Pantry talk: When creativity counts

Chocolate cherry cake waiting for frosting

I've been thinking of a post about creativity in the kitchen for sometime now but when real life intervened... it was time.  That was when I wanted to make my chocolate cherry cake but did not have any chocolate chips to make the fudgy glaze.

I thought for a bit and stared at the recipe (which, unfortunately, did not make chocolate chips appear in front of me) and then decided to go ahead and make the cake but try it with my chocolate buttercream frosting instead.  Oh, yum... it was delicious.  A different taste and texture but quite good.

Having lived out of the pantry and now on a very tight budget, I know the value of being creative in the kitchen.  I'm sure part of it has to do with being a "pinch of this and dash of that" kind of cook (except baking must be more precise).  But it certainly helps to have an out of the box way of thinking when you are stretching the budget.

Here are a few lessons I've learned over the years of pantry life:

Knowledge is as important as stocking up - Knowing how to cook from scratch is essential to using the pantry wisely, not to mention cooking on a budget.  The more we do anything, the better we get.  So... one must often throw caution to the wind and try something new in the kitchen, especially when we have basic skills down pat.  Summer is a perfect time for this with all the fresh veggies and fruits available.

There is an alchemy to the kitchen... a chemistry of food... in which it is important to have a basic knowledge.  But that comes a little at a time and hopefully in the kitchen of a parent, grandparent, beloved neighbor, etc.  (If one is not fortunate enough to begin learning kitchen basics early, then it is really never too late to learn.)  The more we become use to putting food together, the easier it becomes to tweak the ingredients when necessary.

I like to have a good home library of cookbooks available so I can find instruction and inspiration.  I look for good cookbooks at library sales and such as well as using Amazon credit once in awhile for books about cooking or gardening (sometimes both together).  My taste in cookbooks has changed through the years and my shelves now reflect a combination of books about fresh foods and local cooking as well as my favorite Midwestern, Southern, Mennonite, Amish, etc. cookbooks.  Long gone are the gourmet books...

I truly have found that just one or two great recipes from a cookbook pays for the cost in the long run (and most have far more than one or two useful recipes).  I usually will look for a cookbook which has been recommended by a friend or blogger whom I respect and I know likes the same kind of recipes I do.  Except for library sales, online book sellers do seem to have the best prices.

Of course, now there are so many wonderful food and cooking blogs to learn from that were not available when I was learning to cook (I still am learning, though!).  My library also has shelves and shelves of cookbooks available to borrow for two weeks.  I have spiral notebooks that I write out recipes in while I have the books at home.  If I really like a library cookbook, it goes on my Wish List.

I took various cooking classes as a young wife and they have paid back over and over what ever money was spent on them back then.  Knowledge learned cannot be taken away (barring brain injury, of course) and all we know about cooking will come together to help us stretch our budget in the long run. 

My local gourmet shop offers classes in all kinds of ethnic cooking, knife skills, tea time cooking, cake design, etc. While I didn't take any of them, I thought they were very reasonably priced.  One could learn to make Indian food for the price of a couple restaurant meals.

The more you know about cooking and baking and decorating cakes and gardening and interior design and landscaping and cleaning and sewing and knitting and painting and making stuff with kids and taking care of pets and all those aspects of the job of homemaker... the easier it is to create on a budget.

Good equipment is important to good cooking - I do know our grandmothers were able to get by with a couple good iron skillets (and I do have two sizes of wonderful iron skillets) but I must say when I make a sauce in my All-Clad saucepan... it is heavenly. 

My local gourmet kitchen store puts one piece of All-Clad half price each month and I used some of my income from a seasonal job for it a few years ago (when I could still work part-time).  I expect it will be in perfect condition for Elisabeth to inherit!  I bought a couple nice Cuisinart pans with that same paycheck.

I have really good cookware, knives, etc. mostly because I budgeted for them or asked for certain items at Christmas and for birthdays through the years.  Thankfully, for the past few years I've found some great items while thrifting or at garage sales since such expenditures are no longer in the budget.

Cooking with cheap equipment makes as much sense as building a house with tools from the dime store  Bad cookware makes bad cooks.  Not to mention... a homemaker needs reference books just as an architect or other creative professional.   This becomes even more evident as we must make a home in the midst of shortages and rising costs.  It can all be done... the building of an excellent cookbook and home making library... a little at a time.  :)

Develop new skills - Decide to learn something new, at least once new skill a year!  I'm determined to finally use my pressure canner.   Re-learning old skills will be like gold in the bank... I'm convinced of it.

Concentrate on the basics and know what is on the shelves - Which means we have to be... ugh... organized.  Really, really organized when it comes to our pantry.  We need to know what we have and how much and use the oldest dates first.  There needs to be a master list (mine is in the Scrapbook Journal) of what we would like to have in our pantry as well as what is essential.

I do not have the ability to keep a deep pantry, anymore.  Funds are getting more scarce all the time.  So that means knowing the essentials and having them on hand is even more important... such things as flour, sugars, butter (in the freezer), other baking supplies, canned tomatoes, pasta, ingredients for specific casseroles, etc.  The essentials will be different for each family, of course.

I was able to think of the chocolate buttercream frosting because I knew I had those ingredients on hand.  Having basics on the pantry shelves certainly encourages creativity and sometimes I like to include a few unusual items.  That's how I started making middle eastern food... adding tahini and new spices to the pantry.

Deepen the pantry as much as possible - That is, to what extent your family decides to deepen their pantry and what is affordable.  But if you get used to a pantry lifestyle, then you begin to notice the cycle of sales and bargains... stocking up on sale!  You will save money if nothing else.

However, if there is any emergency... if there is a problem with the the supply line of food... if there is bad weather and shortages... if there is a significant and long term job loss... a deep pantry is insurance you can eat.

Follow the delights of your heart - People come and go from this blog all the time.  Numbers go up and down (thankfully up a lot more than down!).  I know that the people who read Coffee Tea Books and Me regularly have the same passions that I do about life, Faith, family, friends, books, tea time, etc. but the one subject I hear about the most that people love to read about is... the pantry posts.

I believe that is because God is placing within the hearts of those who will listen (and most often the women in a family) the desire to stock up and learn new skills.  There is a reason for that.  I'm not sure exactly what it is... it could be the economy or the food shortages due to bad weather or any number of things in the world today... but God is definitely at work in the hearts of like minded people.

If nothing else, I hope you get encouraged to learn all you can and stock up on what is possible and know you are not alone.

Note:  This post is being written really, really fast as there is much to do in the real world of cooking and gardening and laundry and making certain Miss Victoria does not get out to chase the squirrels.  Please disregard any typos and grammar errors.  ;)

The pantry lifestyle (Repost)

As I've put together pantries through the years, thought about them, studied other people's pantries, etc... I have come to the conclusion that there is a pantry personality.  I know in my case it was inherited but some seem to have caught it as one finds themselves with a cold after spending time with a sneezing friend.  Either way, it's not a bad gene to have been birthed or caught.

One develops a stocking up way of thinking and after many successes and failures, comes to know what works for their family and... what does not.  A person with the pantry gene finds it hard to pay full price for a can of tomatoes or deboned chicken breasts for they are always on the hunt for the stock up sales, knowing these two items have a rotational sale calendar.

