How to Equip a Kitchen

So I decided to compile my three previous lists on how to start a kitchen into one large list! For your viewing pleasure, may I present the First Apartment Living How to Equip a Kitchen Completed list:

Equipment:

Baking Pan (9 x 9)

Blender (drinks don’t mix themselves!)

Bottle opener

Can opener

Cookie Pan

Cutting Boards

-at least 2, so you don’t cross contaminant

- I like the plastic kind that have a picture of fish, vegtable, cow and chicken so you never mix them up

Dish set

-          20 piece set

-          4 large plates, 4 bowls, 4 small plates

Dish towels

                -2 so you have one when the other’s dirty

Glasses/Mugs

-          8 so you don’t have to wash them everyday

Knives (at least 3 plus 4 steak knives)

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

Microwave

Mixing bowls

-          A set of three (S, M, and L) that nest are perfect

Oven Mitts

-          2 so you can grab the sides of a baking pan

Pots w/lids

-          10 qt. stock pot

-          8 qt. stock pot

-          5 qt. stock pot

-          2  qt. sauce pan

-          1 qt. sauce pan

Silverware set

-          ( 8 forks, 4 knives, 4 spoons)

-          They don’t have to match, A la Anthro

Spatula

Slotted spoon

Steamer/Cauldron

Vegetable peeler

Additions

 Apron

Baking Pans

-          Casserole dish

-          Glass baking pan

-          Round ones for cakes

Butter Dish

Cake Plate

Cheese grater

Coffee Maker

Dish drying rack

Funnel

Hand mixer

Ladle

Kitchen timer

Knives (different kinds)

Meat pounder

Muffin Tin

Nesting Bowls

Pitcher

Place mats/ table cloth

Rice Steamers

Rolling Pin

Salt and Pepper Shaker

Serving Platters/Trays

Table Cloth

Tea Pot/ Kettle

Toaster Oven

Tongs

Trivet

Wooden spoons

Pantry :

Applesauce

Barbecue sauce

Bouillon cubes (Pick your favorite)

Brown sugar

Canned beans

Canned soups
Cereals
Chocolate chips
Confectioner’s sugar
Cornstarch

Light corn syrup
Flour

Honey

Jelly

Ketchup

Mayonnaise
Mustard

Nonstick cooking spray

Olive oil

Pancake mix

Pasta 

Peanut butter
Pepper

Rice
Salad dressings
Salt

Soy sauce
Sugar
Tomato sauce
Vegetable oil

Spices:

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Basil

Cinnamon

Garlic Powder

Garlic Salt

Oregano

Parsley

Pepper

Rosemary

Salt

Sea Salt

Thyme

Vanilla Extract

ALSO- get one of those four mixed spices shaker (like lemon pepper, rosemary blend) they can add spice to every dish and this way you don’t have to mix spices!

Additions

Almond Extract

Allspice

Bay Leaves

Chili Powder

Cilantro

Cream of Tartar

Ground Ginger

Nutmeg

Paprika

Red Pepper

Seasoned Salt

Sesame Seed

How to : Equip a Kitchen (Perfect Pantry)

    
 So to round off my kitchen essentials series, I thought I would include what items to include in your pantry. (Click to see lists about essentials or spices) Pantry items can differ greatly for each person because this is where taste preferences are really shown, I've decided not to break it up into Martha and Sandra because some people need stocks to make soup all day while others (like me) would prefer pasta every day!

 
The Perfect Pantry:

Applesauce

Barbecue sauce

Bouillon cubes (Pick your favorite)

Brown sugar

Canned beans

Canned soups
Cereals
Chocolate chips
Confectioner's sugar
Cornstarch

Light corn syrup
Flour

Honey

Jelly

Ketchup

Mayonnaise
Mustard

Nonstick cooking spray

Olive oil

Pancake mix

Pasta

Peanut butter
Pepper

Rice
Salad dressings
Salt

Soy sauce
Sugar
Tomato sauce
Vegetable oil




 
What's one thing you can't live without in the Pantry?

How to Equip a Kitchen: Spices

    
      It's time to add a little bit of spice to your life or at least you spice rack. When I started my spice collection, I again searched Martha Stewarts' Website. Martha Stewart has a list of what should be in your spice rack, but I don't even know what have of them are and I consider myself a pretty good cook. So I came up with this list of spices that I use most often, divided into Sandra Spices and Martha Additions. Take your pick from each list to start your spice collection.



