Thermometer – OK don’t laugh at me on this one but I’m just saying I didn’t register for this because (1) it’s a boring item (2) I didn’t think frying a piece of steak or chicken was that complicated. Wasn’t until my chicken was undercooked and my steak was overcooked that I realized the value of a thermometer. It doesn’t even need to be fancy; you just simply need one. Totally takes the guess work out of wondering whether your food is properly cooked. Saves you the hassle or embarrassment of having to go back and recook. Owning One Life Kitchen, I rely on this for just about every event. Take the time to learn the cook temperatures of the different proteins and buy a thermometer.
Immersion Blender - If you love soup and you are minimalist, this if for you! It takes up very little space, it is user friendly, and makes for easy clean-up. As a young bride, I never even thought to register for this because I wanted a food processer. Little did I know that pouring hot soup in a food processor would lead to my share of cursing. An immersion blender is a much safer way to puree hot soups. Soup is a dinner for those of us living through Chicago winters and thus this item belongs in any winter kitchen home.