A stocked kitchen

One of my blogging friends is striving to start making more of her and her hubby's meals. When I started cooking from scratch, I was overwhelmed and didn't really know where to start. In fact, having come from a family who made everything homemade, I was a little bit intimidated. I started with an apple pie -- crust and all. That was one of the first "from scratch" things I made for my hubby after we were married. And, little-by-little, my hubby and I found great joy in cooking.

I think cooking from scratch is not only healthy, but it can be fun and simple. You don't need crazy gadgets. You don't need expensive ingredients. You don't need big cookbooks. You don't need to be fancy. You just need a few simple tools and ingredients to start out on your endeavor.

On my friend's blog today, she asked for suggestions about what staples are needed in the kitchen, which got me to thinking about the things I use as staples in my kitchen.

I have staples in terms of what I need to cook, and, I have staples in terms of supplies.

Here's what's on my "Must-Have" list for kitchen supplies:

Good wooden spoons
Great wooden-handled spatulas (this way the plastic doesn't melt when I leave it resting in a hot pan)
Glass mixing bowls, multiple sizes
Whisk
Measuring cups/spoons (multiple sets -- these are cheap from the dollar store, and keeps me from having to wash them while preparing a dish)
Cheese grater
Strainer
Rolling pin
Pots and pans (of course)

And, this is what you can almost always find in my kitchen:

Baking Supplies:
Flours (whole wheat, all purpose, bread)
Sugars (white, powdered, brown)
Yeast
Honey
Powdered milk
Olive Oil (I use olive oil in virtualy everything - no need for veggie oils)
Butter (yes, I use the real thing)
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Spices
Corn Starch
Chocolate Chips
Oatmeal

Cooking Supplies:
Diced and stewed tomatoes
Tomato paste and sauce
Pasta (all kinds - whole wheat)
Broth - chicken, and beef (I make my own veggie broth)
Beans (all kinds)
Rice (brown)
Canned fruit
Dried fruit (we have raisins, Craisins and cherries)

Freezer Items
Veggies - broccoli, mixed veggies, cauliflower, peas, peppers (I buy these on sale and chop them up and freeze a bunch)
Fruit - Cherries, blueberries, raspberries
Chicken breasts/tenders
Ground turkey/beef
Turkey Ham
Ice cream (hey, it's homemade)

Refrigerated Items
Eggs
Milk
Cheeses (all kinds)
Half and half
Juice
Yogurt
Fresh fruits and veggies
Condiments

Snacks/Desserts:
Cake mix
Granola bars
Cheese-its
Popcorn

These are things I stock up on when on sale and replenish when they get low. Each week, I menu plan based on the produce that's on sale, and stock up mainly on produce, and dairy items when shopping. If you're interested in reading more.. check out my menu planning page.