A Fully Stocked Kitchen [Part Four - Essential Equipment]

"Here's some old mixing spoons." "And, some Pyrex that Grandma sent over, and her old coffee pot." For many of us, this is how our collection of kitchen items began. As we take flight from the comfort of home to our own first apartment or home, our family members clean out their drawers and cabinets, thankful and happy to be able to go shop for new stuff of their own  to help us fledglings on our way to independence. Surely, we add to the mix with odds and ends, picking them up as they're needed, but mostly we suffer through that potpourri of items until....cue the dramatic musical flair...we become engaged to be married. 

And, it is then, that the true floodgates of hell open up. Each and every store has a registry where you're faced with pages upon pages of fantastic items and, in the love induced fog that you're under, things like a Mocubo or roast cutting tongs begin to seem as essential as air.  So, where did these registry lists even come from? It seems that, as far back as 1901, the China Hall of Rochester decided that it would be a dandy idea for brides to list the items of china that they would like to receive as wedding gifts and then check them off as they were received. This method provided some order to the whole process since up until then, it was at the total whim of the guest as to what they would purchase - meaning you could end up with an awfully mismatched table. It wasn't until 1924, however, that the practice received a nod from the likes of the Marshall Field's department store and became the way to go for brides to select exactly what they liked. Since guests could purchase just one place setting, it became much more feasible for households to accumulate an entire service for 8 or 12. In the mid-1960's, Williams-Sonoma helped to widen the focus to include everyday items and tools, etc. in addition to the traditional fine china, crystal and silver flatware.

That brings us to the here and now where (as I previously said) every store has a registry and marketing is truly at its most powerful - the temptation to just take one of everything for good measure is strong. I mean , sure, this is your once (hopefully) in a lifetime chance to get other people to purchase things for you. Why the hell not pick the $300 margarita machine? or sure, you tell yourself, we're going to make fondue every Saturday night. Sign me up for the $700 Mauviel copper fondue set. However, I would suggest caution be your guide, and rather than plan for the elaborate dinner parties that require copious amounts of serve ware, that you, instead, plan for your true everyday life. My philosophy is one that embraces multi-tasking tools and rarely, will you find me recommending hyper-specialized uni-taskers. I find them to be wasteful of both money and storage space (which is a commodity even in the dreamiest of dream kitchens.) 

I began my  journey to being a competent home cook in a postage stamp of a kitchen in our first home in Massachusetts. (Seriously, I'm not even kidding when I tell you that if the oven door was opened, you couldn't come in the kitchen door.) Even in those 50 sq feet of space, I was able to host fairly elaborate Mexican fiestas and 4th of July bar-b-ques by using basic kitchen equipment and some pretty ambitious baking pan/dish stacking in the fridge. 

Sure, your kitchen tool/equipment inventory will be largely reflective of what type of cook you are and what your personal style is, but the following items make up what I feel is a good foundation of tools and equipment regardless of marital status.

Equipment:

• Pans - Contrary to what the cook's store would have you believe, you do not need an entire matched set of cookware. I recommend stainless steel (with a copper core) as the best choice. It is durable, non-reactive (which means you can cook anything in it without worry that it will impact the flavor of the food) and dishwasher safe (yes!) Straight up stainless isn't so great at conducting and transferring heat which is why I recommend a copper core. While my particular fave is All-Clad, it can be kind of pricey and there are good choices at all price points.
• Saucepan with lid (2-3 qt.): Use it for making sauces (hence the clever name), boiling or steaming vegetables and cooking grains and pastas.
• Saute pan with lid (around 12 in): the deep, straight sides of the saute pan make it a multi-tasking workhorse in your kitchen. The large surface area makes it perfect for reducing sauces. The deepish straight sides are helpful keeping things from sloshing out and it is a perfect pan for pan-frying as it helps contain splatters.
• Skillet(s) 8 in. & 10 in.: Use the 8 in for eggs and the 10 inch for everything else - including crepes, stir-frys etc. (I would recommend non-stick versions of these as well - however, do not spend a lot of money on the non-stick *and* toss and replace at the first signs of wear.)
• One big heavy pot/dutch oven with lid (6qt or larger): To be used for soups or pasta and can be used for roasting meats in the oven as well.
• Cast iron skillet (optional): big, heavy and a great retainer of heat, these pans will be non-stick once seasoned correctly. Since they are relatively inexpensive, you might want to add one to your cooking wardrobe. 

