Thursday 13--Pantry Basics

With a hat tip to Stephanie, here is my contribution to Thursday 13. She had such a great idea, thought I would follow suit...

Thirteen things in my pantry (or refrigerator) that I consider staples:

1. Coffee--sad, isn't it?
2. Pasta shells--I add those little things in all kinds of dishes. And, if I'm really desperate, I eat 'em plain with butter!
3. Tomato sauce. Nothing better than macaroni and tomato sauce. It's a childhood dish and good for what ails you. Add bacon grease, garlic, crushed black pepper, oregano, the options are endless...
4. Beans: canned or dried--canned are good for a quick vegetarian chili.
5. Canned tomatoes--it's a sad day when we're out of these. What can I possibly make for dinner??
6. Rice--I'm from Louisiana folks, and a meal is barely a meal without rice.
7. Flour--that's a given, right? Make flatbread, chapatis, muffins, cookies, tortillas...
8. Coffee creamer--always a good reason for running to the store.
   
9. Soymilk--I have even used it to make milk gravy. You grow accustomed to the sweeter taste.
10. Cheddar cheese--the sharper the better
11. Sweeteners: honey, molasses and brown sugar are all-purpose. I love to dip hot buttermilk biscuits into molasses mixed with butter.
12. Butter--while we're talking about it. Someone eats too much of it around here!
13. Fresh veggies. I always buy mine at Save-A-Lot: great value for a tiny price. Right now, bell peppers (red and green) are two for 99 cents. Avocados are 79 cents a piece.
    

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