A well stocked kitchen can make all the difference when it comes to having the desire to whip up an incredible meal with ease. So I decided to share with you all of my favorite tools that are stocked in our kitchen, starting with cookware. This list is filled with cookware that is used in regular rotation in our kitchen, but is also all crucial to my success.
Some themes you will see throughout this article are: versatility, easy-to-use and easy-to-clean. I love the idea of using our cookware a lot and that it is not sitting there collecting dust in our kitchen cabinets. Cooking should be fun and easy. When you are armed with tools for success, you will achieve the ultimate cooking experience. Now let’s stock your kitchen with all the things you need for success.
Baking Pans
American-made and family owned, I am obsessed with Nordic Ware‘s baking pans! They are easy to use, cook evenly and extremely durable. Nordic Ware is best known for their bundt pans, which I have yet to own, but they are so much more than bundt and baking pans. I would imagine you would fall in love with any product that they have to offer.
I have the Nordic Ware 3 Piece Baker’s Delight Set, Aluminum and it is a great starter set for all your baking and roasting needs.
What do I cook on these?
Roasting vegetables and baking all the things: cakes, cookie & brownie bars, and much, much more.
Helpful Tips
-Lining the baking pans with Unbleached parchment paper or a Silpat makes for easier clean up.
-I hand wash these baking pans with dish soap, warm water and a sponge, and then let air dry.
-To remove that baked on grime, I use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar. Let it sit for a few hours and use a soft cloth or sponge to scrub the grime away. Then I hand wash the pans, to make certain I removed any remaining baking soda residue.
Cast Iron Skillet
Another American-made product, Lodge Cast Iron has long been a household name in kitchens across the United States. Though I currently do not own a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, I have experienced first hand the quality of their skillet’s and hope to stock my kitchen with one or two or more very soon.
If I were to choose, I would go with the Lodge 12″ Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet as my first Lodge skillet. And then might pick up a few smaller sized skillets to cook up some personalized dishes served straight in the skillet. Cast iron skillets come in all shapes and sizes.
The cast iron skillets that currently reside in our kitchen and are used in regular rotation are made by Old Dominion. I found them at it my local T.J. Maxx many moons ago. Marshall’s/Home Goods is another great place to find nice cookware at really reasonable prices.
What do I cook in this?
I feel like the cast iron skillet is under used piece of kitchen equipment. You can prepare a little bit of everything in your cast iron skillet! I use it for bacon, frittatas and dutch babies, Pineapple Upside Down cake (one of Jeff’s mom’s favorites), cornbread, and roasting vegetables. The list goes on and on. And an added bonus, your cast iron skillet can go from stove top to oven!
Helpful Tips
-I personally wash my cast iron skillet with warm water and a scrub brush. For the hard to remove baked on food, I put a little bit of water in the bottom of the skillet and put the skillet on the stove top on low for a few minutes. The food typically come right up as I scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
-Do not soak your cast iron skillet or it will rust! Once I have cleaned my skillet, I dry it off immediately with a lint free towel.
-I also give a little oily love to my cast iron skillet after it has been washed and dried. Using a small amount of vegetable oil and a paper towel, I lightly coat the entire cooking surface of the skillet. I leave the skillet out for a bit after I have seasoned it to allow the oil to soak in before putting it away.
Dutch Oven
Known for their bold colors and beautiful design, Le Creuset brings vibrance and life to our kitchen! I was gifted this beautiful Le Creuset Dutch Oven in Sea Salt and instantly became obsessed. It looks beautiful while cooking on our stove top and is also incredibly versatile. The variety of styles and color has me wanting one of each in every color
You can make a statement in your kitchen with golden Nectar, Flame or Cerise. Bring calm and serenity to your cooking with Deep Teal, Sea Salt and Marseille. Or for you minimalists out there, might appreciate Meringue, Matte Cotton or Stone.
What do I cook in this?
What do I not cook in my dutch oven is more the question. Newer to our kitchen, I am still testing out all sorts of great recipes in this beauty. For the most part I have stuck to making stocks, soups, chili, pot roast and sauce in my dutch oven, but am excited to get a bit more adventurous and use it to bake up a delicious loaf of bread!
Helpful Tips
-Cleaning is easy with this cookware too! I do let the dutch oven cool before I even begin cleaning. It is a heavy piece of cookware and I want to stay safe.
-This is also a hand wash only piece of cookware for me. Using a bit of dish soap, warm water and soft scrub brush or sponge, I gently scrub the dutch oven clean.
-After it is all cleaned and towel dried, I do let air dry completely before putting it away.
Stainless Steel Pots & Pans
This was THE BEST gift ever. We had cooked on old, scratched up non-stick pots and pans for many years and I felt guilty every time I cooked up a meal. “Here is your delicious dinner with a side of cancer causing Teflon.” was the thought that ran through my head at every meal. A bit dramatic? Yes, I know! But I want the food I prepared to bring nothing but good for the mind, body and soul. Making a delicious meal for my loved ones is 100% a love language and passion of mine and I want all the positive vibes, and “ooooh’s” and “aaaahhh’s” when anyone sits down to a meal I prepare.
