Stock Your Kitchen - Foods & Spices

It hasn't been a year yet (barely 6 months) since I've truly started cooking (true cooking involves a recipe, a plan and actually caring about the food you're making) and I've noticed that there are quite a few recipes that use the same ingredients. There are also at least 3 meals I can think of this second that I can make in an emergency because the ingredients are those that won't perish quickly and so I always make sure to have them on hand.

Also, when I got my first apartment I really could have used a guide when I went shopping to stock the cupboards. Had I been able to find one, I probably wouldn't be so late in starting my culinary fixation.

C'est la vie!

However I got here, here I am, giving you a guide that I could use myself. Please remember that this is great for my family and the foods we regularly eat (and recipes I am attracted to making) so feel complete freedom to add your own ingredients or spices if I have left your favorites out.

*I wish I were a pro and had everything organized by location in the grocery store, but instead I'm listing them as I find them in my own kitchen. Welcome to the layout of my pantry & spice rack!*

     Green Beans
     Peas
     Mixed Vegetables (great for emergency meals & pot pies)
     Sliced Carrots (great snack kids love, emergency meals, filler)
     Olives
     Pineapple
     Pinto Beans
     White Beans (use in place of Great Northern)
     Tomato Sauce (not to be confused with spaghetti sauce)
     Tomato Paste
     Diced Tomatoes (with AND without italian spices)
     Canned Mushrooms (sliced or whole in jar)
     Chicken Broth
     Beef Broth
     Cream of Mushroom Soup
     Cream of Chicken Soup
     Cream of Celery Soup
     Beefy Mushroom Soup
     Cheese Soup (or Nacho Cheese Soup)
     Spaghetti Sauce
     Spaghetti Noodles
     Elbow Noodles
     Egg Noodles
     Instant White Rice
          Secondary less used rices would be converted white & wild
     Saltine Crackers
     Barley (buy it once and it will last a long time)
  **Brown Sugar
     White Sugar
     All Purpose Flour (the bit healthier unbleached if possible)
          Secondary less used flours would be wheat & bread
     Baking Soda
     Baking Powder
     Iodized Salt
     Ground Pepper (I use only in recipes calling for measured amounts of pepper)
     Peppercorns (use in place of ground at each opportunity)
     Pure Vanilla Extract (splurge, you'll notice the difference)
     Cornstarch (!!!!! Makes anything thicker & does not dilute flavor)
     Parsley
     Basil
     Whole Bay Leaves (always use 1 in place of bits, just pluck out before serving)
     Oregano
     Thyme
     Paprika
     Cinnamon
     Ground White Pepper (cannot see it in food & is MUCH stronger)
     Onion Powder (I use in place of onions *shudder*)
     Chicken Bouillon (adds flavor or broth in an instant)
     Beef Bouillon
     Italian Seasoning
     California Seasoning Garlic Salt (my fav spice bar none)
     Garlic Salt (the kind with Parsely is our go-to spice)
     Garlic Powder
     Minced Garlic
     Dried Onion Soup Mix
     Packaged Spices I Can't Live Without:
          Meatloaf Seasoning
          Country Gravy Mix
          Mild Chili
          Taco Seasoning
     Lemon Juice
     Honey
     16oz Brick Cheddar Cheese
     Butter Sticks
     Worcestershire Sauce
     Soy Sauce
     Ketchup (I prefer Heinz. This is a base for a lot of great sauces)
     Pickles
     Applesauce
     Tuna
Buy in bulk & vacuum seal:
     Burger of some sort
     Ground Sausage
     Chicken Breasts

The majority of the list are things that you should pounce on during store sales! I'm that crazy lady you see with 25 cans of Pinto Beans in my shopping cart. When they're on sale for a dollar apiece, I don't mind the weird looks I'm given! Pinto beans are good for almost anything... soups, tacos, burritos, chili, dip....    

With this list you can easily make a last minute wonderful dinner or a gourmet slow cooked delight.

**not recommended to innocently holler "where's my brown sugar at?!" When frustrated in the middle of a newly renovated Target filled with black people.

A Quick Catchup

Hola! I've been so busy with Christmas to-do's that I haven't really cooked anything this last week! I've been refurbishing? upcycling? a dresser that I found at my local Goodwill. I lucked out and was able to purchase and pick it up just days after they marked it down to the bargain basement price of $19.99!

I'm not going to say more on that just yet because I'm intending on creating a post specifically of my work on the dresser *SQUEAL* wait until you seeeeeee!

My major project (other than the dresser but inspired by it) was to completely makeover my daughter's room. In buying our beautiful hunk of land I call The Farm (currently rabbits, chickens, horses, cats & dogs), along with 10 acres (we lease an additional 80 acres) we are proud owners of a barn, a shop (with a kitchen, canning room & freezer room!!!) and a singlewide 1980something trailer... so household space is tight and will be for another 4-5 years when we get our 2 story farmhouse (I swoon at the thought) built.

