The Well-Stocked Pantry: The Top 10 Basics Every Kitchen Should Have

We can learn some lessons in frugality to learn from our grandparents who survived The Great Depression, especially when it comes to doing more with less. They saved money by growing some of their own food in kitchen and container gardens. And they knew how to stock their pantries--a well stocked pantry meant inexpensive family meal planning was a snap when the basics every kitchen should have were ingredients already on hand.

They also came up with inventive stretcher recipes, ones that deliciously used what they had on hand. The well-stocked pantry was critical in their day and the top ten basics every home cook should have is basically the same as it was in the 1930s. There are some updates, nods to the convenience foods that have been invented since then - like boxed macaroni and cheese. This is a new staple for families with finicky, hard-to-please young children. Their lessons for us: There is a world beyond yellow cheese and macaroni--canned salmon recipes, for instance, that are omega-3 rich, and kid-friendly.

Taking our cues from our grandmothers, here's what the well-stocked pantry sports. With these basics we can whip up most anything at a moment's notice with these top ten kitchen must-haves:

1. Baking supplies (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt)
2. Pasta, including the modern pantry staple of boxed macaroni and cheese.
   
3. Chicken broth (Swanson's Organic Chicken Broth won a recent Cooks Illustrated taste test)
4. Rice (brown and white and basmati)
5. Canned fish (take your pick of salmon, tuna, anchovies, or sardines)
6. Oatmeal
7. Nuts
8. Honey
9. Olive oil
10. Canned tomatoes

With these pantry staples in filling the family's larder the household food budget can stretch a very long way. The possibilities for inexpensive, pantry-based meals are endless. Peruse old cookbooks for ideas, including the first edition of the Joy of Cooking.

Stretching the Food Budget

Think about pantry stretchers, such as using leftover pasta to make a next day fritatta lunch, with the just the edition of beaten eggs, salt, and a little milk. Here are some ideas:

• A hearty, stick-to-the-ribs and heart-healthy breakfast of oatmeal with nuts and honey,
• Save leftover oatmeal and form into a loaf, allow to cool in the fridge over night and then to slice and pan fry in butter for a "stretcher" breakfast the next day,
• Spaghetti with a simple sauce of tuna and tomatoes,
• Tomato soup with rice
• Tuna and rice casserole (the dowager queen of cheap family meals.)

In closing, here's are some budget-stretching pasta ideas that we'll all want up our sleeves--they're fast, easy, and good! Have a great weekend, let's talk on Monday, and until then, happy cook'n!

Wide egg noodle ideas:
1. Toss with browned butter, sauteed mushrooms and chopped sage leaves. 2. Toss in a sauce of flaked hot-smoked (cooked) salmon, sauteed asparagus or peas, and cream. 3. Serve with ... Mushroom ragu (see recipe in the "6 Simple Sauces" tab)

A Streamlined Kitchen Gets Us Ready for Anything!

While I'm worn out with the cold weather and dreary days, I'm a little anxious about the coming of Spring. Why? Because warmer weather means more demands on my time--gardening, yard work, etc. and I want to stick with my New Year's Goal of cooking good meals at least 4 nights a week. I already feel like I'm spread thinner than a drink of water, so how am I going to cope with the less-time issue in a few weeks?

I'm going to streamline my kitchen down to the bare bones. I talked about the process in an earlier post, but I just need to visit with you about it once more (kind of like a mom that tells her teenager to be careful as he gets in the car to drive to school--my kids always used to say "NAH, I'm gonna drive like a maniac!" Just saying it made me feel better I guess.). I'm thinking that if I'm feeling overwhelmed, maybe others are too.

Anyway, when I say "streamline" the kitchen, I mean getting rid of anything I don't like, don't use, don't need, don't want, and don't have room for. I'll be going through every cupboard, drawer, and the pantry with the goal in mind of eliminating things and reorganizing what's left (the keepers). The purpose in this project will be to create a more user-friendly kitchen. I don't want to hunt for things anymore, and I don't want to paw through stuff to get to the things I really use and like. I want to be able to find what I need, when I need it, quickly and easily. Research says we'll spend 2 years of our life just looking for things. I don't have that kind of time to waste--getting the clutter out means a definite savings in time, which is just what I need more of!

The folks at DVO are sharing my angst a little also, which is why I think Dan is running a special on my DVD, "It's Here Somewhere In the Kitchen." (Dan and Kathy raise chickens, strawberries, and a family garden, as well as cook not just for their family, but for Cook'n video demonstrations.) They know the value of a streamlined kitchen and want all their Cook'n users to experience the same benefits. (It was in Dan and Kathy's kitchen that we created the DVD, where I show you step-by-step how to customize any kitchen to the needs and lifestyle of the user.)

So, I'm going to get my kitchen BACK in shape and you might want to join me--get yours ready for what the change in season might have in store for you. And if you decide to join me and run into any problems or issues you have questions on, you can always email me at alice@dvo.com. I am here for ya! Of course, as I always say, we're all in this together, so I welcome YOUR tips and ideas on how to create a more user-friendly kitchen as well. I promise you, if you haven't lived clutter free, it's the best. It gives new meaning to "happy cook'n!"

