The Well-Stocked Pantry

When my oldest children were small, I used to travel far and wide to get the best deals at all the area supermarkets. I was well-known in the family as the "Coupon Queen", toting a large plastic shoebox full of neatly clipped and categorized coupons every time I went shopping. My goal was to get as close to zero dollars for my shopping trip as possible.

I found that I did very well in the "dollars off" department, but my selection of items included many of those items that stores use to lure you in with their "buy one, get two free" specials, things that were tasty and convenient, but that I really didn't need, and that were really more expensive than their home-prepared counterparts: granola bars, juice boxes, snack packages of crackers, pricier boxed cereals. Don't get me wrong: there is nothing wrong with these items. It's just that they might not have given my family the biggest nutritional bang for my buck.

I still love a good coupon trip, but I probably use fewer now, since I have honed my grocery list to things that mostly live in the outer circle of the store, where you don't find as many coupons and specials: bakery, produce, meats, dairy and the organic foods section, plus what Nathalie Dupree refers to as the "bomb shelter basics," food items that enable you to whip up something delightful without making that mad dash to the store for an exotic ingredient. These are usually items that can be repackaged in my flour and sugar bins, stored in the pantry, or divided into meal-size portions in my deep freeze. I tend to buy them in bulk when they are on sale and I have a lot of coupons saved up, so my cart looks odd some weeks, with eight packages of smoked sausage, but it makes my overall food bill shine when they are buy one get one free, and my coupons make them $0.50 each.
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Here is a list of nonperishable and perishable items that Nathalie insists all of us should have on hand for quick, easy, delicious cooking at the drop of a hat. The list is from Nathalie Dupree Cooks Everyday Meals from a Well-Stocked Pantry. I have converted it into an inventory/shopping list, also. If anyone is interested, email me and I can send you a copy to use and adapt as you need.

Non-perishables

bacon, ham or sausage
baking powder
baking soda
broth, stock and soup
canned evaporated and condensed milk
canned fish and seafood
canned or dried beans
canned vegetables
chocolate or cocoa powder
chutney, relish, salsa
coconut
cornmeal or corn muffin mix
crackers
dried fruit
dried or canned mushrooms
extracts/flavorings
flour
herbs and spices
jam or jelly
mayonnaise
nuts and seeds
oats
oils
pasta
peanut butter
pickles
powdered milk and buttermilk
rice
shortening
spirits and wine
sugar and sweeteners
tomatoes and sauce
vinegars
wrappers (such as tortillas)
yeast

Fresh/frozen foods
beef (one big cut, one pound of ground beef)
butter or margarine
cheese (one hard, one soft)
eggs
fish
fruit and seafood
garlic
heavy cream
milk
onions (yellow & red)
potatoes
poultry (one whole bird, and a pound of boneless cutlets)
vegetables (including emergency frozen veggies)
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Mardi Gras has come and gone, but here is a family favorite that reminds us of the season. All of the ingredients can be found in the well-stocked pantry described above.

Dirty Rice
(Serves 8)

1 pound ground beef
1/4 c. seasoned bread crumbs
Red pepper flakes, to taste (1/8- 1/4 tsp)
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning, to taste

1 cup white rice, uncooked
2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste

In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, seasoned bread crumbs, and red pepper flakes. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over med-high heat. Add beef mixture. Brown thoroughly, breaking meat into very small crumbles. Add red and green bell peppers, onions, and garlic; continue to stir until meat is cooked thoroughly and vegetables begin to brown. Season liberally with Fiesta Lime seasoning. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, prepare rice. Place uncooked rice in a medium saucepan with the water, salt and 1/2 tsp olive oil. Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until rice has absorbed all the liquid and grains are tender (about 15 min.).

Add cooked rice to meat mixture and return to heat, stirring all until blended and heated through. Pass hot sauce, salt and black pepper. Serve with a mixed spring greens salad and your favorite dressing.
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