While some may consider this a bit on the gadgety side, I think it is a must as dressings do not stick to water-logged salad greens.

There seems to be little difference between hard wood and plastic cutting boards from a safety standpoint, as long as they are properly washed and sanitized after each use. Personally, I like the feel of solid wood. One piece of advice--buy large cutting boards. Don't bother with these tiny boards that everyone seems to have in his or her kitchen. They are not user friendly. Once you get down to serious cutting or chopping, the small boards are always woefully inadequate and downright maddening!

If sifting of dry ingredients is called for in a recipe, instead of sifting, add all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix with a wire whisk.