Sheila Lukins, co-author of “The Silver Palate” cookbooks and the longtime food editor and columnist for “Parade” magazine, has researched everyone’s favorite dishes — thick steaks, tender roasted chicken, leafy salads, rich chocolates, to name just a few — and offers up 10 amazing recipes for each in her new book, Ten: All the Foods We Love and 10 Perfect Recipes for Each. This book is a great gift for the foodie on your list — or for yourself!

$19.95 at Amazon.com

For more great cookbooks, be sure to check out our slide show, “10 Great Cookbooks for Busy Moms”!

Petit Coco herb gardens are a great way to keep fresh basil and mint around. The pots are shaped like tea kettles or casserole dishes. They measure approximately 3-inches high and wide, and are sure to make any cook smile.

Find them for $11.50 each or for $33 for a set of 3 at delight.com

One of the ways we save money is by going out less and cooking more. I discovered Barefoot Contessa cookbooks a while back and to this day her simple and delicious recipes (that don’t require you to be a super-cook) are some of my favorites. I have dogeared many a page in her Paris cookbook and have just ordered this one.

$23 at Amazon.com.

Speaking of recipes, check out our Quick and Easy Side Dishes for Thanksgiving slideshow.

These great silicone mats keep cookies and other baked goods from sticking to the pan, and eliminate the need for greasing the pan or using paper to line it. Additionally, the silicone helps better distribute the heat resulting in more even baking.

Silpat Silicone Baking Mats are available at Amazon.com $18.49.

Wisconsin-based Penzeys Spices offers hundreds of herbs, spices, and blends that make great cooking a breeze; their catalog is filled with recipes and fun to read, too. My family’s hands-down favorite is their Fox Point Seasoning. Redolent of shallots, chives, and scallions and rounded out with salt, garlic, and green peppercorns, this all-purpose blend works well with pretty much anything. We stir it into rice, sprinkle it on eggs, toss it with potatoes for roasting, and rub it onto chicken and pork — and that was just last week. In a pinch, I’ve stirred a teaspoon of it into a cup of sour cream and called it dip; our guests devoured it.

A half-cup glass jar (1.7 ounces) costs $6.55 (larger jars available) at Penzeys.com.

Every kitchen needs one (or two) wall-mounted magnetic knife holders. No more rummaging through over-filled kitchen drawers, searching for the right tool. Knives of all sizes — from carving knives to tiny paring knives -– clip onto these babies in a snap. They also hold other stainless-steel kitchen essentials like measuring spoons and potato peelers. Added bonus: They keep sharp stuff securely beyond the reach of inquisitive toddlers.

$27.99 (plus free shipping!) at Amazon.com .

Baking your own bread? With the sagging economy, now is a great time to give bread-making a try and, hopefully, save a little money on groceries. In addition to excellent flour and other ingredients, Vermont-based King Arthur Flour sells a line of handy baking implements, including this clever non-stick rolling mat. Minimize mess by rolling and kneading your dough on it. The silicone surface reduces sticking and tearing of the dough. Also cool: clean-up is a cinch – just rinse it off in the sink when you’re done. (No more scrubbing flour gunk off your kitchen table!) We also like the concentric circles that serve as a handy guide for shaping and rolling pie crusts.

$34.50 at King Arthur Flour.com.

Rich, bold, smoky, and complex, Merken is a traditional spice blend created by the Mapuche Indians of the Araucania region of Chile, where it’s been used as a cooking staple for centuries. Now available in the US and online (thanks to Chileangourmet, a Santiago-based company dedicated to supporting local farmers there), the coarse, coppery powder — a combination of smoked Cacho de Cabra (Goat’s Horn) chilies, toasted coriander seeds, and salt — tastes a little like chipotle, but with far more richness and bite. It’s great for boosting your end-of-summer barbecue or adding depth to a simple soup, but I’m addicted to it sprinkled on warm, roasted cashews — the savory smokiness plus the buttery sweetness of the nuts is just perfect. A 50-gram (1.78-ounce) jar costs about $9.50 at Williams Sonoma stores and online at Tu Chile Aqui.

My least favorite thing about cooking is cutting onions and crying while doing it, so when I stumbled upon these air-tight goggles that prevent the tears and red eyes mess, I had to share. Yes, you will look odd to your family when wearing these, but who cares?

$18.75 at Delight.com.

This nonstick bakeware does something that no other conventional bakeware can — not only does it go from freezer to oven and back again without a problem, it folds up like an accordion when not in use. Made of a trademarked material called Ceramber (a silicone-ceramic bl end) FoldTuk’s see-through containers and lids can be used in any kind of oven — conven tional, convection, microwave, infrared — and folds to a flat one-inch thick for storage. Unlike silicon bakeware, FoldTuk doesn’t go all floppy and lose it’s shape, either. It’s available in four shapes and colors, in 4-cup ($15.99) or 6-cup ($21.99) sizes. You can find it online at FoldTuk Bakeware. (Thanks to Work It, Mom! member pololady34 for this great tip!)