Their purchases are made when that certain price shows up in the grocery store newspaper section.  Other items are more elusive in their stock up prices so an extra can or two or jar or two or sack or two... whatever... find their way in our grocery carts when we have a little extra grocery money to work with... such as the large size of mild olive oil.

Sometimes it requires a lot extra with the co-op orders for those fortunate enough to have one in their community.  One may be eating out of their pantry as they fork over that $100 (or more) check but the return is much like a garden where one plants a seed and ends up with dozens of zucchini.... when the 25 lb. and 50 lb. bags of grains arrive, along with all natural raw sugar, honey, and other basic ingredients... one feels much like the pioneer women of old as they pour enough oats for the entire season in their waiting buckets.

The pantry lifestyle manifests itself in the way we love to cook as we tend to shop the pantry to see what is available and in the cookbooks we peruse.  While I love glossy cookbooks and I do enjoy getting caught up in the occasional long recipe... I find myself stopping most often at the recipe which is simple and based on ingredients I normally keep on hand.  I love to find new recipes which use pantry favorites.

I have found ethnic cookbooks with real and not Americanized recipes to be treasure troves of simple and inexpensive ideas.  So are cookbooks with stories by those closest to the dirt... farm men and women, Amish and Mennonite ladies (especially their mother's and grandmother's passed down recipes), regional cookbooks, whole foods cookbooks, etc.  

There are many new-ish cookbooks out today inspired by the return to locally grown non-processed foods... such as those by Jamie Oliver... albeit their recipes may not all be inexpensive but the simplest among them are (not to mention they provide great ideas from which one can piggy back and steal borrow).

I must admit my pantry has changed through the years just with the various stages of our life.  Since most of my cooking is done for hubby and I these days, you will find more bean (and other legume) dishes on the table. Christopher does not like most beans although I believe it is the texture of most he does not like because he is crazy about hummus and tolerates a few black beans in burritos and tacos.  :)

Since we are having many more vegetarian meals, the pantry lifestyle has come to include a small garden.  It definitely is time to bring back the Victory Garden and the enemy is the rising cost of food everything... and plastic tomatoes in winter.  Our small backyard garden provides seasonal fresh veggies and much needed exercise.  Each year I am surprised by how much even a small garden can produce. 

Thanks to my son and daughter (and their friends), I have been introduced to a variety of ethnic foods and spices which make my heart sing and often my pocketbook, too, for many tend to be fully vegetarian or use small amounts of meat.  I often smile when using cardamon, coriander, garam masala, and even simple garlic or ginger for these were foreign to my mother's kitchen (garlic powder and ground ginger, yes... real garlic or ginger, no).

Of course, having that pantry gene colors every area of my life and when you combine it with the inherited (and now refined through the years) thrift gene... well, it is an adventure waiting to happen... and skills we all need more of in this season of food shortages and increasing costs.  There is always something new to learn or long unused skills to dust off and bring back.

I have learned not to put off basic skills until I may need them later (baking bread, gardening, canning, and all kinds of important "from scratch" skills) for we become better at everything we do the more we actually do it.  At least I learn better from hands on experience.

Have you ever been handed down a recipe from a mother or grandmother and wondered why it does not taste the same when you make it?   After years and years of cooking, I have come to realize a large part of a recipe is not shown on a card or typed in an e-mail... it is the experience in making the dish.

I've been thinking of this as Christopher wants some cooking lessons before moving into his own apartment (with friends) come August.  How do I get him to understand the importance of browning the meat before making the soup or how bread feels when it has been kneaded enough or when to take the skillet off the electric burner and just let the omelet set a few minutes or what a cake looks like in the oven when it is done?  All skills needing practice.

Actually, I have enjoyed learning the old skills in this modern world.  I started making bread when we lived in Married Student Housing at the University long long ago... and continued from there (wishing I had learned even more through the years!)

Rather than letting ourselves get all upset about today's fiscal realities, we can do what the women of old did as they rolled up their sleeves and decided they would not only survive but do so with a certain amount of... panache.

I was just reminding my husband recently, there is a reason the kitchens of the 30s and 40s were so bright and colorful... the women needed the cheerful surroundings in the midst of war and Depression... my kitchen fits in just fine as does my 2011 Victory Garden.  :)

A little pantry talk... stocking up and sticker shock

It feels like spring!  For the first time this season, I could go outside without a jacket and feel comfortable.  It has been a long... long... long winter.

Thanks for the suggestions about the cake mix combinations.  I have combined pumpkin and yellow cake mix before and a friend has served me a cake made with the spice cake-pumpkin mix.  Very good!  The base of the cherry chocolate cake on my recipe blog is German chocolate cake mix combined with a can of cherry pie filling.  I love having options for pantry meals and desserts.

I must admit, I've been a cake snob and usually like to make mine from scratch.  However, when I made a cake recently using a yellow cake mix and frosted it with homemade chocolate buttercream frosting... Christopher said it was the best cake I've made in awhile.  Sigh...  I may overlook the list of ingredients and keep Cool Whip in the freezer, too.  ;)

This past week has brought two phone conversations about the price of food and stocking up. One of my best friends called earlier today, my friend who lives in the desert in New Mexico.  She called with a question about yeast and ended up talking for over an hour about crazy weather, the small earthquakes they have been experiencing, and the need to be prepared for anything.

Their water situation is now critical so it may necessitate a move to another state.  She is always interesting to talk with, sometimes it is hard to believe we live in the same country with her surroundings so different than mine.

Speaking of yeast... a quick answer to a question I'd forgotten about!  I use Saf-instant yeast, purchased in 16 ounce blocks.  I keep mine in the refrigerator in an ancient Tupperware canister except for just a little kept in a glass jar on my shelf to keep at room temperature for immediate use.  My yeast has lasted two years in the refrigerator this way.  Stephanie uses the same yeast and she keeps the block in the freezer before opening it (also refrigerating it once it is open).  This yeast has never failed me!

The second conversation about food and such this week was with said daughter... talking about keeping a family of seven fed at a reasonable cost.  We agreed we both need to look at ways families stretched meals in the past.  For instance, when I was growing up there was often bread on the table, especially when Mom was serving a crowd.

My mother-in-law also served bread with each meal (both mothers went through the Depression when they were very young).  Italian cooks prepare lots of inexpensive pasta and French families learned to love snails.  I am happy to make healthy bread and serve good quality pasta but not so much the whole "snails as food" thing.

The conversation with Stephanie was hours after I'd arrived home from Wal Mart and had sticker shock at the price of food... at Wal Mart!  I had read the article by the Wal Mart executive who said their prices would increase sharply come summer.  It is not summer and I'm already shocked.  My husband had given me $40.00 to purchase a few items we were out of and even though I'm good at stretching the grocery dollar... it didn't go very far.

The cost of a gallon of gasoline is around $4.25 a gallon here and that certainly hurts us all!  I can't imagine what it means to the trucks carrying food and supplies as diesel fuel is often more expensive.  No wonder cauliflower was nearly $4.00 a pound the last time I looked for it at Kroger (and did not buy it, I may add).

