If I Were to Register Again...

The other day I was thinking about a few of my favorite wedding gifts that have become household staples. I know registering can be a daunting task so I thought I would share this short list from nearly 9 years of married housekeeping...

Deep Skillet with Glass Lid -- the one piece of cookware I couldn't live without. For everything from scrambled eggs to meat sauce or soup, we use one like this 12" Anolon version ALL the time! I love that I can brown meat, drain it, and then add the rest of the ingredients and all in one piece of cookware while at the same time, stir without worrying about stuff spilling over the sides.

A Black and Decker version of this little appliance (which costs less than $20) was something I never registered for but received as a wedding gift from a woman who had cooked many a meal in her farmhouse kitchen. We quickly fell in love with it. Its small size makes storage no problem so it's easier to access when I need it than my larger and bulkier (including several attachments) food processor. And cleaning it is a breeze.

Alternative Down Comforter -- Have you noticed that not just the high-end hotels are switching their bedding over to this little bit of luxury? If you ever stay in a Germanic-speaking country, this is how they dress their beds! A comforter (with duvet) and fitted sheet are it. Making your bed is a piece of cake! When the weather turns chilly in the fall, I love pulling out our Lands' End flannel duvet and flannel fitted sheet (which I promptly bought after an incredible two night's sleep at Pam & Simon's in Zurich) ... as if getting out of bed in the morning needed to be any more difficult.

KitchenAid Stand Mixer -- We entertain a lot so we're frequently whipping up a batch of brownies, cookies, cakes, or even cracker dip -- all of which start in our KitchenAid Stand Mixer. From talking to others who cook even more than myself (like my mother and sister) what makes this something I use so much more than them is that I have a dedicated space on my countertop devoted to this appliance. Having it accessible means it gets used. And the fact that you can choose from a variety of fun colors makes it, well, fun pick out your own (mine is Empire Red like the one on the right)!

Last item... no-iron tablecloths. A handful of everyday tablecloths are like a couple of good pairs of khakis -- they are good for everyday and you keep 'em until they're worn out (which in my case, hasn't happened yet).