Now, speaking of gardening, before you know it we'll have the proverbial extra zucchini we won't know what to do with. So just for fun, and to help us get ready for the bounty, here's a healthy zucchini-using recipe that my family really liked when they were all home, and I thought you might like it too:

LENTIL BURRITOS (serves 4)
1 C lentils
2 C water
1/2 C finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Dash hot pepper sauce
1 C chopped zucchini
1 C chopped green or sweet red pepper
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, cubed or shredded
Eight flour tortillas

Cook the lentils, water, onion, garlic, cumin, and pepper sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are barely tender. Drain, if necessary. Toss the lentils with the taco sauce, zucchini, pepper, and cheese.

Spread about 1/2 C of the lentil mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up. Serve the burritos cold, or wrap each in a dampened paper towel and heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes each, or until the burritos are hot through and the cheese begins to melt. Like a typical bean burrito, these are scrumptious served with diced avocado and sour cream.

The All-Time TOP 10 Favorite Kitchen/Cooking Tools

Would you show up to painting class with just one tube of paint and a ratty old brush? Of course not! When it comes to the culinary arts, having the right tools for the job is a key to success, both in the kitchen and on the dining room table. Cooking tools that make preparation faster, more efficient and safer top the list of must-haves for any aspiring culinary master (aka Cook'n foodies).

That said, let's take a look at the TOP 10 all-time favorite kitchen/cooking tools of professional cooks from around the country:

10. Durable non-plastic oil/vinegar cruets and spice containers
You can't cook if your special ingredients aren't within easy reach. Name brands really mean nothing here, as long as the containers are made of glass or some other material that resists melting.

9. Tough wood and plastic cutting boards
A quality cutting board doesn't warp or fail, making them worth that bit of extra money.

8. Multiple non-stick-safe spatulas and stirring spoons
Keep plenty of these around so you don't have to worry about stopping to wash one in the middle of a big production. A little more money invested in heat resistant utensils will save you from melting them on hot pots and pans.

7. Sharp peeler
Save yourself the hassle of a cheap, dull peeler. A good one isn't too expensive, and it can save you a lot of time and frustration when peeling potatoes, apples, carrots and other vegetables.

6. Sharp can opener
Get one that works every time. This is probably the most inexpensive item in the list, but it will save a lot of time and unnecessary headache. A high quality can opener can be purchased at a kitchen supply store for 20 to 30 bucks.

5. High-quality boning knife
Typically narrower and shorter than a chef's knife, a high-quality boning knife is needed to strip meat off of bones, both before and after cooking. A boning knife that is forged, not stamped, is essential, as stamped knives are apt to snap when the cutting gets tough. Consider having two kinds of boning knives: a stiff boning knife for beef and pork and a flexible one for poultry and fish.

4. Forged chef's knife
To get accurate, fast and safe cuts, a forged knife is an absolute necessity. A quality chef's knife can serve as a chopping knife and a cutting knife—versatility that can save time in the cooking and preparation process. For the best in cutlery, look no further than knives made by the world-renowned Zwilling J.A. Henckels Company.

3. Pyrex glass measuring cups
Oven-safe, microwave-safe and dishwasher-safe, these measuring cups are highly versatile. Forget plastic. With Pyrex, you can heat pre-measured ingredients right in the cup. They're also easy to read, making precise measurements a snap.

2. KitchenAid mixer
When fully decked out with all the available attachments, these sturdy, professional mixers can do wonders. With a KitchenAid mixer, you essentially gain all the professional mixing, kneading and tenderizing equipment you need to do the job right.

1. Quality pots and pans
Most chefs swear by All-Clad brand cookware for everyday use. Meticulously crafted, All-Clad pans are renowned for their even heating, amazing durability and ease of use. For pure cooking performance, they're worth every penny.

Do YOU have any suggestions for the list? What's YOUR favorite kitchen/cooking tool? Please share your tips in our comment box--let's share the good stuff--we're all in this together, remember. And until next time, happy cook'n!

Stuff I Can't Live Without

In this week's Cook'n Club newsletter I talk about one tool I just can't live without and why. Trying not to sound like an infomercial, I pretty much gush about the Zyliss Food Chopper. I just LOVE this tool. It does everything the company says it does and more--what a novel idea--a product that actually delivers!






Sticking with the "Stuff I Can't Live Without" theme, I thought I'd talk here about another ultra-cool tool that really deserves some raves: the Blue Avocado's collapsible shopping bags. Here's what you can read on their website:

"Blue Avocado is the love child of style and sustainability and was founded by a couple of mompreneurs and a hip little green maven who got tired of having to choose between what was convenient (and cute)--and what was right." Their mission is to make it easy to do good and get it done, with a little joy in the process.

Their chic, sustainable and reusable grocery bags can replace up to 1,000 plastic bags every year. Again from their website: "This is Blue Avocado's first step toward achieving its vision of making the planet millions pounds lighter (CO2 emissions) and hundreds of communities stronger (1% of income invested in hundreds of micro-entrepreneurs around the world)." Doesn't that just make you want to join their journey as they take a stand for the planet and its people?

I bet YOU have a tool or two you can't live without either. Please take a minute and tell us about it. Just share your tip in the comment section. I'll highlight your thought(s) in the next blog. We're all in this together, so let's spread the good stuff! And until next time, thanks for reading and happy cook'n!