8 Small Kitchen Appliances you Shouldn't Live Without

You often see articles in magazines and online telling you which kitchen gadgets are a waste of money, or which small appliances you can live without. Well today I'm here to tell you which small kitchen appliances you really shouldn't live without. I'm not saying you need all of them in your life, but if you're a keen home cook like myself, then they really do help make life easier. Incidentally, I do own ALL of the items listed, and actually own more than one food mixer and food processor. Why, you may ask? Well, why not.

1. Food Processor

Admittedly they're not for everyone, and many people may have one lurking at the back of their cupboard that they may have used once or twice and then forgotten about. My top tip to make sure it gets used is to have it out on the worktop. Not everyone has the space, and let's face it, some food processors are pretty ugly, but if you do have a little corner space then there are some pretty sexy beasts out there that would look good on any worktop. 

2. Food Mixer

The same applies for a food mixer as it does for a food processor; they take up space and are often relegated to the back of the cupboard where they lay unused for years. If you want to impress your friends then I can guarantee that a Kitchen Aid classic stand mixer sat upon your worktop will get them swooning. So many colours are available now that they work in any kitchen and act as a piece of art as well as having a practical use.
click here to shop food mixers 

3. Blender

There are a few different types of blenders, and which one is best would really depend on what you're going to use it for. If you're a serious smoothie addict and don't start the day without a green smoothie then a Nutribullet is the must have blender. These are seriously powerful and can cut through frozen fruits and ice with no trouble. They also have the advantage of being portable - add a lid to the plastic jar and have your smoothie on the go. If you make a lot of soups then hand blenders are ideal as they save on so much washing up compared to a regular blender. They're not just for soups though, and (with the right attachments) can be used for milkshakes, sauces, batters, salsa and whipping cream. If you're all about looks and want something to sit on your worktop, then a jug blender could be for you.

4. Slow Cooker

A slow cooker is the must have small appliance for the busy family. Pop a few ingredients in the pot before you leave for work and hey presto you have a meal ready when you walk through the door later on. They're not just for soups and stews, and are ideal for cooking a whole chicken, pulled pork and even cakes and desserts.

5. Pressure Cooker or Instant Pot

A pressure cooker is similar to a slow cooker, but the opposite, if that makes sense! I use my pressure cooker to cook many of the meals that I would cook in my slow cooker, but it's perfect for procrastinators just like me, especially those that work from home. I may have every intention of cooking a meal in the slow cooker but get distracted, and by lunchtime realise that I've left it too late, so out comes the pressure cooker and I can cook the same meal in a fraction of the time.

6. Microwave

Not everyone likes a microwave, and many people that get rid of them say that they don't miss it. I'm not one of those people, and use my microwave multiple times a day. It's used to defrost bagels for breakfast, heat milk for morning coffee, cook a spud for lunch and reheat a meal for those members of the family that aren't home for dinner. Microwaves usually have a one touch start, making them easy to use even for the kids, and mine can often be found making mug cakes in ours, or Mum's Emergency Microwave Chocolate Cake, for those moments when you need pudding in a hurry!

7. Toaster
We eat a lot of toast here, morning, noon & night, and it's one of the first small appliances that the kids get to use as part of teaching them to become independent. As long as nobody touches the dial you get a perfectly cooked meal every time. I guess we could manage without one, but think of all those wasted slices of burnt toast that are thrown away when the kids get distracted by their phone & take their eye off the grill. You can even get toasters that cook an egg on the side at the same time!

8. Air Fryer

If you love chips but are also trying to eat a little healthier then an air fryer is a must. Beautifully cooked chips, made with little oil, in around 25 minutes. They're not just for chips though, and depending on the model and the attachments it comes with, you can also make risottos, stir fry's, roasted veggies, crispy chicken, and so much more. I've even made bolognese in mine!

Which small kitchen appliances will you be buying next?

