What are some of your meal basics?

[marie_squared]

I've lived away from home since I was 17. Now I'm living completely on my own and have discovered that I LOVE to cook and bake. When I'm bored, I bake. Even after I've eaten a complete meal, I feel like cooking again. I love feeding people and knowing that they enjoy my food and its just.. this great feeling to be able to make something and know that its tastes good and that people like it.

I'm not married yet, and I have a 12 year old brother and an 8 year old sister, and let me tell you.. sometimes i wonder if they just tell me that everything tastes great cause they want something... but they always eat their food and that makes me happy. Especially since I'm living on a budget and most of the time, I just try to be creative with what I have on hand. I mostly keep basics in my "pantry". Actually.. the apt I live in has teeny, tiny excuses for cupboards and so I brought in an old bookshelf of mine and converted her into a pantry. Since its wide open and there aren't any doors to shut her up with, I can see what I have on hand at all times and cuts down on those last minute trips to the store, when I actually already have some of whatever it was that I needed.

Anyways.. besides rice, canned veggies/beans, and breads... what are some of your meal basics (staples)?

[Edna_E]

eggs, cheese, milk (canned or dried keep well), hamburger, and tuna - oops, also peanut butter.

[GMA21]

pasta
pasta sauces
butter
spices
potatoes
crackers

[nwmissourigal]

Potatoes, rice, cream of mushroom soup, butter, flour, sugar, spices, hamburger, chicken..just to name a few...

[Telephus44]

Hrmm.. let me think.

Canned soups
Canned tomatos
Pasta
Rice
Tuna Fish

I don't bake much, so I don't always have flour, sugar, etc. Most of what I cook is either a casserole or a stir-fry (I'm too lazy to make side dishes) and I rotate what meats and veggies we have on hand.

[freerangers]

Basics I keep handy:

Flour
Sugar
Butter
Eggs
Milk
Spices
Potatoes
Pastas n Sauces
Beef n Chicken
Rice

....to name a few. Personally, I LOVE a full, stocked pantry n freezer--in inspires me to cook and cook LOL!

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[AmyMCGS]

I always have potatoes, pastas, cheese, and cream-of-something soup (either condensed cans or a dry mix), and tortillas. With those ingredients I can always come up with something to eat!