Kitchen Chat: My Staples

Everyone has some go-to items that they always have on hand.  Stuff that they know they can always use to throw SOMETHING together in a pinch.  So I want to talk a little about what I keep on hand.  I would love to hear back from other people about what they keep in their own pantries, it would maybe give me some new ideas!!

Jiffy Pizza Crust Mix.  This stuff is cheap, doesn't take up a ton of cupboard space, and the crust it makes is decent.  I have tried the pizza crust that is already made, and it tastes decent, but takes up more space.  And you can't make it into a stuffed crust (I will devote a later blog to how to make a homemade stuffed crust).  and The pizza crust mix makes good dough for the braid.  I suppose I could probably figure out a way to make breadsticks with it too.  Hmmmm now there's an idea to toss around....

Cheese.  Shredded, different varieties.  I ALWAYS have cheese on hand.  I may eventually start buying blocks and shredding my own, but for now I just get the already shredded stuff.  I usually have an italian blend, a taco blend, and a monterrey/cheddar blend.  Plus parmesan, usually a few different kinds.

The Canned.  Kidney beans, black beans, refried beans, green beans.  Peas, corn, carrots.  It's just good to have a few of those on hand most of the time.  And then there's the tomato products.  Diced tomato, crushed tomato, tomato sauce.  I always have a few jars of spaghetti sauce on hand.  I don't keep tomato paste around though.  not sure why.  And Sloppy Joe sauce.  Gotta have some of that around.  :)

Onions and Peppers.  They go in everything.  In the summer I go to the farmers market and get tons and tons of fresh stuff, then I have a day or 2 where I chop it all and bag it in 1/2 cup baggies and freeze it.  This year it ran out quick due to a certain cat unplugging my freezer, but last year I didn't have to buy onion or pepper all winter long.

I know there is other stuff I am forgetting that I would die without, so I will probably add to this later.  But using just what I have listed above plus some ground beef (that's another one I always have in my freezer!!  I feel like I am out of food without my ground beef) I can think of half a dozen meals I could make.  :)  I am interested to hear what other people cannot live without in their pantry.