My Staples, Part 3

Wow, almost a whole month since our last post! Sorry about that!! Things have been CRAZY for me with school. I just took my math midterm yesterday, so hopefully life will calm down a bit. For a few weeks anyway, then it'll be finals. ;-) That math test was stressing me out to a ridiculous degree. I'm not doing well in my math class at all, so I really needed a good grade on the exam. Now I just have to play the waiting game until the teacher gets the tests graded! But the stress of the upcoming test has dissolved, and I feel like I've lost 10 pounds.

Anyway, on to the last of the 3 part series. My spice cupboard. Our spice cupboard is always packed full of all kinds of spices. If you don't have many spices, you should definitely expand your collection. There are so many wonderful flavors out there! Don't be afraid to try new things. Your taste buds will thank you!

Spices I always have on hand:
allspice
basil
bay leaves
ground mustard
cayenne
celery salt
crushed red pepper flakes
chili powder
cinnamon
cloves
oregano
cumin
curry
dill
garlic powder
garlic salt
lemon pepper
ground ginger
marjoram
nutmeg
parsley
peppercorns
ground black pepper
sea salt
kosher salt
poppy seeds
rosemary
sesame seeds
thyme
white vanilla
dark vanilla
cajun seasoning
paprika
seasoning salt
bouillon cubes

What's your spice cupboard like?

My Staples, Part 2

So I'm a few days late....sorry! I ended up getting food poisoning all weekend and then I busted up my left ring finger on Monday in the most ridiculously freak accident possible. It just never ends in this house! ;)

My pantry is always stocked with several basics. There are things I use all the time, and then there are things that I keep on hand for those busy nights when I need to put something together, pronto!

What's in my pantry:
oils (vegetable, canola, peanut, extra-virgin olive oil, etc)
vinegars (red wine, white wine, apple cider, distilled, etc)
rice (brown, white, basmati, jasmine)
noodles (spaghetti, lasagna, fettuccine, linguine, egg)
flour (all-purpose, bread flour, wheat flour)
sugar (powdered, granulated, brown)
a big tub of my homemade buttermilk pancake mix
molasses
Karo syrup
cocoa powder
cornstarch
baking powder
walnuts
cereals (Cheerios and the like, oatmeal, cream of wheat)
peanut butter
bread
canned goods (corn, black beans, kidney beans, green beans, stewed tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, cream of mushroom, cream of celery, cream of chicken, pineapple tidbits, crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges, tuna, baked beans, diced green chilies)

Do you have a pantry or just a cupboard?

My Staples, Part 1

I've been asked what things I always have on hand, so I decided to do a 3 part series of those items. Today, I'll cover the refrigerator, Friday I'll cover the pantry, then next week I'll cover my spice cupboard.

I usually have a lot more than this at any given time. These are just the things I always make sure I have.


What I always have in my fridge:
eggs
mayonnaise
buttermilk
salsa
sharp cheddar cheese
real butter
sour cream
tortillas (corn and flour)
Dijon mustard
Parmesan
tons of veggies (tomatoes, lettuce, green onions, celery, carrots, broccoli, cucumber...)
lunch meat (always turkey, sometimes ham as well)
Asian items (soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, etc)
bacon
hot sauce (Sriracha, Tabasco, etc)
ketchup
yeast
salad dressing (usually homemade, very rarely store-bought)
milk (2% for drinking, whole for bread-making)
Worchestershire

What things do you keep in your fridge that I didn't have on my list?

Edited: because I can't believe I forgot the Worchestershire!