• Cutlery- Again, those big fancy sets are fabulous looking, but not necessarily practical. I mean, a boning knife? Unless you're planning on becoming a butcher (or a hunter) soon, it really just isn't necessary. People do get crazy about knives and if you search cooking sites, you'll find people waxing poetic about this knife brand or that knife brand. I do think it is nice to have a knife with a riveted handle  But, a plain plastic handle is just as serviceable. In fact, most cooks in most restaurants use decidedly unfancy knives similar to these.
• Chef's knife (at least 8 in): Probably the most essential part of your kitchen, this will be your go-to knife. The thinner the blade, the more precise you'll be able to be with your slicing. German knives are traditionally known as good quality, but in recent years have been eclipsed by Japanese made blades. Personally, I have a santoku -style knife and prefer it to the traditional chef's knife, but that is just a preference thing - you should go try out some knives at a shop to see how they feel in your hand. 
• Small paring knife : choose an inexpensive paring knife to use for small cutting tasks.
• Bread knife : the serrated edge of a bread knife is so useful when cutting through a crusty baguette and even though it is called a break knife, it can also be used on ripe tomatoes.
• Kitchen Shears (optional): Not truly essential, but I find that I use my shears to cut through a roasted chicken right in the pan rather than taking it to a cutting board and  cutting it up with the Chef's knife.

• Cutting Boards-  
• One Large Board - truly, the biggest you can get your hands on. When you are prepping ingredients for cooking, you need adequate space for the item you are cutting and the cut up pieces. If you have to keep stopping to clear your board, you lose some efficiency. Also, a large board is the perfect space for rolling out bread dough, crusts and pasta dough. Wood boards are aesthetically the nicest and they have "give"or cushion for your knife blade which will aid in keeping it sharp. However, wood is not dishwasher safe. If that is an issue for you, go with a nice heavy plastic one. Those thin color-coded cutting mats are not sufficient to provide the cushion your blade needs so they are useful for cutting meats etc only if put atop a regular cutting board.
• Additional small cutting board(s): one or more small cutting boards to use when you're slicing tomato for a sandwich, or lemon slices for addition to a dish etc.

• Bakeware- 
• 9x13" glass or ceramic pan: can be used to bake cakes, casseroles, roast vegetables, and braised meats. 
• Half-sheet pans (restaurant style): cannot say enough good things about these pans. I use them for Kick-Ass Brownies, as well as other baked goods. They are my go-to pan for roasting large quantities of vegetables. They also serve well as a tray for organizing ingredients in the fridge before you're going to cook.
• 9x13 metal pans (optional): I have a couple of these around and they are great for marinating meat in before it hits the grill. Of course, you could use the glass/ceramic one for this as well, but I like the durability of the metal for this particular task.
• Muffin pan (optional):  self-explanatory - add this to your stable if you're a muffin or cupcake baker.
• 9" round cake pan x 2 (optional): nice to have if you want to bake a round layer cake. I also use mine for making Crespelle.

Yes, there are lots of things that appear on registry lists that are missing here. You may find that there are other items that you consider essential that aren't listed here either. There are lots of things missing that I actually have in my own kitchen, but this list serves as a very good place to start. People cooked (and still do) all over the world with less than what's on this list even.

Next in the series, we'll discuss essential tools/gadgets and appliances...until then,

Happy Cooking!

 sld

A Fully Stocked Kitchen [Part Three- Freezer]

