Pantry List

One of the keys to easy cooking is a well stocked pantry.  I've included a list of what's in mine.   From time to time I'll update it after I realize that I've forgotten to include something. 

Please, please don't think you have to have everything on the list.  It's meant as a guide.  If there are things you know you don't like or would prefer to substitute, by all means do so.  As I mentioned in the beginning, cooking is meant to be easy and I'll also add fun!!!

Canned Goods & Bottled Items

Canned tomatoes, tomato paste

 Reduced-sodium chicken broth, beef broth and/or vegetable broth

 Clam juice

 "Lite" coconut milk for Asian curries and soups

 Canned beans: cannelloni beans, great northern beans, chickpeas, black beans, red kidney beans

 Chunk light tuna

 

Oils, Vinegars & Condiments

 Extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and salad dressings

 Canola oil for cooking and baking

 Flavorful nut and seed oils for salad dressings and stir-fry seasonings: toasted sesame oil, walnut oil

 Butter, preferably unsalted. Store in the freezer if you use infrequently.

 Reduced-fat mayonnaise

 Vinegars: balsamic, red-wine, white-wine, rice (or rice-wine), apple cider

 Asian condiments and flavorings: reduced-sodium soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, chile-garlic sauce, curry paste

 Kalamata olives, green olives

 Dijon mustard

 Capers

 Ketchup

 Barbecue sauce

 Worcestershire sauce

 Flavorings

 Kosher salt, coarse sea salt, fine salt

 Black peppercorns

Onions

Fresh garlic

Fresh ginger

Anchovies or anchovy paste for flavoring pasta sauces and salad dressings

Dried herbs: bay leaves, dill, crumbled dried sage, dried thyme leaves, oregano, tarragon, Italian seasoning blend

 Spices: allspice (whole berries or ground), caraway seeds, chili powder, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon,coriander seeds, cumin seeds, ground cumin, curry powder, ground ginger, dry mustard, nutmeg, paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, turmeric

 Lemons, limes, oranges. The zest is as valuable as the juice. Organic fruit is recommended when you use a lot of zest.

 Granulated sugar

Brown sugar

Honey

Pure maple syrup

 Unsweetened cocoa powder, natural and/or Dutch-processed

Bittersweet chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips

Grains & Legumes

Whole-wheat flour and whole-wheat pastry flour (Store opened packages in the refrigerator or freezer.)

 All-purpose flour

 Assorted whole-wheat pastas

 Brown rice and instant brown rice

 Pearl barley, quick-cooking barley

 Rolled oats

 Whole-wheat couscous

 Bulgur

 Dried lentils

 Yellow cornmeal

 Plain dry breadcrumbs

 Nuts, Seeds & Fruits

 Walnuts

 Pecans

 Almonds

 Hazelnuts

 Dry-roasted unsalted peanuts

 Pine nuts

 Sesame seeds

Peanut butter

 Tahini

 Assorted dried fruits, such as apricots, prunes, cherries, cranberries, dates, figs, raisins (Store opened packages of nuts and seeds in the refrigerator or freezer)

Refrigerator Basics

 Low-fat milk or soymilk

 Low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt and/or vanilla yogurt

 Reduced-fat sour cream

 Good-quality Parmesan cheese and/or Romano cheese

 Sharp Cheddar cheese

 Eggs (large). Keep them on hand for fast omelets and frittatas.

 Orange juice

 Dry white wine. If you wish, substitute nonalcoholic wine.

 

 

 

Teriyaki Chicken with Warm Ginger-Carrot Slaw

Health food may be good for the conscience but Oreos 

taste a hell of a lot better   ~ Robert Redford

From the Farmers' Market or Grocer:

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast cutlets

1 small bottle of teriyaki

1 small Savoy cabbage, about 1 1/2 lbs.

1 bunch of scallions (green onions)

8 oz. snow peas

1 small jar pickled ginger

4 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

From your well-stocked pantry:

4 T. Canola oil

1 T. grill seasoning

3 T. cider vinegar

1/4 c. honey

Salt and black pepper

Directions:

- In a large plastic storage bag, combine the chicken cutlets with the teriyaki sauce, 2 T. of the oil and the grill seasoning.  Close the bag and press to coat the chicken evenly.  Let the chicken marinade for 15 minutes.

- Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan or skillet to medium high.

- Cut the cabbage into quarters and cut away the core.  Shred the cabbage and set aside.  Cut the scallions and snow peas into thin strips (julienne).  

