What should I have in my kitchen/pantry??

[huntall6]

What are some good things to keep on hand around the kitchen/pantry? throw in some ideas for spices, meats, herbs, canned ingredients, pasta, vegetables, or anything else that you usually try to keep in stock in your kitchen.






*Edit: this would make a good sticky!

[Cujo1]

If you have a rural king store in your area, they have an excellent selection of spices for about a dollar a bottle. Get one of each, put them in the pantry in alphabetical order and you will always have them. I also keep a big bottle of cajun seasoning, assorted marinades, cheap bbq sauce, Lea & Perrines Worcestershire sauce, Olive Oil, and Uncle Joes sauces. This is just a basic list but it allows you to make recipes without having to go get everything. Of course, some of the Indarecipes your not going to find the ingredients in these parts, so fake it!

[Tcjfowler]

TONY CHACHERES!!!! it is the best cajun spice hands down.

[slowshooter]

My list is looooong.

What kind of food do you like to cook? We have a mashup of cultures here so we cook a lot of different stuff.

Probably the most important things you can have around is a decent homemade soup stock and a demi glace.

[Slack Tide]

Be careful with all of that stuff though, most of it is VERY high in salt and when you combine them, forget it....
Get Onion Powder, not Onion Salt. Same with garlic powder.
Here's another one, every time you get a pizza, ask for a side of red pepper. That stuff is expensive and they will give you a little tin for free, next thing you know, you have a cup or two.
Same with Duck Sauce at the Chinese place.
You'll need a good quality Olive Oil (Philippo Berrio) regular, the Extra Virgin is too rich and earthy....
I get a bag of onions every few weeks and a few heads of garlic....
Typical spices, but again, watch the sodium on mixed spices like rubs and stuff..
You add a teaspoon of rub in a bowl to a few tablespoons of Olive Oil, then dump in your chicken. Stir it all up with your hands, cover over night. It stretches the rub, you use less, less salt and great for the grill or pan...

[Leaky-NY]

well stocked pantry can be ruined if you dont have the right cook. Make sure your wife/GF/Mother or whoever is cooking understands proper seasoning. I have tasted some cooked meals that were ruined by someone who cant"taste" what they are cooking. Nothing like haveing awild game meal messed up by over doing the spices.

Leaky