We've discussed what I keep on hand in my pantry or cupboards and what I have on hand in my refrigerator. In order to be fully prepared to cook a healthy, home-cooked meal most every night of the week, your freezer should also be full of things that you'd like to have on hand, but require longer term storage than your fridge items. Back in the day, our Grandmas and Great- Grandmas didn't have the luxury of the freezer to keep foods - they took a trip to the market each and every day to get the foods for the day - or in some cases, they raised it themselves and in other cases waited for the traveling vegetable man or meat seller to come by the house for them to pick up some items. These days, we have, at our disposal, the best of all worlds. You can grow your own food, and if you have a particularly green thumb, and have an abundance, you can use your freezer to preserve that bounty. You can pick up foods from the local farmers' markets or CSA's and do the same. You can, in some areas, still have groceries delivered to your home.  The freezer is also a great place to freeze full meals that you prepare yourself to be eaten at a later date, or even just prepared components that can be put together on the fly to make a full dinner a bit easier. Just like the pantry and the fridge, if you keep your house stocked with the good stuff, you'll have an easier time actually eating the good stuff.

Notes: 
In the freezer, contact with air is the devil, causing frosty ice crystals that eventually cause freezer burn. If you invest in a vacuum sealer food storage unit (Food Saver is one brand), you can purchase large family sized packages of meats, etc and portion them out to be sealed and stored in the freezer. 
Also, a full freezer is an efficient freezer - be organized so that your freezer doesn't end up being an archeological site. If you pack that thing full, and then never use anything out of it, you've defeated the purpose.

Freezer Essentials

• Meat the Press - obviously, this will depend upon what your family eats. The cuts represented here are just a sample of what you could have on hand. Does your family like ribs? Buy them on sale and stick them in the freezer, etc.
• Beef:
• Ground beef -  portioned into 1 lb packages for taco meat, burgers, meat sauce for pasta, meat loaf, stuffed peppers
• Skirt or flank steak - use for fajitas, or marinated w/ Asian flavors, then grilled and eaten with an Asian slaw, or grilled with sweet peppers and served with braised leeks.
• Rib-eye steak (boneless) - perfect for grilling or for use in sukiyaki
• Sirloin steak- great grilled; leftovers make a nice steak sandwich or Mexican-inspired taco/wrap
• Poultry: 
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - portioned to 1 per person in your family -or- individually  to be marinated and grilled, sliced for a stir-fry.
• Bone-in, skin on chicken thighs - perfect to have on hand for a variety of dishes - they tend to be juicier and more flavorful than breast meat. I make a great Indian Masala with these thighs.
• 1 or 2 whole chickens - for roasted chicken (use leftovers for chicken salad or to add to tortilla soup, etc)
• Pork: 
• Italian Sweet sausage - saute and use as pizza topping; add to tomato sauce;  add to meatloaf, stuffed peppers
• Pork tenderloin- as lean as some cuts of chicken- superb grilled, or oven roasted, but I love to slice into medallions or scaloppine, pan grill and top with a pan sauce. can also be cut into strips to be used in a stir-fry
• Ham-steak - we eat this infrequently due to the high sodium content; super easy to pan fry and top with a bit of brown sugar for an easy/fast protein.
• Bacon - no explanation needed.
• Sausages:
• Andouille - this spicy cajun sausage is great in gumbo or jambalaya
• Boudin - another cajun sausage made with rice; cook, and serve with a steamed or sauteed vegetable and you have a super quick meal.
• Smoked sausage  or Bratwurst- a good choice if your family doesn't like the spice of the cajun sausages.
• Seafood: I've previously mentioned El Syd's super unusual finned fish allergy. So, we don't keep fish in the house. I purchase that as soon as he leaves town for a business trip.
• Shrimp freeze well. I prefer the Gulf Shrimp over the farm-raised. You may not have access to the Gulf Brown Shrimp. Also, farm-raised shrimp will be available in a variety of levels of processing that the Gulf Shrimp typically aren't: shell-on, shell-on easy peel (meaning they have been slit down the back and deveined) & peeled and deveined.  Peeling and deveining shrimp is not a difficult task you can do it. I promise. Whatever you do, do not purchase pre-cooked shrimp with the expectation of cooking them again. Frozen, cooked shrimp are fine for a shrimp cocktail or a shrimp salad, but not suitable for a heated preparation. If you cook them yet again, the results will be rubber-ball shrimp like things.

