Mama’s Guide to Essential Cookware

Every mom needs certain essential cookware to make sure her burn game is strong.  Us brown mamas, especially, are known for holding onto our skillets and pans a little longer than we should.  (I know I am.)  For my own sake and to help out my mamas, I’ve compiled a list of essential cookware that my mom mentors have told me I need to get and you mamas can purchase as well.  The pots & pans listed below should be on the top of your list when purchasing your cookware essentials.  So, read on my sistah, read on. [icon name=”fa-heart” size=”18px” link=””]

Your saute pans are your everyday pans.  You’re going to use these to make eggs, saute vegetables and every other daily cooking you’ll do.  It will be your cookware MUP (most used pan).  For that reason, it’s important that you buy a good one.  Make sure it is ceramic coated and that you ONLY use plastic utensils when cooking with it.  The minute it’s chipped you’ll have to worry about it’s aluminum base leaking into your food.

After you purchase your saute pans, if nothing else get you a dutch oven mamas!  This dish helped me #getmyhomelife in so many ways.  The number one reason is that I could cook MORE food.  Every family with more than 3 should have a dutch oven.  This dish is used to make stews and braise meat.  You can braise your meats on the stove-top and transfer directly to the oven with this versatile heavy-duty pot.

Our grandma’s greased ’em and used ’em to cook everything.  Cast iron last forever as long as you keep them greased to stave off rusting and can be used to cook tons of things.  Use these hot pans to cook anything that requires high heat.

Sauce pans are another go-to, essential cookware item that every kitchen must have. You’re going to use these for everything from heating spaghetti sauce to boiling small amounts of noodles and everything in between.  Because these pots are going to be workhorses you really want them to be good quality.  I like stainless steel sauce pans, but a Calphalon, non-stick pot can also do the trick.

If you plan on having any holiday celebrations at your home, you need a roaster.  Whether you are broiling a rack of ribs or roasting a leg of lamb you need a roaster to get the job done.  Be sure to purchase one that comes with the rack.

Our grandma’s greased ’em and used ’em to cook everything.  Cast iron last forever as long as you keep them greased to stave off rusting and can be used to cook tons of things.  Use these hot pans to cook anything that requires high heat.

Other kitchen essential that you want to make sure you have is a good ceramic baking set (which shouldn’t cost you more than $40.  I love Simply Calphalon for this), a slow cooker and a food processor to save time on cutting vegetable spices.  What kitchen essentials do you mamas swear by?