It’s a great feeling to look back and realize you’ve made a really solid purchase. “Good to Have” is my small collection of product listings, services and general finds I consider worthy of the time and the dollar.

Cutting mats

I’ve gone through numerous types of cutting boards with mixed results. Some dull my knives too quickly and others are so textured that they make my hands feel funny after a mincing session. Happily, I now use cutting mats instead of traditional boards. Listed as “Click to visit this external linkSiliconeZone 11-by-15-Inch Non-Skid Flexible Cutting Boards” at Amazon.com, these plastic mats are super light and thin. Say good-bye to clunky over-sized wooden boards. They are also perfectly flexible and fit in nearly any space. Although some brands are listed with a lifetime guarantee, I find I have to change mats about every 3 months with my semi-daily heavy-handed use due to thin scratches. The cutting mats come “Color-coded for use with different foods”, but I’d never intentionally leave traces of bad bacteria on a cutting board to have a need for color coding. Tip: I find 3-pack mats at Wally World (Wal-Mart) for just under $4.

A sharp knife, any knife

I’ve never spent a lot of money on a knife, let alone a full set. I believe a knife is only as good as it performs it’s function, and I’ve found great success in cheap(er) versions of the pricey types. I don’t own more than I use. My knife cache consists of one $6 Cuisinart chef’s knife, one $10 Farberware chef’s knife, one $10 no-name serrated bread/meat knife and an small array of generic steak and paring knives. My secret weapon is my sharpener. My ChefsChoice Knife Sharpener is a life knife-saver, extending the use of my el cheapo knives into infinity (thus far).

A kitchen scraper

This invaluable little tool is used every single day in my kitchen. I call it a scraper, but it’s officially known as a flat cutter, pastry scraper, dough separator, chopper wedge or bowl/pan scraper. This gadget is no more than a piece of steel wedged into a small block of wood. Without it, I’d be a bit lost. If I plan on preparing food away from home, my scraper travels with me. Perfect for working with dough, it also comes in very handy for moving diced and chopped food items from the cutting area to the stove, etc. Gathering all those onion bits may take 3 or 4 swipes of the knife and hand combo, while the scraper can whisk up every piece in one fell swoop. The ultra-thin ultra-strong steel can also serve as a nice chopping aide. The silicone type is excellent for scraping bowls and the like.