A Well Stocked Pantry

Parent Cafe
1

<p>I’ve broken my foot so I can’t work for a week or so. I want to stock the pantry of my new house with everything for great easy meals and to get all those kitchen gadgets I keep meaning to have. My favorite new toy is a hand blender that I can’t understand how I lived without for making amazing soups. </p>

<p>Help!</p>

<p>In the pantry now:</p>

<p>olive oils
vinegars
capers
olives
dried mushrooms
good Italian canned toms
wide range of spices
pastas
rices
cous cous
broths in cardboard
tapanades</p>

<p>What do I need?</p>

<p>Any favorite kitchen toys?</p>

2

<p>Not a toy…but I find myself extremely finicky about salt and pepper now. Buy good mills/grinders if you don’t have them already. And a garlic press that eliiminates the need to peel garlic before crushing is a wonderful, wonderful thing.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=239&categoryCode=KW[/url]”>http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=239&categoryCode=KW&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>I didn’t know such a garlic press existed! Is there a brand you like?</p>

<p>Other things for the pantry</p>

<p>anchovies
baking chocolate
nuts
walnut oil
good tuna
shake and bake (since 1962)</p>

4

<p>Sorry, didn’t see the link. Thanks!</p>

5

<p>UC - I have the Pampered Chef version at the link above and I can tell you, that thing does work! You do remove the outer paperskin off the garlic…and then just place a couple of unpeeled garlic cloves in the press and crush. The garlic is minced through the press and the skins and residue are left behind and easily tapped out into the trash.</p>

<p>(Funny story at my husband’s expense. He is quite a good chef; born in France the grandson, on his mother’s side, of a French chef of Spanish descent; so many trade secrets passed down…much yummy food in our house. Every Sunday morning for the entire 26 years of our marriage, he has woken at the crack of dawn and made breakfast…always elaborate, usually starting with a saute of garlic in butter. I have had that Pamper Chef garlic press for probably 10 years and he uses it faithfully. The other morning, I noticed, for the very first time, him actually painstakingly peeling the garlic cloves before putting them in the press. I walked over, plopped two unpeeled cloves into the press, held them over the pan and pressed…and he nearly fainted. He had been doing it the hard way for 10 years…lol!)</p>

6

<p>Tamari
Hoisin sauce
Good soy sauce
Black bean sauce
“Fish” sauce
Rice wine vinegar
Dry sherry
Garlic chili paste</p>

7

<p>Tell me what to do with tamari and how to choose good soy sauce.</p>

8

<p>In our house a most have staple in the pantry is refried beans. Also we always have both flour and corn tortillas in the refrigerator or freezer. Salsa.
I also always used to make my pasta sauce but have found a jar sauce that is so good. The Silver Palate -homemade marinara. I stock up when it is on sale.
bread crumbs
Hidden Valley Ranch dressing dry packets- the buttermilk one is better.
Hope your foot is not to painful
Trader Joe’s has some great jar sauces that are great to have around for when you don’t have much time. The General Tao’s sauce is great for stir fry or to brush on chicken on the bbq. I also like to have several of the different curry sauces in my pantry.</p>

9

<p>I have the Pampered Chef garlic press and it IS awesome!!! I don’t peel mine at all before I put it in - just drop it in and squeeze - the skin stays in the press the garlic presses out!!! It’s quite sturdy…</p>

10

<p>I like the vegetable peeler from Pampered Chef, always order a few just in case I loose them( and I always loose them).</p>

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11

<p>Sea salt(great for seasoning baked fish)
Balsamic Vinegar(great for marination)
Prosciutto (great to add to pasta)
Yeast(fresh pizza)
hummus(quick appetizer)</p>

12

<p>Canned beans, variety of, such as cannelli, garbanzos, black, etc.
Pesto
Canned smoked seafood, like oysters, trout, etc.
Alfredo sauce</p>

13

<p>Having been a Pampered Chef consultant (though now more of a hobby) I can assure you that the PC garlic press is really terrific–just used it last night! You really should only use fresh garlic–nothing else comes close!</p>

<p>The PC Food Chopper is another huge favorite at our house. I could certainly go on and on about the products, which is why I ended up selling them–I wanted (and pretty much have) everything!</p>

<p>In my pantry I always have to have corn meal, barley, semi-sweet chocolate chips and a variety of pastas. (In addition to many of the items already mentioned!)</p>

14

<p>For easy meals Patak’s curry sauces. The Trader Joe ones are pretty good too, not all are Indian. I also think things like Bruschetta and tapenade spread on grilled meat are good. I love my elec. juicer, my Kitchen Aid mixer, my Cuisinart and my electric knife sharpener.</p>

15

<p>Don’t know your food preferences but since you bought a stick blender (outboard engine) Here’s a simple soup</p>

<p>Black bean</p>

<p>Saute your big three (carrot,celery, onion)
add cumin to taste (2 tsb to 2 tablespoons)
3-4 cans of black beans
1-2 cans diced tomatoes
box (32oz) chicken stock
to taste salt, pepper, cheyene red pepper</p>

<p>bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer for 30 mins.</p>

<p>Remove from heat, grab your stick blender
apply and sing motor boat motor boat over and over until desired consistency is met. Return to heat and prepare fresh diced tomatoes, onion and a little shredded cheese. Cilantro if you like it also for topping. </p>

<p>dish up, top and enjoy. </p>

<p>A very healthy high fiber meal.</p>

16

<p>What, no sour cream? :)</p>

17

<p>“What, no sour cream?”</p>

<p>Yes, That too! and a few tortilla chips on the side.</p>

18

<p>Yum, thanks! Everyone here is tired of the cream of mushroom but I’m not tired of the toy!</p>

<p>Any other favorites from pampered chef before I order?</p>

19

<p>

I use it whenever a recipe calls for a modest amount of soy sauce and I <em>really</em> want the dish to taste good.</p>

<p>Choosing good soy sauce: <a href=“Care2 is the world's largest social network for good, a community of over 40 million people standing together, starting petitions and sharing stories that inspire action.”>Care2 is the world's largest social network for good, a community of over 40 million people standing together, starting petitions and sharing stories that inspire action.;

20

<p>UCgradmary - I’m probably too late for your PC order…but I absolutely love my batter bowls. I have the classic size and am ordering the small size as well. Since they are tempered glass and heatsafe to 350 degrees, you can actually measure, prepare and cook whole dishes in one container.</p>

<p>(irish - I have several friends who also became so enamored with PC that they became reps too. And I’ve yet to come away from a PC party without an ‘empty wallet’! lol!)</p>

<p><a href=“https://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=211&catId=123[/url]”>https://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=211&catId=123&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;