I thought it would be fun today to talk about our favorite store-cupboard/larder ingredients. Why they are our favorites and how we like to use them. This is by no means a complete list for me. I am a regular foodie and there are loads of ingredients that I LOVE!
I could actually write and write and write about all the foods that I love and love to use in my cooking. I tried to pick my favorite of my favorites and share them with you today. Things that I never ever want to be without.
These are things that I always have in my home, aside from the regular suspects such as butter, milk, flour, sugar, meat, poulty, fish, fresh veggies, etc.
TINNED TOMATOES
One thing which I am never without is tinned tomatoes. I keep several kinds on hand. Whole, chopped, ground and in tomato juice. I don't really buy the already seasoned ones as it is very easy to season these myself and that way, I can control what seasoning I put into them.
You are never far from a meal when you have a can of tomatoes in the cupboard. In fact I have been known to make a meal of a tin of tomatoes, chilled in the refrigerator and a slice of bread and butter.
Here are several of my favorite ways to use them!
TOMATO & RICE SOUP
This has always been one of my absolute favorite soups. A few simple ingredients. Tinned plum tomatoes in juice, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rice, stock and seasoning. It is a relatively simple soup to make and is really delicious. You can also add some spinach to it if you want. That is gorgeous as well.
CHIANTI BAKED MEATBALLS
Tender meatballs filled with lots of flavor and a bit of zip, in a simple and tasty sauce. This was a winner/winner Meatball Dinner! The sauce itself uses only a few ingredients. Some good, tinned tomatoes, some seasonings and chianti. Altogether a simple and delicious mix for a meal that everyone will enjoy.
MACARONI & CHEESE WITH TOMATOES
Cooked macaroni is stirred together with a tin of tomatoes and poured into a casserole dish. A rich cheese sauce is poured over top and everything gets stirred together. It is then topped with some buttery crumbs and baked until golden brown and bubbling. This is simple, delicious, comfort food.
SWISS STEAK ROLLS
Pieces of stewing steak are cut thin and pounded, then spread with a mix of horseradish and some herbs. Rolled up tightly, rashers of bacon are firmly wrapped around them and they are browned. Once browned they are oven braised in a lush tomato and BBQ sauce, until they are fork tender and melt in the mouth delicious. These go very well with a mound of fluffy mashed potatoes and a vegetable on the side.
A REALLY GOOD BOLOGNESE SAUCE
When I was a child, my mother used to brown a pound of ground beef, mix in a can of cheap spaghetti sauce and called it "Italian Spaghetti." As an adult and living in Europe I came to know what really great Italian Spaghetti was and it starts with a fabulous Bolognese Sauce. It is the result of more than 30 years of experimentation and trial and error on my part. This is the best of the best of the best. Great on pasta, or used in a lasagna, meat casserole, etc.
RICE
Rice is one of those ingredients that is very versatile. From a tasty side dish, to a delicious main, to a fantastic dessert, it is an ingredient that fits into the menu just about anywhere.
When I was a child I only ever had minute rice as that is all my mother ever cooked. If you don't know what it is, minute rice is dehydrated rice product that you only need to add boiling water to and "presto-chango" in five minutes it is ready to eat.
As an adult I discovered long grain rice and all of the other different rice's that are available to use and to eat. Basmati, Jasmine, Arborio, etc. I love them all and I cannot imagine not having several kinds available in my cupboard to use. These few recipes I am sharing are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the many ways I have chosen to use rice in my kitchen.
BAKED MUSHROOM RICE
A mix of rice, stock, thyme and garlic powder is put into the bottom of a casserole dish and covered with a thick layer of garlic mushrooms. No need to cover as the layer of mushrooms serves as a sort of a jacket for the rice, covering it . . . the juices running down and mingling with the stock and rice beneath it as it cooks. When the rice is done, it is cooked to perfection and filled with flavor, having been infused with all of those flavors and mushroom juices. Just stir the mushrooms into the rice and it's ready to serve!
ITALIAN RICE PILAF
Broken pasta (spaghetti or vermicelli) is browned in butter with rice until toasty brown. Some stock is added, butter, and herbs, and then the mixture is covered and cooked to perfection. This is very similar to the Rice-a-Roni I enjoyed as a child but tastes a bazillion times better. Plus, there is nothing artificial in it. It's just plain delicious.
TERIYAKI CHICKEN & RICE CASSEROLE
This is a tasty casserole makes good use of leftover cooked chicken and cooked rice. You begin by making a thick Teriyaki flavored sauce. Once the sauce is done for this, you stir in cooked chicken (cubed or shredded), cooked rice, and cooked stir fried vegetables . . . .
I like to use peppers, onions, carrots, sometimes pineapple, broccoli, etc. Pour all of this into a casserole dish, cover and bake. It doesn't get much easier or simpler.
This tasty dish combines all of my loves. It is a delicious chicken casserole, with a moderately spiced East Indian flavor.
I love all in one, no fuss, and again no muss! You begin by making a quick and easy sauce to help temper any spiciness from the curry. Once that is done you simply measure some rice, chopped carrot, coconut milk and boiling water into a casserole dish, cover tightly and then pop it into a hot oven to partially cook the rice.
