Must-Haves for a well stocked Pantry

What should you have within arm's reach at all times?

Start with a good salt and a good pepper. One suggestion is to keep two salts on hand: a kosher salt and a high quality salt to use as a finishing touch on whatever you are serving. And of course salt can't be far from pepper, so stock your pantry with real peppercorns and a quality peppermill.



Next, make sure you have oil that can withstand high temperatures for tasks such as searing, grilling, and sautéing. In addition to that high-heat oil, stock a good quality olive oil. Just like the finishing salt, it's going to provide a lot of flavor to your recipes.



Now add some vinegar to your pantry. For a lower-end acidity, use cider, rice, or champagne vinegar. Then add a workhorse acid such as white or red vinegar to your shelves.

Then stock your pantry with sweetness. Aside from the standard sugars that are available, you can add something with a lower glycemic index, like honey or agave. Both of these sweeteners can thicken your recipes, mellow out flavors, and improve the final product.

In addition to the salt, the sweet, the pepper, and the acid, keep some savory items in your pantry, such as tomato paste or soy sauce. Another option is mustard, which is great in vinaigrettes and marinades. Finally, keep on hand a good hot sauce or chili paste for a kick in soups and bean dishes.

After you've stocked your seasonings, make sure you have a selection of starches available. Options include pasta, potatoes, or rice. For meatless dishes, look for grain options like faro and barley. These grains are good for you and are also easy to make.

Another important item to have on hand in your pantry is high-quality canned tomatoes. They are very versatile and can become everything from a simple tomato sauce to the base for a soup or a stew.

Finally, keep some sort of protein on hand, such as oil-packed tuna. For a meatless option, stock a few types of nut butter, like almond or peanut. And don't forget to make sure you have some dried beans in your cupboard as well.

Food storage

Tomatoes: Do not refrigerate tomatoes. Tomatoes will lose their sweet, sugary flavor if stored in the refrigerator. You can keep them right on your counter in a colander.

Potatoes and onions: These items are best kept apart. Just because you may cook with them together, doesn't mean they should be stored together. Onions and potatoes will prematurely age each other. Instead, keep both in a dry, dark area, like the pantry, but in separated areas.

Coffee: It's tempting to store coffee in the refrigerator or freezer, but the roasted coffee beans are being exposed to water. You'll lose flavor with the condensation that forms on the beans. Keep coffee in the original packaging at room temperature and use it within 7-14 days.

Bread: Classic sliced bread from the store can be stored at room temperature, because it has enough stabilizers. Sprouted breads are a different story. Sprouted breads release natural oils, making the bread go rancid quickly. Keep these loaves in the refrigerator.

Milk, meat, and eggs: Of course, these items should be stored in the refrigerator, but just where should they be in the refrigerator? Surprisingly, eggs should never go in the "egg container" on the door. Instead, keep eggs, meat, and milk in the darkest, coldest areas of your fridge, like in the back and at the bottom.

Flour, oils, and nuts: You might think to keep these items in the pantry; however, to extend the life of these items, keep them in the refrigerator. Put nuts in a glass jar, and keep oils in a dark glass jar.

Chili

Makes 4 servings.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes



INGREDIENTS

1 large onion, finely chopped

2cloves garlic, finely chopped

1pound lean ground beef or turkey

1can diced tomatoes, undrained or 2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 can kidney or pinto beans, undrained

1teaspoon ground cumin

2teaspoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

1tablespoon chili powder

½ teaspoon red pepper sauce

1 package chili seasoning mix

Salt to taste

Assorted toppings, such as shredded cheese, chopped onions or sour cream (optional)




DIRECTIONS

1. in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Cook the beef, onion and garlic 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked. Drain fat.

2. Stir in Seasoning Mix, tomatoes and beans, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper sauce. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with assorted toppings, if desired.

Serve chili as a topping for rice, baked potatoes, hot dogs or fries

Creme caramel custard

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon water
¼ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon hot water, or as needed
1 cup milk
5 tablespoon white sugar
2 eggs, beaten


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Mix 1 tablespoon water into 1/4 cup sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar is completely moistened. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the sugar and water form a golden brown syrup, about 5 minutes. Do not stir. Remove from heat and let boiling subside. Carefully stir 1 tablespoon hot water into caramel syrup.

