The month of January has been a review of the basic items needed in the kitchen and pantry to cook most recipes you may want to make.  The following is a list of items in a well rounded pantry:

• Baking powder- run out? Mix equal parts of baking soda and cream of tartar together
   

• Baking soda- keep in a sealed container for freshness
   

• Barbecue sauce- add a splash of liquid smoke and simmer with 1 wedge of lemon for 5 minutes to remove
                                 any commercial taste
   

• Beans- red kidney, white, lentils, split peas- don’t need to soak beans over night before cooking!
   

• Cereal- watch the sugar content!  Add cornflakes to chocolate chip cookie dough for a great crunch
   

• Chocolate- unsweetened squares, milk or semisweet chips, cocoa powder
   

• Coffee- personal preference, though freshly ground beans taste great!
   

• Cooking spray- a great way to cut back on added fats in cooking is to spray your pan w/a light coating of
                             oil instead of covering the bottom of the pan with oil
   

• Corn starch- used mainly as a thickener, also used to coat meats for a great stir fry
   

• Crackers- watch out for hydrogenated fats. There are crackers in the health food section in the grocery that don't contain                 
                     hydrogenated fats.
   

• Cream of tartar- a must for baking
   

• Dried fruits- raisins at the very least, but craisins are great as a salad topping
   

• Ethnic items- hoisin sauce, chili paste, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, black and pinto beans,  
                          tortillas- corn and flour, water chestnuts, baby corn
                                                  

• Flour- unbleached all-purpose, whole wheat, bread, cake
   

• Grains- barley, rice- long grain, preferably brown for the most nutritional value
   

• Ketchup- lots of uses besides pouring on French fries
   

• Milk- evaporated- use as a low/no fat substitute for heavy cream in sauces and soups
           -powdered- an inexpensive way to add milk to baked items, pancakes, cocoa mix
          -sweetened condensed- use in cheesecakes and the always popular 7-layer cookie bars
   

• Nuts- almonds, peanuts, pecans, soy, walnuts- they contain good fats- great on salads or a quick snack
   

• Oats- rolled- for best flavor and texture avoid instant mixes and make your own hot oatmeal- can control the amount of
                        sugar and can add fresh and dried fruits
   

• Oils- olive- great for salad dressings and sautéing
         -vegetable- plain corn or soy is best for cooking and baking
         -peanut- used for stir fries and deep frying
   

• Onions- yellow is the basic onion- can substitute white or scallions in many recipes, red is nice in cold 
                dishes, as the color will wash out when cooked
   

• Potatoes- I really like the versatile Yukon Gold’s creamy texture, whether you bake, fry or boil them
   

• Pasta- elbow, egg noodles, spaghetti- there are high protein versions on the market today that taste great
   

• Pasta sauce- pour over meatballs or Italian sausage to make a quick sub meal
   

• Peanut butter- not just for sandwiches, mix with a little honey for a pancake topping, thin with water and
                           Soy sauce for an oriental peanut dip for chicken wings

• Salad dressing/mix- use the packet mixes for the freshest taste, add to a little oil for a quick marinade
   

• Tea- brew your own and save money and the flavor is superior to powdered or canned
   

• Tomatoes- canned whole/crushed, chopped, paste, puree/sauce
   

• Tuna- packed in water- mix equal parts of plain yogurt and mayo for a lighter version of tuna salad
   

• Soup- assorted- for those emergency meals and casseroles
   

• Stock/broth- beef, chicken- avoid boullion cubes- mostly salt
   

• Sugar- brown, granulated, powdered
   

• Vinegars- balsamic, cider, red wine- use with different oils for unique salad dressings
   

• Other items you may randomly need: capers, chili sauce, corn meal, Corn syrup, gelatin- unflavored, honey, molasses, pine nuts (though walnuts can be substituted in most recipes like pesto, coconut (shredded), white wine vinegar, yeast
     

•  Handy paper products to have on hand: aluminum foil, paper towels, parchment paper, plastic bags- resealable sandwich and gallon size, plastic wrap, wax paper, wooden toothpicks 

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