Kitchen Essentials - From Mrs. B's Retro Cooking Month

If you want to be able to whip up a good meal any night of the week, or if you want to make a recipe for a special purpose - love, prosperity, etc. - there are certain things that come in handy. My list of essential supplies has changed just a bit since I moved to Turkey, but some things are readily available almost anywhere. The following list is what I would have in my cupboards, fridge and freezer in the U.S.

Pantry:
Canned tomatoes, tomato paste, puree and sauce
Canned beans - pintos, cannelinis, kidney and black (dried are cheaper and more common than canned ones here, but the canned varieties are so much more convenient)
Onion soup mix - it makes great meat loaf
Chicken and vegetable broth, canned and powdered forms
Evaporated milk
Cream of mushroom soup
Basmati and Jasmine rice
Peanut butter
Tahini
Dried pasta
Jarred pasta sauce
Cornbread mix
Corn and creamed corn
Salsa
Green chiles
Garlic, onions, potatoes

Spice Rack
Ground cumin, cardamom, coriander, crushed red chili flake, garlic and onion powder, Italian seasoning, garam masala, turmeri, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla extract, taco seasoning

Freezer
Spinach
Stir-fry veggie mixes
Peas
Other veggies - broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, artichoke hearts
Ravioli
Shrimp
I usually have a bunch of crappy frozen meals in my freezer too. They're inexpensive (if you catch them on sale), convenient, and are relatively low-cal. Ready meals such as Lean Cuisine do not exist here in Turkey, which is probably a good thing

As for the refrigerator...well, things tend to get really fuzzy in there. The fridge is mainly for open condiments, bagged salad and any meat or produce I plan to use right away. I like to keep sour cream and yogurt too, but American yogurt is nothing compare to Turkish yogurt!

These staples help me put together beans and rice for dinner, white bean pate for a light meal or snack, chili with or without meat, pasta salad, and many other quick, easy, inexpensive meals.

Dang, this post really intensified my homesickness. I think I *will* look into returning to the states after this school year.