10 Gifts For Your Favorite Cook

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Every year there are new gadgets and tools for the kitchen. Sometimes home cooks love them and other times they are a waste of space and time. If you know someone that loves to cook here are ten great ideas for your favorite home cook.

1) Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook

This is easily the cookbook I use most in my kitchen. My mother gave it to me as a gift when I moved out of her house at 21. I have used it for years. If I ever have a question or am looking for a basic recipe I go to this Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook. It's red plaid cover is classic and will give you a wealth of basic cooking information and recipes. 

You can buy this cookbook here for about $30.

2) Knife Set 

I love ceramic knives. They are sharp and easy to clean. The last for ages as long as they are cared for properly. They also do not need to be sharpened as often as steel knives. The blades of ceramic knives are extremely sharp but need to be used and cleaned with care to avoid chipping them. They are much better than other knives in the same price range. 

You can buy ceramic knives here for under $20. 

3) Silicone Utensil Set 

Silicone utensils are extremely easy to clean. The problem is sometimes they are really expensive. This set is a great price and has a huge variety of utensils. It comes with a total of 8 pieces. It gives you basically everything you need to serve food and comes in fun bright colors. These silicone utensils are a favorite in my kitchen. 

You can buy this silicone utensil set here for around $25.

4) The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook

For people who love to bake or are interested in learning to bake "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook" is an amazing book. It has lots of information about baking. It also has a wide variety of recipes. The recipes in here range from cookies, bread, pastry, and more. It is really an amazing baking guide. I use it often in my house. It comes in hardback, paperback, and flexibound. 

You can buy the book here for anywhere between $12 and $40 depending on the binding.  

5) Stock Pot 

Every kitchen needs a good stock pot. Stock pots are great for making stock, soups, huge batches of chili or spaghetti sauce. There are so many uses for a good stock pot. I love an 8 quart stock pot. It is a great stock pot without being too huge or too small. You need a good pot that is not too flimsy. If your favorite cook cans a larger stock pot may be better. 

You can buy a good stock pot here start at $25 and going up to $35 depending on the size. 

6) Grill Pan

A good grill pan can be a huge deal. There are lots of varieties of grill pans. You can get cast iron grill pans and non-stick grill pans. You also have choices of round and square shaped pans, as well as pans that are oven safe or not. When looking at grill pans, I wanted one that is non-stick and can be used on my glass top stove as well as in the oven. This grill pan is my favorite because it is dishwasher, oven, and stove top safe. It is easy to clean and can hold quite a bit of food. 

You can buy this 11 inch grill pan here for around $35. 

7) Spice & Seasoning Sets

Food Lovers are often open to trying new spices and seasonings. There are so many great seasoning mixes out there that cannot be found at your local grocery store. You can find some lovely spice gift sets with a wide variety of spices. These spice sets come in family favorite spices, with both sweet and savory spice mixes, a grilling spice set, a set of flavored salts, holiday seasonings, and even a spicy set. The best thing about these is they are made in the USA.

You can buy some great spice mixes here for between $25 and $30. 

8) A Recipe Journal 

At some point most cooks come up with at least a recipe or two of their own. When they do they need a place to write it down, besides a scrap of paper that will get lost soon. A recipe journal is a great place for that. It will also make a great item to pass down in the future. 

You can buy a recipe journal here for around $5.

9) Cookbook for Kids

Cooking with kids is often hard, but some of the best memories are made cooking with your children. Many of my treasured memories are cooking with my mom and many of my favorite recipes are things I learned to make with my mom's help and have tailored into more adult recipes now. Kid's cookbooks, such as "Cooking Class: 57 Fun Recipes Kids Will Love to Make (and Eat!)", have great skills and lessons in them as well as recipes written to make cooking easier and more fun for children. Learning to cook also teaches kids math, reading, hand eye coordination, and helps them learn to follow directions. 

You can buy this cook book here for under $15. 

10) Chip and Dip Serving Set

If your favorite cook loves to entertain a chip and dip serving set is a great gift idea. This chip and dip set by Le'raze also can be used as a cake stand which makes it multi-purpose and awesome. It is great for entertaining at sports parties, holiday gatherings, and family events. 

You can buy this chip and dip set here for around $30.