3. Whisk milk and 5 tablespoons sugar together in a saucepan over low heat; heat just until warmed and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk eggs into milk mixture. Pour caramel syrup into an 8x8-inch baking dish. Pour egg-milk mixture over syrup. Place pan into a larger baking dish and pour enough
water into outer pan to reach about 1/2 inch up the sides of the inner pan.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until custard has set, about 45 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes; chill in refrigerator before serving

TIP: Custards are pretty easy to make, but they need a little tender loving care when they bake. Slow cooking and gentle heat in a water bath helps to prevent curdling.

Key lime pie

INGREDIENTS

5 egg yolks, beaten

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

½ cup key lime juice

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust


Makes one 9 inch pie

PREP: 20 mins

COOK: 15 mins

Ready in 35 mins



Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Combine the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. Mix well. Pour into unbaked graham cracker shell.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Top with whipped topping and garnish with lime slices if desired.

Shrimp scampi

INGREDIENTS

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 oz Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated
8 oz Mueller’s Linguine Pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup Gia Russa Sweet Pepper Bruschetta Topping
12 oz large Farm Raised, Peeled and Deveined White Shrimp, thawed
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup Progresso Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth or stock
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups fresh Baby spinach.


PREP
Bring water to boil for pasta
Slice garlic
Grate cheese


STEPS
Cook and drain pasta following package instructions.
Preheat large sauté pan on medium 1-2 minutes. Place oil and garlic in pan; cook 3-4 minutes or until the garlic edges begin to turn golden.
Add bruschetta topping, shrimp, pepper flakes, ¼ spoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; cook and stir 1 minute.
Add broth; cook 2-3 minutes or until reduced by about one half and shrimp have just turned pink and opaque.
Reduce heat to low; stir in butter, spinach, cheese, pasta. Toss until butter and cheese melts and spinach wilts. Serve.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

3 medium baking potatoes peeled and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon (or more) whole milk, at room temperature or warmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions

In a medium saucepan, cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan.

Add the butter, sour cream and garlic. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or the back of a fork until the ingredients are blended. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes are the desired consistency. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.

Golden plantain cakes

Tatale are plantain cakes with onion and spices, fried to a golden crispiness. This dish is a specialty of Ghana, and makes a delicious snack or side dish. You could even use it as a staple starch to be served with a sauce. Make sure your plantains are very ripe for this recipe, so that they mash easily.


Tatale (Golden Plantain Cakes)
Ingredient list
· 2 very ripe plantains
· 1 onion, finely minced
· 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground ginger
· 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon ground red pepper
· 1 ⁄ 2 teaspoon salt
· 3 ⁄ 4 cup yellow cornmeal
· 6 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil for frying (you can use palm oil for all or part of this)


1. Peel plantains, following the method above. Slice into pieces 2 inches or so, and then mash in a large bowl, using a potato masher. You can also pulse them in the food processor until they are ground up but not completely pureed.
2. Add the onions, ginger, red pepper, salt and cornmeal to the plantain and mix well.
3. In a larger bowl, toss the plantain pieces with the lemon juice. Add spice mixture and toss to coat.
4. Heat oil in a heavy (cast iron is good) skillet, at least 10 1 ⁄ 2 inch. You can drop a small piece of plantain in the oil to check the hotness. When the plantain sizzles and starts to brown, your oil is ready.
5. Form golf ball-sized pieces of the plantain mixture into patties, and drop into hot oil. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Drain on paper towels

crepe

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• Nut meg 

Garnish with powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, vanilla extract, orange peel, strawberry, or blueberry

Directions

1.   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

2.   Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

3.   Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.

Red Beans sauté

I returned home from the library today very hungry. And all I had in my pantry was a can of red beans and tuna. I got creative and made this classic dish in less than 15 minutes.

Ingredients

1 15.5 oz. can Beans, drained

1 cup tomato, deseeded and chopped

1 can of tuna

½ cup onion, chopped

¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Method

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add tuna, onion, garlic and sauté for 2-4 minutes. Add tomatoes, pepper and salt to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 min. serve over rice. I enjoyed mine with pumpernickel bread from Publix. Serves 2-4.

Jollof rice

Jollof rice is a popular dish all over West Africa. It was originated in the Gambia. There is a tribe in Gambia called jollof/wollof and jollof is their staple dish. It has spread to the whole of West Africa especially Ghana and Nigeria.

