Kitchen

[Sooner]

The thread on cooking made me want to ask: I love Amy's little frozen Mexican style dinners and hubby thinks their burritos are a treat occasionally. We usually have those with a big salad.

We also use a frozen pizza occasionally (Amy's too usually) and add more veggies to it.

Other than that, we use lots of frozen broccoli, peas, and mixed veggies. I tried the frozen kale too and it wasn't bad. I buy about 75 percent organic frozen veggies and stock up on sale. I don't use many canned veggies now, although I have a real passion for canned peas (that I can't explain) and beets! LOL!!!

I make a lot of home made chicken stock, but do use the boxed chicken and beef stock too.

Lots of canned beans and tomatoes are always on hand too, and canned okra for "emergency" gumbo! Sometime 'ya just gotta have it! I also keep tuna in bags (Wild Planet) and cans and canned (for patties!) and frozen salmon and other fish, but won't buy from Asian sources. I spend a lot of time reading when I buy groceries.

We add to that fresh fruit and veggies. All the things above are pretty much our whole pantry system! Well, other than the staples.

[WRXtoo]

My latest favorite thing are frozen Foster Farms Grilled Chicken Strips. Already-grilled strips of chicken in a zipper bag--you just take out what you need. I thought they'd be dry and tasteless but they're not! They are moist and tasty, and I use them for quick tacos, salad topping, chicken salad, chicken for pasta... endless possibilities. Just pop them in a pan to warm them up and add whatever spices, etc. suits your dish.

And no dealing with raw chicken! (Bleaahh )

[jaxs mom]

As I posted in the other thread I do can ground beef to use when I'm sick and want to make something like chili or tacos quickly. I also can dried beans for convenience but I mostly cook beans from dried. I can my own stock, jams and jellies and tomatoes but rely on store bought canned tomatoes in bad garden years. I buy canned refried beans.

Frozen, I will keep a couple pizzas for something fast. I freeze breadcrumbs and my homemade bread already sliced. I freeze extra garden produce like okra and wax and pole beans. My freezer is mostly meat and things like lemon rinds for zesting. I do buy potato flakes for quick mashed potatoes and for baking in some bread recipes.

[Marienkaefer2]

If I buy frozen or canned, it's organic. Like the o/p, I do buy Amy's frozen, usually the pizza, Mac and cheese, and the risotto. Those are "fillers" for nights when I haven't had time to prepare anything, or we're running low and need to go to the grocery store. I also buy Amy's refried beans, and baked beans. I also keep on hand a few bags of organic frozen veg...broccoli, peas, and a stir fry mix. I don't really like frozen veg, but they come in handy fir a stir fry or quick soup, or as a quick side.

[Sooner]

Some of the stir fry mixes are pretty good to use in a pinch. I get the all-veggie ones and add my own chicken to it. Fresh is better, but these are easy to put together and great to have on hand.

I need to make a note of the ones I like better, because when I get to the store I can never remember!

[chickenbutt]

On 2/15/2015 Sooner said:

Some of the stir fry mixes are pretty good to use in a pinch. I get the all-veggie ones and add my own chicken to it. Fresh is better, but these are easy to put together and great to have on hand.

I need to make a note of the ones I like better, because when I get to the store I can never remember!

This sounds good. Are they frozen? Do you need to have a wok?

[scotnovel]

I also like the Amy's Mexican items from time to time. I use a lot of frozen vegetables, including Kroger brand mirepoix. The mirepoix comes in 8 oz bags (as I recall) and are as cheap as $1 apiece some of the time so I can stock up then. That is far less than what it would cost to store or buy fresh and, as a base for certain kinds of soups, for example, they are just as good as fresh.

I also buy prepared extra firm tofu and use it for a lot of different things including as a thickener for soups or stews or with stir fry vegetables as a main course.

[Kachina624]

My ""go to"" meal when I don't feel too hungry or like cooking is a can of Campbell's Chunky Chicken Corn Chowder soup. It's very filling and low in calories plus I love the flavor.

[FastDogWalker2]

Frozen veggies, pasta sauce, canned black beans and canned corn - I think that is about it.

[missy1]

SpaghettiOs, refried beans, chicken tenders-frozen, garlic bread......