but if you deal a lot with onions or finely chopped items, a food chopper is probably the way to go.
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