I absolutely love balsamic vinegar, I use it in lots of different things. Balsamic vinegar is both tart and sweet. When you roast with balsamic it gets thick and sweet. I really enjoy balsamic vinaigrette. It’s so easy to make and it goes great with all kinds of different types of greens, but especially romaine lettuce. Balsamic vinegar is also great on roasted vegetables and in dips.
Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Whisk the balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, and honey. Continue whisking while you stream in the olive oil. Put salt and pepper in to taste. Whisk until the dressing is emulsified.
It’s nice to have a low sodium option in boxed broths. I found this Pacific Natural Foods brand after trying many types of broth. I really love having this stock on hand to make quick soups and stews. I know the company also makes chicken and beef varieties in low sodium. I never really paid much attention to the sodium in stocks until my dad developed high blood pressure. When I started looking at my boxed broths I was blown away by how much salt they contained. I decided to go on the search for a better alternative and found this. The taste is the same as the higher sodium brands, but what a relief to not get all my daily intake of sodium in one sitting. If you don’t have time to make your one broth then I suggest you try these broths.
If you are starting out in the kitchen, you may be wondering what do I need to have in my pantry to start baking. Keep in mind this is just tips for a baking pantry, stay tuned for another post on a well stocked cooking pantry. In the baker’s pantry I would suggest starting with sweeteners - light brown sugar, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, confectioner’s sugar, and honey (If you like you can have different kinds of honey - each has it’s own unique flavor). The next thing you want to look at are different types of flour - unbleached all purpose flour, cake flour, wheat flour, and self-rising flour. Each flour has many uses. You should have both baking soda and baking powder, often times recipes call for both. Salt is also essential to good baking, I like using kosher salt. A good quality vanilla is an absolute for a good baking pantry. A lot of people often have almond extract, as well. Chocolate is a great ingredient to have in your pantry - depending on what type you like, you could have bittersweet, semi-sweet, milk chocolate or white chocolate. I usually keep a few different kinds of chocolate on hand. Nuts are also used frequently in baking. I keep my nuts in the fridge to keep them from going rancid. I would suggest having walnuts, pecan, or almonds on hand. I always keep walnuts on hand, they are a really good multi-purpose nut. I would also suggest you have a few key spices on hand, including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
There are also a few key ingredients you should have in your refrigerator. I think it is important to have unsalted butter, milk, cream, and eggs (large), you may also want to include cream cheese. So many recipes can be made from these ingredients. I know that it may seem like a large expense when you start out, but once you get baking you will only have to buy those items that you have used. Replacing used items is usually pretty inexpensive and can be done at your local grocery store, for the most part.
Early today I posted the first Food TV Face-Off which involved rice, so in keeping with the theme, today’s what’s in my pantry is devoted to arborio rice. The first thought that comes to mind with arborio is risotto. Risotto is no doubt an incredibly delicious way to enjoy your arborio, but as I proved early today arborio can be used for other things like arancini and rice pudding. It definitely makes a great rice pudding - smooth, delicious, and creamy. If you have extra arborio, then try making arancini. Click on the links to find a recipe for each dish. Happy eating!
I always have Stretch Island Fruit Leathers on hand. I have been eating these since I was a little girl. My mom and I use to go to the health food store and buy them back in the day, but now you can get them in the regular grocery store in the natural food section. My favorite flavors are the strawberry and apple. I really love these guys, they are like good for you fruit roll-ups. The strawberry flavor is probably the most instense of the flavors, absolutely delicious. They make a great little snack to throw in your bag for lunch.
As a baker, I always have vanilla in my pantry. My favorite kind of vanilla is the Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla (which incidentially has nothing to do with liquor). The thing I love most about this variety of vanilla is the smell you get when you first open the bottle. I think they could make this into an excellent perfume. It is an intoxicating scent and any baker will tell you they secretly sniff the bottle everytime they open it. The smell isn’t the only thing that draws you in, this vanilla works great in everything! I absolutely love it in homemade vanilla ice cream, it gives it such a rich and delicious flavor. I also find this vanilla works great in baked breads and cakes. The flavor is subtle and never overpowering (unless you use way too much). It is the nice backnote you always taste and will surely recognize after you try it. If you want to spice up your homemade whip cream try adding a little dab of this vanilla. If you would like to check out this or other vanilla products please click on the vanilla bottle photo above.
What’s in my pantry? Always, King Arthrur unbleach all purpose flour. If you haven’t noticed I love food and especially love baked goods! Being a native New Englander, I try to support anything from this part of the world and fortunately for me most of the products here are excellent quality, King Arthur is no exception. King Arthur flour makes a high quality product. I find the unbleached flour to be a great go to for most all of my baking recipes. The flour is smooth and I never find that it lumps. It’s incredibly easy to shift and measure. It works equally well with delicate baked goods like cookies as it does with more protein intense dishes like breads.
I am looking forward to doing an extensive review of the new King Arthur Flour cookbook, Whole Grain Baking. I look forward to sharing with you all the details on the quality of baked goods I get with this book. Look for my review in the near future.
A well stocked pantry is an invaluable resource for making dinner in a flash. I am starting a segment called - What’s in my pantry? My pantry has developed over many years of trial and error. One thing that is always in my pantry is a good quality olive oil. Olive oil is an excellent fat to use in a variety of places including salad dressings and sautees. I like to have an olive oil on hand that is not only great for cooking, but is good enough to eat on bread. I tried many types of olive oils before I settled on Olio Santo. I am not going to lie, olive oils can be very pricey and Olio Santo is no exception. What I like best about it is how smooth is tastes. Other olive oils I tried were very strong and the olivey flavor was simply too strong to use in more delicate places like salad dressings. Olio Santo is an excellent balance of rich and smooth. It taste great with a little bit of balsamic vinegar and crust of bread, the true test of any good olive oil. The cheapest place to buy it that I have found is amazon.com for just under $16 for a 16.9 oz bottle.
I am not saying you can’t get a decent olive oil in the local grocery store, but if you are going to splurge on a really great oil then I would suggest giving Olio Santo a try.
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