Have you recently found yourself out of the dorms and into an apartment? Is your kitchen not so huge and impressive? Are you going to have to start cooking at least once a day? If you answered yes to any of those questions, take a look at these useful pieces of cookware for a small kitchen that you will probably use every day.
1. Baking Sheet
If I could marry my baking sheet, I probably would. Roasting meats, vegetables, or both on a baking sheet is a great way to pack a lot of flavor into a recipe without slaving over a hot stove. Another plus, baking sheet dinners are an easy-to-prep life saver for busy weeknights. Don't believe me? Try these roasted veggies.
2. Tongs
I had no idea how much I needed a pair of tongs until I lived without them. Cooking with tongs gives you more control when flipping meat or moving vegetables around in a pan. And, if you're short, they're not bad for grabbing things off of high shelves.
3. 6in and 8-10in Frying Pans
Use the smaller pan for your eggs in the morning and the bigger pan for easy, one pan meals. Opt for an oven safe stainless steel frying pan or, if you don't mind a little heavy lifting and maintenance, a cast iron skillet could be your new best friend.
4. Sauce Pan
Whether you're making boxed mac 'n cheese or spaghetti carbonara, you'll need a small pot for your small kitchen. Opt for a sauce pan since you probably don't need a huge pot to feed yourself and maybe a friend.
5. Chef's Knife and Paring Knife
If you find yourself a nice 8-inch chef's knife and keep it sharp, you can break down anything you want safely. Since you probably won't be making gourmet meals for yourself every day, a paring knife is useful for small fruits and vegetables.
6. Cutting Board
You'll need a surface for brandishing your awesome knife skills! Some suggest buying one for meat and one for vegetables, or you could buy one and use both sides. Don't always want to wash a big ol' board? Find yourself a mini cutting board.
7. Wooden Spoon
You can't sauté with your hands, but you can with a wooden spoon. Plus, they're super versatile and won't damage your other cookware.
8. Spatula
Another versatile tool for anything that requires moving something in a pan. You have your spatula, now try not to FLIP out over these single-serving pancakes.
9. Liquid Measuring Cup
Sometimes you really do need to measure ingredients for a recipe and a liquid measuring cup is easier to wash than a bunch of dry measuring spoons.
10. Strainer
Another oddly useful utensil you don't know you need until you spill half of your pasta into the sink. They are also great for washing rice and vegetables.