re: Christmas wishlist

A Hand Immersion Blender is a good tool for making smoothies, soups, and getting beans to the desired creaminess. I use mine just about every day.

Also, a good food processer for chopping/cutting massive amounts of onions, bellpeppers, garlic and celery and emulsifying sauces or liquids.

A large, good quality non-stick pan is good to use for omelets, bacon, chicken and veggies.. and things that tend to stick. A non-stick pan usually doesn't come with a lid, so use that big wooden cutting board as a makeshift lid when you need to.. It works.