3 pros!
Does clutter have you sick of cooking? Here are some kitchen ideas from a pro.
Suzanne Rockwell, a personal chef for Indiana Pacers and Indianapolis Colts players and star of the “13 Minute Meal” segment every Monday on news station WTHR, dishes out some helpful advice.
The owner of Chef Suzanne, which operates from a commercial kitchen in Fishers, Indiana, can help you turn down the chaos in your home's kitchen with these tips:
Rockwell keeps her sharp knives readily available in a neatly organized drawer. (Photo by Steve C. Mitchell)
How to organize your kitchen staples
Utensils
Rockwell, who also caters and conducts cooking classes for customers, suggests keeping all of your cooking utensils, such as spatulas, ladles and wooden spoons, in a utensil holder on the countertop. While many people already do this, she suggests a slight change — try storing the utensils facing down.
“In a commercial setting, everything has to be stored handle up so you’re grabbing the handle, not the piece going in your soup,” she says. “But we suggest homeowners do the same.”
Rockwell says that doing so prevents the spread of germs, since you won’t be touching the part of the utensil you’re using to cook.
Spices
Rockwell says that you should keep your spices in a drawer or cupboard next to your stove, so you can easily access them while cooking. However, she advises everyone avoid storing them in one space: the cabinet above the stove.
“Heat rises from the stove, so you’ll lose the flavor out of your herbs and spices,” she says.
Pantry
When storing items on the floor in the pantry, she advises using a plastic bin instead of setting anything directly on the floor. Avoid placing products that could make a huge mess, such as flour, on the ground.
Another tip: “Whenever you have anything in a bag, always store it in a Ziploc bag,” she says. “Don’t trust the twist tie.”
Knives
Keep all sharp knives in a wooden block, either on your counter or in a drawer.
“Don’t throw knives in a drawer,” she says, adding that unorganized knives can lead to injury.
Rockwell sorts clean utensils by material — plastic, wooden and stainless steel — then stores them handle side up. (Photo by Steve C. Mitchell)
Three kitchen gadgets to keep
Kitchen still feeling cluttered? Before throwing anything out, Rockwell says to keep these three kitchen must-haves.
Countertop convection oven
Dinner for one? Rockwell says when making meals for just one or two people, it’s best to use a convection oven stored on your countertop. There’s no need to waste energy heating a whole oven if your food won’t occupy that much space.
Knife sharpener
“A lot of people think that a sharp knife will hurt you more,” she says. “But a dull knife will slip over what you’re trying to cut, and that’s how you end up cutting your finger.”
Rockwell recommends getting an electric knife sharpener, which starts out at a price of about $60.
Digital thermometer
Rockwell says anyone who cooks meat needs a digital thermometer. “When you’re cooking, people tend to cut into it [to check if it’s done], but when you do that it releases all the juices,” she says.
By investing in a digital thermometer, you can ensure you’re cooking your meat thoroughly without sacrificing the savory juices.
Store cooking ingredients in a zip-close bag or airtight canister to ensure they don't go bad. (Photo by Steve C. Mitchell)
Three kitchen gadgets to ditch
Rockwell dishes on the three kitchen gadgets to ditch.
Expensive pots and pans
According to Rockwell, many consumers spend money on heavy-duty pots and pans that they don’t need. Instead, she suggests using aluminum pans, because they weigh less.
Electric can opener
Unless mobility or some other issue affects your ability to use a regular can opener, Rockwell says to ditch the electric can opener. It takes up a lot more space than a regular can opener and won’t improve your cooking experience.
Garlic press
According to Rockwell, garlic presses often don’t work very well, so it’s easier to chop your garlic. Plus, it’s one less gadget adding clutter to your kitchen.
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