This is a big ticket item, but worth its weight in gold. It will save so much time when it comes to simple chopping or more advanced preparations like mayonnaise. As with most things, buy quality-- it will last longer, be capable of tougher jobs, and give you less problems. To make the food processor easiest to use, leave it on the counter top instead of storing it in a cabinet.

Not too much romance here, but essential for any functional kitchen. Buy the heaviest pans possible. Also, you should consider buying a non-stick silicon sheet: they make baking very easy!

To obtain more flavor from parsley, remove the stems and only use the leaves. Use a scissors to cut the leaves into pieces instead of chopping with a knife. Chopping generally causes the leaves to become mushy