Kitchen Deals -> Dinnerware

Look for ladles that are made of one piece of stainless steel rather than a handle and dome which are spot welded together. With use, spot welded ladles tend to come apart. Buy several differnet sizes.

This is another area where spending money is justified. The best pans combine different metals like aluminum or copper on the outside and stainless steel on the inside. Aluminum and copper are valued for their ability to spread heat evenly over the entire pan, and stainless steel is valued for its non-reactive qualities. Buy pans which are heavy and thick with solid handles that are well fastened to the pot. As with knives, buy the highest quality cooking pans you can afford one at a time, starting with a saute pan and a 3 qt. sauce pan. They will last forever. At some point, a stock pot (which will be especially pricey) should be considered for serious cooking.

When cooking chicken pieces, start with the dark pieces and then add the white chicken. The dark takes longer to cook than the white, so starting the dark first will assist in the white and dark getting done close to the same time