Kitchen Staples

Everything You Oughtta Have In Your Kitchen… Always!

We decided to break our tradition and do an entry about kitchen staples mid week. Molly and Molly have found often times when buying items for the Monday night dinner there are things that we should always have in our kitchens. Not because we want a gourmet kitchen like you see in Iron Chef, or when Martha Stewart goes to her "cupboard" and pulls out twenty year aged pink himalayan salt mined by macaques, but because the two of us do cook other nights of the week. The meals we make are not intricate or involved, but we do tend to use items like rice, pasta, beans, and others. Below is a list we believe you should always have on hand in your kitchen. 

The List:
Spices & Seasoning:

"This is what you should always have Suzy"

• Salt
• Pepper
• Herbs De Provance
• Cayenne
• Garlic Powder
• Cumin
• Soy Sauce
• Olive Oil
• Vegetable Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Oregano
• Vanilla

Dry Goods:

• Flour
• Sugar
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Rice (Brown, Jasmine, Basmati, Risotto, etc.)
• Pasta
• Lentils
• Nuts
• Oats

Canned Goods:

• Beans
• Tomatoes
• Tomato Paste
• Stock (Chicken, Beef, Vegetable)

Stuff in the Fridge:

• Unsalted Butter
• Eggs
• Cheese of all kinds (Parmesan, Cheddar, Brie)
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Mayonaise 
• Peanut Butter
• Jelly

Vegetables:

• Garlic
• Onions
• Lemons
• Limes
• Potatoes

Beverages:

• Vodka
• Gin
• Wine (Red and White)
• Tonic Water
• Club Soda

Note that this is just a list and based on what you make your staples may be slightly different. For example when Molly and Molly are not cooking together Molly 1 tends to make a lot of Italian and Mexican food, while Molly 2 tends to make East Asian and South Asian influenced meals.

Mollys Had A Little Lamb

Dinner is Served.

Packets of Yummy Goodness

Menu:
Lamb Wrapped in Parchment
Sauteed Swiss Chard
Roasted Red and Yukon Gold Potatoes
Faux Tart with Lemon Ginger Custard

Drinks:
Moscow Mule
Wine

We decided to cook with lamb this week because it's a meat we're unfamiliar with. Lamb can be overly gamey which is why we have shied away from it. Molly 1 found this fun and interesting recipe on an app. (Who doesn't like the idea of wrapping and unwrapping things?) In our grand tradition of fuss free recipes, this one fit the bill. The lamb turned out perfectly cooked, although by the time we put it into the oven we were a few Moscow Mules in so we forgot to set the timer. Thankfully we are brilliant estimators and guessed when to take it out, but in the future or if you should choose to make this dish, watch the clock! 

Lamb About to be Wrapped

The side dishes were simple staples that could be paired with almost anything. We've made these sides many times so we don't really follow a recipe anymore. Below are basic recipes for you to follow. We encourage experimentation with different herbs and spices. 

Swiss Chard

• 2 bunches, washed and cut into half inch pieces
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
• handfull of pine nuts or slivered almonds (cheaper)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbs olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add nuts, shallots and garlic. Sautee until shallots are tender and nuts are nicely toasted. Add chard and cook down. It should be wilted with a little bit of crunch. (Beware of over cooking and ending up with mush.)

Roasted Potatoes

• 16 medium to small yukon gold and red potatoes quartered
• 2 tbs olive oil
• a pinch of herbs de provance (enough to lightly dress potatoes)
• salt and pepper to taste

For this recipe we cooked them at 375 F so we could cook the lamb and potatoes at the same time. However, if cooking alone preheat to 400 to 425 F. Coat the potatoes with olive oil and season with herbs and salt and pepper. Mix well. Throw in the oven for 30 mins and turn half way through. 

How to make a Ginger Snap

The dessert we had tonight was a faux tart with an instant lemon ginger custard. The tart portion of the dessert was the most in depth. It doesn't have to be, but because we wanted to learn how to make candied ginger, which we could then include in the ginger snaps that get crumbled for the tart, we made it complicated. Of course one could easily get ginger snaps at the store and presto, you have your tart, but that's not us. The candied ginger was really easy to make and amazing to watch the fascinating science of baking unfold. After reaching a softball stage,

See the Ginger Snap Bottom!

the sugar water that the ginger is cooking in actually evaporates, leaving just sugar granules. The ginger snaps were quick and the recipe made a ton, which our families and coworkers enjoyed. The custard took maybe a twentieth of the time it took to make the tart part. The reason it is called instant custard is because you actually add lemon juice to cream and sugar to make it set rather than adding eggs. The end result was a light creamy zingy bite. A perfect finish to a hearty meal. 

The drink for tonight was a Moscow Mule. We wanted a little variation in our lives even though we still love cosmos. Molly 1 made them super strong, but we couldn't tell because after the first one it doesn't matter what's in your cup. 

The dinner was a huge success. We're even considering cooking this for a dinner party that we are catering later this month.

Links:
Lamb Chops in Paper with Fennel 
Faux Tart with Instant Lemon Ginger Custard
Candied Ginger
Ginger Snaps
Moscow Mule