While the rice is cooking, you cook some garlic, oil and curry powder in the microwave for a short and then stir in some cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast meat. This mixture gets stirred into the almost cooked rice along with some frozen peas.
Cover it tightly and bang it back into the oven for a further 15 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken cooked through, perfectly. Let it sit for 10 minutes and then stir. Voila! Dinner is served. A drizzle of that yogurt sauce and a sprinkling of spring onions along with some toasted flaked almonds complete the picture!
This is just one of the many delicious
rice pudding recipes I have on here and it is my favorite out of them all. A
rich and creamy and flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, lemon and cardamom. This gets topped with a lush cherry sauce and garnished with candied almonds. Altogether this is a wonderfully delicious dessert pudding that everyone always enjoys! This is one dessert nobody is likely to forget!
PASTA
Pasta is something I have always loved. When I was growing up we only ever had macaroni or spaghetti, and it was always prepared in the same way. Mom would make a hamburger macaroni casserole, or she would make her version of Italian Spaghetti, which was something only my father really enjoyed.
There was never anything like macaroni and cheese or anything any different than those two ways that she was used to cooking them. I think using pasta was very foreign to her.
Pasta is such a versatile ingredient and there are literally oodles of different shapes of pasta available to us today. Each one has their own uses. Here are some of my favorite ways to use a few of them, and yes, this is only the tip of an iceberg when it comes to the pasta recipes on here.
Simple ingredients put together in a simple way. Pasta, peas, water and cheese. It doesn't get any simpler or easier than this. You wouldn't think that simple things like this could come together in such a delicious way, but like magic, they do! I love this.
There is nothing more comforting than a bowl of this on a cold day. Served hot with some buttered toast on the side it truly satisfies. This brilliant pasta dish is a beautiful example of simple and uncomplicated foods. Food done well and put together in a most delicious way.
Stock and pasta are the basis of this very simple and yet delicious dish in which pasta is quite simply cooked in a quantity of stock. Use the best ingredients you can afford, and you will be rewarded with a rich and delicious meal. It doesn't get much easier than this.
Frittata's make for a quick, easy and delicious mid-week supper. I especially enjoy this one with its tangy Italian flavors! Use a good pasta sauce for this! This particular version is a wonderful testimony to the deliciousness that can be created with a few bits and bobs that on their own wouldn't amount to much. Assembled together you have one very delicious entree!
TURKEY, SOUR CHERRY & ALMOND PASTA SALAD
I use farfalle pasta for this, whole wheat if I can get it . . . its the perfect shape to use in a pasta salad. Nice and open, but with a few little pleats to hold in the dressing. And that dressing is delicious.
A homemade poppy seed dressing that is lovely and tangy from fresh lemon juice, with a bit of punch from Dijon mustard and sweetness from creamy honey.
There is nothing about this that I don't love.
CHEESE
You may laugh at this, but until I was entirely grown up I did not eat/ had not tried anything other than the plastic cheese that came as single slices to use in grilled cheese sandwiches. The only Parmesan I had ever eaten came in the green plastic can and was something we had with mom's Italian spaghetti. Neither one being very authentic. Velveeta was a treat as was cheese whiz. (A spreadable cheese product.)
It was not until I got married that I started to diversify from plastic cheese and dip my toe into the waters of the wonderful world of Cheese. This was amplified when I, much later in life, moved over to the UK and went to work at the Manor as a personal Chef.
A knowledge of good cheese was a necessity. I fell in love with cheese and discovered what it was I had been missing my whole life. I have never looked back.
A basic, delicious and rich macaroni and cheese is topped with a unique and flavor-filled crispy crumb topping. Sturdy white bread is blitzed together with a shallot, some garlic, parsley and seasonings. I added a bit of Parmesan Cheese because it has been my experience that a bit of cheese works well in this sort of thing. This gets sprinkled over top of the mac and cheese prior to baking. The end result is quite simply fabulous!
A cheese toasted slice of sour dough bread is topped with a meaty all beef patty, grilled to perfection and topped with a lush pub cheese spread which melts from the heat of the burger. Tasty, caramelized onions are spooned over top, and the burger is ready to serve. This is an open-faced burger that is best eaten with a knife and fork.
There is only one thing better than cauliflower cheese and that is when you add some steamed broccoli into the mix. This makes a fantastic side dish for four people or a fabulous main dish for the favorite vegetarians in your life. Crispy tender pieces of cauliflower and broccoli, bathed in a lush cheese sauce and baked until the whole thing is bubbling and golden brown. What could be bad about that!
Two kinds of grated cheese are mixed with grated cooking onion and finely chopped spring onion, plus a quantity of good mayonnaise to make a sandwich filler that is typically British and incredibly delicious. If you have never had one, don't you think it's about time you tried this tasty combination? It's pretty wonderful to say the least!
You can make these as naughty as you like by choosing either full-fat or low-fat ingredients.
