I hope that all my American friends and family are having an absolutely lovely Thanksgiving today! Garrett’s family from the States are up this week and we had a great dinner together last night at his parents’ house. Two Thanksgivings in one year works for me! It just means more turkey, pie and all the fixin’s.
As I know many of you are gearing up for one of the busiest shopping weekends of the holiday season, I thought I’d share some of my favourite gift ideas for anyone on your list who loves to cook or bake. I took a look around my own itty bitty kitchen and thought about the things that worked really well for a small space – they have to be pretty AND functional. I hope it gives you some ideas of what to get your loved ones – and who knows, they may even thank you with a batch of cookies!
1. Retro Salt and Pepper Shakers – I grew up in a household were we always had salt and pepper shakers on the table. If you’re going to have them out, isn’t it nice to have them be cute and colourful too?
2. Silicone Coated Wire Whisk – Metal whisks can scratch your pans and bowls, but this silicone covered one prevents that. Bonus if you can find one in fun colours!
3. Cute Screen Printed Tea Towels – Everyone can use a new fresh tea towel to start off the new year. There are so many great screen print designs out there to suit different tastes. Tip: Use the towel as gift wrap!
4. KitchenAid Stand Mixer – Any chance I get, I find an excuse to use this amazing multi-purpose kitchen tool. It makes it so easy to whip up dough, batter, whisk whipped cream or even shred cooked chicken!
5. Tumble Trivets – I came across these a little while ago and I thought they were the cutest thing. Instead of putting down a trivet or a board, you toss some of these on the counter and they’ll hold your hot dish up. Great for those awkward large pans and pots!
6. Santoku Knife – I’m a santoku knife convert. Whenever I’m chopping up vegetables, you better believe this is the first one I go to. We have them in a few different sizes now for different tasks.
7. Recipe Cards – Fill a few of the cards out with your best recipes or some treasured family ones. Include a good pen that doesn’t smudge! (My mother and sister mailed out recipe cards with the invitations for my bridal shower and guests filled them out with their favourite recipes and brought them to the shower. I seriously LOVE having all of these tucked away now and a few of them have already made appearances on the blog!)
8. Recipe Box – A personalized box is a great way to give those recipe cards. A special gift idea for newlyweds, especially when it’s filled with cherished recipes!
9. Cutting Board or Serving Board – Another gift that you can easily get personalized. The handles make this board transition from a cutting board to a great serving board easily.
10. Vegetable Grill Basket – My family has used this for years to grill vegetables and we use it at our apartment too. Smaller vegetables like mushrooms and onions don’t fall through the grill and it’s easy to toss them around to get evenly crisp. If you know someone who likes to BBQ, this is a must! Pair it with a good grilling sauce and some new tongs.
11. Kitchen Art – Food themed art is always a fun touch in the kitchen. Bonus points if it makes you smile, like this coffee print from Gemma at The Sweetest Digs.
12. Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons – Metal tools like these measuring cups and spoons stand up to the test of time, are dish-washer safe and won’t rust. A great stocking stuffer!
13. Olive Wood Serving Bowl – Beautiful pieces that are also functional are so important. This dish is great for serving, but would also make a fun fruit bowl or statement piece.
14. Rolling Pin – I was given a french style rolling pin a few years ago and it’s now one of my favourite kitchen tools. Not only is the design sleek and modern, but it also is easier on your hands when rolling out dough.
15. Le Creuset 5.5 Quart Oven Round – This dutch oven is constantly on our stove top throughout the fall and winter months because it is so versatile and is a classic!. It’s great for bigger cuts of meat, chili or stews, plus it comes in so many fun colours!
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Happy Shopping!