For Christmas of 2019, I was gifted All-Clad 10-Piece Cookware Set and it was a game changer! I finally could cook with confidence and clean up took no time at all. All-Clad products are also hand-crafted and American made, which of course has me falling even more in love with them.
What do I cook in this?
What do I not cook in these, is more the question. LOL I pretty much cook everything in them. The pots I use mostly for cooking sauce, pasta and rice. In the pans I cook most of our proteins, sauté vegetables and much more — pretty much anything you would typically cook in a pot or pan.
Helpful Tips
-These pans are not meant to be used on high heat. I typically do not go any higher than medium high heat and do not leave them at that temperature for long.
-After a couple of recommendations, I have recently started heating any stove top cookware first before adding my cooking oil of choice and I have to say I do feel that the pans are coated more thoroughly, as a result of this change.
-This maybe a shocker to you be a shocker to you but these pots and pans are also easy to clean.
-I had wash in warm, soapy water and use a sponge or gentle scrub brush to remove any stuck-on food, after the pan is cool.
-For that extra cooked on grime that does happen on occasion, I pour some water into the pot or pan and put in on the stove top on low. Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, I gently scrape the remnant food off the bottom of the pan with ease and then give it a hand washing for good measure.
Nonstick Frying Pan
A very new addition to the crew, I am loving my new set of Green Pans. This Belgian brand has me shouting from the roof tops. I love that I can cook with confidence and lack of fear of exposing us to harmful chemicals that are associated with many nonstick cookware.
Joining my cookware crew in December of 2020, I am shocked at not only how easy it is to use but how clean up is fast and easy too. It seems as though NOTHING will stick to these pans! I am also obsessed with the color of my set. I got the Padova Ceramic Non-Stick 2-Piece Open Frypan in Light Blue. The color reminds me a bit like Wedgewood Blue and brings a smile to my face every time I use it.
What do I cook in this?
So far I have used my set of Green Pans to fry jalapeños, make grilled cheese, scramble eggs and browning chicken sausage.
Helpful Tips
-These pans are also not meant to be used on high heat. I typically do not go any higher than medium high heat and do not leave them at that temperature for long.
-Another easy to clean pan for the win!
– And yes, I also hand wash these in warm, soapy water and use a sponge after the pan is cool. And they are clean in seconds!
Roasting Pan
Though this doesn’t get used as often enough, it is a great staple to every kitchen. As I already have mentioned above, I am a huge fan of All-Clad products so when one of their roasting pans was added to my arsenal I felt empowered to cook the best bird and gravy to have ever been cooked. I have the All-Clad Stainless Steel 13″ x 16″ Roaster with Nonstick Rack Cookware. It is the perfect size to roast a show-stopping bird for any special occasion.
What do I cook in this?
This is the best place to cook your big, juicy chicken or turkey. And then all of those delicious drippings that fall into the bottom of the pan will make for the most unforgettable gravy.
Helpful Tips
-Though this pan and rack are dishwasher safe, I hand wash wash them both as well. The pan and rack are pretty big and they would take up too much, valuable dishwasher space.
-For hand washing, warm water, dish soap and a sponge does the trick. And towel try to minimize the site of water spots.
Baking & Casserole Dishes
Baking & Casserole dishes come in ALL shapes and sizes, and I do not discriminate! Though I currently do not have a brand of preference, I do love a good casserole dish. We have a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. I am a fan of more simplistic designs, free of any frilly designs, as I find it really annoying to have to scrub baked on grime in the nooks and crannies of the dish from all the yummy dishes I whip up. Cooking should be fun and easy, with little work and minimal clean up.
We do have a set of Corningware that I believe were from Costco several years back. And of course we have a few Pyrex pans in the drawer, along with some random dishes I have picked up at T.J. Maxx or Marshall’s through the years..
What do I cook in this?
There are just so many great, delicious dishes to throw into a casserole or baking dish. Mac n’ cheese, lasagna, French toast or egg casserole. Breakfast, lunch or dinner can be prepare in these trusty kitchen staples. These type of dishes are also great to fill will a double-dip worthy cold or hot dip or a dessert that will leave everyone begging for seconds.
Helpful Tips
-Have a variety shapes and sizes. I find that having options allows me to make enough food without running out of having too much leftover. You might be scratching your head wondering what I mean by this. Well, if I am just cooking for the two of us, I use a small dish and we still have enough leftovers where we can enjoy what has been made without having to eat it for weeks. The larger dishes are great for when I have entertaining 4 or more OR bringing a baked dish to a family gathering.
Well… this concludes my list of Stock Your Kitchen: Cookware. I included 7 different types of cookware that I use regularly in our kitchen to cook up some of the most delicious meals. And now YOU are armed with the a list of tools you could use to create the most delicious meals for your loved ones. Happy Cooking to you!
To shop these items with ease, I created a list for you. I do not get any compensation from this list and have created it only because I want you to find the joy in cooking by having the tools you need to succeed! Shop Stock your Kitchen: Cookware.
If you have any questions about any of what is included in the list above, or really anything cooking related, send a DM to me on Instagram. My handle is @sessiesideup! Also, please share all of your journey in the kitchen with me by tagging me in your post on Facebook or Instagram.
Until our next adventure,
