Taking Stock Part 3: Recipes from the Fridge

     This is the third installment of  My Pantry Basics, and this time I thought we might examine the contents of my refrigerator. I make some of my own condiments, mayonnaise is at the top of the list. We use this pretty regular for various meat and pasta salads, sandwich spread, and various other cooking uses. And even though we use a goodly amount, I still recommend making mayonnaise in small quantities. It has the potential to go off rather quickly.

Taking Stock Part 2: Recipes for Dry Staples

Popcorn Tins of Christmas Past... great for storing baking ingredients!

     If you read Taking Stock Part 1: My Pantry Basics, ( previously posted), then you know that I make many of my own baking mixes and specialty flours. In my pantry you will find the popcorn tins of Christmas Past. These are generally free for me, as I receive them either as gifts, or ask friends and family for those they no longer need. I save them because they make excellent (and pretty) canisters for my flour, cornmeal, and other dry ingredients. Reusing them also keeps them out of the landfill, (always a bonus). Once made, my baking mixes get stored in the large tins, some of which may hold 20 to 25 pounds of flour and baking mix.
     I thought that you may be interested in sharing some of the recipes that I have collected for staples in my pantry so I have posted a few below. I am always updating with new recipes that I find to further my own efforts in self reliance. Hope you enjoy the post and recipes!

Taking Stock: My Pantry Basics

Canning for the pantry.

     While reading Amy Dacyczyn's "The Complete Tightwad Gazette", I observed the “Pantry Principle”, in which Amy describes her family's food supply. Many of the items are simple staple items, some are homemade, others bought in bulk. As I read I began to realize that she was describing my own pantry contents and that of everyone who has opted for a more simplistic way of living. This makes perfect sense because our goal in living simply overlaps with Amy's goal of living frugally. Many items that we once purchased in the stores we now make ourselves. Basic staples are the key components to a self-sufficient pantry. Basically, my pantry contains lots of baking ingredients, some canned goods bought from the “cheap” stores, (Save-A-Lot and Aldi's), and items that I make to help with meal preparation, like flavored vinegars, liqueurs, syrups and extracts, etc.