kitchen staples
There is nothing worse than realizing that you're out of a cooking item you use all. the. time. Many people may say milk, but my list is a little weirder than that.
kitchen staples i can't be without
fresh herbs
Call me spoiled but...fresh herbs just taste better. Fresh chopped parsley adds a citrusy brightness to a meal, basil and oregano pack a punch to Italian dishes, and thyme makes a roast chicken perfect. I recommend growing your own, because they're incredibly easy. However, with winter months fast approaching, reach for higher quality dried herbs, such as Penzey's brand.
farro with kale, white beans, & mushrooms
canned beans
Seriously, my life is over when I'm out of beans, because I use them all the time. They're great for sides, soups, burrito bowls - and they're full of fiber [insert bad musical fruit joke here]. Generally, I opt for no-salt-added varieties, because the sodium content is upwards of 20% of your daily intake for half a cup. Choose the low salt variety, then drain and rinse them before eating.
farro with kale, white beans, & mushrooms
parmesan cheese
For such a "common" cheese, parmesan is definitely one of my favorites. Along with feta, it provides a lot of flavor with a small amount. You can even choose to combine it with other cheeses, like softer asiago for a great finish to salads, soups, and heartier dishes. I flip my lid when I don't have a brick of fresh parmesan in my fridge. Did you know you can also throw the rinds into a tomato sauce to amp up the flavor?
orzo
Though I love angel hair, orzo has the best texture. It's great in soups and makes an awesome side dish. The little rice-grain sized pasta picks up the flavor of whatever it's cooked with and has a much nicer texture than plain old rice.
orzo salad with black beans and spinach
kale
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I actually like kale. Am I going to eat it raw when it's super bitter? No way! But it's a really crunchy alternative to spinach that doesn't melt into water when you sauté it. If you use enough garlic, olive oil, and salt, you can also avoid the super bitter aftertaste - or just douse it in enough balsamic vinegar to cover up any trace of ickiness.
browned butter snickerdoodle bars
cinnamon
Though not that unusual, I seriously could not live my life without cinnamon. It is my staple baking item - more so thane even chocolate (blasphemy!). The earthiness of cinnamon goes a long way in a lot of dishes. However, I'll never go so far as to assail my taste buds with this crazy recipe (sorry, but I tried it once...never again).
old-fashioned ginger molasses cookies
browned butter snickerdoodle bars
