The Windows operating system is, by no means, an indispensable kitchen utensil for the time being, but just give Microsoft a little while and the company will make it happen. With computers becoming ubiquitous throughout all rooms in the home and with Natural User Interfaces evolving at a fast pace, Windows-powered machines will soon enough be an integral part of any kitchen along with the fridge and the cooking stove. With Windows 7 Microsoft has made an important step in this direction, as the operating system allows users to interact seamlessly through multitouch and voice. And thanks to a new app from Betty Crocker, a Windows 7 powered computer might just be the perfect accessory for putting together a great meal.

Users with a passion for cooking, but also professional chefs looking for inspiration in the kitchen can now access the Betty Crocker Digital Kitchen Assistant, a free application made available for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. The new app is designed to allow Windows users to tap rich content and services on the Betty Crocker website right from their desktops.

“We’re constantly re-thinking how we offer useful content to consumers in their homes,” noted Mike Bettison, web site manager, General Mills. “By partnering with Microsoft to create a unique Windows application, we are able to improve the utility of our content and shape it to be more relevant in the kitchen.”

Although it also plays nice with XP and Vista, the Betty Crocker Kitchen Assistant truly shines only on Windows 7. That’s because the cooking app has been optimized and tailored to the latest iteration of the Windows client from Microsoft. The Betty Crocker Kitchen Assistant works with the native touch technology of Windows 7 and allows users to interact via voice recognition. In addition, Windows 7 users can also take advantage of a desktop widget set up to offer not just recipe suggestions but also programmable timers.

“With more families cooking together and eating at home, they are hungry for tools that can save them time in the kitchen,” says Kevin Tigges, U.S. consumer goods industry solutions director, Microsoft Corp. “The Betty Crocker Kitchen Assistant saves time by offering consumers a more interactive and informative cooking experience with help from their Windows PCs. The new digital tool also provides General Mills a compelling way to engage with its customers.”

In addition, Betty Crocker tapped Windows Azure, Microsoft’s Cloud platform, in order to distribute the cooking application for Windows. Users just need to download the tool, put their “Kiss the Cook” apron on and start cooking.

“We believe that over time, consumers will have a computer on the kitchen counter,” Bettison added. “Betty Crocker is looking to the future and wants to help consumers get there. That’s why we created Betty Crocker Kitchen Assistant to use in the kitchen. The application’s ‘Cook Mode’ feature displays beautiful, large-scale recipe photos right next to step-by-step directions. With a large computer screen, those instructions can be seen from up to 5 feet away. The application also works with a touch screen. Or if you’re hands are covered with flour, take advantage of Windows 7 voice recognition to move to the next screen.”

Betty Crocker Kitchen Assistant is available for download here.