Ingredients to always have at home

[herrkanin]

Hi, thanks for a great show!

I'm a bit curious about what ingredients you think are must haves in your kitchen, since I often find myself in the position of wanting to cook something up but don't have the ingredients to do something eatable. Those situations usually end with cereals and milk ;)

[ronaldo]

That is a great question and one that cooking shows often take for granted. Everyone seems to think we pre-plan all our meals and even when we pre-plan some of them we very often go off script. I have had the ingredients for chicken gyros in my fridge and freezer for 3 weeks now.

That would make a great series of shows. Pantry/fridge/freezer staples and the various things you can cook with them.

[tokenuser]

Eggs
Bacon
Cheese
Pasta (spaghetti & rigatoni)
Canned tomatos
Frozen peas
AP Flour
Salt (Kosher)
Pepper

Milk
Brocolli
Mushrooms
Lettuce
Tomatoes (fresh - seasonal)
Onions
Potatoes
Olive oil
Canola oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bread
Tortillas

Booze, spices.

Anchovies :)

====
What else do people like on hand??

[eddielee]

Eggs
Chicken Stock
Soy Sauce
rice

[ronaldo]

Eggs
Bacon
Cheese
Pasta (spaghetti & rigatoni)
Canned tomatos
Frozen peas
AP Flour
Salt (Kosher)
Pepper

Milk
Brocolli
Mushrooms
Lettuce
Tomatoes (fresh - seasonal)
Onions
Potatoes
Olive oil
Canola oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar
Bread
Tortillas

Booze, spices.

Anchovies :)

====
What else do people like on hand??


I thought about a list but then it got staggering in my brain so I decided not.

Off of the top of my head I add the following to your list (it is nice to see someone else keeps anchovies):

Rice
Cucumbers
Carrots
Celery
Dried Peppers
Ham
Freezer full of beef
Sausage
Chicken
Shrimp
Scallops
Lemons
Limes
Apples
Bananas
Sesame Seed Oil
Rice Wine Vinegar
Champagne Vinegar
Sour Cream
Mustard yellow and brown
Mayo
Ketchup (not for chili though)


Thanks to the herb garden:
Chives
Basil
Thyme
Rosemary
Parsley
Mint


Of course the cupboard is full of various dried spices, herbs, sauces, seeds (can't ever be without sesame seeds), and other scary stuff that has probably been in there for 10 years too long.


I am sure I am still missing quite a bit.

[computoman]

The only thing I might add to the list is
"Iodized" salt
yeast
baking powder
baking soda
buttermilk
beans
canned mixed vegetables.
mustard
popcorn ( I often use as cereal after being popped)
lentils
corn meal
tuna fish
Ground turkey
Powdered Gelatin
Rennet tablets

mayo = mustard + egg yolk + spices + oil.
pasta = eggs + flour
tortilias = fat + flour + water + salt.
bread = flour + water + salt + yeast
biscuits = oil + water + buttermilk + flour + baking soda + baking powder.
pancake = biscuit ingredients + egg

In an emergency cheese = rennet + juice or vinegar + milk.

[zhiva]

I always try to have the following:

Cheddar
Parmigiano
Cooked Ham
Yeast
Olive Oil
Onion and garlic
Soy Milk
Minced meat
Rice
Pasta (lots of different types)
Tomatoes
Spices (Most important: Oregan, basil, curry, salt, pepper, Bacon Salt)

From this there is always a dinner on hand.

[chefniall]

As long as I have a tin of tomatoes, some garlic and an onion at home I always know I'll be able to do something. Pasta with a simple tomato sauce is always a delight if you do it right and keep it simple!

N

[ronaldo]

biscuits = oil + water + buttermilk + flour + baking soda + baking powder.



Mine would be:

Frozen butter+buttermilk+flour+soda+powder

They are just not the same unless the fat has been cut into the dough.

[ariastar]

My list is a bit shorter:

Flour
Sugar (and Splenda for drinks)
Powdered sugar
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt (and "lite" salt)
Milk
Eggs
Oil
Margarine (butter really only gets used in more gourmet things - at $5lb and with as fast as this stuff gets used around here, we'll sacrifice the real butter for regular daily use. It's not like Tuna Helper is going to be mad five-star food by using butter!)
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Garlic salt (used in it's own right, NEVER as a garlic-replacement)
Lawry's seasoning salt
Lemon pepper
Ginger
Cloves
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Rice
Bacon

If I am out of one of these things, it must be replaces ASAP. I can always make something as long as these are on hand.

Other great things are cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, frozen chicken parts and a whole chicken or two, and some tomatoes.

I didn't list a lot of perishables because it can be pricey after a while to always have certain items on hand if they're not used a lot. Milk gets drunk faster than it will go bad. Keeping celery and scallions on hand at all times would result in those things being tossed fairly often, even though I use scallions a lot. For perishables not listed here, we buy as needed.

[ronaldo]

I can't do splenda or margarine. Luckily I like my coffee black and my tea unsweetened (unless I am sick, not sure why). Margarine, no, just no. I don't like fake ingredients. I'd rather do without.

We throw out as much celery as we do milk. Celery is a delicious snack and good in various salads. In addition it is like a bay leaf. You put it in various dishes to add flavor and fish it out before serving.

[tokenuser]

We throw out as much celery as we do milk. Celery is a delicious snack and good in various salads. In addition it is like a bay leaf. You put it in various dishes to add flavor and fish it out before serving.Agree on celery. We nearly always have a head of celery in the crisper. I often sauté it with onion for recipes like a meat/marinara sauce, or meatloaf. Great flavour.

[mrpopular]

lol, wow there's alot in here.. so i'll take an outside of the box approach and say beer. a nice beer when cooking and for the meal is always great.

Also Beer is a great way to time burgers on the grill 1/2 beer = 1/2 done

[ariastar]

Margarine isn't a fake ingredient. A fake ingredient is non-food and chemicals masquerading as food and artificial flavorings. Margarine is a spread made of vegetable oil rather than animal milk fats. It'd be awesome if butter was within our budget to buy all the time, but it's not.

I love Splenda. LOVE it. I don't like drinking my calories, but like my tea and coffee sweet. So this works for me.

[computoman]

That reminds me. You have to have peanuts. I like to grind up peanuts with olive oil to make a sort of peanut butter to put on bread, pasta, or what ever..

[ronaldo]

Margarine isn't a fake ingredient. A fake ingredient is non-food and chemicals masquerading as food and artificial flavorings. Margarine is a spread made of vegetable oil rather than animal milk fats. It'd be awesome if butter was within our budget to buy all the time, but it's not.

I love Splenda. LOVE it. I don't like drinking my calories, but like my tea and coffee sweet. So this works for me.

Ok. Maybe not as fake as some are still I would have to train myself to like it. Splenda leaves a nasty aftertaste. I don't think I could ever get used to it.