- Drizzle the honey into a small bowl.  Add the vinegar and mix.

-  Pat the chicken cutlets dry and place them on the grill.  Cook for 3 minutes on each side.

- Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat.  Add the remaining 2 T. of oil to the pan.  Add the pickled ginger and the carrots, stir-fry for 2 minutes.  Add the cabbage, stir-fry for 2 more minutes.  Toss the veggies so they stay crisp while cooking.  Add the scallions and snow peas, cook for another minute.  Add the honey/vinegar combo, pouring all over in a slow stream.  Cook the liquid down for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

-Thinly slice the chicken on the diagonal.  Mound a fourth of the slaw on each plate and place the chicken alongside.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Happy eating,

Elizabeth

Shopping list for Teriyaki Chicken with Warm Ginger-Carrot Slaw

Ice Cream USA Birthday, 1786

From the Farmers' Market or Grocer:

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast cutlets

1 small Savoy cabbage, about 1 1/2 lbs. 

1 bunch of scallions 

8 oz. snow peas

4 medium carrots

From your well stocked pantry:

1 small bottle of teriyaki sauce

1 small jar of pickled ginger

salt and black pepper

Canola Oil

Grill seasoning

Honey

Cider vinegar

Happy shopping, the recipe will be posted tomorrow.

Elizabeth

Spinach - Orzo Salad with Shrimp

Fetticini Alfredo is mac and cheese for adults

Ingredients:

Kosher or sea salt

1/2 c. orzo

4 cups spinach, thinly sliced

10 medium radishes, quartered

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 red onion quartered and thinly sliced

1/4 c. pitted oil-cured olives,chopped

1/2 c. packed fresh mint, chopped

1/2c. packed fresh parsley, chopped

1/3 c. plus 2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/3 c. plus T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Freshly ground pepper

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

- Preheat the broiler.  

- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the orzo and cook til al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and shake dry.

- Meanwhile, toss the spinach, radishes, cucumber, onion, olives, mint, parsley and 1/3 c. each lemon juice and olive oil in a large bowl.  Add the orzo and season with salt and pepper.

- Toss the shrimp with the remaining 2 T. of lemon juice and olive oil in  a bowl.  Arrange on a foil-lined broiler pan and broil util slightly pink, 1-2 minutes.  Turn and broil until just cooked through, 2-3 more minutes.

- Divide the salad among plated.  Top with the shrimp.  sprinkle with the feta and season with the pepper.

Fresh bread and a bottle of wine is all that's needed to round this meal out!!!

Serves 4

Shopping list for Spinach-Orzo Salad with Shrimp

National Raspberry Ice Cream Day

From the Farmers' Market or Grocer:

1 lb. spinach

10 medium radishes

1 small cucumber

1 red onion

small amount of fresh mint

small amount of fresh parsley

1 lb. medium shrimp

From your well-stocked pantry:

Kosher or coarse salt

orzo 

oil-cured olives

lemon juice

EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

Freshly ground pepper

The recipe, serving 4, will be posted tomorrow.  

Happy shopping,

Elizabeth

Spinach and Mozzarella Pasta

Popcorn for breakfast?  Why not?  It's a grain.  It's like, like, grits, but with high self-esteem. ~James Patterson,  The Angel Experiment

From the Farmers' Market or Grocer:
4 c. fresh spinach
8 oz. mozzarella, shredded or torn into small pieces

From your well-stocked pantry:
3/4 lb. whole wheat pasta shells
coarse or sea salt
Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
zest of 2 lemons
1 1/2c. sliced almonds, lightly toasted

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Butter/oil a large casserole dish or baking pan - equal to a 13x9 dish.

Boil the pasta in salted water.  Drain pasta and toss with olive oil.  Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high.  Saute onions and garlic, add salt.  Stir in spinach.  Cover for about 20 seconds or until the spinach collapses a bit.  Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the almonds and half of the zest.

Add a layer of pasta to the bottom of the baking pan, sprinkle some of the cheese add more pasta, then more cheese.   Be sure to finish with a layer of cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese on top is bubbly.

Serve sprinkled with the remaining almonds.

Happy eating,
Elizabeth

Shopping list for Spinach and Mozzarella Pasta

Hot Fudge Sundae Day

From the Farmers Market or Grocery:

Whole wheat pasta shells

Fresh spinach

8 oz. mozzarella

From your well stocked pantry:

Coarse or Sea Salt

Olive Oil

Yellow onion

Garlic

2 lemons