• All "Pro" (Produce, that is)
• Fruits- These can be things that you purchase and process yourself or things you buy from the grocery. They are great to have in the freezer for smoothies and also for other cobblers and pies.
• During peach season, here in Texas, we purchased a bushel of peaches and then processed them for freezing. I have jars of delicious peaches to use for cobbler or to add to homemade ice cream...or just defrost and eat. 
• Pineapple, berries, mango, strawberries - a small bag of each in the freezer makes smoothies a breeze; also good for fruit based salsas when it is not peak-season for fresh fruits.
• Vegetables - As you may have already figured out, I try to use fresh vegetables exclusively. That being said, there are a few frozen things that you will always find stashed in my freezer.
• Corn- sweet corn is probably one of, if not the, best frozen vegetables. Perfect to add to soups and to use to make corn pudding or creamed corn.
• Peas - fresh peas are supremely hard to come by in Texas; frozen peas are a satisfactory substitute.
• Edamame - soy beans - fabulous to add to any asian-stir fry or soup (My daughter will doctor up some ramen with a handful of these.)
• Pearl onions - for potpie or beef bourgignon or coq au vin; sure you can blanch and peel fresh pearl onions, but it is hardly worth the effort. 
• Tater Tots and French Fries (including sweet potato fries)- I feel (and maybe I'm justifying) that these baked versions are slightly more healthy than the fast food versions. We have these stashed for when we grill burgers outside and want a quick side dish.
• Tomatoes and tomato sauce - okay, technically a fruit, but I'm going to put them under vegetable since I'm thinking they typically end up in savory and not sweet dishes. Just like with the peaches, we purchased a boatload of San Marzano paste tomatoes last season. Super easy to blanch them, peel them, stick them in jars and freeze them. So, we had tomato sauce that tasted like Summer in the middle of winter. A little bit of work reaped big rewards!

• Play It Again - Pre-mades and Left-overs-
• Casseroles:  one of my biggest tips to share is to take some time on the weekend and make a double batch of something like lasagna or King Ranch Chicken. Eat one on the weekend and freeze the other for another week when you need a dinner that you can just bake and eat. Alternatively, you can make a batch or two and portion them into smaller than a full-family sized portion so that you only eat a dish one night with maybe leftovers for lunch the next day. That way, you do not feel like you're eating something all. week. long. 
• Soups - I cannot seem to make a small pot of soup. Try as I might, and I have tried. I've even started off in a very small pot thinking that would limit my volume only to find myself carefully pouring partially completed hot soup from one pot to my large soup pot in order to fit in the rest of the necessary ingredients. So, I finally gave up. Now, I make my soup. We eat it for a couple of nights and maybe a lunch and then I portion the leftovers into freezer safe containers or jars and freeze it. Just make sure when you freeze liquids that you leave enough head space since liquid expands as it freezes. Trust me, you don't want to learn that the hard way. (This is true for anything that you freeze with liquid including fruits and tomatoes, etc.) You can use these frozen soups as a nice lunch or dinner later on down the road. On occasion, I've used the soup leftovers as a sort of soup starter for the next batch when I may not have a lot of stock on hand.
• Stock - as mentioned in the pantry section, you can freeze your left over purchased stock in small amounts (many say ice cube trays) so that you can add as needed. I try to freeze one cup measures since that is a good base measure needed by many recipes. 
• Frozen stuffed pasta - I usually have 2 or 3 packages of prepared stuffed pastas like tortellini or ravioli on hand. This can go from freezer to plate in about 30 minutes. Using other pantry items it is easy to make a quick tomato or cream sauce to top it with. If you also keep some pesto in the freezer, that is also an option for topping.
• Puff Pastry and Phyllo - makes for easy appetizers and desserts. Can also be used to top a pot pie for a simple flaky crust.

• From Soup to Nuts and everything in between - recipe additions:
• Nuts - nuts have a high oil content which can cause them to turn rancid if left at room temp for an extended period of time. This high fat content also allows them to freeze beautifully with little if any change in texture or other quality. The following will pretty much cover the major requirements in most recipes. Nuts can add a nice flavor and crunch to salads and to pasta dishes. They are also integral to many baking recipes.
• pecans
• walnuts
• almonds
• hazelnuts
• pine nuts
• Prepped components: 
• chopped onions (that you prep yourself and put into small bags/containers)
• minced garlic
• sliced and sauteed mushrooms
• cheese-shredded: as mentioned in the fridge post, you're better off to buy your own cheese and shred it yourself to avoid the cornstarch and wood fiber and mold inhibitors used in commercially processed shredded cheese. I find that cheese that is frozen does have a bit of a texture change, but if you're melting it into quesadillas or some other use, it should do well enough. (Just mentioning it here for informational purposes, it isn't something I really do in practice.)

