GadgetGals recommends three knives for your knife wardrobe. But you can get by with just two. The knives we recommend are a chef’s knife and a paring knife. The third would be a serrated bread knife.

What to look for in a knife? First, the breakdown of a chef's knife is:
Handle: Can be made from bone, plastic or polypropylene, or wood. Select one that feels comfortable in your hands.
Tang: A good knife should have a full tang, which means the metal runs the entire length of the knife through to the end of the handle.
Blade: Can come in length from 4 to 12 inches.
Bolster: This is the thick piece of metal between the end of the blade and the handle.
Rivets: The handle should be bolted onto the knife.

Purchase a chef’s knife that has been forged (vs. stamped) from high- carbon stainless steel. The chef’s knife has a wide blade that is great for slicing, chopping and mincing. An 8-inch blade is the most popular and great for all-around jobs.

A paring knife is ideal for peeling, coring, and slicing small foods, such as a radish.

If your knife budget allows, add a bread knife or serrated blade knife. It is great for slicing bread, tomatoes, and sandwiches.

Plan to spend $50 to $100 for each knife. While that may sound pricey, the good news is if you select and purchase wisely, and sharpen occasionally, your knives will last a lifetime.

WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR THE BEGINNING KITCHEN?

Housewares sections of retail stores offer so many glamorous lines of cookware and kitchen equipment that choosing what is right for you can seem like a daunting challenge. The key word to remember is BASIC. Think about your cooking style and the foods you like to eat, then buy accordingly, purchasing the best equipment you can afford. Once you have outfitted your kitchen with the basics, then add the specialized items as needed.

Here are GadgetGals picks for the BASIC kitchen.

WHAT ARE THE SAFEST APPLIANCES?

Any appliance if used improperly can be unsafe. Avoid it as you might, we suggest you read the booklet that comes with your new piece of equipment/appliance whether it is a saucepan or an electrical appliance. Keep the Use and Care booklet handy so you can refer to it as needed.

Here are some commonsense safety rules:
• Always unplug any electrical appliance when
cleaning it.
• Do not run appliances near the sink or running water.
• Roll up your shirtsleeves so they don’t dangle into boiling pots or get caught on the handle of a saucepan. .
• Always use potholders to retrieve items from both conventional and microwave ovens and on the handles of saucepans.
• Keep handles of saucepans turned in from the edge of the range.
• Do not pour hot liquid, especially oils, into small containers. Set them aside and cool to room temperature before transferring them to a storage container.
• Don't place knives in the sink or dishwashers. Clean, dry and store the knife after use. Keep knives in a wood block or a sheaf.
• Keep a fire extinguisher or a box of baking soda next to the range in case of fires.

WHY DO I NEED TWO KINDS OF MEASURING CUPS?

The simple answer is to measure ingredients accurately so the foods you prepare turn out right. A one-cup dry measure does not equate to the same one-cup of a liquid measure.

For dry ingredients, spoon into a cup and level off with a straight edge spatula. The liquid measure has headspace and you cannot level off with the straight side of a knife. Improper measuring of dry ingredients (flours, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cornmeal) can cause baked goods to be dry or sauces to become too thick.

To measure liquids, use clear measuring cups with spouts. To accurately read, hold the cup at eye level. Or, with the new angled measuring cups, read measurement markings by looking down into the cup.

HOW DO I KNOW WHETHER I HAVE THE RIGHT SIZE PAN?

You are ready to make the cake or a pan of brownies and your recipe calls for a 9-inch square pan. Yet the pan is not marked. Using a 12-inch ruler, flip the pan over and measure it across the midpoint of the pan in both directions.

For a saucepan or fry pan, measure across the rim, at the midpoint. Tube pans, again measure across the midpoint. For casseroles or other baking dishes, measure water in a glass measure and pour into the dish to just below the rim of the dish. If you like, mark the bottom of the dish with a permanent marker.