The Ten: My Essentials (For the Moment) in the Kitchen

There's a lot of stuff to cook with.  But everyone that cooks on a regular basis understands that there are those few ingredients that can be used over and over again in innumerable dishes that are absolutely essential.  And then there's those ingredients that are just so good that you need to have them on hand at all times, whether you can use them in everything or not.

Here's my Top Five of all time (the stuff you should always have):

1. Onions: If you try to think of as many onion-containing dishes as you possibly can, you'll undoubtedly run out of fingers to count on.  Meatloaf, soups, pasta sauces, my egg casserole, stir fry, sandwiches...the list just goes on.  Onions add flavor, and not having them on hand?  Tragic.
2. Eggs: Here's yet another versatile ingredient.  It can be used to make pasta, casseroles, French toast, scratch-made pancakes, omelets, and egg sandwiches that can rival a McAnything.  Just be sure that you use them.  It's always a terrible feeling to buy a whole dozen and realize after a couple weeks that the "use by" date has passed and you still have enough eggs left to make scrambled eggs for a hungry family of six.
3. Flour: Okay, maybe this seems a little too basic.  But you need flour on hand if you're going to make pasta, pizza dough, bechamel sauce, breaded pork chops, or chocolate chip cookies.  And you can't make a good baked macaroni without bechamel or, indirectly, flour.
4. Herbs and Spices: I'm not going to be too specific with this one.  Only you can determine what spices you like or need.  I like chili flakes in my tomato sauce, nutmeg in my bechamel, and paprika on my sauteed mixed vegetables.  Maybe you like something different.  Experiment!  Try new flavors!  Build your own spice pantry, and this will ensure that you won't be wasting ingredients you only use once in a while.
5. Bell peppers: Surprised?  Bell peppers may be a little non-traditional, but along with a few of my other all-time essentials, I know I can make just about anything.  With the addition of a protein, flour and egg (for a pasta, perhaps?), onion, and maybe some tomato, a dish can be built from seemingly nothing at all.

Here's my Top Ten for the month (ingredients that are just good):

1. Vidalia sweet onions: Onions are used in so many dishes, and if you're able to get a sweet onion, I feel that it can often improve a meal that's already going to be delicious.  They're available now.  Take advantage of it!
2. Cherry tomatoes: Whether they're from a local farmer's market, your own garden, or just the grocery store, these little sweeties are so useful.  I love them in pasta dishes (simply sauteed with olive oil, salt and pepper, then tossed with linguine), on English muffin pizzas (less gourmet, I know, but so tasty!), or in my breakfast egg casserole!  Shameless recipe self-promotion?  Perhaps.  Check it out on the blog.
3. Sliced pickled pepperoncini peppers: Now I know you're thinking, 'Whoa, whoa, whoa now...pepper-what?'  Trust me, you've seen these little guys.  It's the just-spicy-enough, sharply vinegary pepper that they toss into your salad at the Olive Garden.  It works for a Mediterranean-style salad, but I really like it with eggs, macaroni and cheese, bratwurst, and baked beans.  Baked beans?  Weird, I know, but the little tickle of heat from these little guys, coupled with their bright acidity, contrasts incredibly with creamy, barbecue-y beans.  Notice all my pairing suggestions are sort of fatty?  It's that acidity, kids.  A match made in food heaven, whether you realize it or not.
4. Green Tabasco: Holy promotions, Batman!  I have to do it!  I just do!  I'm a big fan of the so-hot-it-hurts, clear-that-stuffy-nose-right-up, regular old red Tabasco.  But its milder green cousin is so much nicer to your taste buds!  It's jalapeno-flavored, which wins in my book anyway.  But it's also super vinegary and has a heat that builds up in the back of the palate instead of just punching you in the face.  I put it on a ton of stuff.  But I especially like it on eggs.  Any eggs.  It's just awesome.
5. Parmigiano Reggiano or similar cheeses: I cannot stress how important it is to have delicious sprinkling cheese!  Yes, sprinkling cheese is a technical term.  And I'm not talking about the stuff that comes in a green canister and looks a little like breadcrumbs.  Parmigiano Reggiano is an aged, incredible cheese.  Grana Padano is similar and can be used in similar applications.  Asiago is a little less nutty-tasting, but it also works great.  Don't do the processed stuff, and try to get cheese that is well aged (even imported if you can find it).  All of these cheeses have huge flavor, and a little goes a long way, so keep that in mind if the price freaks you out.

I'll hopefully be able to direct you to some awesome applications for these ingredients over the next couple weeks.  That is if I can get to the grocery store to replenish our house's supply of a few of these essentials.

Peace, Love, and Good Eating!

~AF