Holiday Gifts for Avid Cooks- Part 2

Here we go on Day 2 of the Holiday gift lists. These gifts are smaller, less expensive items that are vital for everyday cooking:

1. Silicone oven mitts: I'm going to precede this discussion by divulging that I am a complete wimp when it comes to heat. And there are no silicone oven mitts in the UK apparently! These are wonderful for sticking your hands in and out of hot ovens, especially if you're sensitive like me!
2. Kitchen tongs: Like the oven mitts, this is a great stocking stuffer. Tongs are one of the most useful kitchen tools ever. I always use tongs when I'm cooking meat or fish on the stovetop and when I grill. 
3. Salad Spinner: Let's face it, wet salad is a drag. But unless you buy pre-washed lettuce, you're often stuck with soggy lettuce that doesn't absorb your salad dressing well because it is too watery. Drying the lettuce by air takes too long and using a dishcloth to wring out the lettuce breaks the leaves, so a salad spinner is absolutely the best way to dry lettuce. Trust me, I know!