These are difficult times we are living in. I wanted to take some time and share with you today an Essential Stock Up Grocery list and even some awesome recipes that you can make once you have stocked up!
I will go through what to stock up on for the pantry, fridge and freezer and then some great meals you can make with the items you have not stocked in your kitchen. You will probably be cooking at home more now than ever before, but that is awesome! Let’s use this time to bring your family back around the table and celebrate each other each day.
What is the Happy Chef Mama Stocking Up On?
Well, like many of you out there I am stocking up on dry goods mainly and items that can last a while. Yet, beyond just that, I think it is totally important to make a plan. If you just go to the store panicking and in a frenzy to buy toilet paper and dry goods, well, I think you are going to end up eating a lot of Ramen noodles and tuna and not be very happy with yourself. Don’t worry, I am not trying to give you something else to freak out about, I am here to help! I will give you a shopping list of essential goods and then I will give you tips, tricks and recipes to turn those ingredients into!
Let’s get started!
Dry Goods
Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!!
Pasta is a great place to start as it is super versatile, can be prepared many different ways and even used in soups and salads. This is a great staple to have on hand at all times, but especially now. Also, everyone eats pasta, even the kiddos!
Rice and Other grains
It is a great idea to have white rice or brown rice on hand along with other grains like quinoa. These are also very versatile and can be added into many different dishes.
Canned goods
There are certain canned goods I think you should always have in your pantry and I would say now is just a time to make sure you have them and replenish them if you need to. Here is my staple canned goods list.
- Canned tomatoes-a variety– Whole peeled San Marzano for sure and then diced and crushed are also good to have on hand
- Canned Beans-Â we always have at least black beans on hand at my house. We use them in salads and chili and salsas. I also really like have cannellini beans in the pantry. These are super versatile as well and are great in soups and/or purees. Kidney and garbanzo beans are also great staples
- Stocks – This is a for sure always in my pantry. We always have chicken and beef stock in my pantry. If you use vegetable stock often, then “stock”,(no pun intended), that instead or in addition too. Stocks are much better than broths, bases or bouillons in my opinion. They usually have much less salt and give an overall smoother consistency to sauces and a more homemade flavor to soups. These are great for last minute dinner needs. I cannot tell you how many times I have gotten home late and thrown together an amazing chicken noodle or the girls love chicken tortellini soup that tastes like it has been cooking for hours. These are also amazing for sauces and gravies.
- Canned Chile’s – chipotle peppers in adobo sauce are a great staple to have in the house as they can help you spice things up in a minute. You can use them for marinades, sauces, seasonings or finishing many different dishes. You can also throw them in a blender with sour cram and have an awesome sauce for a bunch of different things.
These are my go to canned goods that I have in the pantry at all times. Some people might add pasta sauce and canned veggies. Hey, do your thing… they are not on my list. But I grew up on canned veggies and I used to finish them every night. There is nothing wrong with keeping a few cans on hand. I just mainly use fresh whenever possible and if not fresh frozen is my go to. So, we will get there. Please do not buy canned tomato sauce. It is seriously so simple to make homemade sauce. Even if you have little to no time, it’s really quick to do a marinara. You can even make extra and jar it or freezer it. Here’s how to do a quick and easy marinara sauce.
Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 large can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes with basil
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic smashed and chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion diced very finely
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil on medium heat. Add the onion and garlic to the hot oil. Stir quickly as to make sure that the onion and the garlic do not brown too much. You really do not want to get color on the vegetables as you really just want to sweat them. Add kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
- Add in the whole peeled tomatoes. Add them in and stir them around and begin to break them up in the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and let that all simmer, stirring occasionally for about 30-35 minutes.
- Check the sauce for final seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Check that the flavor is where you want it to be. Using either an immersion blender or a stand blender, blend the sauce until it is pureed and smooth. Check one more time for seasoning and Enjoy!
Next up for your essentials list is eggs, yep, eggs! Eggs are super versatile, last a surprisingly long time and can make and/or help you make so many different things. You can eat them a million different ways on their own, but they are also a binder in meatballs, a breading agent for cutlets and an essential ingredient in those sweet treats that we can definitely not live without!!
Diary-Â we cannot forget milk,(especially when you have little ones), I know some stores are limiting gallons. To be honest, I buy the Horizon organic milk and it comes in half gallons. They do not ever seem to limit the organic milks, but also they have really long shelf lives. So, when you catch a deal, stock up on 4-5! Cheese, yummy yummy cheese. Make sure that you have cheese in the house. Shredded cheeses last a long time and can go into so many different things. You can put them in pastas, salads, make casseroles,(which are great for fridge clean out), make pizza and much more. Also, don’t forget butter and yogurt. You will need butter for so many things and yogurt is a great snack for all ages.
Veggies-Â Fresh and Frozen- You want to make sure that you stock up on the fresh veggies that will last a while and that can be very versatile. Carrots, onions, celery, potatoes, cabbage, bell peppers, and cauliflower will all last almost that full two weeks that you are inside the house. Also, you can make a ton of things with them. Mirepoix for soups and sauces with the carrots, onions and celery; trinity with the onion, pepper and celery for southern dishes. The rest of the items can go into pastas, sides, salads, soups and so much more. You can also make pizza crust out of the cauliflower. Here is how to do that.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup grated mozzarella
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C). Grate cauliflower into rice consistency using a food processor. Spread cauliflower onto a parchment-lined baking sheet into as flat of a layer as possible. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower begins to brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 C).
- Dry Cauliflower: Spoon cauliflower into a cheesecloth and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. This step will really help ensure that your crust stays together and gets nice and crispy
- To Make Dough: In a large bowl, stir to combine cauliflower and all remaining ingredients. Shape dough into a pizza round on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, carefully flipping the pizza crust halfway through cooking.
