In addition to everything you said, I always have a bunch of dried fruit, which can be added to stews, oatmeal, salads, etc. Smoked almonds. Roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Peanuts. Artichokes in oil. White and black beans and chickpeas in cans. Homemade vanilla extract. Panko. And my new obsession, Xilli, which is like a smokey peanut-laced chili crunch and is so so good on everything.
The meat section is intimidating, can you do a video or post on how in the eff we defrost meat without ruining it/how long it keeps now that it’s defrosted. I’m always so nervous when I defrost chicken.. am I going to get sick?! 🤣 hopefully I’m not the only one who finds defrosting meat intimidating
So I'm not a chef, but am an avid home cook and I always either defrost my meat in the refrigerator (if I remember to get it in there the day before) or I put it in a bowl of hot water. This defrosts it super quick (especially ground meats - it's like 20 minutes. More like an hour or so for other stuff) so it's safe. I have never had an issue. I cannot imagine NOT freezing meat. I always freeze it unless I'm using it the day of or the next day I buy it. If it's vacuum packed, I freeze as-in, if not, it goes into freezer ziplocs with the air squeezed out and I almost never get freezer burn.
Same - the whole freezing meat thing mystifies me. Anytime Ive tried to freeze raw meat or chicken it ends up as covered in freezer burn in a mystery icy block. Or I end up ‘defrosting it’ in the microwave and it comes out halfway cooked / looking boiled. I could definitely learn more about this, please!
OK I am just going to add extra questions here in case Caro is looking for future post ideas. We do defrost salmon - we buy the individual salmon packs from WF. I usually just want to toss them in a container of water and put them in the fridge, but my MIL is very big on how the directions say you have to take them out of the individual packages to defrost. Is there some sort of food safety reason why I need to take the frozen fish out of the plastic, lay it out on paper towels and put it in the fridge? Would also love suggestions on what the ideal way to defrost chicken / beef is (I guess night before) knowing that best case scenario I will remember to pull it out morning of, or like at 3pm for a 6pm dinner. Am I screwed then and takeout is the only option? Or can I toss the frozen, freezer burnt cx breast in the instant pot?
Great list! In addition to lemons, I always have onions, garlic and sour cream. Just picked up dried buttermilk and heavy cream that can be reconstituted for baking instead of buying it, using the small amount I need in my recipe and the rest (inevitably) going bad. Like others, I also have a variety of canned beans, avo oil, evoo, sesame oil and a few different vinegars.
All the things you listed PLUS Everything but the Bagel Seeds!! Olive oil. All the things for a cheese board (dried meats, cheeses, olives, nuts, jams) and Panko!
I put 1-lb of ground meat in a gallon freezer bag and roll it as flat as I can. Freeze it on a cookie sheet and stand the bags up in the freezer (takes up little space that way). When I need ground meat, I take it out, lay the bag flat on a cookie sheet and it defrosts in a jiffy - about an hour. If I am in a hurry, can soak the bag in cool water for a little while. Or even just break the frozen meat up into a pan and cook from frozen.
Try rolled anchovies instead of flat ones. They taste SO MUCH better. They have a caper in the center which seems to cut some of the fishiness. Sometimes hard to find so try Amazon instead.
Liquid aminos, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar and sesame oil are good staples to add! Also for the coconut milk- the baby sized cans... and the baby cans of tomato paste and the tubes of tomato paste :-) and anchovy paste!
Love all of this! Was going to mention oils/vinegars, but it looks like someone else already pointed that out. ;)
I always keep some canned beans, as well as dried beans/lentils on hand. Also salsa & tortilla chips. I always use the broken chip bits to make migas-inspired scrambled eggs--one of my fav hearty (& quick) breakfasts! Also great for adding in odds & ends of veg/meat.
Love this! Also salsa verde and those little freezer packs of ginger and garlic paste! I also keep mini naan (perfect for the toaster) and a baguette in the freezer at ALL times.
Does peanut butter count as a pantry staple? Because I'm pretty sure my kids would burn my house down--with me in it--if we ever ran out.
Frozen garlic and ginger cubes!
In addition to everything you said, I always have a bunch of dried fruit, which can be added to stews, oatmeal, salads, etc. Smoked almonds. Roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Peanuts. Artichokes in oil. White and black beans and chickpeas in cans. Homemade vanilla extract. Panko. And my new obsession, Xilli, which is like a smokey peanut-laced chili crunch and is so so good on everything.