The pantry, the fridge and the freezer - the trifecta of modern food storage. Hopefully, if you're the type that is forever picking up take-out or turning to highly processed foods to cut corners when you're in a time crunch or if you're just in a rut of cooking the exact same dishes over and over based on what you always buy, this series will help you to see your kitchen in a different light and help you to stock up and be ready to cook up something great at a moment's notice.

What other areas of the kitchen would you like to review? Any interest in tools and supplies? or spices? I'd love to hear from you.

Happy Cooking!

sld

A Fully Stocked Kitchen [Part Two - Fridge]

When last we met, I listed what I consider to be pantry staples. Items that, if you have them on hand, will form the foundation of a last minute meal. However, woman cannot live on dried grains and vinegar alone. In order to really have everything you need on hand, you will also need a nicely stocked fridge which is what we'll hit next.

Note: Some of items from Part 1 could also be included here as they require refrigeration once they are opened. Again, please read labels to be sure where you should be storing your foods for the best results.

Fridge Essentials

• Hi-Ho, The Dairy Ohhh
• Milk- (fat percentage of your choice; however, some recipes will call for whole milk. In those instances, I tend to buy the smallest closest amount needed)
• Cream- (heavy or whipping)- in the U.S. most of these have been ultra-pasteurized which means they have a much longer fridge life. Be sure to shake well before using as the solids will settle in the bottom of the container.
• Butter- I stock unsalted butter exclusively. I prefer to be in as much control of the salt in my food as I can be and this is one easy way to limit unnecessary salt. 
• European-style butter - on occasion, I will also have this on hand. This butter which is also referred to as cultured butter, typically, is far more expensive than standard butter. In addition to the price, this butter is made from cream that is naturally cultured by lactic bacteria and then slowly churned into butter. This results in butter with a very high fat content (around 86%) and a unique farm fresh taste. It is wonderful to use on a warm baguette as a spread. As for baking, while you may not see much difference in cookies and cakes, when making any sort of pastry or pie dough, this butter will result in a much flakier product since it has less water content. It will remain solid  longer while baking and that makes for more layers in your crust.
• Sour Cream - I've been using Greek Yogurt more often as a stand in.
• Greek Yogurt - fabulous for marinating chicken in - results in moist delicious chicken; also works well as a stand in for sour cream

• The Cheese Stands Alone -  The preference here is to buy a real honest-to-goodness chunk of cheese that you will then "process" yourself for use as your recipes call for it. However, that being said, I do have some pre-grated Italian cheeses and Mexican cheese blends on hand to make a quick pizza or quesadilla etc. The problem with the pre-grated stuff is that you get chemicals with your cheese....and starch. These additions extend fridge-life by inhibiting mold growth. They also keep the cheese from clumping up and trying to reconstitute itself into a block. 
• Parmesan- this is one I do buy pre-grated; due to its hard, dry nature, it tends not to have the additives of a softer moister cheese.
• Monterrey Jack 
• Mozzerella- standard and fresh - (fresh especially during tomato season)
• Feta
• Cream cheese

