Ode to kitchen utensils, part one

If there's one thing in my kitchen I would sleep with under my pillow, it's my Pampered Chef Mix 'N Scraper. When I recently hosted a Lia Sophia party, my mom (and lovely snack-prep assistant.. all right, she was basically the head chef) asked for a scraper. I presented the aforelinked tool, and she was skeptical that it could double as a serving spoon. I would dare to say she now undersands my love for such a fantastic, multi-tasking gift.

I bought it because of the boast that it was melt-proof. After planning a baby shower, where we played a rather nasty game, it became apparent that I need melt-proof or fire retarded kitchen tools. The nasty game was that one (please tell me someone else has done this) where you melt candy bars and put them in diapers, then ask (force) your beloved guests to smell, look, and guess what the candy bar was formerly known as. Well, after an hour of the microwave/stir/repeat program, many of my plastic scrapers were melted. I believe a good portion of my co-conspirators were as well. The other plastic scrapers from the marriage gift set had been sent one by one to the fiery depths of the dishwasher heating element in a rather epic (messy) end. Suffice it to say, since I use these nearly every day, I was on the lookout for something that could withstand the test of me.

This scraper fit the bill quite nicely. It stirs in a hot pan, keeps things from sticking to pans and bowls, and works decently as a frosting/icing spreader on short notice.

After three years of surviving in my kitchen, this scraper is more than just a scraper. It's part of the family, and the second in a long line of products we love. Some day, I will have the whole lovely set. In the meantime, I will loudly recommend this to anyone who is listening (and even some people who probably aren't).

What makes your kitchen life easier?