The Point: everything HAS to be functional and space-saving! Luckily, mama here played a lot of Tetris in her day and also worked for UPS (until I got hurt. I loved that job *tear*) so I KNOW how to stack me some stuff, m'kay?? I know how to fit almost anything anywhere.

The Problem: I am sentimental. I am soft-hearted when it comes to Things and Things My Daughter Wants To Keep. I didn't have much growing up and I know that's the reason. Now, I am not a hoarder by any stretch of the imagination, so don't get that idea! Its just tough to let go. HAVING to let go makes it easier.

Little house = not really a choice.

So I decided when I saw the dresser that I would makeover Aly's room, not in some googly pretty fantastical showpiece way though. More like a "hey, this is really functional compared to what was here and its also sort of cute" kind of way. I've been working on it every day.

I have learned 2 things:

     1. My daughter is more creative than she lets on.

     2. Taffy DOES rot.

I will get that posting up of the dresser soon but for now I'm going to see if I can make biscuit bowls using bisquick and a cupcake pan! Will it be possible?! In the immortal and breathless words of Lea Thompson in Back to the Future, "I don't know... but I'm going to find out!"

*NOTE* I made a ham and bean soup with the leftover ham with my last posting from a recipe I found online. I chose the recipe because I had all of the ingredients on hand... yeaaaah... I should know better than to choose a recipe based on that. It called for 2 tsp of Italian Seasoning WHICH MADE IT STINK AND TASTE ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING so don't ever do a recipe for ham & bean soup that calls for Italian Seasoning! I am a fan of Italian Seasoning but combined with the ham & beans it was more like Italian Armpit Hair Especial. *shudder*

Kid Friendly Holiday Candy Craft Gifties!!

I was looking for a holiday craft that my 8yo daughter and I could do together and I didn't find anything to suit us; either it involved too much time, money, or really wasn't cute. Finally when I stopped looking for "crafts for kids" I found something!

This is our version of what I saw. You may want to figure out how many of these you'd like to make before you go buy supplies!  I bought enough supplies to make 40 giftie bags and spent less than $10 (dollar store marshmallows & bagged round peppermints, ya'll!)

*cute interruption: I just got a text from my husband that says "I love you wife." awwwww*



Note: an average bag contains 40 marshmallows which makes about 10 gifties (4 per bag)
         an average box of hot chocolate contains 10 packets which makes about 5 gifties (2 per bag)
           
 Buy 2 boxes of hot chocolate for every 1 bag of marshmallows

    Kid Friendly Holiday Candy Craft Giftie

 

Water

Ribbon

 Marshmallows
Powdered Sugar
Hot Chocolate Packets

Skewers -found in most baking sections

Cellophane Baggies -You want to show off the pretties!
Peppermints or Candycanes -I found mints cheaper than canes

I did not take a picture of every step because it's just. that. easy.

Unwrap your mints or canes and place them into a gallon sized resealable bag. Place it on a hard surface and

LET THE KIDS WHACK IT!

You can have them use the smooth side of a meat tenderizer, hammer, can of vegetables or (the less fun because there's no whacking) a rolling pin. Bigger chunks sure would be prettier but don't even waste your time stopping the whackification process to try out the big chunks on the mallows. They just won't stick as good and there will be big gaps in between the chunks... NOT pretty.

Make an edible glue by mixing a TINY amount (start with a teaspoon) of water with powdered sugar. Keep adding powdered sugar and mixing until it's about the consistency of that school glue your remember.

Holding the ends of the marshmallow, coat it in the "glue" and then when the dripping has just about stopped, roll it in the crushed candy. Don't bother with getting the ends coated in candy, you'll need to be able to stick skewers through them later.

Set the coated marshmallows on waxed paper or freezer paper (at my house we ALWAYS have at least 3 rolls of freezer paper handy) using your keys, wallet, corner of a crock and a brass mouse as paperweights. That configuration is super important.

HAHAHAHA!!!!

While the marshmallows are drying, fill each cellophane bag with 2 hot chocolates (it's always nice to share with a friend. If you only put one set per bag, you're pretty much telling the recipient that you believe they are a lonely individual that has no one to share a cup of hot chocolate with and you don't want to give that message do you?).

If your glue is thick it will only take about 30 minutes to an hour for the candies to dry. Place 2 on each skewer (I had to trim about 3 or so inches off each skewer to get them to fit properly in the bags. Wire cutters work great for that) and then place 2 skewers in each bag.

Tie the bags with a lovely piece of ribbon and TADA!!!!!!