Christopher took me out to lunch recently and the same lunch that cost us just $12.00 a few months ago now cost over $18.00.  He was telling me it was the first time he had been there since the prices had raised but he knew it was coming, they had to just to keep the restaurant open.  Even then, he was surprised at how much the increase was for the same amount of food.

In many ways, this reminds me of the years I was a new bride and inflation was playing havoc with our budgets.  But it also has that feeling of what my mother talked about in the Depression.  At least in the 70s, the wages usually were increasing at the same time... not so for most people now and one in ten Americans is still out of work.

So... now that I've depressed everyone... what am I trying to say... again.  :)

Everything we can do to stock up a little (or a lot) will save us money down the road... and it is insurance we can eat.  I had to overcome the inability to stock up very much and realize anything I do helps in the long run.  I've also decided to do my own fight against inflation by looking through cookbooks and such to see how generations made it through the Depression years ago... and how those with less opportunities do so today (for instance, in the More-With-Less cookbook).

Now... I must also do my part by getting the small garden planted, we had frost recently but the long term forecast looks warmer.  There is a break in the rain to hopefully get some hoeing done in preparation for planting.  Except for the raised bed with my herbs... all I am growing right now are weeds!

Picture:  Cookbook and apples; allposters.com

Pantry Talk... Priorities when stock up money is available

Last week I was sitting in the kitchen at a friend's house, sipping coffee and chatting about such lighthearted subjects as the condition the world is in these days, food shortages, rising gasoline prices, and inflation.  Thankfully coffee, a few tea cookies, and good company made such topics easier to swallow... literally.  :)

My friend asked me given the fact I can only stock up when we have extra income (such as tax refunds or when hubby gets a week's work at the bookstore), then what are my priorities.  I thought for awhile and named a few items but then I had to tell her that was a great question that I'd have to think about and turn into a post.  Here I have written on the subject of deepening the pantry since the mid-1990s and I couldn't think of a list off the top of my head.

I did tell her that I prioritize those items I know are quickly going up in price because they are imported... like coffee, various sugars, etc.  I would make sure I'm stocked up with flour regardless of inflation but I do keep my ear open to Fox Business News when they talk about inflation and shortages and there is a lot of talk now about the wheat crops suffering this year... so wheat and flour become a priority (remember just two or three years ago when wheat products went sky high due to bad weather and poor crops?).

Even though I grind wheat, my son and I like a little unbleached flour in the mixture when I make bread.  My husband?  He could eat sawdust, which is what we call the Ezekiel bread he buys from the health food store on Senior Citizen Discount Day.  A former doctor recommended it to him for his health... blech.

I shared with her a few things I do when I know I'm going to be able to stock up a little.  First, I have a priority list already written out and ready to remind me of some items when I make my grocery list, it is in my scrapbook journal but it has also been taped inside a kitchen cabinet before.  I use that basic list as I look at what I already have on hand and what needs to be replaced (such as old spices) or repurchased (those essential items I'm out of or have just a few left).

The second thing I do is to look through newspaper insets to see what is on sale at the various stores.  For instance, I look to see what is on a 10 for $10 sale (especially frozen veggies that cost a lot) and buy-one-get-one free sales.  A reminder here... it is not a good idea to stock up on anything before trying it once.  Ask me how I know?  When I'm in town close to where the discount bread store is located, I like to stop by and see what they have... at huge savings.  If wrapped carefully, bread freezes well.

The third thing I do is to look through the recipes I'm making the most in the current season.  I told her I always need to have canned tomatoes on hand because they can be used to make all kinds of recipes.  The same with high quality pasta (I've had dried pasta last two years when stored properly), some soups, canned fruit, canned and dry beans, and even items like salsa (which can be used in more ways than just Mexican food).  That list will be unique for each family.   If I have everything I need to assemble various recipes, then my pantry is servings its' purpose.

I also prioritize money for those items I can only purchase in a particular season.  I try to buy all my honey at one of the two local farmer's markets in summer or early autumn.  Most of it from the "Honey Guy" we've purchased from for years at the main market but we also purchased last year from an Amish couple at the smaller farmer's market (along with maple syrup from their trees).  I'm hoping to do some freezing and canning of fresh fruit this year if possible, purchasing in season.

Another reason I plan by seasons when I can stock up is preparing for holidays and birthdays (especially important when one does not have a weekly income).  During Thanksgiving and Christmas, so many items used for baking go on sale so I will budget money on these more than any other time of the year.

I am so happy we purchased a chest style deep freeze when I was still able to work at the beginning and end of semesters.  There were three sizes available and we bought the middle size (I'd suggest the larger size for any family with children and/or a big garden).  Chest style freezers are still comparably inexpensive and it is so good to be able to purchase meat on sale when I can do it.  I have read they are the most energy efficient, although a stand up refrigerator style freezer is easier to keep organized (or so I've heard).  :)

Even given our recent financial drought, I still have some whole chickens in the freezer, a few packages of veggies, and I just used the last of the bread I'd bought on sale.  I have friends who store their grains in their freezers.  In colder weather, I like to have everything needed for soups, stews, etc. in the freezer and in hotter weather I am more likely to stock up on deboned chicken breasts and such when on sale.  I also buy butter on sale and freeze it.

Another area of stocking up we should always consider is a true emergency preparedness food stock up... those things to keep on hand which would be available if there is no way to get to the grocery store and an assumption is made that there is no way to cook (such as after a natural disaster) as well as water.  My husband teased me when I stored a few gallons but he wasn't laughing when we were without electricity for awhile and our well pump couldn't work...

There are always the usual foods like crackers, graham crackers, peanut butter, Nutella, nuts, granola bars, etc. but I've also learned to think out of the box in this area for items like salsa, summer sausage (goes on sale during and after holidays), canned meat, etc.  I'm always writing down what I see that would be good for the pantry.  There are so many more choices of shelf stable foods these days than ever before, from taco shells to milk to tofu (have you ever tasted soft tofu whipped up with melted chocolate???).

These days I've been thinking of substitutes for more expensive items and what can be left out of a recipe and still have it taste great.  For instance, I love dill pickles on my sandwiches and recently I switched from my favorite Vlasic brand to Great Value and didn't notice a difference on the sandwiches.   I've found most store brands and most items at Aldis to be very good.  I do prefer the better qualities of pasta but on sale they are the same price as the cheap stuff.

Recently on a frugal living blog, the writer mentioned they had found a great coffee and the reader wouldn't believe what it was... we were very skeptical.  But the next time I ran out of coffee we purchased the Great Value 100% Colombian coffee at Wal Mart she recommended and we could not believe it either... it is good!  It is far better than the other cheaper brands and "almost" as good as the pricier coffee.  As I've mentioned before, most of the time I make coffee in the regular coffeemaker and use the K-cups only when I can find them on sale... albeit the K-cups makes the BEST coffee.

Thinking through our pantry purchases also helps us prepare the containers for storage if needed.  I can assure you if I have a container ready to pour wheat into, it will be done quickly.  If I don't, the wheat will sit in the garage until I need to open it and/or I'm appalled to see little teeth marks in the bag... shiver.  We won't even think of it.  Just trust me on that one and have any containers you need ready (from food grade plastic pails to Zip Lock bags!).

