News Taffy

How can one eat well if there is nothing to prepare in the cupboard, freezer or refrigerator? If you don’t have a supply of basic foods, cooking a nutritious meal will be that much more difficult and unenjoyable. How can you cook quickly if everything is in a mess? Since it’s still January, take the time to be industrious; clean out your cabinets and cold storage areas and take an inventory of what is needed.

Everyone should clean out the refrigerator and the food cabinets on a regular basis to get rid of inedible food lurking in the shadows. If you have a question about whether to throw food away or eat it, check stilltasty.com, a great reference website for food safety. This is also a good time to clean out all the kitchen cabinets and organize your pots, dishes and cutlery. Get rid of things you don’t use or that don’t work. Put the items you use most close to where they will be used and store less frequently used items in less accessible places. After everything is wiped clean and organized, you can make a list of items to restock. You will have more storage space.

What should a well stocked kitchen have? A cutting board and two knives, a paring knife for small jobs and a large butcher knife for big jobs is enough. Two frying pans, one large and one small, a large stock pot, two smaller pots. A set of mixing bowls, several types of large spoons for stirring and serving, a couple of spatulas, measuring cups for dry and liquid ingredients, measuring spoons, 2 hot pad holders, 2 pie plates, 3 baking dishes, and 2 cookie sheets. Some type of can opener, a few storage containers and a colander are good. Of course, you need plates, cutlery and glasses. These are the basics and none of this need be expensive except that I have found good knives make a huge difference.

A well-stocked kitchen should always have a few basic foods to make quick meals possible and every day cooking easy. I keep the following items on hand:

Flour, sugar and Bisquick
A variety of spices, salt and pepper (basil, chili powder, cinnamon, garlic powder, parsley, oregano, thyme may be the most used)
Baking soda and baking powder
Rice and pasta
Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce
A variety of canned beans, peas, corn and soup, especially Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken
Canned fruits
Peanut butter
Oatmeal, not instant
Vinegars like apple cider, balsamic and white
Chicken and beef bullion
Canola and olive oil, baking spray
Eggs, milk, butter and cheese
Mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce
Some kind of meat in the freezer like chicken or ground turkey, especially cooked chicken cut up in small pieces
Frozen plain vegetables

Now you could whip up dinner using pasta, cooked chicken, beans, corn and tomatoes with a sprinkling of cheese in just under 30 minutes. Or you could make a tomato dish with canned tomatoes, cheese and eggs. Once your kitchen is organized and stocked, keep a grocery list going as you use up an item.

Happy cleaning and organizing!

-Lisa