January 12, 2011

Off the Chopping Block: Mid-week Hints & Tips

In my opinion, every good cook has a well stocked pantry. I am not referring to quantity here, rather quality. In the past couple years, I have noticed that there are 8-10 ingredients that come up VERY frequently in a lot of my recipes. So, in order to make sure that my pantry is always ready to whip up creations at the drop of a hat WITHOUT having to make a run to the supermarket, I have come up with a top 10 list of must-have staples to have on hand at all times. I keep them in a plastic storage bin (lid optional) on a shelf in the pantry so that they are always together and I am not rifling through all my canned goods on the verge of a panic attack thinking, "How on earth did I run out of THIS!".

Which 10 ingredients do you find yourself using most often?

My Top 10 Pantry Staples
(in no particular order)

1. Dijon Mustard
-used in meatloaf, turkey burgers, etc to add moisture and subtle hints of flavor
-used as a base in salad dressings instead of oil
-used on grilled paninis and sandwiches
-mix with honey for a dipping sauce for chicken, fish, shrimp, and veggies

2. Bread/Panko Crumbs
-used to coat chicken/pork chops for baking
-used in meat mixtures as a binding ingredient

3. Worcestershire Sauce
-used in marinades
-used to flavor burgers

4. Yellow Onions
-used in stirfrys
-used to flavor burgers, pastas, etc.

5. Instant Barley/Couscous/Quinoa
-used as base for an instant side dish

6. Chicken Bouillon
-used for instant chicken broth
-used in water to steam vegetables for added flavor

7. Apple Cider Vinegar
-used in salad dressings
-used in soups/stews
-used in meat/chicken dishes

8. Sun-dried Tomatoes (oil packed)
-great for instant antipasto
-used in chicken/pasta dishes

9. Diced Tomatoes
-used in soups
-used in pasta
-used in many Italian meat dishes

10. Marmalade (Apricot/Peach/Orange)
-used in dipping sauces/salad dressings
-serve with cheese
-used for barbecues

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