From My Kitchen to Yours: Ten Culinary Tools I Can’t Live WithoutBy Liz Lockwood 
Cooking has been an art form of sorts for many years, and the food service industry has recently skyrocketed into its own culinary culture. Much of this can be attributed to the media, with everything from magazines, television networks, online recipe sites, and chat forums devoted to the discussion of food alone. Walk into any home store and you will find all the tools deemed "necessary" for preparing food. In fact, the average store provides more utensils, machines, gadgets, and gizmos than could possibly fit in one kitchen, which can seem a bit overwhelming.
Now, I must admit to my deep affinity for kitchen gadgets. I stand amazed that there is an item created for the sole purpose of spinning water off of lettuce at dizzying speeds. However, accumulate too many of these "must have" tools and you’ll be run out of house and home quicker than you can say "hand me the salad spinner."
So, how do you determine exactly what is needed in your kitchen? To begin your collection, let me share with you the ten items I cannot live without. You should be able to find all of these kitchen tools at any store that carries a decent selection of cooking supplies:
* A Food Scraper
The food scraper is simply one of the best kitchen inventions ever. It is a very inexpensive, durable piece of plastic that scrapes the tough stuff off of your pots and pans, out of your sink, and away from your counters. It will last forever, and once you have it you will wonder how you ever lived without it.
* A Good, Sharp Knife
 I didn’t realize what a great need there is for one decent, sharp knife in the kitchen until I was left without one. Somehow throughout all my years of living with roommates, I thought that I owned a knives set. Not until living on my own did I realize that all those lovely knives sets belonged to all those lovely former roommates. One or two good knives are a must have in the kitchen.
* A Hand Mixer
Unless you enjoy regularly combining a bicep workout with dessert preparation, you need a hand mixer. You don’t have to spend top dollar, but it will be well worth every penny you pay the next time you need to mix a thick batter.
*  A Strainer
Cooking on a budget often involves pasta dishes, for which you will need a strainer. The nice thing about strainers is that they are now available in very small sizes, and some are even collapsible.
* A Sauté Pan
A sauté pan is an absolute necessity. Regardless of your level of chef skills, you simply cannot get around the need to sauté ingredients or sear meat.
* A Medium-Sized Pot
I used one old pot for everything from boiling water to making popcorn. It doesn’t have to cost much, but you will use it often.
* A Peeler
A basic peeler is inexpensive, long lasting, and shouldn’t cost you more than a few dollars. Actually, it can save you money in the long run if you buy in bulk instead of purchasing already-prepared vegetables from the grocery store. Buy a large bag of raw vegetables and simply wash and peel them yourself.
* A Pair of Tongs
Tongs are great for tossing salads, flipping meat, and moving pasta onto dinner plates.
* A Ladle
 A couple of years ago, I threw a big party to celebrate my favorite season—fall. Not until I found myself scooping chili out of a slow cooker with a coffee cup did I realize the importance of having a ladle in the kitchen. Spare yourself a mess by purchasing a simple ladle.
* A Slotted Spoon
Slotted spoons are perfect for scooping out your favorite dish while leaving the juice and mess behind.
Regardless of whether or not you consider yourself much of a cook, the ten items above are sure to get you started on the right path. So throw on your apron and roll up your sleeves, because your next dinner could be just minutes away!
Liz Lockwood (MDiv, ThM) resides in Charleston, South Carolina, where she serves as the Adult Ministry Associate at East Cooper Baptist Church.
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