Sunday, November 8, 2009

In the Pantry

For me, the secret of cooking is flavor. I have a cupboard specifically for spices and seasonings that seems to grow a little more every time I go to the grocery store. I've learned that you can make anything new and interesting by just adding a sprinkle of something different. Same with making a dish your own... a little of this or that gives whatever you've made that something special that makes it unique to you. And on those nights when you need something fast, adding a twist is always a bonus, because you never want your kids to be bored with dinner, and you don't want to keep tossing the same things in front of them anyway. The trick is the flavor. I'm not saying every combo is a good one, but even a frozen french fry can be jazzed up. And kids love it- at least mine do. Believe me, I live with the pickiest eaters you could ever meet, and I've managed to convert them into pretty good tasters in the last couple of years. It's a lot of little things- letting them help, making it an adventure, and introducing new ways to make "yucky" stuff seem appealing. A lot of the time it's taking a chance and crossing your fingers that it turns out ok- and I've had some that really haven't!

But, it all comes back to flavor. Don't be blah! Season it up, add some zip, and that little touch of you. It makes all the difference. I thought I would give you a sneak peek into what I have happening in my kitchen cupboards, just for fun. Believe me, if you want the serious cooking- recipe blogs, this ain't one of 'em. But, I'm quirky... gotta count for something!

My Must Haves:

salt
pepper
Lawrys
onion powder
garlic powder
chili powder
Italian seasoning
Tony Chachere original Creole seasoning
Emeril's Essence- original
bouillon cubes- chicken and beef
taco seasoning
bbq seasoning- I like the KC Masterpiece, but have Grillmates on hand as well
Old Bay
Parmesan-Romano blend cheese- yes, from a shaker. I swear by the kind I get from Aldi- look for the red shaker. Seriously, there's some yumminess in there.

For the baking side of the cabinet, I have the usual suspects:

vanilla
pumpkin pie spice
cinnamon
cinnamon sugar
Hershey's cocoa
Jello pudding mix
flour
baking soda
baking powder
sugar-white, dark and light brown, confectioners
morsels (or chips, depending whatcha call 'em)- chocolate (milk, dark, white), mint chocolate (go with Andes here), M & Ms, butterscotch, peanut butter
peanut butter
Karo-light
Crisco
canned pumpkin
sweetened condensed milk
evaporated milk
butter flavored cooking spray

I also keep little things like sprinkles, cupcake liners, toothpicks, etc., in the baking cabinet. If I didn't, I would NEVER find anything when I needed it. I also keep store bought cake and brownie mixes on hand for quick fix cakes, brownies or even cookies. I highly recommend the Ghiradelli brownies- in particular, anything that says "double" or "triple" chocolate or fudge. Heehee

I'm always on the hunt for new flavors, so if there's anything on your must have lists, feel free to pass it on! Next up, an actual recipe- if you like stuffed peppers, and looove a little heat, you're in luck!

Happy cooking!