The price of food can only go higher and from what I've been reading... there will be shortages of some items.  Using limited funds to deepen the pantry saves so much money in the long run and as I always say... it is insurance you can eat.  Even if you can only put back a little extra (like us), it is worth it.  My pantry is not very deep but it still helps to save money.  If you haven't made a pantry shopping list, do so soon.  It will help you prioritize!

Remember... for much more information I have lots of places you can go to under Pantry Links on the sidebar.

Please excuse any typos, I'm working quickly to post this today.  :)

The winter storm way of pantry planning

Oh, how I wish I had time to respond to all your comments!  Better yet, you were enjoying tea and Stephanie's lemon scones here in my living room.  Someday I will have another "Comments on Comments".  :)

However, I do want to talk about the comment regarding Glen Beck's latest show, advising people to stock up.  I didn't see it even though I had planned to tune in (family duties calling me elsewhere).  However, I know he has advised people to stock up on food and essentials since he was on CNN.  Yes, he is a Mormon and no... I am not (different theology, same feelings about stocking up).  ;)

Okay... here are my thoughts (and they are not in the canon of scripture so take them as just my opinion)...  I think we're in trouble with a capital "T" (name that movie?) here in this country.  Those of us who live on a fixed income are definitely the canaries in the coal mine and we have been hurting more as every month goes by.  Yes, we do depend on food pantries much of the time and we have watched those lines become longer and longer.

I have lots and lots of good links on the sidebar, should you want to learn more about stocking up but one thing I'm asked often is... "What are your priorities when you do have extra money which you use for the pantry?".

I think of what I'd hate to be without in case of a winter storm, the kind when you look outside and whiteout conditions are so thick that can't see your car in the driveway so... unless you're pregnant and the pains are five minutes apart... you stay inside.

Thinking of priorities for the pantry comes easily as I was raised by a mother who 1) went through the Great Depression, 2) raised her original seven children on nothing, 3) grew up in the country without a car, and 4) was paranoid that some disaster would befall us and if we had plenty of food in the pantry... at least we'd eat.

Which probably explains moi'... my poor family.  But I digress...

There are the obvious medical priorities such as my insulin these days but I always kept a prescription children's Advil on hand when Christopher was little (this was before it was available over the counter) as he was prone to very high fevers.  Migraine Strength Excedrin would fall a lot further down the priority list.

Toilet paper is obvious but one would hate to run out of garbage bags, especially if you depend on trash pick up by a company which will only accept the garbage in appropriate bags once they can get to your house.  I would hate to run out of laundry detergent or dish washing soap.

I once ran out of eggs when the trucks could not get "into town" after a blizzard so I'm usually well stocked with eggs.... they last for weeks and weeks if kept in their original containers in the refrigerator.  All baking ingredients are winter storm essentials (flour, sugars, yeast, etc.) and I like to keep extra butter stored in the freezer (slipped into gallon size Zip Lock bags).

Of course, I buy extra milk if there is a winter storm watch but I also keep at least one or two of the aseptic boxes of milk which can be stored on shelves.  You can't imagine how many times these have saved me during cooking and baking when I realized I didn't have milk in the frig. I do always have dried milk but when one is in the middle of a recipe...

When I think of a winter storm, I want to have on hand batteries and blankets and candles and matches and flashlights and things important should the electricity go out.  Which also includes food which does not have to be cooked on my electric range (and I don't plan on grilling in a blizzard unless it is to heat water for coffee).

Have you ever been in the grocery store during a winter storm watch and notice what foods are in the carts?  Along with milk and eggs, one almost always finds potato chips and cookies and donuts and ice cream and all kinds of comfort foods (including those alcoholic for those so inclined).  It is almost as if, when one is threatened by a storm, it gives one a free pass to bad nutrition.  At least that is my thinking when there is a box of Krispy Kreme in my cart.

What else do I consider of great importance with my budget?  Well, coffee and coffee and ummm... coffee.  Tea and a little sweetener.  Milk or cream for the coffee.  A French press for the coffee in case the power goes out.  Perhaps some hot chocolate added to the list.

When we have been hit by the winter storm of unemployment in the past, I was very happy I had extra books to read, videos (DVDs) to watch, and board games to entertain.  Having sewing and crafting supplies for projects on hand was such a blessing during these times.  If cotton fabric continues to rise in price, you will be happy you stocked up on quilting fabric... as if a quilter needs any encouragement to purchase fabric.

Personally, I see storm clouds on the horizon and I think any extra funds which are put into essentials are going to be a huge blessing in the long run.  If nothing else, they will be cheaper to buy now should inflation hit as those who are in the know and honest are saying (the two or three of them we can locate).

Like me, all you can do is what you can given what you have to work with... money, space, time... and leave the rest to God.  I can't do very much but I do have friends who have helped just as I used to be able to help others.

Do I think stocking up (when possible) is showing a lack of faith?  Absolutely not!  If it were, then Joseph would not be a hero and he said it was God who placed him in Egypt to save his people by "stocking up".

Now, if I hoarded food and got all ugly and never gave any to my neighbors who were out of work... then we're getting on the non-Christian side of thinking... but the Word says it is a fool who sees trouble coming and does not prepare.

We are to always remember that "perfect love casts out fear" and God will always take care of us but if He leads us to prepare for what may be ahead... and you have that "gut feeling" He is doing so... then develop the winter storm pantry way of thinking.  When you use an item or just think of it... knowing it is essential... write it down on a list you keep for such purposes.

Then, buy a little extra of what is essential.  Just deepen your pantry with what you already use... and remember a little at a time is better than nothing at all.  :)

Answer:  The movie was The Music Man

Picture: Sharing Grandma's Cookies; allposters.com

Why I believe in deepening the pantry

My original online experience was in emergency preparedness so I must admit to having quite strong opinions on the subject.  Which is why I dislike lists which tell you to purchase "this" one week and then "that" the following.  I know people who stocked up in such a way for Y2k and ended up tossing out or giving away expensive food because they stocked what other people ate and not what their family used.

(Speaking of Y2k, I have never understood why people mock those who stocked up for the possible problems when even the experts were uncertain if the original computer codes were corrected in time.  One buys insurance, hoping they never have to use it and deepening the pantry is simply insurance one can eat, if done correctly.)

I personally believe it is very important to deepen our pantry as much as we feel "led" to do so, understanding we all have limitations of available money, space, time, etc.  But not being able to do all we want should never stop us from doing what we can... speaking as one who is very limited in funds to spend as well as space.

But there is a difference between simply deepening our pantry, stocking more than we need for our immediate needs, then what would be termed food storage (ugh... which rarely works).  I learned that lesson from listening to people on my former website as they stocked up with food and supplies from the various lists going around online and in books and not from the most important list... that being their grocery list.

We do not store food just for an emergency, with the exception of some items one may want to buy for long term storage "just in case".  For instance, regular powdered milk has a very limited shelf life but the same powdered milk especially packed for long term storage will last for five to twenty years (often guaranteed for five years but some have opened after twenty year to find it useable).