• ...Until We Meat Again -  One thing I have found so incredibly helpful in my home cooking, is having a variety of cured meats on hand in the meat tray (salumi, charcuterie or good ol' sandwich meats) The more cured and dried they are, obviously the longer lasting they will be in your fridge. There have been some nights when our home schedule is absolutely insane that El Syd and I will have an antipasto platter for dinner long after the kids are in bed. Otherwise, having some of these meats on hand is fabulous for topping a pizza or for tossing into a quick pasta sauce.
• Pancetta - This Italian bacon is the same cured pork belly as traditional American bacon. It is salt cured with the addition of peppercorns and typically rolled rather than left flat. This is always in my fridge....always.
• Bacon - Just as with pancetta, pork fat makes everything better. Cut into small pieces, fry up on medium until crispy and you've got bacon bits to top a salad, add to beans, just really anything. If you're old school, keep that bacon grease in a grease can in the fridge and use it to add flavor when cooking. A tablespoon added to green beans or skillet potatoes will make your taste buds sing.
• Prosciutto - Italian dry-cured ham. Typically eaten uncooked, it is fabulous wrapped around a sweet cantaloupe(when the melon is in season) for a starter. Added to sauces it is a nice salty, meaty kick. 
• Deli Ham (honey glazed; brown sugar glazed; mesquite smoked - whichever you like best) - julienne strips can make for a nice filling for crepes; cubed it is a nice addition to pasta or rice salad. 
• Eggs - technically not meat per se, I'm sticking them here since they are a protein source. I prefer to get my eggs from my farm co-op or farmer's market whenever possible. The difference is very apparent with regards to freshness of the eggs and the quality of the yolks. At times, I will have a dozen hard-boiled eggs in addition to fresh eggs. Those hard-boiled eggs will last quite some time and make for a quick egg salad or deviled egg snack.

•  Do Get Fresh With Me - As I've previously mentioned, we belong to a CSA (community sponsored agriculture) co-op of sorts, Johnson's Backyard Garden. For a nominal fee, I pick up a half-bushel box of fresh, organic, seasonal, locally grown produce bi-weekly. Joining this has really expanded my cooking horizons and at times, feels like my very own stint on the show Chopped or Iron Chef. I've faced everything from your standard summer squashes, eggplants, tomatoes and greens to things I've never prepared before like kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts leaves (who knew?!) and Malabar spinach. When your fridge is loaded with veggies, it is an incentive to use them and eat them, and when you continue to receive the same vegetable over the course of the growing season, it is an incentive to start trying something new rather than the same exact preparation each time. We have done a good job of really trying to maintain the practice of eating mostly just what is in seasonal. However, there are some things that we supplement with and tend to always have on hand.
• Onions - sweet, red, white - I find that I buy less and less white onions and have begun to rely exclusively on sweet onions. For those in Texas (and to some extent elsewhere) the Texas 1015 onion is superb. 
• Potatoes - Yukon gold is my go-to spud. Remember to keep your potatoes and onions separately as the onions release gasses that will cause those potatoes to sprout. Once sprouted, the potatoes will begin to produce chlorophyll (green tint) which will also indicate the presence of solanine which is a naturally occurring toxin. Additionally, many sources will state that storing potatoes and onions on the counter is preferable, and that very well may be true. However, I've found that in Texas, our warm and many times humid conditions will promote more sprouting in both onions and potatoes. I keep them both (in separate drawers) in the fridge.
• Garlic - fresh bulbs are my preference. For a while, I used the minced in the jar garlic, but like in the case of the pre-processed cheeses, I found the preservative it is soaking in off-putting. It really isn't that hard to have the garlic ready to go and use a garlic press to get that same small minced size as from the jar.
• Lemons and limes - citrus fruits are notoriously long-lived (used on shipboard to prevent scurvy in sailors in the late 19thC). Have them on hand to provide fresh juice  as a kick of acid over sauteed spinach, pan sauces, salad dressings (in place of vinegars), etc.
• Cherry Tomatoes -  Tomatoes are tricky. They can be one of the most delicious things you've ever eaten, or a flavorless, waxy hunk of nothing.  When it isn't actually tomato season, I find that the small cocktail tomatoes, grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes are your best bet. I lean toward the Nature Sweet Cherubs as my year-round go to tomato. They are super in a salad or cut in half with small balls of fresh mozzarella or just as a snack. 

• It Must Be Jelly... - I like to keep assorted jellies, jams & preserves on hand in the fridge. Fig, mango, jalapeno are just a few that can always add a sweetness to sauces or be served with cheese and crackers or as a topping to cream cheese as an appetizer.

That about sums up my fridge - In the next installment of the series, we'll move from fridge to freezer and I'll share what I like to have in long-term storage there.

