By Kara Kimbrough
It’s only January, but I’ve already discovered three new products that I can’t live without in the kitchen. As if that wasn’t life-changing enough, I found a recipe that’s quickly becoming my go-to dinner rescuer of 2025.
But first, the products that are making food preparation and cooking just a little easier.
ThermoMaven F1 Digital Meat Thermometer – I’ve lost count of the times I’ve tried – usually unsuccessfully – to read the temperature of meat displayed on those tiny, hard-to-read thermometers. Even worse, the smoke and heat from the oven usually caused the miniscule dial to become cloudy and completely indecipherable. All that changed when I was gifted this instant ready digital meat thermometer. Not only is it much larger than those ordinary thermometers, but the easy-to-read window with bright digital numbers allowed me to quickly view the temperature of the meat as it cooked. This high accuracy thermometer with a fold-out sensor rod (picture a large pocketknife design) features advanced sensors that provide immediate, instantaneous temperature readings. And, the magnetic back allows for easy storage on the side of my refrigerator, insuring my thermometer never get lost in the kitchen gadget drawer again.
Forget those ordinary salt and pepper or other seasoning shakers. The Fliptastic Electric Gravity Grinder by Kitchen Mama seasons dishes with perfectly-ground seasonings with the flip of a wrist. Not to mention, using the sleek, attractive rechargeable grinder is much more exciting than an ordinary salt and pepper shaker.
Kitchen Mama Orbit One Rechargeable Can Opener – forget those bulky electric versions that inevitably cause the lid to fall into the food– this one-press solution effortlessly opens cans with its patented tilted blade design, cutting 360° along the lid without touching the food inside. This genius invention is compatible with almost any can type and size, lightweight and easily operable, with a sleek, compact design. And, it's rechargeable for eco-friendly convenience.
Last, I’ve never been able to resist a dish that included pasta, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. This one is even better - it's filled with more tasty ingredients – chicken, heavy cream and cheeses. Even better, it can be mixed together in minutes in one pan and baked to a bubbly goodness. I honestly can’t think of a better way to get through 2025 than by using these time-saving kitchen gadgets and indulging in this delicious dish at least once a week.
One Pan Creamy Chicken Pesto Bake
1 pound pasta of choice (rotini works well)
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes + oil
1pound chicken breasts
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (to taste)
1 teaspoon oregano (to taste)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups heavy cream (room temperature)
2 handfuls spinach
6-8 ounces freshly shredded parmesan cheese (divided)
8 ounces freshly shredded mozzarella (divided)
1/2 cup pesto, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the cream on the counter to come to room temperature. Boil noodles in salted water a few minutes less than package instructions (al dente). Drain and set aside.
In a large oven-safe saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of sun-dried tomato oil over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts for a few minutes on each side until no longer pink, then remove from the pan and set aside. Let chicken rest for a few minutes before cutting into bite-sized pieces.
In the same pan, melt butter and add salt, pepper, red pepper, paprika, and oregano. Stir to toast, then toss in the onion and sauté for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Turn heat to low, pour in the heavy cream and stir. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken slightly.
Add half of the parmesan and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, stir until the cheese is melted.. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, chicken, cooked pasta and pesto. Top with the remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then broil for another 5 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly.
Kara Kimbrough is a food and travel writer from Mississippi. Email her at kkprco@yahoo.com.
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