     This is the second part of my series in How to Set Up a Kitchen, you can see the first post here. And see the final installment with what to put in your pantry here.



     A note about spices, you can go all organic and buy really expensive spices. You can go cheap and buy the grocery store brands. Personally, I do not really care, unless you are making for a chef or some Gourmont, they won't notice either. Do what is right for your kitchen and budget and have fun while at it!



Sandra Spices

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Basil

Cinnamon

Garlic Powder

Garlic Salt

Oregano

Parsley

Pepper

Rosemary

Salt

Sea Salt

Thyme

Vanilla Extract

ALSO- get one of those four mixed spices shaker (like lemon pepper, rosemary blend) they can add spice to every dish and this way you don't have to make your own spice mixes!



Martha Additions

Almond Extract

Allspice

Bay Leaves

Chili Powder

Cilantro

Cream of Tartar

Ground Ginger

Nutmeg

Paprika

Red Pepper

Seasoned Salt

Sesame Seed

How to: Equip A Kitchen (Basics)

      I love lists, I constantly carry around a legal pad to keep lists going. Lists for what I need to buy, lists for what I need to do, lists for what I need to think about even doing, the list goes on. I realized the other day there is not a good list out there for what you need to start your first kitchen, at least not on a budget. Sure if you have a hundred dollars to spend on knives alone then epicurious has a great list. Otherwise, nope. So I've decided to try to make my own.

     It takes all types to make this world, and sometimes you can simply divide it into Marthas and Sandras. As in Martha Stewart and Sandra Lee. One makes everything from the scratch, the other knows how to make it look that way. No matter what your preference, there is room for every type here. Don't think you have to spend a fortune either, a good place to look for some of this stuff are places like TJ Maxx, or Marshalls. This way you can get good quality stuff without paying full price! Check thrift stores for vintages glasses and plates, just make sure to run them through the dishwasher once or twice!

Let's start with the basics:

Sandra Basics

Baking Pan (9 x 9)

Blender (drinks don't mix themselves!)

Bottle opener

Can opener

Cookie Pan

Cutting Boards

-at least 2, so you don't cross contaminant

- I like the plastic kind that have a picture of fish, vegtable, cow and chicken so you never mix them up

Dish set

• 20 piece set
  
• 4 large plates, 4 bowls, 4 small plates
  

Dish towels

    -2 so you have one when the other's dirty

Glasses/Mugs

• 8 so you don't have to wash them everyday
  

Knives (at least 3 plus 4 steak knives)

Measuring Cups

Measuring Spoons

Microwave

Mixing bowls

• A set of three (S, M, and L) that nest are perfect
  

Oven Mitts

• 2 so you can grab the sides of a baking pan
  

Pots w/lids

• 10 qt. stock pot
  
• 8 qt. stock pot
  
• 5 qt. stock pot
  
• 2 qt. sauce pan
  
• 1 qt. sauce pan
  

 
Silverware set

• ( 8 forks, 4 knives, 4 spoons)
  
• They don't have to match, A la Anthro
  

Spatula

Slotted spoon

Steamer/Cauldron

Vegetable peeler


 
Martha Additions

Apron

Baking Pans

• Casserole dish
  
• Glass baking pan
  
• Round ones for cakes
  

Butter Dish

Cake Plate

Cheese grater

Coffee Maker

Dish drying rack

Funnel

Hand mixer

Ladle

Kitchen timer

Knives (different kinds)

Meat pounder

Muffin Tin

Nesting Bowls

Pitcher

Place mats/ table cloth

Rice Steamers

Rolling Pin

Salt and Pepper Shaker

Serving Platters/Trays

Table Cloth

Tea Pot/ Kettle

Toaster Oven

Tongs

Trivet

Wooden spoons


 
    Did I miss anything? What do you find yourself using most in the kitchen? Later this week, I will post about kitchen essentials for your pantry! Be sure to check back!


P.S. To see what to put in your spice rack, look here! And finally, to prepare your pantry, look here!

How to: Make your own projector

 
      I love canvas artwork but on a shoe string budget, its not really possible. Unless I buy some off my 10 year old brother, and even he is pretty expensive. So what is a girl to do? Improvise! I found this beautiful textile print off the internet. I loved it but it was about 4 by 5 inches, not nearly big enough to go over my bed, maybe big enough for my Barbie house (I kid, I kid). Anyways, I needed a way to blow it up without breaking the (piggy) bank. I could have taken it to the print shop and have them blow it up but that would have cost like 60 dollars, at least. 