The only "commercial" buttons I have on the sidebar are the Amazon widget and one that says Preparedness Pantry which is located immediately above my Deepening the Pantry links.  If you click on that "button" (which changes now and then to advertise specials), it takes you to Emergency Essentials, a company I always found a good place to order specially prepared food and emergency supplies.  I make no money from them, nor do I receive any credit... the button is simply there as a recommendation to those who want to order preparedness items.

I haven't ordered from them for years but they were then (and are now) known for exceptional customer service and quality (and there have been a lot of companies in the food storage business whom one could not trust).  If you are at all interested in some form of being prepared for any emergency, they offer not only food prepared for long term storage but various supplies which would be very welcome at such a time.

Another great company which offers unique items is Lehmans (link... here).  I have purchased oil lamps and lamp oil from them.  They just recently published a new catalog.  Lehmans sells to the Amish community as well as we "English".  :)

As I've written quite often, when you deepen your pantry with at least one "extra" item that you use all the time... you save money and time.  You are not running to the store in the middle of a recipe or at night when you find you are out of toilet paper or cold medicine!  Shudder...

When one decides to deepen the pantry so the family has enough in case of a job loss, natural disaster, man made disaster, etc., one simply continues to purchase more of the essential items until they have enough... and then they rotate by using the oldest first and the newest goes to the back of the shelves or whatever space has been allotted.

When I was able to deepen the pantry as I liked (having enough budgeted money and space), I would often have a year's worth of wheat since I purchased it only once or twice a year (and I do grind wheat for bread).  I would have a few months worth of oats for oatmeal and cooking, purchased from my food co-op in bulk.  I may have three months worth of canned tomatoes, pasta, flour, baking items, etc. which are the basis for my menus.  Then there may be a couple of weeks worth of some items which would be considered luxuries.

Before Y2k, I deepened my pantry more than usual and learned from the few mistakes I made at the time.  For instance, I stocked up on some processed foods which my family never eats and ended up giving some of them away while others worked just fine.  (My son and I actually like Spam... no, really... we do.) ;)

One of the recommendations in many books about stocking up is to purchase in bulk, which works fine for some but when one has a smaller family... it is not always the best.  I found out storing dried beans purchased wholesale did not work for my family but I used all of my beans purchased in meal size bags... go figure. 

While the power never went out, we did end up being unemployed and used just about everything on the shelves.  Having the pantry so deep meant we did not have to apply for food stamps, which at the time one had to go through Social Services who were not always the most favorable to homeschooling.  I don't know if they would have given us any problems but I was quite happy not to have an additional concern on top of unemployment.

I've developed a pantry lifestyle (having been raised with such a mindset from childhood) so it comes easily, even on an extremely limited budget.  I have my own list of priorities for the pantry, beginning with staples such as oil, butter (slipped inside zip-lock bags and frozen), baking supplies, coffee, coffee, coffee, tea, etc. through nonfood items such as paper goods, medicine, cleaning products, etc.  I do like to read lists on other people's websites, blogs, books, etc. for ideas I may have overlooked.

I've talked before about my friend in New Mexico whose grocery store shelves were nearly empty when trucks were rerouted to the Gulf after Katrina hit.  One would not expect to live in the desert and feel the affects of a Gulf Coast hurricane.  Fortunately, she is one who keeps a deep pantry and ran out of only a few essentials... and even then was quite upset she let their pantry get so low on those items.

I personally believe with our economy and so many other sections of our culture being rather unstable, everything we spend to deepen the pantry and prepare for any emergency will a good thing.  No one can do it all... but everyone can prepare even a little if we try to work around store sales.

Just this week, I was at Kroger and they had cream cheese on their 10 for $10.00 sale (mix and match with other foods) as well as Progresso soups 10 for $10.00.  So I stocked up on those two items even though it meant having less money for other grocery items I didn't need as much right then.  Except Edie's peppermint ice cream... I had to have some of that... really... it jumped in my cart.

Last week I purchased four cans of pumpkin for the pantry.  Next week I may notice flour is on sale and as I'm getting low on my supply, I may purchase two or three bags for the pantry. When there was more money available, I would notice my favorite King Arthur flour was on sale and purchase at least six bags (rotating for freshness, of course).

By having a priority list for the pantry and purchasing on sale whenever possible, it works so much better than seeing on a list that I am to buy veggies this week when none are on sale.  It also means I am prioritizing limited funds for what we need the most (I use a lot of cream cheese and I like to have chicken noodle soup on the shelf for when we have cold or flu symptoms and I don't feel like making soup from scratch). 

There are lots and lots of resources on the sidebar for anyone wanting to read more about deepening the pantry.  There are sites one can visit as well as links to articles by people who have stocked up for years on a budget.

I don't know anyone who has deepend their pantry with items their family eats (and products used) who was not very happy to have extra when it was needed.  Don't forget your furry friends when stocking up!

Added Note:  Of course, a wonderful frugal way to deepen our pantry is to garden and do our own canning and freezing and drying and smoking (ummm... that being smoking meat and fish and not other things one would grow at home).  ;)

Pantry Pics -- show and tell

 Finding places everywhere to dry herbs!

We're finally having a nice day here and what do I decide to do... organize the "shower pantry".  I should have taken a "before" picture... then again it is a good thing I didn't.

 Behind this shower curtain is...

 ... storage!

 I stole borrowed this idea from Manuela, turning an unused shower into storage space.  I have gorilla shelves in the garage for canned goods and such but this puts my plastic and paper goods inside where I can grab them easily when needed.

Victoria's kibble is in the plastic storage bucket...and she knows it, too.

The two wire baskets were Goodwill finds.  The bottom basket is upside down (to hold the top basket) but it can still hold two large packages of paper plates and one large package of disposable cups (all left over from my son's summer break car trip).

I inherited this yellow "pantry" from my in-laws.  My mother-in-law had this in her basement (holding laundry and cleaning products) and its' twin (which had been nicely refinished) in her dining room.

The refinished pantry is in the home of my brother-in-law.  My husband offered to refinish this one, too... Stephanie and I were both appalled at the thought!  We love all of its' vintagy yellow and red chippy paint.

It provides the perfect storage for my collection of condiments, spices, and baking products.

Hmmm.... I just noticed that sugar cookie mix which I bought months ago to try in a new recipe.  That may be my next baking assignment!

I hope you liked the interior pantry tour.  Since we live in a small house with no basement, we utilize any extra space possible.

Note:  If you are snoopy like me, all pictures can be enlarged by clicking on them.  :)

Pantry Talk: The winter pantry

When I ponder what should be in my pantry, I like to think back on what families considered important before they had electricity and refrigeration. Of course, this requires cooking within the season for the most part (frozen fruits and veggies being the exception in today's pantry). But God, in His wisdom, provided perfectly for each season of the year.

As soon as the temperatures remain cool, I stock root veggies... especially potatoes, onions, and carrots (the latter in the frig). Not only are they incredibly cheap, they form the basis of my cold weather cooking on a very low food budget. I follow my mother's lead with fried potatoes and onions a few times a week (with parboiled potatoes in the frig).

