Ordinary Goodness: Kitchen Staples

Cooking creatively for flavor while still meeting health based dietary needs can be challenging and fun.  Today, while reading an RV forum, I got to thinking about the food staples in my kitchen and decided to blog about staples:

DRIED HERBS AND SPICES: every ethnic group uses its own palate of spices and this alone can make your entire cooking experience shine.I use some mixes for fast convenience but I also have 10-20 individual items I use.

  • Italian Seasoning (no salt),
  • Lemon Pepper seasoning,
  • Garlic pepper seasoning,
  • basil,
  • mint,
  • oregano,
  • garum masala
  • thyme
  • celery seed
  • Salt: course and fine ground, several sources
  • Pepper corns in grinders, several types
  • and it could get to be a very long list as I have nearly 20 herbs and spices I use on a fairly regular basis.

OTHER STAPLES

  • olive oil,
  • spicy mustard (several kinds),
  • red wine vinegar,
  • cider vinegar,
  • Tabasco: traditional, green, garlic,and smoked
  • capers
  • lemon juice
  • lime juice
  • green salsa/Salsa Verde
  • chunky red salsa
  • liquid stevia
  • splenda packets
  • soy sauce
  • Coffee: MYSTIC MONK

CANNED GOODS:

  • fire roasted chopped tomatoes (NO corn syrup!!),
  • chopped pickled tomatillos,
  • refried beans (no fat and with lime)
  • organic three bean mix
  • cream of mushroom soup

DAIRY: we use very little dairy over-all

  • butter,
  • hard cheeses like cheddar
  • heavy cream, mostly for my coffee

MEATS: whatever is on sale most of the time, batch cooking and freezing the cooked meats.

  • beef, (preferred by myself)
  • chicken,
  • turkey
  • fish (hubby only)

FRESH and FROZEN PRODUCE:

  • blueberries and other berries: fresh and frozen
  • green beans
  • onion and three bell pepper mix
  • broccoli mixes
  • fresh salad fixings,
  • Roma Tomatoes
  • garlic
  • veggie mixes that are low carb
  • onions
  • leeks
  • cabbage
  • egg plant
  • carrots

My tools are quite simple. I have three cutting boards, three sharp knives, small bowls to hold chopped ingredients until needed, Slow cookers/Crock pots, skillet, sauce pan, broiling pan, stew pot, measuring cups, measuring spoons, garlic press, serving spoons, grater for cheeses, coffee grinder, french press, spatulas, whisks in two sizes, large metal and ceramic mixing bowls, pestel and mortar, pyrex bowls with rubber lids, coffee container, etc.  Pretty much basics, very little that uses electricity.

Dear Lord, thank You for good food and the tools to prepare it well. Amen.

 

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