Stocking the Pantry

I'm not an exotic cook so you won't find kippers or smoked oysters in my pantry but I do stock my pantry with staples.  I also use my pantry to save money and buy canned goods when they are on sale.

Here is what you can usually find in my pantry at all times:

• Pastas:  thin spaghetti, fettuccine and angel hair, a box or two of penne or rotini, and yes...a box or two of that yellow mac and cheese.  I like to keep gnocchi and tortellini (but they are usually refrigerated or frozen).

• Rice: a large bag of brown rice, a few boxes of wild rice and usually a box of Spanish rice.  I also like to keep at least one box of several flavors of Zatarrains rice mixes (Dirty Rice and Red Beans and rice are good bases for a meal). 

• Canned Goods:  Canned tomatoes (my dads canned tomatoes, large-2, petite diced-3,) tomato sauce (large-2, regular-3, mini-3) and at least one can of tomato paste.

• Pasta Sauce:  Both Red and Alfredo sauces (I stock up on these when they are on sale).

• Canned Vegetables:  canned corn both kernels and creamed corn, green beans (again-my dads home canned beans), soups for a quick meal, black beans, kidney beans and re fried beans.  Add any staples your family regularly enjoys.  And...in the winter I always have some mini cans of peas and carrots to add to my container of vegetable soup.  

• Baking Staples:  Flour, sugar, yeast, brown sugar and confectionery sugar.  I always have a chocolate and yellow cake mix on hand plus mini-semi-sweet baking chips and a package or two of brownie, quick-bread and muffin mix in case I need to make a meal and include a dessert.  Plus Italian breadcrumbs, oil (both canola and Olive Oil)

• Other:  In the cooler months I usually have a bag or two of instant soup mix on hand to whip up a quick meal, stuffing mix for stuffed pork chops.

Now you are ready to prepare a meal with out running out of a staple!  Group like items together and be sure to rotate the older items to the front when yo purchase new.  I keep a list on my fridge and always replace an item after I use it.  Now if I could JUST convince the younger daughter to do the same!  LOL

Here is a Link to the original post on my old blog.  

Restaurant Worthy Salmon with Bearnaise Sauce

Salmon with Bearnaise Sauce

Our younger daughter is returning to college next weekend so we always allow her to set the menu for her few last meals before she has to endure College Cafeteria Food for 3 months!  She is a foodie who wanted to be a chef when she was younger.  She said she wanted FISH so here is an old standard I decided on to satisfy that craving.  

Doesn't this look pretty on the Plate?

It's really easy to make and takes less than 40 minutes t

o get a restaurant style meal  in front of your family

Salmon with Tomato Bearnaise

4 salmon fillets-about 5 oz each

1 Tbsp. olive oil

4 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

about 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes or 1 medium chopped tomato 

1 cup milk

1 package Knorr Bearnaise Sauce mix

1 tsp. capers

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees

Generously rush salmon with olive oil and arrange on the broiler pan

Season with salt and pepper

Bake for about 20 minutes or until fish flakes apart easily (I like to broil it to get a nice brown char on the fish)

Meanwhile

Make the Bearnaise sauce according to package directions

Add tomatoes and bring to a boil

Stir in capers and serve over fish with wild rice

Add a side of your favorite green vegetable.  Haricot Verts or Broccoli perhaps?

YUMMY!

Starting Over

Why Blog about Food?

I love to eat, I like to cook and nobody at my house complains about what I put on the table. My husband calls me the "Lady of Charm" after a foodie TV show he watched in Detroit when he was a kid. Friends ask me for recipes and advice on how to get a delicious meal on the table in under 30 minutes after a long hot cross country practice.

I had a Blog which I let languish so I am starting over. 

I hope to whet your appetite for more! Bon Appetite!