Update (1/27/15) - Since originally writing this post, we have ceased our CSA subscription and rather, shop the farmers' market for our items. While my hand isn't as forced as it is with a CSA, we've found that we are able to get appropriate quantities of things we like and still pick up a few new-to-us-items. The farmers' market is a great, no-commitment way to expand your family's food horizons.

Happy Cooking!

sld

A Fully Stocked Kitchen [Part One- Pantry]

If I had a dollar for every time I've had the what's-for-dinner conversation. It usually begins with El Syd asking,  "What's for dinner tonight?" and then I reply with "I don't know yet - what do you want?" Then, he names something that I have no interest in making.  Followed by me naming something else entirely. But, seeing as how El Syd  is really more of a visual guy, my descriptors do not elicit much in the way of a response from him. The conversation ends with me saying, "I'll figure something out."

On most days, I'm a clutch cook. Sure, there are days or events where I create a fully planned, well-fleshed-out menu. But, for the most part, I throw stuff together last minute.A pantry filled with essential ingredients makes this possible because when you don't have the right ingredients in the house, it is hard to eat well. (Back story: When I first started experimenting in the kitchen, El Syd would ask "where did you get this recipe?"and I, flippantly and indelicately, replied, "I pulled it out of my ass." As luck (or something?) would have it, the name stuck so we have many such labeled dishes.) 

I'm lucky to have a large space to keep food and doubly lucky to also have a nicely sized laundry room to which we have added shelves to serve as a butler's pantry/secondary food storage area. I have teased KK (my soul sister in all things other than cooking)  that rather than go to H-E-B (our local grocery store mecca) when she is in need of an ingredient, that she should always check with me as I could easily be Sta-cee-bee. 

I am a little hesitant to say that what is on my list of essentials is what should be on your list. Obviously, if there is something that you don't cook or don't ever plan on cooking, then it wouldn't make sense to have it sitting in your pantry. But, I think that my list might get you thinking about what you keep on stock, how you might edit that list, and how you can re-frame how you think about what you cook for dinner. Even if you are a full-on planner who has everyday of the week covered by a menu-plan, having a base of pantry items will make it easier and allow for last minute edits if your plans change. Also, don't think that you need to run out and buy everything in one fell swoop. Just add an item or two each time you go to the store for your regular shopping and in no time, you will have shored up your cooking foundation.

Pantry Items: 

