Marguerite's Must-Haves....

Grill Pan

This is definately on the top of my must-have list. My mother Gretl, introduced me to this kitchen essential courtesy of Williams Sonoma. They range from about $50 - $120.

I am a big BBQ'er during the warm months, but when winter hits Seattle, who wants to be outside waiting for your beef to broil? I say, get yourself a grill pan. You can cook a range of items in this pan AND it is even oven safe; just remember when removing from a hot oven, to use a mit! I like to make burgers with this pan and finish them off in the oven so they are cooked to perfection.

Favorite Grill Pan Eats: Burgers, perfect steaks or chicken, vegatables like zuchini, eggplant or asparagus, grill cheese sandwiches, bacon; I could on.

Setbacks: Can cause food smell to stick around in your living room longer than you probably want. Just light up your favorite scented candle and keep your stove fans on for a bit to clear.


Silicone Spatulas & Spoonula
My lovely mother also introduced me to these wonderful items. For someone like me who tends to leave utinsels on a hot oven, these are ideal because they do not melt! I have tested them and they really dont. They are really great for baking.

They come in all different colors and sizes and range from $7 - $10.

Microplane Grater

I feel like these cooks' tools go underutilized. I heart my microplane and use it for many things. I actually have a thinner coursed version than the photo above. They are super easy to use and they really lower the risk of knuckle grating and other grater-related injuries.

Suggested Use: Excellent for grating hard cheeses, citrus zesting and grating fresh nutmeg. I use this specifically for when I make Giada's lemon/pine nut cookies, which can be found here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33780,00.html.