Holiday Kitchen Essentials

Make More Room

Maximize your oven space with this clever rack. The three tiers allow you to cook several side dishes at once while you still have the main course in the oven.

 

Three Tiered Oven Rack
$22
Available at Williams Sonoma

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

The secret to fluffy (not lumpy) mashed potatoes is to use this clever gadget. A potato ricer easily breaks up the potato without overworking the starch ensuring a light and delicious holiday favorite.

 

2-Blade Potato Ricer
$19.95
Available at Crate and Barrel

Silicone Baking Sheets

How did we ever bake without these clever nonstick mats? They fit on top of your existing baking sheet and help distribute heat evenly so your holiday cookies, morning biscuits, and all other baked goods come out beautifully.

 

Sur La Table® Silpat® Baking Mats
$15-$20
Available at Sur La Table

Mini Cakes

Rather than making a large cake this year, opt to serve individual-size mini Bundt cakes. This tin lets you bake six cakes at once so you can fill a platter to serve. These homemade sweets also make wonderful holiday gifts.

 

NordicWare Multi Mini Bundt Pan
$25
Available at Wal-Mart

Everything Turkey

Essential for roasting a holiday turkey or any large roast, this set includes the Calphalon roasting pan and rack, turkey lifters, and injection baster. All you have to do is supply the bird.

 

Calphalon ® Contemporary Nonstick Roaster with Lifters and Baster
$100
Available at Crate and Barrel

Baker's Delight

Here is everything you need to kick-start the holiday baking. No matter what you are making be it muffins, breads, or cakes -- this set has what you need down to the measuring cups and cooling rack. This also makes a great Christmas gift for a newlywed couple or a first-time apartment dweller.

 

Chicago Metallic 6-Piece Bakeware Set
$80
Available at Sur La Table

It's All Gravy

It might not be the prettiest of items in your cupboard, but for holiday cooking it is a must-have for making sauces and gravy. This gadget helps you save all the flavor without all that greasy fat, it’s easy to use and clean.

 

OXO Fat Separator with Lid
$11
Available at Cooking.com

Roasting Kit

If roast turkey is on the menu this year, you'll need all the proper basting essentials to keep it moist and flavorful. This four-piece kit comes complete with baster, basting brush, meat thermometer, and cleaning brush.

 

OXO Roast It Set
$22
Available at Amazon

The Classic

Available in a rainbow of colors, this stand mixer has been a staple in many kitchens for 90 years. Adding to its versatility, the mixer comes with attachments for making dough, whisking, and mixing. (Don't forget the myriad of other accessories and attachments for making pasta, ice cream, fresh juice, and much more.)

 

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer
$350
Available at Williams-Sonoma

Whip It Good

If you don't have the counterspace for a large stand mixer, consider this versatile combo. Now you can easily chop, whisk, and blend with this immersion hand blender. With its two other attachments for food prep, it goes from blender to mini chopper to power mixer.

 

Kitchenaid Immersion Hand Blender
$100
Available at Cooking.com

Cut Above

For carving meats and chopping just about anything every cook needs a good, solid cutting board. This one is made from hard rock maple and has a groove on both sides to catch juices while carving.

 

John Boos Professional Reversible Cutting Board with Groove
$60
Available at Bed Bath & Beyond

Colorful Bowls

Brighten up your mixing with a colorful set of bowls. This set comes in six different sizes, which can suit nearly every need. Made of melamine, these are dishwasher safe and very durable.

 

Martha Stewart Collection 6-Piece Multi-Color Melamine Bowl Set
$30
Available at Macys