A trip to the hardware store!

Tools:

Miracle of Miracles! Kitchen stuff is sold in good hardware stores! Now you've got ANOTHER good reason to hang out there!  It's over in that corner that you've always stayed away from - kinda like the Barbie aisle at Wal-Mart... Fear not. There's good stuff there that can make you the king of the kitchen.

Here are a few tools you’ll need for your kitchen. Not many and not expensive, but essential.

Must-Haves:

Knives: A decent set, but NOT the serrated ones, and a small knife sharpener. Use it every time you use your knives. The only thing in a kitchen more dangerous than a dull knife is a dull cook!

Plastic Sieve: important for draining vegetables and meat. You can also use it for pasta

Nylon Utensils: a spatula, meat fork, solid and slotted spoons and a ladle will do almost everything you need in a pot.

Wire whisk: you may never use it but it looks cool in the kitchen...

Frying pans: 2 - 1 large and 1 small - nonstick (for easy cleanup) - with lids (handy for steaming - also catches splatters and puts out fires!)

Caste Iron frying pan – at lease 1 – 10 inch diameter – any larger is too heavy, any smaller is useless. Your best friend for preparing meat. You can start in on the burners and finish it in the oven – Lid optional

Pots: various sizes - nonstick - with lids

Baking sheets: Round and rectangular - Light colored and non-stick

Swivel blade vegetable peeler: Obviously for peeling vegetables, but also great for thin slicing cheese, chocolate and vegetables

Advanced:

Barbecue grill: With a lid - The ultimate GUY cooking tool - "Ugh! Man cook with FIRE!" – Gas or Charcoal is a religious issue, so you choose. Gives excellent flavors, and cleanup is simple.

Microwave: But not one you can park a Buick in. Anyone who actually tries to cook a meal in one of these things should be drawn and quartered, then sautéed and served with a cream sauce - but they are great for boiling water, melting butter, finishing or starting grilled food, and heating up plan-aheads (some people call them leftovers).

A 9-inch spring-form pan: Even if you never bake a cake in it you can use it to display your mechanical skills.

Slow Cooker: Requires a little planning, but a very handy tool.

Kitchen Shears: Good for trimming fat, chopping green onions and herbs