NUTS! I forgot NUTS!!
Xilli sounds divine 👀 gonna have to go find this one.
The meat section is intimidating, can you do a video or post on how in the eff we defrost meat without ruining it/how long it keeps now that it’s defrosted. I’m always so nervous when I defrost chicken.. am I going to get sick?! 🤣 hopefully I’m not the only one who finds defrosting meat intimidating
So I'm not a chef, but am an avid home cook and I always either defrost my meat in the refrigerator (if I remember to get it in there the day before) or I put it in a bowl of hot water. This defrosts it super quick (especially ground meats - it's like 20 minutes. More like an hour or so for other stuff) so it's safe. I have never had an issue. I cannot imagine NOT freezing meat. I always freeze it unless I'm using it the day of or the next day I buy it. If it's vacuum packed, I freeze as-in, if not, it goes into freezer ziplocs with the air squeezed out and I almost never get freezer burn.
Same - the whole freezing meat thing mystifies me. Anytime Ive tried to freeze raw meat or chicken it ends up as covered in freezer burn in a mystery icy block. Or I end up ‘defrosting it’ in the microwave and it comes out halfway cooked / looking boiled. I could definitely learn more about this, please!
OK I am just going to add extra questions here in case Caro is looking for future post ideas. We do defrost salmon - we buy the individual salmon packs from WF. I usually just want to toss them in a container of water and put them in the fridge, but my MIL is very big on how the directions say you have to take them out of the individual packages to defrost. Is there some sort of food safety reason why I need to take the frozen fish out of the plastic, lay it out on paper towels and put it in the fridge? Would also love suggestions on what the ideal way to defrost chicken / beef is (I guess night before) knowing that best case scenario I will remember to pull it out morning of, or like at 3pm for a 6pm dinner. Am I screwed then and takeout is the only option? Or can I toss the frozen, freezer burnt cx breast in the instant pot?
We always have at least 1-2 dozen eggs in the fridge! Healthy and versatile!
Great list! In addition to lemons, I always have onions, garlic and sour cream. Just picked up dried buttermilk and heavy cream that can be reconstituted for baking instead of buying it, using the small amount I need in my recipe and the rest (inevitably) going bad. Like others, I also have a variety of canned beans, avo oil, evoo, sesame oil and a few different vinegars.
Ooo where do you find dried buttermilk and heavy cream? That's a great idea!
Amazon!
All the things you listed PLUS Everything but the Bagel Seeds!! Olive oil. All the things for a cheese board (dried meats, cheeses, olives, nuts, jams) and Panko!
I put 1-lb of ground meat in a gallon freezer bag and roll it as flat as I can. Freeze it on a cookie sheet and stand the bags up in the freezer (takes up little space that way). When I need ground meat, I take it out, lay the bag flat on a cookie sheet and it defrosts in a jiffy - about an hour. If I am in a hurry, can soak the bag in cool water for a little while. Or even just break the frozen meat up into a pan and cook from frozen.
Question - do you freeze your own rice or buy the frozen rice?
Try rolled anchovies instead of flat ones. They taste SO MUCH better. They have a caper in the center which seems to cut some of the fishiness. Sometimes hard to find so try Amazon instead.
Liquid aminos, apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar and sesame oil are good staples to add! Also for the coconut milk- the baby sized cans... and the baby cans of tomato paste and the tubes of tomato paste :-) and anchovy paste!
Omg. I forgot oils and vinegars LOL! Must update!!
Since I started following you, I keep sun dried tomatoes, basil, artichokes, GF baguettes, and frozen corn stocked now!
I like making garlic confit and using that in sauce recipes since it melts right in. I use the oil to sauté and make dressings.
Love all of this! Was going to mention oils/vinegars, but it looks like someone else already pointed that out. ;)
I always keep some canned beans, as well as dried beans/lentils on hand. Also salsa & tortilla chips. I always use the broken chip bits to make migas-inspired scrambled eggs--one of my fav hearty (& quick) breakfasts! Also great for adding in odds & ends of veg/meat.
Love this! Also salsa verde and those little freezer packs of ginger and garlic paste! I also keep mini naan (perfect for the toaster) and a baguette in the freezer at ALL times.
Kosterina olive oil!