What's This? What's This?

What's in your pantry? Part II

This is my list of recommended items necessary to efficiently try new recipes at home. With these items, you should be able to try just about any basic dinner recipe. Don't forget about all the items listed in part one as well, it's kind of important.

I included a funny little story about my Uncle Wayne tricking me into eating a jalapeno too!

 -OLIVE OIL-

Oil is important for making marinades, dressings and frying food. Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the healthiest and has the best flavor. Peanut oil or even vegetable oil is better for frying foods.

-BUTTER-

USE REAL BUTTER, NOT MARGARINE! Also don't buy salted butter, that is unnecessary.  

-WHITE RICE-

I love having white rice in the pantry. It goes great with veggies and is a healthy staple in your diet. Brown rice is "better for you", according to science. Unless your training for the Olympics, it's not that big of a difference and white rice taste better. 

-PASTA-

Not nearly as healthy as rice but is still better than something fat and greasy. If your trying to avoid carbs, stay away from this, but pasta itself is not that bad. It's the sauces and meat that people add with it that makes it unhealthy. You can do so much with pasta and still make it healthy.

-PEPPERS-

Call me Peter Piper if you want, but peppers can really spice up your meal. Even if its just a green pepper, it can add a lot of flavor and turn a bland meal interesting.  

        

             At about 14, When I was camping with my family, my Uncle Wayne offered me a  bite of a fresh jalapeno from his garden. I obviously turned him down, I didn't even have a drink handy to wash it down. He took a big ole bite out of it and said, "look it's not even that hot" as he chewed on it with absolutely no expression in his face. As if he was just chewing a piece of old tasteless gum. I thought, "if this old man can eat that pepper", I can handle it even if he is used to eating them. He probably knew I was real hard headed just like my dad and I wouldn't be able to resist such a challenge. I took the biggest meatiest bite out of the core of that Jalapeno and about seven seconds into crunching into the white seeds and the silky green skin, my mouth started to burn so bad I thought I was gonna pass out and throw up at the same time. I ran to the water hose and rinsed my mouth out until the tears from eyes dried up and I could see again. After, I figured out why it was so hot. He said, "I didn't say to eat the inside with the seeds".

So if you like the taste of hot peppers but not the heat, try taking the core out and just cook the outside because it's not as hot.

-CHEESE-

Cheese can be a topping or it can be the main ingredient. Try different cheeses to go with different meals like queso blanco with Hispanic meals and mozzarella with Italian dishes. I don't eat American cheese though, that stuff is not cheese, it's cheese product.