That is the only difference in the way we cooked the potatoes. I parboil the potatoes until "just tender" first and leaving their skin on (improves fiber as well as nutritional benefits) as they are sliced and sauteed with onions until the potatoes are golden brown. Believe me, these are not considered poor people food in our house.... or, should I say, financially challenged? :)

The colder weather draws one into the kitchen and the warmth of the oven. There is perhaps no better way to save money than baking at home. The Holiday season is the best time to stock up on many of these items. I don't bake nearly as much as I once did but I still enjoy making something special for the guys once in awhile... and we give baked goods for gifts.

My winter pantry includes being prepared for bad weather. I remember running out of eggs when we lived "in town" and only blocks away from grocery stores... all because the trucks could not get in and out due to heavy snow... for a week! I now like to always have a few dozen eggs in the frig at all times and they last far beyond their expiration date when kept in their original cartons.

If my freezer is properly stocked (when funds permit), I like to have enough basic meat supplies to cover many of our usual cold weather recipes. You will also find extra loaves of sliced sandwich bread, frozen fruit, and frozen veggies. My freezer may also contain an extra turkey or two as well as a ham... all purchased at great sale prices during the Holidays when possible.

My winter pantry is stocked with canned tomatoes, good quality broth or stock, canned and dry beans, and other items used in the making of soup. You will also find stocked a few "cream of" soups as well as pasta to form the foundation of a throw together casserole. I still have a large container of oats my friend purchased for me from her co-op, before moving to Europe.

A couple months ago I found Progresso's traditional chicken noodle soup for a dollar a can and stocked up at that time. It has been so useful to have the canned soup on hand to open and heat while I have been sick. I almost always keep Campbell's chicken noodle and tomato soups on hand during cold and flu season. Yes, I prefer making my own chicken soup from scratch but not when I'm the one who is sick.

I've found it to be very important to stock the cold and flu pantry this time of year. I haven't been able to do that recently and found myself getting in the car around Midnight to buy Ginger Ale at the gas station where the county road meets the highway ($2.00!) when one of the guys was sick.

I normally stock ginger ale, diet Sierra Mist (for me), chicken broth and/or soup, oyster crackers (great for nausea), peppermint tea, our usual cold and flu medicines, tissues, etc. When I had very young children in the house, I also made certain to have Pedialyte. I'm not sure what doctor's recommend these days. :)

My winter pantry is almost always stocked with good tea and sugar free hot chocolate. I used to always have plenty of coffee stocked but the price of coffee has gone up so much (again) that I tend to only have one container going at a time.

Which reminds me... winter is a great time to have stocked the hospitality section of your pantry. With so many items being sold at Christmas which can be stored for entertaining, it is easy to put back items for unexpected company. How wonderful to be able to offer a treat along with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate when a friend drops by (or a planned get-together).

Cold weather is also the time I love taking favorite cookbooks off the shelf and choosing a few recipes to try... whether old favorites or new attempts... somehow one can just taste the outcome by reading them. The winter kitchen is a wonderful place to spend time.

There was a comment recently, asking if I can still stock the pantry as I write about. No. Not at all. But I did for years and years and years so I know how beneficial it is to have a deep pantry. I use items from the food pantry now and very nice friends of ours gave us canned goods for Thanksgiving and Christmas (nothing says Merry Christmas like canned goods).

We used to take the money I made by working the beginning and end of semesters at the bookstore to stock the pantry but I've been unable to work for awhile now. I wrote a series of pantry posts earlier this year about how I stocked the pantry. They can be found... here.

My wish for you this Season is to enjoy the wonders of Christmastime in the kitchen. This is the stuff memories are made of and these are the good old days our next generation will remember. :)

Picture: Christmas Glow; allposters.com

Pantry Talk: The Holiday kitchen as ministry (Part 2... kind of)

My further ponderings are once again about the kitchen as ministry. For hundreds of years, the knowledge that women were in the kitchen preparing delicious meals and treats during Advent brought smiles on the faces of family and friends. (In some homes, it was Dad or Grandfather who did the baking.) It has only been in the most recent generations that cooking "from scratch" has become a lost art in many homes.

I used to apologize about giving baked goods as presents until I realized people anticipated them each year. I have written about my own favorite childhood gift as my family would look forward to the homemade candy Bonnie's mother-in-law made each year. I've long forgotten most gifts received but I can close my eyes and almost taste that candy.

We may not reach the crowds like Billy Graham or minister to the poorest of the poor as Mother Theresa . However, there is something about the aromas coming from the kitchen that instantly bring comfort to others. We minister to our own family and friends when we offer delicious food, our best offerings of the Season.

There is a reason we love to look through magazines this time of year. So often the pictures are of beautifully set tables, or platters of decorated cookies and cakes, or scenes of loving family and happy friends enjoying food and drink. Perhaps not always reality... but images of what we would like our Holidays to look like.

This is the time of year to put on the apron and look through the spattered index cards for our favorite recipes, those which Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, or Christmas would not be complete if they were not on the table. How important it is to have traditions, those things "we always do" because we are "insert family name".

We all have certain menus or recipes which remind us of a grandparent, parent, friend, and other family members. It is not too soon to make the phone call or e-mail to ask (beg?) favorite traditional recipes from those who have prepared them for us year after year.

While this post is not a what... as in what items to stock up on in the pantry... I hope you will see the why. As you collect the butter, and sugar, and flour, and vanilla... or put together the breakfast casserole the night before... as you baste the turkey and stir the gravy... you are doing something much more important than "just cooking". You are creating fragrant and delicious memories for the years to come.

In a former neighborhood, one of the Dads made a pecan pie each year for friends. It has been nearly nine years since we lived at that address but my family talks about those pies every Christmas.

By placing the candy in a pretty container and cookies on a decorative plate, with a card reminding the receiver this gift is given with love, you are not only baking but offering a remembrance of Holidays past. You... the cook and baker... will not always understand the uniqueness of your gift... but most of your recipients are grateful for that which is homemade.

Never underestimate the delightful gifts of baked goods, home canned jars filled with fruit jams and jellies or pickles and salsa from summer's garden. Perhaps placed in a pretty basket with a favorite book or little New Testament to share the One whose Birthday we celebrate. He who is more than a memory. :)

Pantry Talk: The Holiday Pantry - Part 1

As I realized my thoughts about living a pantry lifestyle during the Holidays were buzzing around in my head and not landing, I figured it was because there were too many for one post (or my brain is too small, which is entirely a possibility). Here is... Part One.

When my husband was still able to work and bringing home an income, he almost always was paid every two weeks. So... instead of my countdown to Thanksgiving and Christmas being in days... it was in paychecks. That makes a huge difference in one's thinking and planning (especially if you are determined not to go into debt). Here are some ideas for the pantry lifestyle for early November.

Go through all your baking supplies and check the "use by" date. Throw away what is past the date, make certain to use those close to "use by" dates first, and add any items you need to this week's grocery list.

Check to make certain all your herbs, spices, and other needed items are fresh. I've found spices last quite awhile, I just add a little more than called for if they are not completely fresh. Herbs are another matter, they don't last as long (whether store bought or dried at home). Of course, whole spices last a very long time (I had coriander seeds last for years).