- Once your crust is made, you can save it for another day or top it and make into a pizza to enjoy now! If you want to enjoy it right now, top it with your favorite sauce and toppings and bake it in a 450 degree oven for about 7-8 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
Frozen veggies–Â I think it is best to buy veggies frozen that will not last long as fresh. So, for example spinach, kale and broccoli. Yet, there are also some veggies that are frozen at their peak of picking and are just great to always have on hand and that is frozen corn and peas.
Garlic and Onions–I always make sure I have fresh and/or chopped garlic on hand as well as onions, both red and yellow and shallots. Almost every sauce or soup starts with a base of either one or both of these. Not to mention they just add so much flavor to all dishes.
Spices–Always make sure that you have a stocked, but fresh spice cabinet. It is a myth that spices last forever. They last a very long time and will certainly get you through the next few weeks, most likely even months. Yet, please do keep an eye on the expiration dates and change out and buy new as needed. Spices you should always have on hand are garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, your favorite curry powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and Italian seasoning or Oregano. I also personally always have ground ginger and crushed red pepper flake.
Nut Butters– I always make sure that I have peanut butter on hand. Yet, if you like other butters keep those. My daughter is allergic to cashews, so we only keep peanut butter. Yet, another great one especially for allergies is Sun butter
Meats–Â Make sure that you have fresh and frozen meats on hand. Everything from breakfast meats, to dinner entree choices. Here is a great meal with ground beef that will go far and you will have left over of. Also, make sure that you have bacon, sausage, ground turkey, chicken breast, organic chicken tenders, pork chops, steaks and more on hand to get you through these long days in. Maybe even a nice roast or two for those long weekend days.
Pasta Bolognese
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 cup celery minced
- 1 cup onions finely minced
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20
- 1 lb ground pork
- 24 oz marinara sauce homemade
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 TSP freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in carrots along with celery and onions and sauté until they're just tender, about 3 minutes. Add the ground beef and ground pork, and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as you stir.
- Pour in the jar of store-bought marinara sauce along with salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens.
- When the Bolognese sauce has reached your desired consistency, stir in the heavy cream.
- Remove from heat, and serve over your favorite pasta
Fats–Let’s not forget we will need something to cook with. Make sure that you have olive oil, canola oil and butter on hand at this time. Also, some non stick spray will be a great idea as well.
Condiments-I am not a fan of ketchup, but I know that I am definitely the minority on that. I do love mayo and mustard and Dijon mustard and pickles though and I think all of these items are fundamental when it comes to stocking up. I think a few others that you should keep on hand are your favorite hot sauce, pickle relish,(if you like tuna salad as much as I do) and this may not be a condiment truly, but in my house it is… Hershey’s chocolate syrup.
Fruits- Â Same applies here as the veggies. I recommend grabbing items that will hold for a while, this would be apples, bananas, oranges, avocados and citrus; limes and lemons. You can grab berries if your kids love them like mine do, but they won’t last very long. So, this is a great one that can be purchased frozen and you can have for weeks to come.
Treats-We cannot forget the treats!!! My husband always laughs that I call sweets, treats!!! We are going to be stuck inside for some time though, so do not forget to “treat” yourself!! Below is an awesome brownie recipe and can also make amazing brownie sundaes!! My treats will always include chocolate. Yet, make sure you stock up on all the sweet treats you love. I totally suggest ice cream and frozen treats that you love, my girls cannot live without “popals” Popsicles. I recommend all the ingredients needs for chocolate chip cookies, brownies and cakes. Baked good ingredients all last a while, it was meant to be for us to have sweet treats in times like these!
Triple Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup 1 oz Dutch processed cocoa (unsweetened)
- 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder optional
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp boiling water
- 2 ounces unsweetened good-quality chocolate chopped fine
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 Tbsp regular butter melted
- 2 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose sifted flour
- 3/4 tsp fine salt
- 3 oz bittersweet/semisweet chocolate cut into 1/2 inch chunks
- 3 oz white chocolate cut into 1/2 inch chunks
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil. Adjust oven rack to second-to-lowest position and preheat to 350F. Make foil sling: Insert 2 long sheets of foil perpendicular to one another in baking pan, so that there will be enough foil that hangs over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil against pan. Grease foil and set aside.
- Whisk cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water (measure out correct amount from your kettle of boiling water) together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in oil and melted butter. Add eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Continue to whisk until smooth and incorporated. Whisk in sugar until thoroughly incorporated. Sprinkle salt and sifted flour into batter and mix with rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in bittersweet/semisweet chocolate pieces.
- Transfer batter into prepared pan, spreading it into corners and smoothing the surface. Bake for about 30-33 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. It’s done when toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached; should not come out clean. Do not overbake, or brownies may be dry.
- Transfer pan to wire rack and cool for 1 1/2 hours. Remove brownies from pan using foil sling. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely. Cut brownies into squares and serve. Can be stored in airtight container at room temp for a couple of days.
- Notes: If you have a kitchen scale, use it to get the most accurate measurements. Let brownies cool thoroughly before cutting into them, for chewiest texture. If your baking dish is glass, cool brownies in pan for just 10-20 minutes, and then use foil sling to transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
I am sure that there are other items that you and your family would consider as stock up essentials and you should for sure grab those things too. Yet, this is a great starting point for all and can give you a point in the right direction. Please all stay safe, stay well and use this time to be with your families and enjoy the little things in life. We never have enough family time and enough down time, am I right. Well, now that is all we have. So, take advantage of it. Make the most of it and use this time to make amazing family memories. Get the kiddos in the kitchen with you and have some fun!!
