Keep ______ in the pantry!!

So I have found over time that there are lots of my recipes that call for token items. Items that I always need but sometimes don't have... Frustrating!! So I started loading my pantry with some of these items. I also have a few things I like to keep on hand that are perishable. (Just fair warning you may not want to buy in bulk but definitely have on hand.) I will try to keep updating as I think about them :)

Non-perishable must haves

Tomato paste
Diced tomatoes
Minced Clams
Cream of chicken soup
Onion soup
Italian dressing packets
Rice
Noodles of every shape and size
Taco seasoning
Condensed milk
Bottled pasta sauces
Pinto beans 
Lawry's Season Salt

Perishable but freezable
Meatballs
Ham Steak
Whole Chickens
Pork roast
Sticks of butter
Frozen veggies
Loafs of sandwich bread
Bacon
Breakfast sausage
Kielbasa or bologna sausage

Perishable but keep handy
Sour cream
Cream cheese
Shredded cheese (which ever large bag is on sale)
Eggs


Looking over this list I can come up with dozens of dinner combinations. Plus I even see a ton of fillers I can add to my meals to make them cheaper or add some extra nutrition. For instance in my spaghetti sauce I always like to add a can of diced tomatoes for an extra serving of veggies. Or when making Mexican rice throw a can of pinto beans or frozen corn for a meal that satisfies. I should also note that I do have a deep freezer. So when I say have a whole chicken or 2 make sure you have room :)

Linguini and Clam Sauce + Hobo Garlic Bread

Linguini and Clam Sauce

and a side of Hobo Garlic Bread

 

Here is another great, quick meal perfect for the Lenten Season! This is another recipe you can have on hand at any time and is a common "Go to" when I need a quick yummy dinner. I even cook it in 1 pot which I love. Plus my Hobo Garlic Bread can be made from anything! Let's start with the main course.

1 can of minced (or whole) clams- do not drain!

1 stick of butter

2 Tblsp. Oregano

1 Tblsp. Garlic powder

2 Tblsp. Parmesan cheese

Linguini noodles (I use a little more then half a box)

In a medium or large pan boil your water and make your noodles. Drain your noodles and return to pot. Add 1 stick of butter immediately or your noodles will start to stick together. Next the clams, you can find them at your local grocer by the canned tuna. Add the can of clams juice and all. Then add all of your spices and feel free to adjust the amounts to taste. Depending on how fast your butter is melting you can turn the heat on low and help it along. Once all is mixed you are done! Wasn't that easy???

Now for my Hobo Garlic Bread! This little invention was made by a college girl living in her little apartment and having no need for a huge loaf of garlic bread. You can take any kind of bread, hot dog buns, hamburger buns (pictured), English muffins or regular sliced bread. I go back and forth on if I add mozzarella cheese or not. It just depends on if I have it in the fridge or not. I take my bread, put it in the toaster and cook it as I would a piece for breakfast. I then butter it, sprinkle garlic powder, a tad of salt, and Parmesan cheese. If I want to add the mozzarella I skip the Parm and add the mozzarella and then pop it into the toaster oven or big oven on broil until the cheese is melted. Be sure you watch it!! Then serve with your meal :)

 

Incrediberry French Toast Bake

Incrediberry French Toast Bake

In an effort to be more frugal and less wasteful I wanted a way to use up my old fruit and old bread. I found this recipe and made it work incredibly well! I will call out what the recipe said and then add my notes of what I actually used. Also my pictures show the recipe cut in half. Let your imagination run on what kind of fruit you would like to use. I think a strawberry banana is next to try!!

12 slices day-old bread, crusts removed and cut into 1 inch cubes (I left crusts on and used a mix of more then a day old french bread and some regular white sliced bread heels)

2 (8oz) packages of cream cheese (I used the whipped and it was nice and fluffy)

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries 

12 eggs

2 cups of milk

1/3 cup maple syrup

Sauce

1 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup water

1 cup blueberries (I had some old blackberries so I used them instead)

1 Tbsp. butter

Place 1/2 of bread in greased 9x13 baking dish. Cut (or scoop) cream cheese into cubes and place over bread. Top with berries. Add other 1/2 of bread. In a mixing bowl beat eggs with milk and syrup. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and chill for 8 hours or overnight. Remove from refrigerator 1/2 hour before baking. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake additional 30 minutes or until golden and center is set. When you open your oven you will see this amazing sight!!

I love that I left the crusts on that french bread because they gave the dish such a yummy crunch on top!!

Sauce

You can decide the best time to make the sauce. While you bake or the night before. Combine sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Add water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes. Add berries and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until berries burst. Stir in butter. Serve over toast.

Old Fashion Popcorn

Old Fashion Popcorn

So I kind of feel as though the art of popcorn has been lost to the microwave so I just wanted to share how I LOVE my popcorn. 

You will need an old pot (or REALLY old pot like mine!) that has a lid. My pot is strictly for making popcorn and is even nice and "flavored" on the bottom :) You will need plain corn kernels that you can find in the snack isle. Yellow is fine but white is my favorite. Be wary of the cheap brands as they can have tons of hulls after your done popping that are not as fun. Finally some oil. I use olive oil because it gives it a little different flavor and it is very good for you. 

To start put a generous amount of oil in the bottom. Enough to cover the bottom of the pan but not cover over the raw popcorn. Turn your burner on high and wait for the oil to get a little hot. Then add your corn. Now be mindful your first time as you won't know how much your pan can fit. I use about a 1/4 of a cup of corn for my pan. Put the cover on the pan and let it cook. Once you hear the popping slow to 1-2 pops per second you can pour your popcorn into the bowl. However, I love just a few extra done kernels so I will let it cook until it stops popping all together. Your choice!

In your empty pot you can add a slab of butter and let the hot pot melt it for your topping. Then add salt to taste. For a very special treat sometimes I sprinkle with garlic powder!! Sounds crazy but it will blow your mind! Other things to try are Tabasco in the oil for a spicy treat. 

ENJOY!

Just have to say....But really want to scream!

So part of this little adventure has been a New Years resolution to really start pushing away from my old recipes and get some new ones along with using new methods or techniques.  I mean, I watch all these cooking shows, take an idea or two and then maybe use it. But why don't I try to fry salmon with the skin on perfectly since I have seen the "pro"chefs get ragged on about it how many times?? And you know what?? Guess what I made yesterday and hit it so perfectly that my 2 year old was eating it?? Yeah, salmon, with the skin on, so crispy, yet the fish was so juicy... I mean I cannot wait to make it again!! My husband even had to tell me to shut my mouth cause he wanted to eat it, not talk about it hahahaha... Sometimes I forget how much I love cooking and I really felt as though I lost some of my energy to cook. But now that I am really trying new things and just kind of doing my own thing I feel so empowered. I think part of it has been that instead of asking what I should cook for dinner, I am just making it. That also includes for what I make for my 2 year old. Somewhere down the line my little girl who would eat homemade kale baby food quit eating everything. Now she all of a sudden is into eating salads and finally will eat rice and potatoes so maybe this is a good reinforcement for me too.

I guess all I can say is that I am SOOO excited to keep cooking. I am always going to be open to inspiration and maybe, just maybe, one day I will find enough time for myself to take a real cooking class!