I can't imagine a pantry without... - Page 5

NorthernLights · ‎07-01-2016

@sabatini wrote:
As far as throwing stuff out is concerned...this is a bit OT, but:

A few years ago, a young, 30-something guy was painting the high stairwell in my house while I was making supper, so we got to talking about food.
He said that he was phobic about eating some things in other people's houses.
I asked 'like what?', and he said "SALADS!"
I thought that was an odd response, but then he said 'It's the dressings I always worry about. I swear, some people keep salad dressings on the doors of their refrigerators for years!'

Ever since then, I'm more careful about mine.
LOL!

He is not wrong. What is on the door of my parents refrigerator could kill an average Navy Seal.

qualitygal · ‎10-04-2010

Even if not baking with it, it's near the stove since it will put out like a frying pan fire.You don't throw water on those, use baking soda.

Edited to add: vinegar, a mixture of baking soda & vinegar to clean a drain. Baking soda is a good cleaner, and can brush your teeth with it. Vinegar, to clean floor, coffee pot too. I mean there's multi uses for these things.

I don't go in for too many extras on hand, my husband likes extras so I don't mess about it.

on the bay · ‎03-09-2010

@qualitygal wrote:
Even if not baking with it, it's near the stove since it will put out like a frying pan fire.You don't throw water on those, use baking soda.

Edited to add: vinegar, a mixture of baking soda & vinegar to clean a drain. Baking soda is a good cleaner, and can brush your teeth with it. Vinegar, to clean floor, coffee pot too. I mean there's multi uses for these things.

I don't go in for too many extras on hand, my husband likes extras so I don't mess about it.

@qualitygal-

That is such a good reminder about putting out fires with baking soda!

And also for cleaning drains with vinegar and other things.

yes, baking soda is a horse of a different color! It is good for lots of things.

I made something with baking powder some months ago (forgot what it was) and I knew I would probably never use it again, so I gave it to my daughter.I use to bake a lot but don't any more.I am more like the little red hen. I like for someone else to make it and I will help them eat it because I'm so nice that way!

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"

Pooky1 · ‎12-23-2015

i dont get it. how can she throw out other peoples stuff without asking.hes sounds extremly rude.

shoptilyadropagain · ‎03-19-2014

Sweets aren't really my thing and I HATE to bake so I've never had baking items in my pantry except I use flour (rarely) and keep ithe smallest bag I can find in an air-tight container in my fridge. For me it would be Chicken & Beef Stock/Broth especially in the winter as I make a ton of soups.

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
- Author Unknown

software · ‎06-08-2016

@shoesnbags wrote:
@software wrote:
It's been a rough year for me medically speaking, I haven't done much cooking so I recently cleaned out a cabinet of year old spices and such and tossed my cornstarch.

It kind of panicked me that I have no cornstarch in the house!

It's on my shopping list. I always have flour and baking soda. I don't always have eggs or milk, since I live alone, I'm not always stocked up like I should be, don't want stuff to go bad before I use it.

I buy the big box of baking soda, I use it for so much, not just baking. I mean like the size of a laundry detergent box!

Any time I find vanilla extract at a good price, I'll buy a bottle. I have 3 now! My local health food store had vanilla at a good price recently.

And I always have sugar as well. I like a little sugar in my coffee and of course, for baking.

I also need a good supply of salt & pepper at all times. Bought some recently at Penzey's store.
@softwareI thought that you might enjoy this - Here I am, reading this thread, and thinking that yep, I'm one of those folks with a very well stocked pantry. But then I read your post and realized that I never, ever stock cornstarch. I do make gravy, but down here we thicken our gravy with a roux - flour and an oil. What else do you do with cornstarch?

@house_cat, I do have my baking supplies, and even my yeast is not out of date, 'cause I check it regularly. Good topic, as always!

My late mom thickened drippings, like from a roast, with a slurry of water and cornstarch. I guess that's how she made her gravy, it doesn't take as long as making a roux and you use less cornstarch than you would flour.

You can also use it to dust your beef or chicken before frying, like for a stir fry instead of dredging in flour.

redwingsgal · ‎03-10-2010

@RedTop wrote:
White vinegar; never without it. Actually, there are many things I am just never without. My goal is to stay out the grocery store as much as possible, so I buy multiples of everything.

ITA, @RedTop!! The things I do use in my pantry are always stocked. I would rather go to the dentist than the grocery store!!

I am amazed at co workers and friends that when they get sick, they have to go get chicken soup or jello or whatever they need!! I ALWAYS have soup, tomatoe sauce, cereal etc. Not so much the baking products as I don't bake (from scratch) much, but every day food, yes!!

And also always on hand are first aid needs, band-aids, neosporin etc.

I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend, til death, your right to say it

AnikaBrodie · ‎03-10-2010

@house_cat

I always have a variety of pasta in the pantry. Baking and cooking supplies are also a must have. DH loves peanut butter so have an extra jar on hand in case he runs out.

"Faith, Hope, Love; the greatest of these is Love." ~The Silver Fox~

Poodlepet2 · ‎03-09-2010

This is a general reply, but I am never without white vinegar, baking soda and course salt: in most cases, that's what I use to clean my cooktop.

@Carmie, I am with you on keeping freezers stocked. When we lived in Dayton, we had a blizzard and lost power...I wasn't worried about the freezer because I could simply put food outside: fortunately, it didn't come to that!

Living in Florida, that has become an issue, but this past year, I discovered freeze dried food items: it's incredible what options are out there-egg whites, whole eggs, egg yolks, cream cheese, cream, butter, powdered cheddar-the list goes on and on!

Running out of eggs is a problem because DD forgets to tell me....but I have a stash of freeze dried egg products that she turns her nose up at-that's fine by me!

Poodlepet2