There are some things you will want in your pantry before starting to try these recipes. Now, I'm not saying that you should go out and spend a lot of money buying new stuff, especially if you end up hating this blog and leave wondering why that dumb bitch told you to buy all this stuff you never use. The other thing is this list is my list. After a while you may make your own list of essentials, or just add to mine. That's the beauty of it. I'm here to quell you fears about making your own food and get you going, then you take over the wheel.
Here's equipment that will make your life easier;
A good chef's knife:
You can buy a used one and have it sharpened by a sharpening dude. No need to spend your life savings on a Wusthof. (Although if anyone asks you what you want for your birthday keep that knife in mind.) Chopping garlic with a paring knife sucks, it will make you not want to do it at all.
Food processor:
Lots of things that I make are WAY faster if you do it in one of these wonderful things. Go on craigslist and see if anyone is getting rid of one. There's lots of kitchen stuff on craigslist, and often it's free free free.
Big soup pot with a lid:
I love one pot meals. This is another thrift store buy. Don't overdue the size, but it is nice to have one big enough so you get leftovers. Oven-proof with a heavy bottom is best.
Oven-safe casserole dish:
THRIFT SHOP. I always see a ton of these and for less than $5 each. Get two even, you'll use them for hot stuff and cold stuff too. Everything from mac and cheese to rice krispie treats go in these.
Good-sized frying pan:
I have a Lodge-Logic iron skillet that I use for everything. New, they cost anywhere from $30 - $50. I do have to say that these are hard to find used because people keep them for generations. If you don't want to spend money on that you can find a frying pan of 12" diameter or similar size to fit whatever budget you've got. I will say that this is another thing that you want to enjoy using. Non-stick is fine. Oven-proof handle is best.
Tongs:
Get them. You'll use them everyday.
BONUS MATERIAL:
A good vegetable peeler
Salad spinner:
It will change the way you think about salad. Makes dressings stick to every nook and cranny of your freshly washed and dried greens)
Microplane ( I just recently fell in love with this thing):
You could use a regular grater too, I won't think less of you for it.
Alright, that's the equipment corner. Now on to essential food ingredients i always try and keep at my disposal. The point is to use fewer ingredients to get lots of flavor. We'll use these things a lot.
Packaged Instant Ramen:
Pick your favorite flavor. Oriental has the least sodium (wink).
Canned tuna in water:
Unless you are buying the Italian tuna packed in olive oil, I fail to taste much difference between different brands. Buy what's cheap. The Italians are actually fishing blue fin tuna into extinction, so props to us for using the cheap stuff. That blue fin tuna is good though. Damn.
Todd's tip: Cats love the tuna water. Drain the water into their little cat bowls for a special treat. Don't overdo it though, one cat shouldn't get more than half the water in the can. Canned tuna is high in salt and can mess with their urinary systems. Or make them barf which is just as unpleasant.
Canned whole, peeled, tomatoes:
Go organic here if you can. I usually buy a buttload of organic tomatoes if I see they are on sale. Then I can scratch it off my list for a while and know I saved some cash in the long run.
Beans:
Canned or dried, beans will become your new best friend. They are rich in protein and so a great meat substitute. Poor folk don't eat a lot of meat, and it's no different here. Everyone has had bland, awful beans. We're gonna turn that stigma on it's head.
SOAK dried beans at least 6 hours before using them. I always try and remember to put them in water the night before I plan to use them. Otherwise, you'll get the toots.
Pasta:
We'll learn how to make fresh pasta, but dried is easier most of the time. Pasta making is really fun with some other people so you can save that for a group activity.
Good cheeses:
Now here is a place where you will see me spending some money. There is just no substitute for a good parmigiana. Freshly grated, man, you could eat horse shit if it was sprinkled with that. I also keep a big block of sharp Tillamook cheddar in my fridge. You can get mega-blocks at Costco, or semi-mega blocks for about $8 at FoodMaxx or Safeway. Feel free to buy the cheap brand cheddar, but I know you'll come back to the Tillamook.
Black olives:
Cheap. Tasty. They are cheaper if you buy the whole, pitted black olives in the can and then chop them into pieces yourself.
HOT SAUCE:
I'm a big fan so I have a couple kinds. Frank's Red Hot, Tapatio, and Sriracha are my go-to friends.
Bay Leaves:
We'll use these in stocks and sauces.
Salt and Pepper:
Freshly ground black pepper is always better. Salt? If you had asked me a year ago what salt to buy I could have given you a two paragraph response. These days I just use whatever I have. We'll talk more about salt variations later, but for now if you have a carton of Morton's table salt you're golden.
Fish Sauce:
Made from fermented fish, this Phillipino treat adds UBER flavor to whatever you put it in. Don't be afraid.
Paprika:
I use it in salad dressings and egg salad, which I make a lot of.
Pepperoncini:
Little dried red pepper flakes that you're probably used to seeing as a pizza topping. I just grab a couple extra packets when I go for pizza and hoard them in a jar in my pantry. Italian cooking uses these chili flakes.
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
Mayonnaise
Mustard:
Choose one you like. I'm a dijon fan and it's way versatile. It ain't just for sandwiches.
Okay, now a word on fresh stuff. My partner and I get a produce box from CSA delivered to our house every two weeks. I'm a big fan because it's fresh produce at my door and it cuts down on my shopping trips. Ours is about $30 per box. The rest of our produce is bought at the Richmond Farmer's Market on Fridays. I like to buy seasonally. It's cost effective for the farmer and for me. You know, what you are paying for when you buy peaches in the winter is the shipping cost from Argentina or wherever the hell they come from. Try to buy only as much produce as you will need in the week. Otherwise it might go bad. Don't buy things you know you won't like in a valiant effort to change your eating habits. If Americans actually ate as much as they bought the food industry wouldn't need the mass production they do and our land fills wouldn't be as overflowing with refuse. I know, I know, we compost now but it's still waste.
Anyway, here's a list of produce I like to have that keeps for a relatively long period of time.
Onions (2 - 3)
Garlic (2 - 3 cloves)
Celery (put one plastic bag on each end to wrap it up)
Carrots (4)
Potatoes (4. Russet or Yukon Gold are great)
Everything else you can buy when you need it.
I'm going to start with my Mexican type meals. I live in Richmond, it's easy for me.
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