I know one shouldn't talk bad about one's mother or disrespect a parent or say anything against the dead but there is no getting around the fact that my mother had to be one of the worse cooks anywhere!

Whether it was eggs or steaks she burnt everything or she would boil something until there was no taste left!
I know as soon as I left home I wanted rare steaks, soft boiled eggs and good looking and tasting food so I started to live in the kitchen experimenting with things I never heard of and using spices which was so rare in any thing I had had as a kid.

I must confess my 'bible' became the "Joy of Cooking" by Irma S. Rombauer and I still have my original copy. Over the years I believe I have made every recipe in that book and followed every bit of advice offered when it came to preparing to cook and the actual cooking.

One thing I learned and have never let go was the love of kitchen gadgets. Now I don't go crazy either buying or using them and I certainly don't spend a lot of money on them.
The items in the picture are ones I bought at The Dollar Tree store.

I really love the peeler as it fits on your finger and I couldn't list all the items I have peeled with it from cucumbers to potatoes to carrots among other things.

The onion slicer is easy to use and since I am a big onion user it saves a lot of time, not to mention finger cuts.

Being a believer in 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' (though it really doesn't work) I have an apple every day and that corer makes things easier plus can, and is, used for other food items.

Lately I have been stacking up on microwave gadgets for cooking and am--just thinking--of getting rid of pots and pans that I have had for years.

Should I ever have to choose between a gadget or a slice of carrot cake I would have to give it a lot of thought!