It’s an amazing thing that two sinners can fall in love and stay together for 40+ years, isn’t it?! The next amazing thing about a 40 year marriage is to realize that I still have quite a few of my wedding gifts, received at our June 1981 wedding! These are items that I still love and use regularly. I’m linking up with Whitney at Come Home for Comfort today so we can share our favorite gifts received, and also things we like to give as wedding gifts. I’m anxious to see what she’s going to share!

When I started looking through my kitchen at tools I use all the time, I realized that there was quite a list of items! I’m going to start with my wedding gifts that I still use and work my way to new items I’ve gotten in recent years.

• Pyrex Dishes with lids

Pyrex is so great because it can be put in the oven, and the microwave and is also perfect for setting on the table as a serving dish. I love the glass lids, too. I use this bowl LOTS! It’s my bowl I always use to make my microwave popcorn.

• Corning Ware – Realizing that this is now considered vintage, I still recommend this type of dish because it can be used on the stove top, the oven and the microwave! The newer dishes have plastic lids, which are nice for storing in the fridge. You can stack them that way, which helps with space.

We’re moving to newer items now that I use frequently...

• Good kitchen shears – I use these multiple times a day! From cutting twine to cutting a chicken apart, every kitchen needs a good, sharp pair of kitchen shears. It’s worth the investment! These are from Pampered Chef. I’ll be using the scissors this week to cut my chicken pieces when I make this recipe for Chicken Cutlets with Deconstructed Guacamole. It’s so good!

• Knife & Scissor Sharpener – Though my scissors are old (and look it), they are still in good working order because of this sharpener that I got at Lowe’s years ago, thanks to my dad’s recommendation! I couldn’t get along without this sharpener to keep knives really useful, too. A great gift idea would be either a couple of good knives and a sharpener, or kitchen shears and the sharpener. There are lots of nice looking ones on Amazon!

• Cutting board/Charcuterie board – With charcuterie boards being all the rage right now, a large cutting board would make a terrific, lasting gift! It’s great to have a large board with the rim. It’s perfect for carving a turkey or chicken.
  I love my collection of boards and truly use them all! The carved board is so pretty on display. A sweet friend gave that to me for Christmas this year and I love it!

• Decorative measuring spoons and dishes – I’ve found that these kind of measuring spoons are more resilient than the plastic ones, or even the aluminum kind. I have two sets of spoons and keep them in two different spots in my kitchen so I always have a set nearby!
  These ceramic measuring cups are perfect for shortening, peanut butter, coconut oil and stick things like honey or molasses. Perfect gift for someone who loves to bake!

• Digital Meat Thermometer – I don’t know how I got along without this tool for so many years! My thermometer has a probe that can go in the oven while the meat is cooking. It beeps when it reaches the temperature that I set. What a life-saver!!

• Crock Pot – This list wouldn’t be complete without a crock pot! I like this one that will move to “warm” when the cooking time is complete. I also love that the crock comes out for easy cleaning.

I could also add things like trays and pitchers! There are just so many pretty and useful things for the kitchen! I hope my list AND Whitney’s suggestions will either inspire you for the gift you need to buy, or will help you make your kitchen more functional as you purchase these items for your own use!

Don’t forget to check Whitney’s post here.

What is something you use in your kitchen on a daily basis that you couldn’t do without? I’d love to hear!

Refresh your kitchen or someone else’s!