What’s in Your Pantry?

At any given moment I can whip up something scrumptious in my kitchen.  All because I keep what i consider staple items in my pantry.  Things I feel with a little time and some effort can be transformed into a meal. So what do I consider staples?

• Pasta (1 long noodle i.e. spaghetti or fettuccine and 1 short noodle i.e. macaroni or rigatoni)
• Stock or broth ( I keep chicken. beef and vegetable in the 32 oz size)
• Flour (all-purpose & self-rising)
• Rice
• Oil (I like canola for frying & olive oil for sauteing)
• Canned tomatoes (diced and pureed)
• Canned beans ( black, pinto red or your favorite)
• Onions
• Bell peppers (I prefer colored to green ones)
• Assortment of frozen vegetables (i.e. broccoli, mixed vegetables,corn)
• Ground beef
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Butter
• Eggs
• Milk

With a combination of just a few of these items you can have a wonderful meal.  For instance you can make a quick pasta e fagioli ( broth, short pasta, diced tomatoes, a can of beans)  or maybe a vegetable fried rice( oil, cooked rice, frozen mixed vegetables, onions) or even chili ( ground beef, beans, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers).  Once you have the basics or the items that you use repeatedly in cooking you will always be prepared to whip something great up.

P.S. My pantry list is a little longer than the one I have included because I have a pretty sized family and lots of friends who like stop by to eat)

P.S.S.  This post is dedicated to my son, Akeem, the newly wed and apparently the chef in his new household