What would you buy with $50 at a kitchen store? - Update post 12

[MommyAllison]

BIL gave us a pizza stone for Christmas from a local kitchen store, not knowing we already had one, and today is our last day to exchange it. Due to our car needing transmission repairs, I can't go above the store credit amount, so - $50 - what would you get? This is a locally owned shop that carries things like Wusthof, Le Creuset, etc. Thanks!

[Aishe]

Mandoline
Stick blender
Marble pastry board
Fun bakeware
Cookie press
Paring knife
Santoku knife
Pressure cooker

[trentsmom]

digital kitchen scale - one with a tare function and capacity to weigh up to 11 pounds

[kijip]

Cute kitchen aprons are often in the $40-50 range, with sales tax.

Can you refresh something that wears out, like kitchen towels or cutting boards?

[willow33]

I would buy some wonderful cookie sheets :)

[DebbieJ]

immersion blender
silicone baking mats

[mikala]

All of the above are awesome ideas, esp the digital scale.

Also-
Microplane grater
Tea kettle

Or pretty much anything from this post:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/12/build-your-own-smitten-kitchen/

[ahisma]

immersion blender
silicone baking mats

This. Or a good rolling pin if you don't have one. My immersion blender is the best kitchen purchase that I have ever made. I love it. I didn't think I'd really use it but I use it almost every day.

[zag95]

Silicone mats and mitt/kitchen towels

[DietCokeLover]

a new fun cookbook
cookie sheets
dish towels

[indigo99]

So what did you get?

[Tondi G]

This. Or a good rolling pin if you don't have one. My immersion blender is the best kitchen purchase that I have ever made. I love it. I didn't think I'd really use it but I use it almost every day.

Really? We got a hand blender as a gift when DS1 was a baby and maybe I just didn't use it right or something but it ended up in a drawer and hasn't been taken out in years.

[MommyAllison]

Thank you all! I wrote down a long list from your suggestions, and took it along with me this evening (weird, but this store is only open in the evenings on Saturday?). I ended up getting:

- Round 11" tart pan http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Daddios-Fluted-Removable-Bottom/dp/B001VEI088/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1295762068&sr=8-3-fkmr0
I've been borrowing tart pans from friends every time I make a tart - not any more! :)

- Digital scale, this model but in turquoise :love-retry: http://www.amazon.com/Escali-P115PO-Pumpkin-Orange-11-lb/dp/B003IBSJ0G/ref=sr_1_19?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1295762254&sr=1-19
I have a spring kitchen scale, but it is really hard to get precise measurements, and I have a lot of recipes that measure dry ingredients (flour, sugar, etc) by weight. Really excited for this! DH suggested a more practical color that would match our kitchen better, but I went for what I loved the best. :)

- And an offset spatula http://www.amazon.com/Good-Grips-Bent-Icing-Knife/dp/B00004OCNM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1295762455&sr=1-1
Because every time I ice a cake or cookies (fairly often), I kick myself again for not having one. :)

Thank you all so much for your suggestions! A lot of them are things I have and love. :)

[MommyAllison]

This. Or a good rolling pin if you don't have one. My immersion blender is the best kitchen purchase that I have ever made. I love it. I didn't think I'd really use it but I use it almost every day.

BIL got us an immersion blender for Christmas a couple years ago (he's a chef, so our gifts from him are always great kitchen things) and I still haven't used it. :bag He picked it because he thought we could use it for baby food, but we didn't really do purees, so... What do you use yours for? I want to use mine! It is languishing in the cabinet. :)

[writermama]

After languishing in the drawer for years, my immersion blender has been getting a workout this winter. I've been using it for soups, like these:

http://www.cookusinterruptus.com/index.php?video_id=99

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/potato-and-leek-soup-recipe2/index.html

http://dinnerdujour.org/2010/02/18/sweet-potato-rutabaga-and-bacon-soup-with-buttermilk-cheddar-biscuits/

[ShanaMama]

BIL got us an immersion blender for Christmas a couple years ago (he's a chef, so our gifts from him are always great kitchen things) and I still haven't used it. :bag He picked it because he thought we could use it for baby food, but we didn't really do purees, so... What do you use yours for? I want to use mine! It is languishing in the cabinet. :)

I use my immersion blender for salad dressings (make Caesar salad from the end of the mayo jar with it), milk shakes, pureed soups, sometimes even pancakes or cake batter. Mine comes with several attachments, including a wisk, which can also be used for beating eggs. It's very handy.