There are many variations of jollof rice; beyond that, nearly any kind of meat, vegetable or spice can be added. Heat is a matter of personal taste and you should know your own limitations.

                                      It goes well with chicken

                                         It can be eaten with fish
                

or pork

                                                       Very yummy with shrimp

Feel free to improvise using what meat and vegetable you have available. Try goat meat, beef, lamb, ham, shrimp, fish or pork.

I embrace the uniqueness of each countries way of making it.

Prep time 7mins

Cooking time 45mins

Yield 2-4 servings

Ingredients

·         ½ cup of vegetable or sunflower oil

·         Onions chopped 2

·         Combine a thumb-size ginger, 3 garlic cloves and 1 habanero pepper and a medium size onion and blend to make a paste.

·         4 cups of deseeded chopped tomatoes

·         1 cup tomato sauce

·         Seasoned meat of your choice (seasoned goat meat will be my preference)

·         Seasoned salt/adobo/magi cube any of them will do or a little bit of each

·         2 tbsp nutmeg

·         Spices of your choice (rosemary, thyme, white pepper, curry powder, herb of basil family)

·         2 cups of basmati or mahatma jasmine rice (recommended)

·         Water or stock 1 cup

Directions

1.       Heat half a cup of oil over medium flame in a medium calphalon pot (any non-stick pot)

2.       Bring to a boil and add chopped onions – 1min

3.       Add paste (ginger, onion, pepper and garlic blended) and sauté until the onions are wilted and translucent– 4mins.

4.       Add chopped tomatoes and tomato sauce and cover the pot, stirring occasionally – 10mins.

5.       Add any seasoned meat of your choice and cook for 15-20mins.

6.       Add nutmeg, salt to taste and any spices you choose and let it simmer for 5mins.

7.       Add rice and stir. Sauté rice in mixture, giving it a reddish hue. Stir occasionally. Cover with foil and a lid so no steam can escape 10mins

8.       Add a cup of water or stock, cover with foil and lid, and continue the cooking in a preheated oven of 350 degree F until tender, stirring occasionally. 10mins.

Add any vegetable of your choice. Carrots, cabbage, aubergine, French beans, red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, corn etc.

Hot Plantain Crisps (Kelewele)

Ingredients

• 3 pounds cubed or diagonally cut ripened plantain
• 4 cups of oil for deep frying
• Habanero or cayenne pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Thumb size piece of fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 3-5 cloves
• 1-3 xylopia aethiopica (Hwentia) (optional)
• 1 tablespoon aniseed
• 1 tablespoon nutmeg (optional)
• 1tablespoon cinnamon (optional)

Hot plantain crisps can be deep fried, baked or sauteed

Directions
Place cubed plantain in a big bowl. Combine pepper, chopped onions, garlic, ginger, seasoned salt, aniseed, xylopia aethiopica, cloves and blend, making a paste. Pour it over the plantain and toss until the plantain is well coated. Let it sit for a few minutes.

To Deep fry (cooking time: 10 mins)
Pour oil into deep fryer and when it is hot transfer plantain stirring occasionally until  it is browned. Drain and serve immediately.

To Bake in oven (cooking time: 30-45mins)
Transfer the plantain to a sheet pan and spread out into one layer. Roast in preheated oven (400 degree F) for 30 - 45 mins until browned or crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning. Remove from the oven when is ready.

To Saute (cooking time: 15 mins)
Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat.  When hot, add plantains in a single layer. Saute until browned,  turning over to brown other side occasionally. Repeat until all the plantains are cooked.

Sprinkle cinnamon or nutmeg over it and serve.
Goes great with mixed nuts, grilled chicken or fish (baked or fried)
Yield: 3-5 servings

This will definately excite your taste buds.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

This is really easy and yummy potatoes. While my beef short ribs was in the oven i also made these potatoes and baked them simultaneously. Very easy and goes great with chicken/beef tenderloin/beef short ribs.

Ingredients

• 3 pounds small red or white potatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon adobo or seasoned salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the potatoes in quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, adobo/seasoned salt, garlic and black pepper.

Toss until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and spread out into one layer.

Roast in the oven for 45 - 1 hr or until browned and crisp.

Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, and serve hot.

You can't stop eating. Very good.