Now, not only do these LOOK GREAT but they TASTE GREAT TOO!!! Aly and I taste tested these ourselves to make sure we wouldn't give our friends and family ishy treats.

We taste tested them a couple times.

You know, to be SURE sure.

ENJOY!!!!

Diabetic Coma Ham

When we got our bacon and hams back from the butcher the other day, Shawn left a HUGE ham out (about 18" long by about 4-5" thick) for me to "figure something out" to do with it. I have never cooked a ham nor have I crocked a ham.

Research tiiiiiiime!!!!

The most common element to cooking hams it seems, is brown sugar. Several recipes I saw called for brown sugar and pineapple juice, or brown sugar and coca-cola, or just brown sugar on it's own. I had been planning on making a Pear Chrisp and had some large cans (29oz each) of pears in the pantry (I didn't use the pears we canned ourselves because if it was any good I wanted to be able to give you a recipe you could shop for and "a jar of pears worth of juice" just isn't transferable) so I thought I might as well make the Pear Chrisp to go with the ham and use the pear juice along with the brown sugar. 

The result will probably put most diabetics into a coma, but here goes:

   Diabetic Coma Ham

     1 Bigass Ham
     Juice from 1 29oz Can of Pears

     2 C Brown Sugar

To gain perspective, that is a HUGE 7qt crock

Grease the crock!! You can use spray if you don't have Crisco. In this case I had both but I want the thicker coating the Crisco will provide.
 
I chose pear juice partly because it's the fruit juice I had on hand and partly because with all of that brown sugar I wanted something a little milder. I cannot fathom (yet) crocking meat without some sort of liquids; I have to steam the meat. Open the can of pears and drain the juice into the bottom of the crock. Set pears aside for Pear Chrisp.

Next we'll add some brown sugar. A Super Tip with brown sugar is to store it in a gallon sized resealable bag. This will keep it from drying out AND it's much easier to measure out what you need with less mess and no spoon to pack it in the measuring cup and no knife to level it off... just use your hand! Dip the measuring cup inside with one hand and on the outside of the bag use your other hand to pack the sugar into the cup and level it off and then reseal it. TADA!!!

Put 1 1/2 C of the brown sugar into the bottom of the crock with the juices and lightly stir.

Squeeze the ham into the crock. You may have to trim some of the fat off of it so that it'll fit.

Put some of the juice from the bottom on top of the ham and then rub on the remaining 1/2 C of brown sugar.

Cook on LOW for 6 hours.

I am going to flip the ham over when I get home from work.

I will post the recipe for Pear Chrisp when I make it and I'll have a link here.

I don't know if this ham will be good but if I don't post for a few days it's probably because I went into a coma!!!


**UPDATE** 12/17/2011 This ham turned out AMAZING!!! I'm not going to crock a whole ham any other way (well, if I'm keeping it a whole ham when I serve it) than this. It literally FELL APART and my husband had to use two spatulas to get it out of the crock in a decently whole manner. It was tender and right on the line of  "is this going to be dry?" without being dry. The pear juice was the perfect mild toner (I don't know what else to call it) for the meat and all that brown sugar. I definitely went into taking a bite thinking that it was going to be sweeter than it was. Nope! It was perfectly tempered, seriously... you wouldn't take a bite and think "this is sweet". Very VERY good! I'm sure the Hammy Bean Soup I'm making with the leftovers I wrestled away from Shawn (just about literally) will be delicious as well!

My Home Depot Experience

Be warned, this is a rant.

Yesterday I went into my local Home Depot to price out some stainless steel sheets (for the project I mention in A Note About Spices) and it went about the same as every other visit there has gone.

A little something like this:

I walk into the HD to see 2 employees near the entrance busily talking about their day. I walk on, trying to find the item I need. I can't find it so I try to find an employee to assist me. Mind you, I've seen about 10 employees wandering around at this point. When I actively try to find an employee, somehow they sense my need and become impossible to pin down. I walk up on a herd of about 5, all of whom studiously do not make eye contact with me, and they scatter like cockroaches as I come within "Excuse me..." distance (about 15ft). If I'm lucky, which is rarely, I catch the slowest and weakest of the bunch and forcibly enlist their help by stepping squarely in their path and issuing the louder version of the "Excuse me.." call.

If I'm not lucky, which is usually, I've got to employ the "spot and stalk" tactic which involves spotting an employee at the end of another aisle and then stalking them as they walk quickly away and pretend they haven't noticed my existence.

Oh yes you have, you prairie dogging aisle ducking sonofa$#%@! 

(I don't cuss a lot, only when I'm irritated or mad or talking)

When I catch the mythical white buffalo, er, HD employee, it INVARIABLY goes like this...

ME:     "Excuse me, could you tell me where I could find the <whatever>?"

HD:     "well I don't know.. <mumblemumble> *shifting feet*.. maybe down... <mumblemumble>"

and then they start walking away!!!