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5 Ways to Introduce Colour into Your Home with Glass

They say that a change is as good as a rest, and if this British 'summer' is making you feel a little restless then it may be time to spruce your home up a little and go for a bit of a change.

The problem can often be knowing where to start. If you have absolutely no idea what colour scheme or style to go for then magazines and websites are a good place to start. Pinterest is often my first point of call for inspiration but it's good to have an idea of what you're looking for otherwise you may become overwhelmed by the shear volume of ideas on there, and before you know it you've lost two days to 'DIY furniture hacks' or '49 clever storage solutions'.

An obvious solution to add colour to your home would be to paint the walls. A less obvious, more hardwearing, solution would be to use glass. Yes, glass.

Glass can be used in a number of ways; 5 of which I've looked at here.

Splashbacks

Glass splashbacks are a simple way to add colour to your walls, as well as protecting them from water, cooking splashes and heat. They can be made to measure in a range of standard colours and designs, as well as your own custom designs. They're suitable to use in both kitchens and bathrooms, around sinks hobs, baths and showers.

Worktops

Toughened glass is so durable, that it makes a great solution for kitchen worktops. It's heat resistant, which means you can put your pots straight onto it, without fear of damaging it. Best of all it can be created to your own specifications to fit a particular area, as well as co-ordinating with the rest of your kitchen. You could even add a bit of sparkle.

Stained Glass

Stained glass can add the wow factor to any home, whether it be a period home or state of the art. It can be used to create privacy in a bathroom window or front door, as well as making a feature of a room, and adding colour.

Wall Art

When you think of wall art you would probably think of a large canvas or print, but what if you could have your image printed directly onto toughened glass, in a size to suit your needs. Glass wall art can retain vibrant colours, as well as being easier to clean that a conventional piece of wall art.

Glass Chopping Boards

Hygienic and heat resistant glass boards come in a variety of colours, and are a perfect way to brighten up the dullest of kitchens, or complement the existing decor, at the same time as protecting your work surfaces.

For further splashback ideas or inspiration for the rest of your home & garden, follow my Pinterest boards :

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Creating a Desk area out of an Unusable Space

A few years ago we knocked the utility room out of our relatively small kitchen and extended the kitchen out into a conservatory. Whilst we now have a pretty large kitchen/family room space there isn't a great deal of workspace. There's enough for cooking and prepping food as we also have an island, but I longed for somewhere to organise our lives. I needed a little desk area to keep the family diary, letters from school, the wheelie bin calendar, and other general bits and bobs, without taking up a much needed area of worktop.

A couple of years ago I made a memo board wall, but as it was mostly behind the kitchen door it didn't really work for me, and there still wasn't anywhere to keep the diary apart from in the hallway, and I kept forgetting to look in it!

I then came up with the genius idea to change the opening of the kitchen door. Instead of opening into the kitchen, it would open out into the hallway, freeing up that unusable kitchen wall which would no longer be hidden behind the door. We did similar in our ensuite bathroom last year, and it made a huge difference to the space, making it feel so much larger.

I found a local chippie on Checkatrade, who changed the opening and refitted a new door for £40, enabling us to fit a shelf to the kitchen wall. A few accessories were purchased, and I now have a handy shelf for all our paperwork and reminders, plus somewhere to hang school artwork.

BEFORE - UNUSABLE SPACE

AFTER CHANGING THE DOOR

A MINI DESK AREA

Copper Clock : John Lewis

Wire Memo frame : Maisons du Monde

Stacking mugs : Waitrose

Memo pad & Notebook : Sainsburys

Copper beaker : Sainsburys

Copper bulldog clips in jar : Sainsburys
Copper tealight holder - New Look

Copper vase : Tesco

Shelf & Brackets : Ikea

Half glazed door : B&Q

Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Rolls and Car Boot Sale Finds

A few weeks ago I had a massive clear out in Jack's bedroom. He wanted a Playmobil ferry and was prepared to finally give up some of his baby toys and games to pay for it. The huge pile took up residence in our bedroom after that, until last week when I motivated myself to do a car boot sale.