Make a list of recipes you know you will be making for the Holiday season. Include important meals, entertaining, baked gifts, other gifts using baking supplies (such as "cookies in a jar"), etc. This list may be ongoing as new recipes are found... This is also the time to call a family member or friends for a particular recipe.

Make another list, this time of all the ingredients needed for your Holiday meals. Start buying a little each week now... obviously with the items needed soon taking priority. The assumption is made that you have already gone through your pantry to see what you have and what you need.

Check not only the food items but those purchases which are not so obvious. For instance, if you are going to assemble "cookies in a jar" for gifts, you may need wide mouth canning jars and a small amount of Christmas (or vintage look) fabric for the lid.

Each week, take a close look at the sales flyers for each grocery store and watch for the seasonal loss leaders. When I had a regular income, I bought months worth of chocolate chips each Christmas season when they were the cheapest. This is the time of year when flour, sugars, and other baking supplies become very cheap... stock your pantry! By starting now, it will be possible to do so without adding a lot to your weekly grocery bill.

I would often start in October buying extra butter (I used to do a lot of baking!). I would put two or three in a gallon size Ziplock bag to offer extra protection. What I didn't use for the Holidays, I could use the rest of the year.

Also, stock items you use but are only available this time of year. For instance, I love cranberry bread but in my part of the country, cranberries are only available around Thanksgiving and Christmas (not even frozen!). I would buy one or two bags a week (more when they are on sale), stuff these two or three bags directly into a gallon size Ziplock bag... and have them ready for the rest of the year.

As you look through the recipes you plan to make over the Holidays, also note if there are any baking dishes (or serving dishes), tablecloths, etc. that you need to purchase or borrow. Some baking pans are available now which are not the rest of the year. I stored any dishes and baking pans I used only during the Holidays with the decorations in boxes.

While not a pantry object, this is also the time to watch sales for any clothing, shoes, etc. the family will need for an event. It is far better to check thrift stores or the preseason sales at the department stores than to be forced to pay full price later.

Having said that... if you can afford it, this is the time of year to pay full price if that is your only option. Even if it is only the purchase of brand new jammies for the kids each year... how special that makes it all. I love stories from the days when women wore hats. Christmas or Easter would be the time they would enjoy a new fashion.

I always looked for baskets and serving plates at thrift stores, garage sales, and Goodwill all year round to be used with gift giving. I was always amazed at the lovely linens, needlework items, doilies, etc. that I could purchase for very little money at the same time... which could be used to make a gift special. Lining a basket with a vintage linen or fabric makes everything look special.

I also always added one or more Christmas decorations each year. When we could afford it, I usually paid full price for one ornament or object that would be special and then always check the after Christmas sales for wonderful bargains.

It was like a Christmas present for myself the next Christmas season when I would rediscover my bargain (but beautiful) after Christmas sales decorations, to be used for the first time that year. :)

More later... I must ponder.

Picture: Apple Pie Harvest; allposters.com

Pantry Talk: Stocking the unique

Most of you know one of my favorite places on the Internet is Rhonda Jean's down-to-earth blog. I congratulate her for being chosen one of the five most influential blogs in the Asia Pacific blog awards. The last time I checked, you can still cast a vote for her. She is an excellent teacher for all of us wanting to live a more self sufficient life.

I got such a chuckle from her pantry post a few days ago... found here. It is a very good post about how she moves items from the stockpile to the pantry and I've already gone back and reread it again. I do something similar when I move items from the garage to the kitchen cabinets. She gives very good advice, it is well worth your time to read the post even if you don't keep a deep pantry.

However, what I thought amusing was the amount of the truly Australian product... Vegemite. I've heard of it before but I don't know what it is. It got me to thinking if there were any items I stock up on that may be unique to the way we eat or the area where we live. Kinda' like my parent's always stocking pickled pigs feet in their pantry.

I suppose I'm one of the only people I know who has lots of cans of SPAM. Christopher and I both really like it sliced very thin and fried almost crispy. My husband has about the same reaction to us eating it as we do when he eats over easy eggs served with grits... gross.

I always try to stock up on cranberries for the freezer each December. They are very American but then again, I know lots of people who do the same. I do buy Nutella once in awhile, I don't know why it hasn't become as popular in the United States as it has in other countries. It is amazing. No one else I know buys it, though.

I have a can of coconut milk in the pantry. There is a cake recipe I want to try that requires it so I bought it on a whim one day just to have on hand. Otherwise, I think my pantry is pretty boring.

The yellow chimney pantry holds all my spices and baking supplies. I did have some garam masala on hand so I could try an Indian recipe (as in... from India). I doubt any of my rural neighbors find that an important item in their pantry.

Is there anything in your pantry that would be considered unique, regional, or even just plain weird but you absolutely must have on your shelves?

Pictures: Photos of my yellow pantry taken last year. I inherited it from my mother-in-law. Stephanie gets it when I go to that great kitchen in the sky.

Pantry Talk - organics and gourmet foods (part two)

Inherited Victorian china
Thrifted napkin and napkin ring
Garage sale silver plated flatware
End of season clearance tablecloth

Click picture to enlarge!

I know I've already written about some of this... one could find the post somewhere in the Pantry Talks of the past three years. However, I don't know that I could handle going through three years of anyone's posts! :)

Today I want to chat about how our pantry truly can be the start of "gourmet" cooking and fine dining... add in a few great cookbooks and a collection of inherited or thrifted china (and candles... must have candles)... and viola', a meal as good as anything in the expensive restaurants.

I wrote earlier in the season about my quest for the small gourmet additions to add to the pantry. All are either very reasonably priced or on sale (or clearance) and added only once in awhile or when seasonally available. For instance, very good quality baking supplies often go on sale during the Holidays.

I learned to love fine dining back in my former life (basically the 1980s) when two of us were working and we had but one little girl who could enjoy having the silverware in the correct positions and drinking a Shirley Temple from a crystal goblet. Most often she would bring her current reading along with us when she tired of adult conversation.

The decision to "come home" (thus, cutting our income by a great deal) and later the birth of a very hyper little boy limited our fine dining experiences to birthdays and anniversaries. In the past decade, they have become even rarer, which is why I SO enjoyed the gift of dinner at the French Bistro when Stephanie visited this past spring (a gift from my son-in-law as well since his hard work paid for it). :)

That dinner reminded me of what I love about fine dining. That meal was perfectly cooked with the best simple ingredients in such a way one enjoyed every bite. There was no rushing through food that is so good and well prepared. The atmosphere was very bistro... less elegant and more classic... but very special.

That's why there is a gourmet section of my pantry, even though my grocery budget is ridiculously slim. They are the items which can add that "extra" to fresh veggies in summer and root vegetable in the cooler months... to create magic. Some are everyday items used in special ways, others are special items used in everyday foods. :)

My pantry is not as "deep" as it used to be but I always have a few boxes of organic chicken broth on the shelf (although they are gone now that my husband was on a liquid diet for a few days), one extra Grey Poupon harvest stone ground mustard, one bottle very good quality extra virgin olive oil (right now it is a small bottle of Lucini), a jar of capers, a few cans of organic pizza/pasta sauce (I add a can of Red Gold Italian tomatoes for use with pasta), a jar of chopped garlic for those times I don't have fresh and need garlic... just to name a few that comes to my mind right now.

