Cooking Ingredient Must-Haves

My oldest friend, Keri, got married in November of 2012. Read about their engagement here. Being a new bride, Keri has started to cook at home more for herself and her husband, Bradley. When we were in Ruidoso, Keri asked what sorts of things I buy at the grocery store. After talking to her, Andy suggested that I write a blog entry describing cooking ingredient must-haves for your kitchen- a "basic staples list" if you will.

So here it is, a list of basics that I believe no cook should be without. I fill my fridge and cupboard with low fat, fat free, healthy choices for my quick, easy, and healthy recipes. Of course, brand/nutritional content is your choice.

I suggest buying the non-perishable items in bulk at a place like Costco. They're less expensive- you can stock up, and you don't have to worry about those spoiling.

In your freezer: Meat, etc.

• Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
• least expensive & best quality I've found is Costco. You can get a bag for $18 of about 14 breasts that are individually wrapped
• They stay frozen in the freezer, so just buy a bag and pop it in. Pull out however many you need when you're ready for them.
• Porkchops, lean cut
• Again- Costco. Buy them in bulk, and wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Put the wrapped chop in a freezer baggie & freeze until you need them.
• Hash browns

In your cabinet: Spices & Herbs You can get these fresh or ground. Substitute 1 tbsp fresh for 1 tsp dried. 1/4tsp ground for 1 tsp whole seeds.

• Basil
• Black pepper (you need more than what's in your pepper mill)
• Brown sugar
• Cayenne pepper
• Cinnamon- it can be substituted for nutmeg or allspice
• Chives
• Cumin
• Garlic salt
• Garlic powder
• Lemon pepper
• Oregano
• Paprika
• Powdered sugar
• Rosemary- if you want fresh, let me know- I have humongous bushes of this
• Sage
• Salt (you need more than what's in your salt shaker)
• Sugar or sugar-substitute
• Vanilla extract

In your refrigerator: Dairy & Perishables

• Milk
• Sour cream (buy in the 8 oz containers though unless the recipe specifically calls for it because it expires)
• Cheddar cheese
• Cream cheese
• Lemon/lime juice
• Minced garlic (in a jar)
• Butter (I use Smart Balance Light with Flax Seed Oil)
• Eggs
• Lettuce
• Salad dressing of your choice
• Reduced fat sausage *Freeze if not using by use-by date
• Reduced fat ground beef *Freeze if not using by use-by date

In your pantry/cupboard

• Chicken broth *Refrigerate after opening. Also, you can pour it into an ice tray and freeze leftovers. Pop out a cube or two when needed.
• Beef broth
• Cream of chicken condensed soup
• Cream of mushroom condensed soup
• Barbecue sauce *Refrigerate after opening.
• Bread crumbs- seasoned or non, your pick
• Croutons
• Pasta
• Black beans
• Corn
• Tomato sauce
• Tomato paste
• Marinara sauce
• Diced, canned tomatoes
• Canned, stewed tomatoes
• Onion, fresh
• Worcestershire sauce *Refrigerate after opening.
• Soy sauce *Refrigerate after opening.
• Mustard *Refrigerate after opening.
• Mayonnaise or mayo-substitute *Refrigerate after opening.
• Ketchup *Refrigerate after opening.
• Tabasco sauce *Refrigerate after opening.
• Salsa or hot sauce *Refrigerate after opening.
• Olive oil
• Vegetable oil
• Non-stick cooking spray- we buy the "Pam: Olive Oil" spray for cooking and "Pam: Grilling" spray for the grill
• Aluminum foil
• Plastic/seran wrap
• Ziplock baggies (snack, sandwich, and freezer size)
• Crockpot liners
• Parchment paper

These ingredients are all found in my recipes. What I usually like to do is stock up on the above items when I can. Sometimes it seems frustrating to buy an $8 spice when you only need 1/4 tsp at a time, but you'll be able to use the rest for quite a while before it goes bad.