Living the Pantry Lifestyle

Regular salsa (middle shelf) and mango salsa (bottom shelf) are two favorites to have on hand!

Today's post will have to be just a tad shorter than I'd planned.  Our DSL was out when I had a chance to use the computer earlier.  There was a pop and a flash (I would have been worried if lightening was around) and everything had to be reset.  The DSL was still out when I had to leave for town.

I have a feeling there is a squirrel wake going on somewhere in the forest near power lines.  That is usually the cause of these quick on and off power surges.

But there is time to share some of my favorite pantry items that I keep on hand for when I want something "quick and unusual".  Below are three of them:

I love having the Target brand of Tikka Masala on hand, just warming it with a protein like chicken and serving over rice (in this case a really good instant brown rice my friend, Linda, gave me) makes for instant Indian food.

My Hubby doesn't care for Indian food, even if I slaved over a hot stove for hours to make it, so when I get a crave... this works best and it's very good.

I also usually have a brand of peanut sauce on hand, I usually use it with angel hair pasta (which is always in my pantry)... sometimes adding chopped spring onions when I have them in the frig.  Once again, I've found the bottled peanut sauces to be good and since such food is not Hubby's favorite... I do not make them from scratch (albeit peanut sauce is not usually complicated).

These products, as well as the Target brand mango salsa and the other regular salsas I purchase also tend to be free of a lot of the yucky preservatives.  At least for now...

Did you read the online article recently that stated scrambled eggs at McDonald (just the scrambled eggs, nothing with them) have nineteen ingredients?

The Trader Joe's Flower Pepper was one of the gourmet foods inside my Wedding Recovery Box from my "blog daughter" last year... that being Heather. It contains only peppercorns and edible flowers and comes with a built in grinder.

I had been using it only on special dishes but when we ran out of peppercorns, I thought I'd use it temporarily until I could go to the store.  That is until Hubby decided he LOVES IT!  Go figure... the same man who teases me about growing nasturtiums.  It is really good.

My only issue with it is this... Trader Joe's is a destination which takes me into THE CITY and not an easy route, either.  I've decided I don't like to drive anywhere that is big enough for an International Airport.   But right now there is plenty left.

Heather's Wedding Recovery Box was so much fun to receive and to enjoy.    It's hard to believe it has been over a year now but I do remember as soon as we returned to our home after a long day, I changed into comfy clothes and opened that box!  It was like an instant vacation.  :)

Next week I hope to have time to add some links I've found interesting these past couple of weeks.