Out with the old and in with the new...

We ended up getting a few things with part of our tax return. We paid off debt mostly but left some to get some tools for our jobs around the house; much used and needed tools.

My eclectic collection of measuring spoons. I have 3 Tablespoon Spoons here, a broken 1 tsp, a 1/2 tsp, 1/8 and a 1/4th. While they all work just fine and I cook mostly by pinches and such it will be nice to have a new set. The stainless steel ones are actually Jordan's. One got into the garbage disposal so that's why it is broken. When we are baking or cooking a meal we can go through quite a few measuring spoons so having more than one of something is handy when using oil and then a powder.

I am getting into stainless steel so I got some new stainless steel measuring spoons. They are sturdy and don't seem like they could come apart like the other ones, all one piece construction. They are beautiful and long! I used them for measuring oregano tonight and they fit nearly all the way into my tall container.

Here again is my eclectic collection of measuring cups. I have two sets. I think the Tupperware set was from when we got married and the 1 cup is broken and we have it taped together and we are missing the 3/4 cup which maybe isn't used much. The other set only has two left and the 1/2 cup (which is used all the time) is cracked all the way across the bottom. Again, we use a couple of each while cooking or baking so it is nice to have extras.

My new stainless steel set. It even has an 1/8 cup and my missing 3/4 cup.

This is my new blender. I didn't get a pic of my old one. It was cracked and leaking all over whenever I used it. I researched a few weeks to pick out the Oster Beehive. You can put a regular mouth canning jar on it and use it that way. It has a glass pitcher and all metal drive. I can't wait to make goat milk yogurt smoothies with strawberries from the garden. I've also wanted to make home made mayonnaise and need a blender to do it.
My old iron. I think Kevin had it before we got married. I can't quite remember, but I'm sure I didn't buy it since. So, it is over 20 years old. It quit heating up. It was sporadic and difficult to do last minute touch-ups as you are running out the door because you are already late!

My new Rowenta! I also researched this and it is also a steam iron, meaning you can steam drapes, dresses, etc. with it by holding it upright like in the picture. It is also a self-cleaning iron, never heard of such a thing. We have used it a few times now. It's nice to have things that work.

We got a new 12 quart stock pot too with pasta insert and steamer basket. Both of my stockpots are only a thin layer and have scorched so many times that they start to scorch earlier and earlier in the cooking process. At first we didn't mind the taste so much but after opening jar after jar of scorched tasting home canned veggie soup we would like to start the canning season with something new. I am going to baby it and make sure it stays nice and clean. It has an encapsulated aluminum ring in between two layers of stainless steel and seems much sturdier than my other ones. It seems all the stuff from when we got married is breaking down. It's hard to spend the money like this but it is also nice to have the proper tools for what we do.