How many of you out there cook your recipes from scratch? Did you know that if you buy your ingredients in their unprocessed state that it is cheaper on your grocery bill?

The secret to cooking from scratch is having a well stocked pantry. Granted I still buy my canned products of tomatoes and tomato paste as I no longer can food products for my families needs.  But by doing this you can get the flavors you want in the food you serve to your family rather than what someone else has created.

I have a collection of cookbooks to draw on for my inspiration plus recipes I have created from other media sources such as food network and several food blog sites.  The secret to getting the food on the table after work is to have a game plan in place when you get home. I have done food prep two ways. Mise en place which is everything cut and measured before I start to prepare the dish or prepping while in the process of preparing the dish. Both methods work well and it depends on what works for you.

I tend to have menus lined up on my refrigerator for the week and take a shopping list to the market with me, so I don’t purchase the items I don’t need. If you are focused in your pursuit of food, you will not be tempted to buy the impulse items on the end caps in the store. 

Basic pantry items include:

flour

sugar

tomatoes/tomato paste

noodles

spices

vegetable broth

etc.

With these few items you can make lots of food.  I will find a true list of good pantry items to have on hand for my next post.  Because I am a vegan, the pantry will take on a different character then the normal pantry. As long as you have the right ingredients to cook the meals that is what counts. Your purposeful planning makes perfect execution of any meal a breeze.

So when you find a recipe in a magazine or on the food network that strikes your fancy you can write down the ingredients and head off to the store to get the supplies and find yourself with dinner on the table in no time.