Pantry, Fridge and Freezer Essentials

Ever wonder what you should always have available in your pantry, fridge or freezer at any given time? Well here is my practical list of items, I keep on hand, that I actually use in my recipes.

SPICE RACK:

Cayenne pepper

Bay leaves

Ground cinnamon

Sweet paprika

Dried rosemary

Crushed red pepper flakes

Dried thyme

Dried oregano

Kosher salt or Sea Salt

Black peppercorns

Steak Seasoning

Chicken Seasoning

Blackened Seasoning

PANTRY:

Apple Cider Vinegar

Red Wine Vinegar

Distilled Vinegar
Red Wine

Sugar

Brown Sugar

Flour

Various Dried Pasta

Pasta Sauce

Roasted Red Peppers

Garlic

Onions (yellow, white and red)

Lemons

Chicken Broth

Beef Broth

EVOO

Vegetable Oil

Tuna

Rice

Various Canned tomatoes

Bread Crumbs

Baking Soda

Cornstarch
Cereal

Potatoe

FRIDGE:

Soy sauce

Tabasco sauce

Ketchup

Worcestershire sauce

Maple syrup

Mayonnaise

Dijon mustard

Yellow mustard

Milk

Unsalted butter

Large eggs

Cheddar cheese

Bacon

Sherry Wine

White Wine

Pepperoncini

Pickle Relish

Balsamic Vinegar

Parmigiana Cheese

Fresh to have on hand with weekly shopping:

Parsley
Cilantro
Rosemary

Basil

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Mushrooms

Shallots

Scallions

FREEZER:

Nuts (almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, etc., keep your nuts in the freezer, nuts have oils in them and this helps them from not rotting)

Frozen vegetables (broccoli, corn, peas, spinach, etc.)

Frozen fruit (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.)

Frozen Chicken (Skinless Breast, Thighs and drum sticks)

Ground Hamburger

I know it appears to be overwhelming, but most of these items keep for a really long time and you can make almost any recipe with these items. Usually you will have to just pick up a few items in the store to make most dishes (at least rachel ray dishes).