    Instead, I took it to the print shop and had them enlarge it on regular paper, costing me $3 dollars. Then I went to Michael's, and using a 40% coupon bought a 28 by 30 canvas. I also used another to buy yet another paint pen, after first using them here, I've fallen in love with them. 

   

  Next, I jerry-rigged a projector. I cut out the pattern and used adhesive spray I had to adhere it to the back of the canvas. Then I took a lamp and shone it through the back. Working in small sections at a time, I traced the design. Then I would set it down and color in the pattern. I am not going to lie, it took me a fair amount of time, but luckily there was I Love You Man on. This DIYing has certainly increased my TV viewing that or I now have things to do while I watch TV.

     I do have to say I am very proud of the end product. Seriously. Now I just have to decide what colors to paint it! Any ideas?

How to: Not decorate a lamp

     Even the Best must fall sometimes. My grandfather once gave the book The Decline and Fall of Practically Everybody, and to this day, it is one of my favorite books. It's an amusing way to look at history. Well, I too have finally met my fall. It started out so simple, a lampshade. How hard could that be to decorate? Martha Stewart and Real Simple each had tons of ideas on how to do it. Ombre, tassels, stripes, the ideas were endless. Surely, I could do it. So off I went to target to purchase a lamp. I should have seen it coming then. It took me nearly 30 minutes to decide on one, and then I went back and exchanged it halfway through the rest of my rounds in Target. I think I spent nearly 2 hours there and far too money, but that alas is another story. So here's my lamp:

    First I tried to stamp a pretty design on my lamp. FAIL. It's way to curved and not strong enough to take it.

    So I was spending way too much time on the internet and found this cool pattern. I thought it would look good on the lamp shade. I printed it out then went to Office depot to get Carbon Paper to copy it with. (By the way, never by Carbon Paper from a craft store, it was double the price at Michael's and only gave me one sheet! At Office Depot, I got it for 4 dollars and 25 sheets). Here's my attempt to copy it:

      It was really difficult and I got bored, plus I could not get it to line up correctly since it was curved. It was a HUGE pain to line up and trace. Way too much for the 10 dollars it cost me. So I did what every good DIYer does, painted it and stuck glitter stickers on it!

 

      The stickers believe it or not, were also a huge pain. It is not at all how I imagined it would turn out. Not even close. A total and utter flop. I put it in my room for kicks and giggles, maybe one day I will try again. Until then, I am leaving curved surfaces to the pros. Too be honest, when it's turned on, it's not half bad, I am kind of warming up to its kitschy charm. Oh well. Have you ever tried to do a DIY and have it fail on you?

How to: Hang a set of frames

 
    I do not know if I've mentioned this before but I love symmetry. I know I've done things before that are unsymmetrical (like this post) but I just think of those as balanced and I suffer through it. Seriously, I can't even wear anything unsymmetrical (no one shoulder tops for me, how can you be okay with favoring only one shoulder?). I got these beautiful vintage magazine pages from my uncle and I have not been able to figure out where to hang them. So with my symmetry fanatics, the 4 pages of dresses and 2 hats pages were driving me crazy. 


     Finally, I found a place. I have this crazy long hallway. Look at how long! And narrow. It's like a bowling alley (and sometimes just as dark)

     Here's a look at some of the different designs I played with before deciding. It was like Goldielocks, this one is too small, this one too big. It just depends on the space of your wall and frames, I had a long wall and narrow frames so I need to stretch out the spaces. 

Step 1) Measure the distance across the wall. Measure the widths of the frames. To evenly space it out, subtract all the widths of the frames from the length of the wall. Then divide by the number of frames plus 1.

Walls- widths / frames +1 = distances between frames (yeah super geeky side, yay symmetry) 


Step 2) Cut out scraps of colored paper to make mock frames and tape them to the walls to see how it will look. (I used leftover paper from this). I ended up deciding to overlap the frames by 1/3^rd because they looked better. 

Step 3) Admire your work.


Step 4) Figure out where your nails go (mine are down 2.5 inches) and nail away!

Step 5) Tear down paper and hang pictures.

Step 6) Admire your work again, but for real this time. (level it too!)

How to: Organize under the sink

 
      Ever have those days where you just can't concentrate till you get something else done? Yesterday was one of those days for me, I knew I had work to do yet I could not do it until I had bought a canvas for another project and organized my sink cabinet. Two projects that have no time constraints yet yesterday my brain decided they needed to be done then and there. 