Interesting spices give a lot of opportunity to add something different to all dishes. My mother never used some of those I enjoy now... coriander, cardamon, and smoked paprika just to name a few.

I keep real butter in the freezer. Although I use whatever good chocolate chips I can find on sale for most baking (Hershey's or Nestle's), when on sale I'll buy a few packages of Ghiradelli or Guittard to keep on hand when the chocolate chips are the star of the show (for instance, some fudge recipes and ganache). Of course, always real vanilla and other extracts. I like to keep a bottle of Key West lime juice on hand for key lime pie... it also works great wherever lemon juice is called for in a recipe.

It is so easy to have special items for baking to give cookies and cakes that pastry chef look. I purchased meringue powder earlier in the year but I haven't had a chance to use it for cookie icing, yet. I have all kinds of special colored sugars, sprinkles, cupcake liners, etc... all very inexpensive. Now that dried cranberries and cherries are more reasonably priced, I keep them on hand for baking and salads... as well as currents.

In the refrigerator, I keep lots of cream cheese as it lasts a long time and goes on sale once in awhile. It is there for baking and as a basis for dips of all kinds. In the freezer I try to always have bacon and those tiny peas (recommended by Nigella, whose pantry I LOVE to see on her show).

Then there are all the unique crackers and cookies. Regular cheddar or colby cheese become "uptown" when served with a special cracker or bread. Being a cookie connoisseur, I am not fond of most store bought cookies but Pepperidge Farm cookies are wonderful, as are some of the brands imported from England. One or two packages kept hidden from anyone with a carb attack is a frugal luxury to have on hand.

I hope to can a few jams and jellies as well as apple pie filling soon (some recipes on my recipe blog). All would make simple foods special. I always try to keep one container of vanilla ice cream in the deep freeze for a la' mode... anything.

I have collected lots of interesting baking pans on thrift store and garage sale excursions. For instance, a simple pound cake baked in a mini Bundt pan (or a big one) looks amazing.

When Stephanie was growing up, we often had candles lit on the table at dinnertime. I think we stopped that practice when Christopher was old enough to blow them out. However, pretty plates and candlelight makes even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (cut out with heart shaped cookie cutters) look beautiful.

A selection of pretty napkins and serving pieces can be found at thrift stores and Goodwill. I have a large selection of buttery soft linen napkins, all purchased while thrifting. I find the most gorgeous paper napkins deep discounted at Tuesday Morning and if anyone thinks they are too good for pretty paper napkins... they wouldn't be coming to my home, anyway.

Of course, all kinds of beautiful tea time items are available by thrifting. Perhaps because I am looking for them... I find them all the time. The most I've ever paid for a thrifted teapot was $7.00 at an antique mall for one I saw in a magazine six or seven year ago... I think it was Country Living. Most were much cheaper. I've also been given a lot of tea time gifts over the years.

Thankfully, tea has become so popular that one can find good tea for thrifty prices. I love Candy Cane Lane (which is a decaf green) and plan to stock up come the Holidays. This time of year I like to serve the original Good Earth Sweet & Spicy blend which is a cinnamon tea (they also have an herbal blend with the same cinnamony goodness). I find it easy to keep a few brands on hand that people would like, including Bigelow's Earl Grey Green and Green Tea with Lemon. It is available on Amazon if you can't find it at your grocery store.

The Folgers coffee I like is the new Folgers Brazilian coffee which is part of their Coffeehouse Series. I didn't like their "Gourmet" brands at all. The 8:00 coffee is pretty good and I actually liked the Dunkin' Donut coffee even though I saw bad reviews online. I like the Trader Joe's coffee but the nearest is in the "big city"... and I hate driving in it. I know Laine (of Laine's Letters) once wrote that she mixed expensive coffee with the cheap stuff for a good taste.

I believe allowing good cookbooks in the budget is money saving in the long run as they give spark to creativity. Great cooking is often just simple food assembled in various recipes and the cookbooks we love give us the permission to try something new... knowing it has worked for another before us. I have paid full price for a few favorites over the years but I find they become available used on Amazon for great prices after only two or three years. My local library book sales often have a large collection.

This is already a very long post but I think you can tell I am passionate about beautiful and "fine dining" done on a budget and ready to make with items in the pantry... and I didn't even get to keeping a pretty tablecloth in a picnic basket for that beautiful outside meal (which doesn't happen in our home now that there are no young children around) of cheese, fruit, and really good bread. :)

Pantry talk: Encouragement for the homemaking library

This post was sparked by a conversation I had recently with my son. He was telling me how his friends still talk about his graduation party last year, not only how much fun they had but that it had the "best food" of many graduation parties (most professionally catered).

Well, I had put that party together at the very last minute and mostly from the pantry. What his statement made me realize was that having stuff in the pantry alone is only part of the story... it was thirty plus years of learning and experience that made it possible to "cater my own party" (and Stephanie's wedding open house many years ago that we worked on together).

It all started long ago... as a young homemaker, I read an article that changed my life. No, really... it was that profound. I don't even remember which of the many authors I admire wrote it. What was said was this... we must view our role as homemakers in the same way we would any profession and budget time and money for "continuing education".

The author actually encouraged the watching of cooking and decorating shows (within reason, of course), as well as to build a homemaking library. She helped me realize budgeting for cake decorating... flower arranging... cooking... quilting... interior decorating... and perhaps even a few carpentry... classes was a good thing for they help me be creative and go far beyond day to day household maintenance as a homemaker.

How wonderful it was to be given permission to learn and to study... not only permission but encouragement to "sit at the feet" (so to speak) of those who have gone before me to learn how to be a creative cook... and baker... and homemaker... and home educator... and umm... gardener (we're still learning those skills). We become excellent at what we do over and over and to the extent we spend time learning the necessary skills.

Of course, classes and books read will change throughout the years. All my favorite homeschool books are now on shelves in New England. Any books I owned about raising small children are long gone. Grandmothering is different than mothering, at least when you only see your grandchildren once a year... I just hug and smootch and spoil. :)

I decided a picture truly is worth a thousand words so I went around the house snapping little sections of FIVE bookshelves. I thought they would give a good representation of my "spiritual", household, and cooking collections. As usual... they can be enlarged by clicking on them if you are really nosey... I mean curious.

I had to use the flash a few times... sorry for the reflection.









Besides books, I think cooking magazines are a real bargain in the long run and good for new cooks since they give pictures. There are so many magazines on the shelves, it is possible to find great recipes for the way each of us cooks. I like Paula... can we say butter???

I have a stack of favorites on the bottom shelf where I keep cookbooks. Below is just a representation:


I have also found gardening and decorating magazines to be very helpful. I have purchased a favorites over the years but I've found a lot on the free magazine rack at the library.

I particularly enjoy articles about how people cook, decorate, and garden in their own homes.

Added: Many of these books were purchased at library sales through the years. I've found great cookbooks at garage sales, too.