Last night, I once again found and used a recipe that called for a can of diced tomatoes. I swear, half the recipes I fall in love with call for diced tomatoes! So I started wondering what "pantry staples" (or freezer, or fridge, you get the idea) that others rely on heavily for making their favorite meals? This is just a curious-kid question, but I'd love to see answers!
Here are some of my favorite pantry staples:
cans of diced tomatoes (of course)
Worcestershire sauce
carrots and celery (even if they're not the freshest, you can use them for flavoring chicken in crock-pots, etc.)
Lipton's onion soup mix
Progresso bread crumbs (can be used in meatloaf, for coating chicken pieces to be baked or fried)
McCormick's brown gravy mix
I'll try to think of more later. Oh, and I wanted to post the yummy-nummy recipe I made last night.
Hamburger Stew (this is very thick and hearty and filling; very nice for a chilly day)
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
2 cups cut & cubed potatoes
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 can diced tomatoes (the basil & oregano seasoned kind)
1 can tomato soup
3 cups beef broth
3 cups water
garlic (or garlic salt), Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper to taste
Dice/cut onion, carrots, celery & potatoes. Saute the onion, carrots, and celery in a little bit of olive or cooking oil. Once softened, set aside. Using the same pan, brown the ground beef and drain any excess grease. Add the sauted veggies back in the ground beef, stir, and set aside. In a large soup pot, combine 3 cups beef broth and 3 cups water; add diced tomatoes and tomato soup, stir until tomato soup has dissolved a bit, then add all the other ingredients (the ground beef and veggie mixture, the potatoes, and the rice). Add your favorite seasonings, then bring to a boil. Cover and set on low; simmer for 1 hour so potatoes and rice can cook and flavors can mesh. Very good with warm dinner rolls.
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5 comments:
Hey Becky,
I fell in love with cooking after taking a class offered at our church back in MI called "Apples of Gold". It changed my whole life when it came to cooking. What made me think of it was that they gave us a list of pantry staples to always have on hand in the house. I shop at COSTCO on a regular basis and have to feed a tribe of 5, so keeping my pantry stocked is a must, but it's also a difficult thing to do when your on a tight budget! Here are some of the things I LIKE to always have on hand:
Pantry -- canned goods:
tomatoes (diced, stewed, sauce)
mushrooms
jars of natural applesauce
fruit (mandarine oranges, pineapple)
sugar
flour
whole wheat flour
powder sugar
brown sugar
dried milk
oatmeal
quick cooking oats
honey
vinegar
apple cider vinegar
baking coco
soy & Worcestershire sauce
chocolate chips
baking soda
baking powder
coconut
olive oil
veg. oil
rice
pasta
sunflower seeds
raisins
various spices/seasonings
FRIDGE:
lemon juice
homemade bisquick mix
ketchup/mustard/mayo
salad dressings
veggies (carrots, celery, onions, potatoes)
garlic
yogurt
cheese
yeast
FREEZER:
strawberries/blueberries
green beans
peas
brocolli
shredded zucchini (from our garden)
FRUITS:
bananas
pears/apples
That's what I can think of for now! :)
I definitely second the diced tomatoes thing. I use them in the rice for my spicy Mexican skillet. I also like to always have a couple of cans of shrooms to throw in a stir-fry or sketti sauce or spring rolls. Whipping cream (for a really quick alfredo sauce) and some frozen shrimp also come in handy, so I try to keep those in stock, too.
Kater,
What's the recipe for the quick alfredo sauce using whipped cream? I can always keep whipped cream in the freezer, so do tell!
B
Not whipped cream, Wormish. Whipping cream. The recipe is super easy and, I must say, I think my fettuccine alfredo is better than Olive Garden's. All you need is:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 whipping cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Heat the butter and whipping cream in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted and mixture starts to bubble. Reduce heat to low and simmer for six minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, stir in cheese, and then put it over your noodles. I always put some parsley on top to garnish it. Christopher and I love it!
See what a kitchen idiot I still am? But I'm trying! Okay, whipping cream it is. I'm going to try this soon!
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