The Tool: Kuhn Rikon Serrated Paring Knives, $11.95

Fresh tomato sauce always tastes better than the canned stuff (and has way less sodium), but cutting tomatoes is a major hassle. They're slimy and prone to oozing everywhere, and their skin, while thin, is incredibly tough to cut without making a mess. But these stainless steel, nonstick knives are serrated, so they easily slice and dice their way through hard-to-cut fruits, and they come in three fun colors to boot.

The Recipe: Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:
8 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer until it becomes a chunky sauce, about 15 minutes. Serve the result over regular pasta or -- even better -- Spiralized zucchini noodles.

Recipe via Kitchen Confidante

Background image via Primary Times

The Tool: Chef'n Emulstir 2.0, $14.94

Have you looked on the back of your store bought salad dressing? The ingredients list may surprise you. Why is the first ingredient in your Italian dressing water? What is propylene glycol alginate? Mass produced dressings also tend to be made with lower-quality oils (like soybean and canola) and added sugar. This easy-to-use emulsifier makes whipping up homemade dressing as simple as possible. Just pour all the ingredients in (its got measurements marked along the side) and pull the level to blend them all together in seconds.

The Recipe: Simple Mustard Dressing

Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Add to Emulstir and blend until combined.

Recipe via The Savory

Background image via Three Brother's Pizza