I love to cook. However, I didn't really uncover this love for the kitchen prior to marriage. I was too busy in school, teaching, dating, being social, and not grieving and being an overall hermit crab. But then we moved and I became a wife and a stay-at-home-mom and lost a child and wanted to do nothing but stay at home and sometimes starve myself and sometimes gorge myself. Much heavier emphasis on the gorge myself part.
Back in the day, we got married. Four years ago, so while it seems like I've lived a lifetime married to my amazing husband, I really haven't. Most of our kitchen gadgets and goods came as wedding presents, hence the reason I titled this post the way I did. I've purchased some items, but the majority were gifted. So we've been married 4 years and my cooking skills are relatively new to boot. With that said, there are some items I have either recently bought or have on the list to purchase in the near future. Or things I have but would like to replace or upgrade. Here's the list (no affiliate links because Illinois sucks and won't allow them).
Also, before I forget, I once read on another blog about this website called camelcamelcamel.com that you can use to track Amazon purchases. For example, say you want to buy an Oxo steel can opener. You search Amazon and copy/paste the link to it and CCC will tell you the current price, the highest price it's ever been, the lowest price it's ever been listed for, and show you a neat little graph of the price changes. That gives you a gauge on whether it's good to buy... since Amazon changes their prices a lot and therefore you want to be buying when they list at a lower end. Sometimes they change the price multiple times a day even. You can track the price and when it meets your desired price, they'll send you an email. That's when you buy. Cool, eh? I even use this when buying diapers because Amazon has some crazy query on how they raise and lower prices based on supply/demand. I can't explain it because I don't know the insider scoop, but over many years of buying on Amazon, I have noticed this trend.
Here's an example of the can opener on that camelcamelcamel.com.
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| It would be a poor choice to buy now, since it's at its highest price, but it has been this high since January, so it's not looking like it will be lowered soon. But good to know that the prices do lower and raise frequently. |
So totally off topic. Here's my first item I wish I'd registered for:
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| Le Creuset 6.75 Quart Dutch Oven. I know some of you have one. And I'm utterly jealous. But $300+ for ONE item? Gasp. I'm not even particular about the color. I love them all. |
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| A mandolin(e). I could really use one of these, but seriously just do it all by hand. Anyone have a brand they love/recommend that won't break the bank? |
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| Stainless steel cookware. I already own a Calphalon set that works just fine and is pretty great, but I do wonder how different my cooking would be (I'd have to use more butter, obvi) with a SS set. I also worry slightly about the risk of cancer and other altogether terribleness that may accompany using teflon products. But then... I'm gonna die anyway. |
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| Corningware. It would be nice to use something other than clear Pyrex. These are fancier to serve meals in. |
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| Better white dinnerware. We have a lovely, hearty set from Crate & Barrel that is rustic and awesome, except it has some enormous flaws: not microwave safe, not dishwasher safe (or small enough to fit), chips easily. |
Anyone else have some kitchen goods on their wish list?
I think I'll post another about items I'm glad we registered/bought for our kitchen.
disclaimer: this was not written as a list for family to buy me things. Ehhm, mothers. You know who you are. I love you, but please spend money on Benjamin and visiting him/us instead.
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11 comments:
Love this!!
I have so much corning wear- love it! :) Can't say I use it a ton, but I too just started cooking... BTW, there's an outlet not far from where you're staying in Waterloo- maybe you can stock up?
I too, wish I had registered for different items...life was so different back then.
My mother gave me a Le Creuset as a gift for my birthday. I use it constantly. I can easily say, it is worth the high price for the amount you will use it. It is my most used item in my kitchen, and let us face it, possibly the prettiest. Any dish looks better served in a pot like that!
I have a few Le Creuset things I love that we got as a wedding gift but totally wish I put more (especially that same pot) on the list.
My big want right now is Fiesta Ware... Love it. I want the lime green, peacock blue, yellow and purple ones to just mix and match. But.... It's just a want. We have plates that work just fine. Just aren't as cute.
Oh - also wanted to mention that every once in awhile I see a Le Creuset piece at TJ Maxx for cheap cheap!! Do you have TJ Maxx? If so you should start hunting :)
I want that same Le Creuset pot, too! Back when I was working, I would have probably just saved up a little while and bought it. But now that I'm a stay at home mom, and we're a 1 income family, I just can't justify spending that kind of money on something that I don't truly need.
I've seen them at TJ Maxx too, but just haven't gone through with it.
@Caroline: We do have TJ Maxx. I've never seen the large ones... but I'll be on the lookout. I think I'll just save my Amazon bucks. I've got over $100 already.
@Nicole: I hear ya! I can buy these things and we won't really be pressed, but I am cautious with money and feel it's most intelligent to do so... those little people aren't cheap!
We have the OXO mandoline and it works just fine and I think it was cheap, if I recall correctly. I covet that Le Creuset dutch oven too - but, to be honest, we have a LODGE one (cast iron) that cost probably 25 bucks and it works amazingly well. Just isn't nearly as pretty.
Rachel Ray and some other brands (Martha Stewart?) do some serious Le Creuset knockoffs but I'm not sure if they cook anywhere near as nicely as the LC pieces. The other thing with LC, if you ever find a piece at a thrift shop, even if it's in horrible condition, buy it - they have a lifetime warranty and you can return it for the price of shipping and get a BRAND NEW ONE. (Or so I've heard!)
:-) That was my registry! I love everything we have, and we purchased through Williams & Sonoma. The only regret is that I caved and didn't complete the Le Creuset purchase. Someday!
Something we didn't register for but just had gifted to us is a 14" cast iron skillet. Massive - a rat-killer. We'll use it for camping, big batches of pancakes, and cast iron is naturally non-stick, without the scariness of teflon.
Someday, I'd love to display the skillet and some other items, like a bread peel, or Springerle mold, on wall hooks.
I love the disclaimer at the bottom. :-) Also, my SIL sells Pampered Chef and has told me that she loves the PC Mandolin. We have several Corning Ware pieces... they've been through a ton and I think only one of them has a small chip.
Oh the love for a dutch oven! I want, I need...ok I really just want! I have seen them at world market too!
I NEED pots and pans! We had an amazing set on our reg and I saw they they were bought! We opened all our gifts and got pots and pans but not the ones we had reg for! I called the store and they said a name (MIL) said she got us a set so they could take them off our reg! WTH! We were stuck because we didn't have to store she bought them at!
So, almost 5 years later, they are falling apart and are crap! I think we will just wait until we buy a house and get that and everything else I have on our wish list!
and what is a mandoline?
I've heard good things about the pampered chef mandoline, too. And I think it's reasonably priced. I wish I cooked enough to justify Le Creuset cookware...
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