I was up at 5am, and before 6am keen bargain hunters crowded around the car asking for mobile phones or china, neither of which I had. A little later on in the morning the husband arrived with Hanna and Jack, allowing me to go and have a wander around the stalls. I first picked up a brown wooden tray for £1, swiftly followed by a teacup and saucer for 50p. I was then on a mission to find a few more items for my breakfast tray, and first discovered an enamel billy can for £2, a butter knife for 50p and then an enamel colander for 50p. Pretty pleased with my purchases I returned to my stall until it was time to pack away and go home.

Once home I cleaned and painted the tray up with a couple of coats of Annie Sloan 'old white' paint, and washed the other items, ready to use with my Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Rolls.

Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Rolls - makes 16

500g Strong White Bread flour
pinch of salt
50g caster sugar
7g dried yeast
50g butter, softened
225-250ml milk
2 apples, cored & sliced
50g butter, melted
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon

• Add the flour, salt, sugar and yeast to a bowl
• Pour in the butter and 225ml of milk
• Mix well and bring everything together to form a dough, adding more milk as necessary
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for approximately 10 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth
• Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm and leave until doubled in size (approx 1.5-2 hours)
• Whilst the dough is proving, prepare the apples
• Lay the apple slices on a baking sheet lined with baking paper
• Brush with melted butter on both sides
• Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon together & sprinkle onto both sides of the apple slices
• Place in a preheated 180°C for approx 20 minutes, or until beginning to crisp
• Allow to cool and cut into 1cm pieces
• Once the dough has proved turn it out onto a floured surface and knead in the apple pieces
• Roll the dough into a sausage shape
• Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces - you may want to weigh your dough if you want buns of equal size
• Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a floured baking sheet, spaced well apart
• Cover the baking sheets with clingfilm and leave for an hour
• Preheat the oven to 200°C
• Brush or spray the buns with a fine layer of water
• Sprinkle with a little flour and remaining sugar/cinnamon 
• Bake for approx 15 minutes until golden brown 

What do you think to my bargains?

My Kitchen Story

Four and a half years ago we had quite a small kitchen, with a tiny 2 foot square table against one wall. For mealtimes it was pulled into the middle of the room and we all sat around it, thankfully Jack was still in his highchair at the time as we could barely fit 4 plates on the table. I would serve the dinner up & then call everyone to the table, if they were too eager Sam would have to wait until the oven was closed before he could sit down. If there was to be ice cream for pudding we would all have to shuffle over so the freezer could be opened, and then shuffle the other way whilst the dishwasher was loaded. We did have a utility room though, not that it proved much use as it was very small and had a door in and a door out and not much space in between.

So on the first snowy day of January 2010 the foundations were dug out for a conservatory, which then led onto a wall or two being knocked down.

Until we had one large space, perfect for football. (The sun may have been shining but it was a freezing cold February, hence the gloves & hoody).

After a lit bit of tidying up we were able to celebrate Jack's first birthday in our new kitchen space a few weeks later.

March 2010

Over the years we have rearranged the furniture a number of times, as well as putting wallpaper and blinds up. It's now more than ready for another lick of paint and some fresh wallpaper.

It's definitely not a show home, and there are full shelves wherever you turn, whether they be filled with cooking oils, photos or kids bits n bobs.

There will always be a ball of some kind around the kitchen, just this morning I came across 3 ping pong balls, a small football and a handful of marbles.

There may usually be a full shelf of Prosecco too....

Not forgetting the many pairs of shoes found lying around, as well as magnetic messages on the fridge!

This is our kitchen, and we love it, this is The Crazy Kitchen!

This post is an entry for the "My Kitchen Story" Linky Challenge, sponsored by Fairy Platinum. 

Fairy Platinum All in One has been awarded best in test 5 years running by Which, is a great way to keep your dishes clean.