Recipe For Success: Preparing Your Kitchen for Everyday Cooking

Ever have that moment where the day gets away from you and at 5 pm you realize, oh crap I haven't planned dinner and haven't taken anything out!  Add to that needing to have dinner on the table before 7 pm so that one of your kiddos or husband gets a descent meal before having to head off to this practice or that game?  All of us have had this experience or one similar to it; but the one thing that I have found to be the biggest obstacle in this situation is avoiding having to go the store at the 9th hour or eating 3 day old leftovers, sandwiches or some other undesirable meal.  So what then is the solution to this conundrum? Having a fully stocked kitchen...that means fridge, freezer, pantry and spice cabinet.  I have so many friends who are baffled by the fact that I cook almost everyday and that I can fix my "Gourmet Mommy" meals without going to the store to buy every single ingredient each time.  As I have mentioned before, I have come from a long line of amazing cooks or as I like to call them, home chefs, who have taught me how to make something out of nothing and knowing the bare essentials to always have on hand.  Like a girl scout, I am always prepared! This way I can give my family great food without constant visits to the grocery store or having to settle for eating out.  Here are the 5 ingredients you need to build a kitchen that is sure to be a recipe for success.

Ingredient 1: Prepare Your Pantry

• Dried Pasta--all kinds.  I usually keep at least 4 on hand at all times.  My favorites are:
• Macaroni
• Spachetti or Linguine
• Lasagna
• Penne

You can buy whichever your favorites are and just buy in bulk.  Did you know that even after    opened dry pasta can last up to 1-2 years.  Trust me, you will use it up without any concern for it going bad first.

• Rice
• Corn bread mix or Corn meal
• White Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Confectioner's/Powdered sugar
• Honey
• Chocolate chips
• Nuts--whatever is on sale, in my case it's usually pecans
• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Corn Starch
• Sweet potatoes
• Red potatoes or Russet (whichever you prefer)
• Tortillas
• Red Beans (or whatever you favorites are)
• Tomato products, including paste, sauce and diced
• Assortment of stocks--chicken, veggie, and beef.  I have also been known to randomly buy seafood stock, just in case ;-)
• Bread crumbs
• Sauces/Condiments
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Mayo
• Worcestershire Sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Teriyaki Sauce
• Hot Sauce
• Vinegars/Dressings
• WhiteVinegar
• Red Wine Vinegar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Olive Oil Vinegarette (I like Newman's Own)
• Italian Salad Dressing
• Ranch mix
• Oils/fats
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sesame Oil
• Vegetable Oil
• Non-stick cooking spray
• Supplies
• Plastic storage bags
• Aluminum foil
• Parchment paper

Ingredient 2: Spice it Up

• Kosher Salt
• Black pepper grinder (and peppercorns)
• Creole Seasoning (Tony's is the best)
• Old Bay seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Chili powder
• Cumin
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Dried parsley, thyme, oregano, basil
• Vanilla extract
• Assortment of regional seasonings: Italian, Greek and Chinese five spice are my favorites
• Paprika
• Lemon pepper seasoning (and recently I have started buying garlic pepper too, soooo yummy)
• Sage
• Poultry seasoning
• Bay leaves
• Cayenne pepper
• Red pepper flakes

Ingredient 3: Freezing it Keeps It

• Meat, meat and more meat!  I store all different cuts of chicken, ground turkey, ground beef, some type of fish filet (catfish or tilapia) and already peeled shrimp in my freezer at all times.  The trick is to buy it when it goes on sale.  This way you will never be without.  Buy your favorites or most used protein, but always have plenty on hand
• Butter--again buy it on sale and put it in the freezer
• Assorted shredded cheeses
• Smoked meat (i.e. smoked turkey necks or hamhocks)
• Frozen vegetables
• Broccoli, peas, corn etc (or whatever your favorite is)
• Stir fry mix
• Miripoix  (also known as the Trinity for Creole cooking--green bell pepper, onions and celery. I buy bags of this almost every time I grocery shop.  It is a great time saver and goes in almost everything I cook.  Having it already cut and ready to go is my secret weapon on most nights.

Ingredient 4: Refresh Your Fridge

• Roma tomatoes
• Lemons
• Limes
• Celery
• Bell pepper
• Red onion
• Green onions
• Minced or fresh garlic
• Flat leaf/Italian parsley
• Cilantro
• Basil
• Green leaf lettuce
• Baby spinach
• Butter--I know I have this in freezer section too but I do always have 1 in the fridge and 2 in the freezer
• French vanilla cream
• Milk
• Good quality White and Red wine--DO NOT BUY COOKING WINE. My rule is, if you can't drink it, why cook with it.
• Crescent rolls
• Ready made Pie crust
• Shredded, Mild mexican velveeta and cream cheeses
• Bacon
• Eggs
• Smoked sausage (can also be stored in the freezer)

Ingredient 5: Get Equipped

Doesn't do you any good to have all that food if you have nothing to cook it in.  Below is a list of the pans and utensils that I absolutely can't live without.  If you are missing any of these, I encourage you to go to your local Tuesday Morning or TJ Maxx and invest!

Pots & Pan
Non-stick skillet, large and small
Cast iron skillet
Broiler pan
Sauté pan
Dutch oven
Large stock pot
Colander
Sifter
Muffin pan
Fluted bundt pan
Pyrex dishes—square and rectangular
Cookie sheet
Mixing bowls
Utensils & Tools
Wooden spoons
Rubber spatulas
Thin/flexible spatula
Good quality knife set (At least a Senkou, paring knife and serrated bread knife)
Microplane/grater
Tongs
Lemon juicer
Potato/vegetable peeler
Measuring cups/spoons
Liquid measuring cup
Hand-held can opener
Blender
Food processor
Baking rack/cooling racks

I know this list may seem overwhelming, but I assure you that it is all an investment. Having these items on hand at all times will significantly limit how much you have to make mid-week grocery visits or eat out.  I have friends who have adopted this stocking method and to this day thank me for helping them get out of the constant store visit cycle.  Plus, if you follow this blog regularly (shameless plug) you will find that you can cook most of the recipes  I will post without heading to the store every time you want to try something new!

If you have any questions about any of this or where to find it, feel free to post in the comments.  Happy Shopping!