Super delicious and easy to make. The first word from mine and my daughter's mouths when we tasted these was mmm. Yes, they were so tasty they left us speechless. A lush cheese filling, wrapped in flour tortillas, napped with a rich homemade enchilada sauce, with more cheese sprinkled over top, baked to delicious enchilada perfection.
There's nothing too out of the ordinary here . . . bacon, cabbage, onions . . . Gruyere and Cheddar cheeses . . . dried herbs, and some chicken stock and that's basically it! Simple ingredients put together in the most delicious way. The end result is a simple, yet hearty soup that is deeply satisfying and quite filling, and very,very tasty!
Super simple and super easy to make. A chilled biscuit base, topped with a rich white chocolate, whipped and cream cheese mixture. This gets chilled until everything sets up. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy and oh so tasty! Everyone loves this simple dessert.
EGGS
Eggs are a funny thing. I have to be in a certain mood to eat them, but when I do I really love them. I have my favorite things to make with them, such as egg salad, or deviled eggs. I love chopped hard-boiled egg in a potato salad, etc.
Eggs make a really delicious, nutritious and simple supper dish that most people love. They are not just for baking. Omelets, frittatas, souffles, etc. So many ways to enjoy this wonderful food!
Again, just the tip of the iceberg!
The highlight of any buffet table is a nice tray of deviled eggs. Easy to make and oh so delicious. Always the first thing to disappear at a potluck supper and great on picnics. When I worked at the Manor, they loved my deviled eggs so much it was requested that I have a plate of them in the refrigerator at all times.
Rich and indulgent the preparation of these is based on an old French Technique of baking eggs in cream in the oven. Rich and indulgent, yes, but also very delicious. In France they call these Ouefs en Cocotte (Eggs in pots), and they are so simple to make. They are perfect for serving to as few or as many people as you wish to feed.
For breakfast or for a simple supper dish.
Everything you love about eggs benedict presented in a much easier way. Toasted muffins, back bacon, scrambled egg, and a good bottled hollandaise sauce. A special yet elegant breakfast that won't stress you out. It tastes and looks like you spent all day but is so easily done. Who knew elegant could be so simple!
How could I resist something from Ina Garten. This was my attempt to make her gruyere omelet. It may not have come out picture perfect, but it did come out pretty delicious! This makes a great simple supper with some protein and toast on the side.
I think this was one of my favorite things that I cooked in 2024. A French Toasty kind of omelet that turns into a cheese stuffed omelet sandwich. It was such a simple thing to make and oh so delicious. I think I made it twice in one week. A splash of green tabasco to the finished sandwich was a great addition!
POTATOES
The potato has always been my favorite vegetable. I simply could not exist without potatoes. I love them in any way shape or form.
Out mother made beautiful, mashed potatoes. She always added a bit of minced onion to them. That was her secret ingredient. I have fond memories of watching her peel boiled potatoes in the summer months to make her special potato salad. When she made us pan fried potatoes we were in potato eating heaven. To this day it is a family favorite.
Here are a few other ways that we also like to enjoy them!
This is a pretty basic version of fried potatoes, using only salt and pepper as seasoning. You could also add garlic powder and or paprika. I added some paprika. I like the colour it adds to potatoes when you are frying them.
Basically it is like a potato hash, except it doesn't use already cooked potatoes. You peel and dice raw potatoes and add them to some hot fat, along with chopped onion and the seasoning.
Its delicious!
Mashed potatoes with warm milk, spring onions and butter beaten into them. It's so tasty. The Irish know how to do potatoes and do them well!
Comfort food, pure and simple. These go with anything, even on their own with just a slice of bread and butter. A delicious carb-fest!!
These Crispy Two Potato Tacos are one of my favorite things to eat. I adore Mexican flavours, and I adore potatoes, both the sweet and the white.
Combining the two, potatoes and Tex Mex flavours, is like a marriage made in Heaven! I just don't think you can get much better! I like to enjoy these with some green salsa and sour cream. I am in potato eating heaven when I make these!
Basically this is just cheesy mash baked in a casserole until golden brown! The casserole dish is well buttered and dusted with bread crumbs, so that you end up with a buttery crust on the outsides.
A butter brushed top guarantees the top bakes up crisp and golden brown as well. Delicious served on its own with pickled beets and buttered brown bread. Recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc. This is an all time favorite with me. The simple things in life really are the best!
This is basically just layered raw potato, fried onions and chicken stock. You don't even need to peel the potatoes. And you can adapt it up or down to serve as many or as few people as you like.
You just layer it all up in a baking dish and pop it into the oven. Simple and delicious. This goes with just about anything.
What are some of your favorite store-cupboard ingredients and how do you love using them? Things you just could not live without! Let's share! I really want to know!
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.jpg "Swiss Steak Rolls")
.jpg "ClassicCheese & Onion Sandwich")
.jpg "Perfect Deviled Eggs")
I agree with the staple foods you mentioned. I stock up when good tin tomatoes are on sale, so many things to cook with them. An uncle used to eat tin tomatoes on toast with a sprinkle of cheese. Of corse had to try it, and it was so delicious. Love mac & cheese with tomatoes too. Wonderful ideas.
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