Each Monday I meet a friend for coffee around 4pm. Sometimes I'm really good at planning ahead. I put something in the crock pot or have something ready and set the timer on the oven so it's cooking when we get home. Yesterday I did not prepare for dinner. I was tired from the weekend. So when we got home at 5:30 there was no yummy smell of dinner cooking, just a dark cluttered kitchen.
With hungry boys at my heels I opened the fridge to see what I had on hand. Here is what I pulled out: salami, ham, cheese, butter. We'll have hot sandwiches. I pulled out my George Foreman grill and plugged it in. The George Foreman isn't my favorite way to make a grilled sandwich because it's slanted. It doesn't toast the bread evenly, but it's quick and easy. Give and take....
After the boring cheese sandwiches were done and the boys were situated I looked at the goods on the counter and thought I can do better than this. Back in the fridge I found some pepperoni and green pepper. That got me thinking of pizza so I grabbed some pizza sauce from the pantry. I also had some multi-grain sour dough.
Here is my sandwich: Butter bread (the buttered side will go down on the grill), salami, ham, pepperoni, mozzarella, green pepper, and pizza sauce. Yum-O! I even warmed a little sauce in the microwave for dipping. It was the best last minute sandwich I've ever come up with. A little onion would be nice on it as well.
So this meal got me thinking about what one should have on hand in their kitchen. If your kitchen is well stocked, you'll never be able to say, "I don't have anything to make for dinner". There are lots of list on the Internet where people will tell you what to have in your kitchen. Here is my list of 'must haves'.
Spice Cabinet
allspice
basil
bay leaves
cayenne pepper
cinnamon
chili powder
cider vinegar
cloves (ground)
coriander
cream of Tatar
cumin
dill weed
garlic salt
garlic powder
ginger
Italian seasoning (one of my fave!)
McCormick Grill mates: Montreal Steak
dry mustard
nutmeg
onion salt
onion powder
olive oil
oregano
paprika
parsley
pepper
poultry seasoning
red pepper flakes
red wine vinegar
rosemary
sage
salt
thyme
Baking Supplies
almond extract
baking powder
baking soda
brown sugar
cake mixes
cake decorations (sprinkles, sugars, etc)
canola oil
chocolate chips (semi sweet and milk)
cocoa (power)
evaporated milk
flour
granulated sugar
oatmeal
peanut butter chips
powdered sugar
raisins
sweetened condensed milk
vanilla extract
In the refrigerator
eggs
bbq sauce
butter sticks
cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan) I also freeze the bags of shredded cheese
cottage cheese
ketchup
Italian dressing
jams and jellies
milk
margarine sticks
mayo
mustard
pickles (dill)
pickle relish (sweet)
ranch dressing
sour cream
teryaki sauce
soy sauce
Velveeta (I use this in a lot of soups)
Worcheshire sauce
Produce
It's hard to keep produce on hand because it will rot. Here is what I typically have on hand
apples
bananas
carrots
celery
garlic cloves
green peppers
onions
potatoes
spinach
Meat and Poultry
Bacon (frozen)
Chicken breast (frozen)
Ground Beef (frozen)
Ham (deli slices)
Pepperoni (sliced)
Sausage (frozen)
Pantry
Artichokes
Black beans
Beef Broth
Bisquick
Canned fruit
Chicken broth
Corn
Crackers (a variety)
Craisins
Cream corn
Cream of chicken soup
Cream of mushroom soup
Green beans
Jello
Juice
Lasagna noodles
Mushrooms
Onion soup mix
Pasta (penne or corkscrew)
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Potatoes (flakes and/or boxed)
Pudding
Pumpkin
Rice
Spaghetti noodles
Tomato sauce
Tomato soup
Tomatoes---diced and crushesTomato paste
Freezer
bread
Cool whip
French fries
Meats listed above
Tator tots
spinach
vegetables
I'm sure I missed some things, but it's a good start.
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