What's This, What's This?

What is in your pantry? Part 1
Do you have basic ingredients to make a delicious meal? Every one knows the bare necessities are milk, bread and beer. But what are the bare necessities for a home chef? There is nothing worse than wanting to try a new recipe and realizing you don't even have half of the ingredients. Here is a list of ingredients that I find essential to make trying new recipes fun and hassle free. Nobody wants to buy a shopping cart full of spices all at once so next time your shopping try to pick up a few of things at a time so that eventually your pantry will be ready for any recipe!

 - SALT-

Everyone should have salt in the pantry. Before refrigeration, salt was used to cure meats to ensure there was food in scarce hunting seasons. The salt sucks the water out of the food and without water, bacteria cannot grow, there for making it safe to eat for much longer periods. Basically, use salt on everything, until told not too by a doctor.

- PEPPER-

Pepper adds flavor to any dish. Pepper is an important ingredient in making a good road house style steak. It is also essential in making a white breakfast gravy. I like to mix salt, pepper and oil with vegetables to make an easy salad.

 -FLOUR-

Flour is key for making many soups and sauces because it is a thickening agent.  It's also good to coat food with to add a crispy coating. Try adding seasoning to the flour first, then shake the food in the flour for extra flavor.

 -ONION-

I love to keep at least one onion in the fridge. I don't even like onions by them self but I still use them a lot. I typically dice them up and use them for stir-fry, omelets, soups, pot roast, meat loaf, sauces, you name it and I put onions in it.

 -GARLIC-

Garlic usually makes a dish. Use garlic almost any time you use salt an pepper. Think "main course" and garlic should probably be in it. Also, it makes vampires scared of you, and sometimes women if you eat it too much. Use the powder if you want to be more efficient.

 -CHILI POWDER-

Chili powder is great for Hispanic style of dishes. Use chili powder in tacos, quesadillas, chili and enchiladas. In Mexico, a taco is just food wrapped in another food. Try making up your own tacos, I like to wrap lunch meat in cheese or wrap a tortilla around smoked sausage.

 -BASIL-

I like to use basil in Italian themed dishes. Pretty simple.

 -CUMIN- 

Cumin is an Indian spice. I like to use it in soups and sauces to add a little spice.

 -GINGER-

Ginger is essential in making Asian themed dishes. Try adding a little ginger to some vegetables to make a tasty stir-fry. It is also goon on steaks.  

  -PAPRIKA-

Use Paprika as topping to casserole dishes. It not only flavor, it adds color to bland looking dishes. It's true what they say, you eat with your eyes. Some people use parsley, but at least paprika adds flavor. Paprika mixes nicely with salt, garlic and pepper for burgers.  

  - RED PEPPER-

I like my food a little spicy! Add to Italian sauces, even if you don't like spicy food; just use a little for the flavor.

 -ROSEMARY-

The brother to basil, rosemary is also essential to any Italian dish. When baking a chicken, add rosemary on top. Mix basil, salt, rosemary, olive oil and vinegar to make a marina