Today begins a fun series with all of our Spend Smart. Eat Smart. bloggers. We are going to share our favorite kitchen tools and how we like to use them. It is easy to fall into a trap of thinking you need a lot of tools and gadgets to cook well and enjoy your time in the kitchen. That is really not true. A few good tools that do a lot of different jobs go a long way.

Personally, I have a small kitchen and a lot of clutter only makes it seem smaller. So, I try to keep things pretty simple. When I think about the kitchen tools I go to most often, a baking sheet is at the top of the list. A baking sheet, also known as a cookie sheet, can be used for so many things. Here are some of my favorite ways to use mine.

• I roast vegetables every few days. When I do, I fill up my whole baking sheet so that I have leftovers for later in the week.
• I roast pieces of chicken, pork tenderloin or filets of salmon in the oven. They just go on the baking sheet and into the oven and I can carry on with other things while they cook away.
• I reheat leftover pizza or hot sandwiches in the oven on a baking sheet. I find that keeps their quality more similar to when they were first made than reheating in the microwave.
• I use my baking sheet as insurance under casseroles like lasagna that might bubble over while they’re in the oven. The pan sits under the casserole dish and catches any spills. It is much easier to clean the baking sheet than to clean the oven! If you are working with something that may be very saucy or sticky, you can line your pan with foil to make clean-up easier.

I hope you enjoy reading about all of our favorite tools throughout this month. Share your faves with us on our Spend Smart. Eat Smart. social media!

Happy Cooking!
Christine