WTF?? I never know if I'm supposed to follow them.. so I do anyway because I've got nothing to lose and I'd like to see more of this creature's habitat. I follow the HD employee as they randomly zig here and zag there, all the while muttering to themselves

and I have no idea why I've bothered following them!!!but I keep following until they stop and mutter halfway intelligibly "..maybe Frank might know..." but they just stand there

as if I know who the hell Frank is!!!

How in the %$*&# would I know who Frank is, much less where Frank could be located???!!!

GRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!I end up tossing out an "uh, okay, thanks anyway I guess" and just walk away. I can't help but glare at the multiple small herds of employees I run into as I huffily walk out the door.

Yesterday I saw no less than 4 other customers needing assistance and not getting help from an employee, and 3 packs of employees scattering and collecting.. scattering and collecting... like schools of fish.

On my way out of the store yesterday I was SO MAD
that when an employee asked,

     "How are you today?"

I said, "FINE. I hate this store." and walked out.

I still have no idea if they carry stainless steel sheets and I don't give a $%&#!

Buzzy Pork Loin Roast

Earlier this year I bought a few pork loin roasts that were on sale for $4/ea and vacuum sealed them. I found one last night when we were stuffing the hams (12 of them!) and bacon (loads!) into my already overstuffed 32 cu ft freezer that we just got back from the butcher. There is nothing better than raising your own meat. We fed them apples & pears for the last month... makes for some NUMMY meats!

I digress...

I found this pork loin roast (about 2lbs) that needed to gooooooo but how to cook it?? I came up with a little something and I have no idea how its going to taste!

I'm okay with that!

If its gross, that's okay!

If its good, that's okay!

Let me tell you what I've created and what I'm planning to do with it... just in case its edible!

    Buzzy Pork Loin Roast

     1 Pork Loin Roast
     1 C Columbian Coffee -buzzzzzzz
     1 tbs Soy sauce
     1 pkg Onion Soup Mix -with the onions strained out of course!
     3 tsp minced garlic
     Cracked pepper

    
    Greaseth the crock. Place the loin on the bottom, add in the onion soup mix, soy sauce & coffee. Spread the minced garlic across the top of the roast that is showing out of the liquids and then crack some pepper across it.

     Cook on LOW for 6 hours

I'll be setting the crock to turn on at 12 so I have dinner ready at 6. It will be very nice to go to work, work, come home, "run into town" (1 1/2 hours) and come home to a great meal without having made a huge effort!

**UPDATE** 12/15/2011 We LOVED this! It was actually ready in only 5 hours. I used a meat thermometer to check it because I'm scared to get brain worms from pork. If you saw the documentary, you know what I'm talking about! It was super tender (gotta love the caffeine!) and had wonderful flavor BUT it was too salty.

The flavor of the soy sauce was spot on but it made it too salty so I'm going to take the amount down to 1 tablespoon (previously had it at 2 tablespoons) next time and see how it goes.

Also it is important to note that I flipped the loin over when I got home from work (about halfway through cooking time) because I always like to have both sides cooked in the juices if possible.

I made a gravy by adding a couple tablespoons of cornstarch to the gravy. The saltiness of the gravy was tempered to a tolerable level by the mashed potatoes but not enough to keep the amount of soy sauce at the original 2 tbs.

Definitely a winner!

Banana Cream Pie!!!

 

While I was at work today, my brand shiny spanky new gorgeous Cuisinart stand mixer arriveth! I suddenly started feeling sick *cough*sniff*cough* and headed home to play with it... er, to feel better...

I stopped at my local Top Foods on the way home to pick up some banana pie fixin's... oh, uh.. and cold medicine *cough*hack*cough*

I'm sure most of you have made a banana cream pie but I still want to share with you my own super quick and yummy version.

Fun Fact: homemade whipped cream contains half of the carbs and half of the sugar than most ready made versions.

Without further ado, I give you:

    Mr. Barton's Favorite Banana Cream Pie

     3 Banananananananas
     5.1oz pkg Banana Pudding Mix
     2 1/2 C Milk
     2 C Whipped Cream -made mine with my mixer *snaps suspenders*
     1 Ready-made Graham Cracker Crust
    Mix milk and dry banananana pudding mix for 2 minutes. Fold in the whipped cream and then set the mix aside in your fridge. Slice the bananas and line the wall and bottom of the graham cracker pie crust with them (1 layer). Pour mix into crust over banananananas making sure to cover the ones around the edge very well so thay they don't turn brown. Put back into the fridge for at least 1 hour.

I know its not the best picture but I didn't want to drag out my camera-camera.

It was soooo nice having a mixer! I was able to do other things (cut up the bananas) while it was mixing and the clean up was much easier :)

I love my Nart!