5 Must Have Tools for the Frugal Kitchen

Let's face it, If you're committed to eating healthy and frugal then you're going to spend some time in that kitchen of yours. You'll be planning and cooking meals that are full of good old home cooking and for all the chopping and mixing and stirring you'll be doing, it's a good idea to have some tools that are going to make your life easier. We don't live in the days where all you need is a good rolling pin, a quality frying pan and an apron to make a good meal. We've got a vast and sometimes complicated array of tools at our disposal. So here are the five tools that I can't do without in my own kitchen. They are loyal friends that I use everyday of my life and if it weren't for them, we wouldn't be eating as good as we do.

A Food Processor: It's nothing fancy and probably to most people, the one I own is outdated. But that baby can cut onions without making me cry, grates cheese without any of my knuckles in the mix and grinds graham crackers into crust at the push of a button and with zero mess.

A Blender: We use it for smoothies, pourable pancake batter, quick quiche, pureeing fruit for syrups, and homemade salad dressings. It's not only fast and easy to mix things in but rather than cleaning out a mixing bowl and a whisk you've only got one thing to wash when it's all said and done.

A Garlic Peeler: I use fresh garlic everyday. I mean it....we use a lot of garlic! I used to hate trying to peel off those sticky paper thin layers of skin. But in our house, garlic powder is an abomination. It's fresh or nothing. With this little gadget I am frustrated no more.

No Slip Nestable Mixing Bowls: I have a two sets of 5 different sized, nesting, stainless mixing bowls that I use all the time. Yes, I said two sets. I get tons of use out of these and just one in each size wasn't enough. They have rubber bottoms so they don't slide off the counter and spill when I'm stirring and there is a size for every need from giant batches of potato salad to holding egg yolks for a special dessert. And the stainless set is even pretty and shiny enough that sometimes I serve right out of them.

Electric Skillet: With six of us in this house, there is no stove top skillet that can hold enough pancakes, fried eggs or sausage links where I'll actually be able to sit and eat with the rest of the family. It seems without this gadget I was doomed to the task of fry cook and never to be a diner at my own table. Now I can cook meals in one batch and actually get to eat it while it's hot. Hallelujah! Plus, I highly recommend one with a lid to keep any splatters under control.

What tools of the trade do you find yourself relying on the most?