From that, I learned the value of following recipes and meal planning. I still do both of those sometimes, but I also keep some things on hand in case I want to alter or ditch my meal plan for a given day. Here is a list of items I usually keep on hand, divided into basics (items you won't be surprised at) and "secret ingredients." I'll share some surprise uses for secret ingredients or why I like them.
Basics
Flour
I like unbleached white and wheat flours. Obviously, flour is great for baking, but it can also be used for thickening sauces and the like.
Oatmeal
I like old-fashioned style, but quick cook are good too. Oatmeal can be added to a lot of different baked goods to change the flavor and texture as well as increase nutritional content.
Pasta
I pretty much always have some kind of whole wheat pasta on hand. It cooks up quickly and can be combined with so many different things, but it keeps for a long time. I've been known to pull the macaroni out of macaroni and cheese boxes if I ran out.
Potatoes
These can also be used to thicken soups and are a great option if you have someone coming over who is gluten intolerant. They're also dirt cheap usually. I like red potatoes or sweet potatoes usually.
Tomato paste/sauce or pasta sauce
You can add this to a lot of different things to add umami to just about any savory dish. Throw a spoonful into a gravy or a stock for extra richness.
Dry beans
Dry beans take up little room, are super cheap, and can be flavored in many ways. The downside is how long some of them take to cook. However, they are nutritious as a source of minerals and protein and can be great if you plan ahead a little.
Rice
Yet another staple that's cheap and can be used for gluten intolerant guests.
Celery, carrots, onions, and garlic
These aren't really pantry items, but as veggies go, they keep a while and are pretty versatile. They're great as aromatics, for stock, in stir fries and soups, and much more. They're also almost always fairly inexpensive.
I'm sure I'm missing some things, but that will get you started for sure.
Secret Ingredients
Ground flaxseed
I'll add this to baked goods to increase lightness, add flavor, and vary nutrition. It's also great in smoothies.
Good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
I like the Ghirardelli kind, although my favorite is Kallari, a single source from Ecuador. It's difficult to find and quite expensive. You can try a few and see what you like. Most people think of this for baking or maybe a beverage, but you can use it to add richness to smoothies, chili, pulled pork, taco meat, and much more. Just keep in mind that chocolate doesn't really like being worked at high temperatures, so add this close to the end after things have been removed from the heat.
Sun-dried tomatoes
I used the Trader Joe's ones because they're cheap and available. Three ounces of sun-dried tomatoes are equivalent to four pounds of fresh ones, so this is an easy way to add flavor to stocks, pastas, stir fries, soups, and much more. I'll even add them to a tomato base - as the dried tomatoes simmer in the liquid from the fresh ones, they absorb juice, help with the reduction, and intensify the flavor. These take up little room and don't have to be kept in as fussy of a condition as fresh tomatoes.
Adobo sauce chipotle peppers
These come in a little can, often in the Mexican aisle of the grocery store. A little goes a long way. Most recently, I added some to a stock that I then simmered leafy greens in before sauteing in lemon butter. Part of that can also went in with pulled pork, and a bit of the sauce went into taco meat.
White balsamic vinegar
This is also pretty cheap at Trader Joe's. It's an option as a substitute for lemon or lime juice because it has a light fruitiness to it, but it keeps longer than citrus juice and is probably cheaper ounce for ounce if you're using fresh fruit. I love making salad dressings with this, but you could also put it in marinades.
Olives
The saltier the better, in my book. I'll dice these up and toss them into sauces rather than salting the sauce. I find that the olives add a richness and flavor that is hard to duplicate.
Pickled jalape~os
I took a liking to these when I was in Mexico. I throw them on sandwiches, but I've also tossed them into pasta if I was short on other ingredients, or they can top pizza, go in stir fries, and even hit soups and salads. Of course, if you want to be traditional, you can put them on tacos.
Mushrooms
The stems make great stock base and the tops accent moussakas, lasagnas, slow cooker recipes, stir fries, and much more. To be honest, I've Amazon subscribed to freeze-dried ones because they're so convenient and keep longer.
Spicy mustard
Stir this into a topping for potatoes that you roast in the oven, add to pulled pork or chicken, or even consider mixing with barbecue sauce to top pizza. I like Brownwood kream mustard or their wing sauce.
Smoked paprika
Okay, so I should probably do a separate post on the most important contents of my spice rack. However, I only recently discovered how much I love smoked paprika, so maybe you were also under the impression that paprika has no flavor and exists only to add color to potato salad and deviled eggs. Smoking brings out the flavor of paprika. Basically, anything that would be good with bacon on it would be better with smoked paprika - in fact, I've used a dusting of this on a crostini appetizer in place of bacon or prosciutto for vegetarian friends. This is also good on anything you're too lazy to grill over hardwood charcoal.
I think that's enough for now - after all, you don't have to come see me for dinner if I give away all of my secrets. But I should probably do another post about choosing herbs for a balcony and what spices are worthwhile to have on hand. I should probably also talk about what perishables I usually use and why. Stay posted.
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