REQUIRED INGREDIENTS
Another request. This one is an interesting question. I have a friend that's moving to her own place in a few months, and is starting basically from scratch with regard to food. So, the question was put forth. "Mister freaky taco man, what kind of food do you think every kitchen should always have on hand?"
Obviously one could go back and forth about this for a lifetime. I'm omitting the meats and pastas and such, and just going with the things that I use on a very frequent basis, and always try to keep on hand. I'd love suggestions on things to add to this, but it's basically my default list that I tend to follow. Note: I left out stuff like teriyaki sauce. Everything on this list is an ingredient to something, not a full base in it's own right. Obviously play around with what kinds of sauces etc... you keep on hand.
With the glaring omission of seasoned salt (I've got a weakness) I'd fully and whole heartedly suggest staying away from pre-mixed spice blends unless you REALLY know what you're doing. Unless it's from Penzey's (and sometimes even then) they are VERY high in sodium. Terrible for you. Mixing them is even worse, it's a crutch for a lack of cooking skill. You should always know exactly what is in the food you're cooking, beyond "a bit of cajun seasoning, a bit of jerk chicken seasoning, and some barbecue mix". Most of them share common ingredients anyway, so you're better off just finding out what's in them and making your own blends. Your heart will thank you, and you'll find your cooking to improve immensely. I personally like to keep small containers of pre-mixed home-made spice blends in my pantry. I never include salt, because as with most things it's easier to put in than take out, and I'd rather fine tune the sodium content myself. The only exception I ever keep to this rule is if you're using just one, and it's a high quality, like again from Penzey's. A good rule of thumb around the kitchen is always know the difference between a shortcut and a bad habit.
Now, explanations for some of the stuff that's on there. Ketchup, mustard, mayo, worchestershire can be mixed as one of thousands of recipes. Egg salad, pulled pork, meat loaf, there are a lot of things you'll pull use out of them for on a regular basis. As for the bread? This one won't make sense until you price a container of bread crumbs, then a loaf of bread, and consider how frequently you use bread crumbs. Toast the crap out of a few pieces of bread, put in a blender/food processor, bag to hit with a hammer. Toss in some oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder. Mix/beat the hell out of. You just saved a bunch of money on bread crumbs, and if you don't need bread crumbs you can always use the bread for it's other intended purposes. Hell, you can do it in a toaster oven if you want, if you're using the oven/worried about gas bills. I haven't bought bread crumbs in years. I suggest against wheat, if possible. It doesn't get as crisp as white or potato bread, so the crumbs have a strange texture to them.
Obviously one could go back and forth about this for a lifetime. I'm omitting the meats and pastas and such, and just going with the things that I use on a very frequent basis, and always try to keep on hand. I'd love suggestions on things to add to this, but it's basically my default list that I tend to follow. Note: I left out stuff like teriyaki sauce. Everything on this list is an ingredient to something, not a full base in it's own right. Obviously play around with what kinds of sauces etc... you keep on hand.
- basil
- oregano
- thyme
- parsley
- rosemary
- crushed red pepper
- cayenne pepper
- paprika
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- fresh ground black pepper
- kosher sea salt
- seasoned salt
- chili powder
- pumpkin pie spice (because I use it just about every time cinnamon is called for. Really, any time cinnamon can be used you can never go wrong with a bit of nutmeg and clove)
- a jar of pre-chopped garlic
- 2 types of mustard, yellow and dijon
- worchestershire sauce
- ketchup
- mayo (I tend toward miracle whip, but if you decide to make your own more power to you)
- extra virgin olive oil
- vegetable oil
- flour
- butter
- milk
- eggs
- 3 kinds of boullion: beef, vegetable, chicken
- at least 4 small cans of tomato paste
- parmesan cheese powder
- romano cheese powder
- bread (I prefer potato bread, the reason for this one actually being on here will be explained in a bit)
With the glaring omission of seasoned salt (I've got a weakness) I'd fully and whole heartedly suggest staying away from pre-mixed spice blends unless you REALLY know what you're doing. Unless it's from Penzey's (and sometimes even then) they are VERY high in sodium. Terrible for you. Mixing them is even worse, it's a crutch for a lack of cooking skill. You should always know exactly what is in the food you're cooking, beyond "a bit of cajun seasoning, a bit of jerk chicken seasoning, and some barbecue mix". Most of them share common ingredients anyway, so you're better off just finding out what's in them and making your own blends. Your heart will thank you, and you'll find your cooking to improve immensely. I personally like to keep small containers of pre-mixed home-made spice blends in my pantry. I never include salt, because as with most things it's easier to put in than take out, and I'd rather fine tune the sodium content myself. The only exception I ever keep to this rule is if you're using just one, and it's a high quality, like again from Penzey's. A good rule of thumb around the kitchen is always know the difference between a shortcut and a bad habit.
Now, explanations for some of the stuff that's on there. Ketchup, mustard, mayo, worchestershire can be mixed as one of thousands of recipes. Egg salad, pulled pork, meat loaf, there are a lot of things you'll pull use out of them for on a regular basis. As for the bread? This one won't make sense until you price a container of bread crumbs, then a loaf of bread, and consider how frequently you use bread crumbs. Toast the crap out of a few pieces of bread, put in a blender/food processor, bag to hit with a hammer. Toss in some oregano, basil, onion powder, garlic powder. Mix/beat the hell out of. You just saved a bunch of money on bread crumbs, and if you don't need bread crumbs you can always use the bread for it's other intended purposes. Hell, you can do it in a toaster oven if you want, if you're using the oven/worried about gas bills. I haven't bought bread crumbs in years. I suggest against wheat, if possible. It doesn't get as crisp as white or potato bread, so the crumbs have a strange texture to them.