     My under the sink cabinet has been a mess and last weekend when I had to get a band-aid out while my boyfriend was visiting and was desperately trying to hide the mess while barely opening the door so he would not see the disaster it was, I decided that was the last straw. I knew I had my new mission. So I did the first thing I always do when I have a new project idea. I went shopping!

  
It's not that exciting; I went to the Dollar Store. I bought a few things to help me with my disastrous cabinet situation. In my opinion everything looks more organized in a container. Seriously, put things a in a box and presto! Organized. Even if you just have a few bottles, try putting them on a tray, you will be amazed at the difference. Here were my finds at the Dollar Store. (In fact, I didn't end up using them all, but still at a dollar each, they were pretty cheap.


 

   

    One of the first things I noticed about my wreck of a cabinet was that I had a lot of bags, like makeup bags for traveling. I wanted some way to store them without using up precious floor space. I had these great hooks left over from another project so I took a drill and a hammer and attached them to the cabinet doors. Perfection! Also, one could use 3M hooks if you are worried about leaving holes. It frees up a ton of space. I hung up another bag off screws poking through from the toilet paper holder! Ha, I did not even have to attach a hook for that. 

   
     I organized the boxes by items, so I have the pail that holds all my first aid supplies. It has band aids, witch hazel, benzoyl peroxide, rubbing alcohol and calamine lotion. There is the big pink box that holds all my items I have extras of, like shampoo and face wash from past purchases. I have another basket that holds a bunch of guest toiletries and mini things for when I travel. Behind that there is a bag that I always keep ready with all my travel toiletries. It's one of the best things I've done, this way I can be ready on a moments notice to take a trip somewhere and I don't have to scramble wondering if I remembered to pack a toothbrush or shampoo. 

 

    Another good tip is to use a locker shelf to add more space to your cabinet, I store my seldom used (sadly) curlers beneath them. For me, I am quite lazy thus I have to keep the things I use most often in easy to reach and put back locations otherwise I will never put them in the right spot. 

 
Do you have any tips on organizing your bathroom sink cabinets?

Martha Stewart Sunday: How to Roast a Chicken

     For me, roasted chickens have always come in one form: ready made from my grocery store. Yet roasted meats have been served since ancient times but now we use an oven instead of an open pit fire (well those of us, who make them). This week I attempted the daunting task of roasting my own chicken with Martha Stewart's Cooking School. (Cue dramatic music)

Here are Martha's tips for roasting a chicken:

• Conundrum of heat: low heat doesn't give nice crispy outside, high heat dries out the moist inside
  
• Check the temperature ¾ of the time, then again every 5 to 10 minutes (there is no returning from a burnt chicken!)
  
• Meat will continue to cook once removed from the oven, for another 10 to 15 degrees. (don't worry, most recipes take this into account)
  
• You will have to stick your hand up the chicken's butt (Okay, that is actually my forewarning)
  

Equipment:

Roasting Pan

Roasting Rack or Veggies (I used onions, potatoes and carrots)

Twine

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken

1 Lemon (cut into ¼ inch rounds)

4 sprigs of thyme

3 Garlic Cloves (crushed)

2 tablespoons of butter (softened at room temp)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove giblets and liver from cavity to discard (luckily mine weren't there). Let rest at room temperature for one hour then trim excess fat.
   
2. Rinse chicken under cold water (inside and out) then dry THOROUGHLY (including the inside, yes that means sticking your hand up it. )
   
3. Season the inside (Martha uses the word "cavity" but I am not that refined) with salt and pepper. Then stick the thyme, garlic cloves and lemon slices up the chicken cavity.
   
4. Rub skin with the butter. (Honestly, it's better to mush up the butter in your fingers into little parts to help rub it on)
   
5. Use twine to tie the legs together. (Martha refers to this as trussing) ((Also, I did not have twine, so I used two wooden skewers to attach the drumsticks)
   
6. Season generously with salt and pepper.
   
7. Place in roasting pan with rack or over vegetables and roast for 50 to 55 minutes with an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh (no bone!).
   
8. Let it rest 10 minutes before you serve it.

 

How to Not Ship Something: Part Deux

Just so you guys could see how nicely I tried to wrap this before it got destroyed by the mailman.

The powdered sugar was in a baggie behind the note.