• Singin' in the Grains
• Dried pasta - (any shapes and any ingredient content you prefer) I do not cook a lot of plain ol' spaghetti so I tend to head to the shapelier pastas: farfalle, penne, rigatoni etc. I also stock both standard pasta and whole wheat pastas. Remember that this is more than just an Italian dish maker - cold pasta salads are great in the summer and in a pinch, pasta can stand in for Asian style noodles in Asian style dishes, too.
• Rice - Basmati or Texmati for any recipe that calls for white rice; brown rice; arborio if you're entertaining the idea of risottos; wild rice (technically not rice and instead a type of grass)
• Quinoa -(plain, red, black varieties) I haven't noted all that much difference in the varieties other than color -  fabulous grain-like seed that does a great job standing in for rice as a side or main dish. Be sure to rinse the grains well as they have a natural coating of saponin which deters bugs in nature, but can taste bitter like soap in your recipes.
• Couscous -  an amazingly easy 5 minute side dish; many brands come boxed with a flavor packet
• Breadcrumbs - I like plain unflavored, standard bread crumbs, as well as Panko breadcrumbs
• Bake me a Cake...or a cookie...
• Flours: all-purpose, white whole wheat (for bread baking), also for coating meats to make a light crust when pan-frying - If you are gluten-free, then you'll be making different choices here, obviously.
• Sugars: white granulated, powdered or confectioners sugar, brown sugar
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Yeast (if you want to try your hand at baking bread)
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Evaporated Milk
• Vegetable shorting  (I'm a butter girl so I have some shortening, in sticks, but cannot recall the last time I used it for anything. If you'd like to have it on hand, I recommend the sticks which last much longer than an opened partially used can. The can turns rancid and will wreak havoc if you decide to use it.)
• Chocolate - semi-sweet, bitter sweet and Dutch process cocoa; milk chocolate chips - all of these the best quality that you can afford.
• Canned We All Just Get Along
• Tomatoes: whole, diced, crushed, sauce and paste. Generally, I tend to avoid the pre-seasoned/flavored varieties, but you might find them helpful in creating a quick Italian sauce or a taco-filling. With regards to paste, I recommend the paste in a tube as rarely does one use an entire 6 ounces of paste in one recipe. 
• Beans: Cannellini beans, black beans, chickpeas, refried beans Some will swear by dried beans. However, I find that, while they do generally have a better flavor than canned, if you forget to soak them/cook them, they are useless for a quick pull together meal. My only caveat is with pinto beans. I cook my Charro or Borracho beans from scratch using dried beans. No canned for that ever.(Which also means I don't ever make those last minute.)
• Olives: Black (canned); green (jarred)
• Mushrooms: yes, fresh are better, but in a pinch, these can be added to a pasta sauce or to an Asian stir fry and serve pretty well.
• Artichoke Hearts: great to add to a pasta sauce or to top a "Big Salad"
• Tuna & Salmon - As El Syd has a very unusual allergy to finned fish (and not to shellfish, yes, I know that's bass-ackward to the general food allergy world), I rarely prepare fish (only when he travels on business, then the kids and I have a fish-a-pa-looza). I love a good tuna fish salad for lunch, and salmon patties are also an old-time fave.
• For The Love of Fats: 
• Olive Oil - preferably Extra-virgin 
• Vegetable Oil - I tend to use Canola oil, but I use this very sparingly and find that I use olive oil and butter far more.
• Toasted sesame Oil- a real flavor addition 
• Full of Piss and...:  I have a lot of them on my shelf for many different uses.
• White Distilled Vinegar - can be used for everything from cleaning your house to adding to the water when hard boiling eggs to help reduce cracking.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - for making dressings for slaws, to add a punch of acid to pan sauces; a good all-purpose vinegar
• Balsamic Vinegar - excellent choice for dressing salads; drizzling over fruit; adding a slight acid; rich and smooth with a sweetness that is refreshing
• Wine Vinegars (red and/or white) good for changing up the flavor of dressings.
• Rice Vinegar - so good to have in your Asian-inspired arsenal. A nice light vinegar that is wonderful in making an Asian slaw or just sprinkling over sliced cucumbers as a quick salad or snack.
• Shriveled & Withered, But In A Good Way (aka dried ingredients)
• Beans - mentioned above, I stock only dried pintos and on occasion a 15 bean soup mix. 
• Fruits - apricots, raisins, dates and currants - I use them to add a sweetness to rice dishes, salads, reconstituted in pan sauces etc.
• Et cetera, Et cetera, Et cetera: Some of these are integral ingredients; others are that little certain something that adds depth of flavor to your cooking. Some are shelf stable; others will require storage in the fridge once they are open. Read the container to determine which is which.
• Broths - Chicken, beef and vegetable - I go for low sodium, all organic, in a box. If you're not going to use it all up, go for the smallest available size (you'll pay a bit more that way) or you can use what you need and freeze the rest in smaller portions. Use those frozen broth cubes the next time you need broth. Thrifty!
• Asian Aisle: Hoisin sauce, Soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, Black-bean sauce - saute some vegetables, add a tablespoon of hoisin or blackbean sauce and you have an instant side to go with some soy marinated grilled chicken. 
• Sweet Stuff: Honey and Maple Syrup
• Vino: red and white - only what you would actually consume yourself. It doesn't have to be an expensive wine by any stretch of the imagination. Do not buy that awful "cooking" wine from the main aisle of the grocery store. If you want to get "Fraunchy" you could also stock Marsala and Port, but red and white have served me well.
• The Usual Suspects: Ketchup, Mayo (in addition to the standard, I love mayonesa, which you may or may not have access to, for its mayo plus lime tanginess), Mustard(regular yellow and Dijon), pickles and peanut butter.

This is by no means an exhaustive list and doesn't include every single item I keep on hand, but this is what my base pantry looks like. What must-have items do you keep on hand at all times?

During the next installment of A Fully Stocked Kitchen, we'll hit the fridge.

Happy Cooking!

sld