These are strange times we’re living in, but those of us who are proficient home cooks know that you don’t have to hoard to make it a week or two without hitting the grocery store.
The secret behind being able to put dinner on the table, fast, and every night, not just during a pandemic, is to have a well-stocked pantry.
My pantry does not include canned soup, per se, but it does have plenty of boxed broth. I always have a stash of boneless, skinless chicken (thighs and breasts) in my freezer. They’re versatile and easy to prepare. Hard cheeses, like parmesan, keep for a long time, so when they’re on sale, I buy an extra brick.
Did you know you can freeze butter? It’s another good item to buy several of when it’s discounted.
I’m not big on most frozen vegetables, but corn and peas in particular don’t turn out mushy after freezing.
Here’s a list of items (besides flour, sugar and other obvious things) that I keep in my pantry, and six easy recipes you can make with what I always have on hand.
DRY GOODS
- Pasta, in several shapes
- Rice
- Chocolate chips
- Oats
- Cornmeal
IN THE FRIDGE
- Parmesan
- Eggs
- Butter
- Bacon
- Tortillas
CANNED GOODS
- Salsa
- Canned tomatoes — whole, pureed and diced
- Black beans
- Chicken stock — I like the stuff that comes in 1-cup portion sizes for recipes
IN THE FREEZER
- Corn
- Peas
- Boneless, skinless chicken
RECIPES:
Slow-Cooker Chicken Taco Meat
This recipe is a staple in our house. Often, it’s the base for tacos one night, rice bowls with black beans the next night, quesadillas another night, and so on. I use frozen chicken, but you can use fresh if that’s what you have on hand, just decrease the cooking time by an hour or so.
It’s also much easier than hitting a drive through.
2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken meat, frozen
1 cup jarred salsa (use your favorite)
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place chicken in slow cooker and top with remaining ingredients. Set cooker to high for four hours or low for eight hours, or until chicken easily shreds with two forks. Shred chicken and serve with tortillas, cheese and your other favorite taco toppings, or in a bowl with cooked rice, black beans and cheese.
Buttered Milk Peas
One of my favorite side dishes, this easy recipe is a fresher version of the peas in milk that my grandmother used to serve me. If you don’t have lemon or fresh herbs, leave them out, and feel free to use whatever milk you have on hand.
Adapted from “The New Midwestern Table” by Amy Thielen
Serves 4
4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter, at room temperature
¾ teaspoon cornstarch
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 ½ cups shelled fresh (or frozen) peas (thawed, if frozen)
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil or 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and ½ tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
Stir one tablespoon of the butter with the cornstarch and set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the peas and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and cook until the peas turn bright green, about 1 minute.
Add the milk and cook until it bubbles in the center, about 30 seconds. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until the contents of the pan thicken and the peas lose their starchy, raw taste, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the lemon zest and herbs. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust if necessary. Serve immediately.
Classic Marinara Sauce
This takes just a few more minutes than opening a jar of pasta sauce, but it’s exponentially better. Leave out the basil if you don’t have it.
Makes 3 ½ cups, enough for one pound of pasta
Adapted from the New York Times
1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, certified D.O.P. if possible
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
7 garlic cloves, peeled and slivered
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon kosher or flaky sea salt
1 large fresh basil sprig
Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and crush with your hands or using a potato masher. Pour 1 cup water into can and slosh it around to get tomato juices. Reserve.
In a large skillet (do not use a deep pot) over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add garlic.
As soon as garlic is sizzling (about 30 seconds, do not let it brown), add the tomatoes, then the reserved tomato water. Add whole chile or red pepper flakes, oregano (if using) and salt. Stir.
Place basil sprig, including stem, on the surface (like a flower). Let it wilt, then submerge in sauce. Simmer sauce until thickened and oil on surface is a deep orange, about 15 minutes. (If using oregano, taste sauce after 10 minutes of simmering, adding more salt and oregano as needed.) Discard basil.
Cinnamon Roll Coffee Cake
Stress baking, anyone? This simple cake is great for breakfast or dessert.
Adapted from dinnerthendessert.com
For cake:
3 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1½ cup milk
2 eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
For glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoons water
Set oven to preheat at 350 degrees.
Mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder with a whisk. In a separate bowl mix the milk, eggs and vanilla. Mix the wet and dry together, then add in the melted butter. Mix until well combined.
Use baking spray to spray a rectangular cake pan, 9×13, then pour the batter evenly into the pan.
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together and spread evenly on the cake. Use a knife or fork to swirl the sugar and cinnamon into the batter.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and let cool completely.
Mix the powdered sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla and water until it is a consistency like pancake syrup.
Pour over the cake and it will set into a harder glaze. When set, cut and serve.
Farfalle with Crispy Prosciutto and Peas
Dinner doesn’t get much easier than this. Don’t have basil? Use dried or leave it out. Sub bacon for prosciutto if you don’t have it.
Serves 4
Adapted from “Dinner Illustrated” by America’s Test Kitchen
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
8 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces farfalle
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
3 ounces good parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups frozen peas
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add prosciutto and cook, stirring to break up pieces, until crispy, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer prosciutto to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving fat in skillet.
Add red pepper flakes, onion, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the fat left in the skillet and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.
While sauce cooks, add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water, then drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and return it to the pot. Add peas, 1/4 cup reserved cooking water, sauce and 3/4 cup parmesan to pasta and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt, pepper and extra oil to taste. Serve, sprinkling individual portions with basil, prosciutto and remaining parmesan.
Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Everyone has their favorite cookie. This chewy-crisp classic is mine. The browned butter adds a superb depth of flavor. Leave out the dried cherries if you don’t have them.
Adapted from thepioneerwoman.com
Makes 4 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract)
245 grams (or 2 cups) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Add one stick of butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Allow it to melt and bubble up for 3 to 4 minutes, swirling the pan to keep the butter moving around. When the butter is a medium golden brown, remove the pan from the heat (it will continue browning in the pan over the next 30 seconds or so.) Pour butter (and any solids in the bottom of the pan) into a heatproof bowl and allow it to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Cream the other stick of softened butter together with the brown sugar and regular sugar in a stand mixer at medium speed. Add the eggs and vanilla bean paste, and beat until smooth, scraping the bowl if necessary to make sure everything is incorporated.
With the mixer on medium-low, slowly drizzle in the cooled melted butter, making sure to add all the darker brown solids. Scrape the bowl the bowl and mix again for 20-30 seconds, until everything is combined.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, coffee granules, baking soda and salt. Stir together, then add it in 1/3 increments, mixing on low, until it’s totally incorporated. Scrape the bowl and beat for a few more seconds. Stir in the cherries and the chocolate chips.
In batches, scoop by heaping teaspoon (I use a mini ice-cream scooper to make consistent sizes) onto a baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Wait a minute or two, then transfer cookies to a cooling rack using a thin, metal spatula.
"easy" - Google News
March 17, 2020 at 09:42PM
https://ift.tt/2Ujy7VI
Stock your pantry and cook these easy recipes while you’re stuck at home - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
"easy" - Google News
https://ift.tt/38z63U6
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Stock your pantry and cook these easy recipes while you’re stuck at home - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press"
Post a Comment