Kitchen Organization

I am going to attempt to tell y'all how I keep my kitchen organized.  There are 4 major areas where I keep all the things we need for sustenance.

1.  Spice Rack
2.  Pantry
3.  Refrigerator
4.  Freezer

The Spice(s) of Life

Maggie asked about spices. If I were just starting out, here's a list of the ones I would suggest that you have to keep on hand at all times:

Tony Chachere's (Hot & Spicy)
Tony Chachere's (regular)
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Oregeno
Parsley
Garlic Powder
Chili Powder
Cumin, ground
Curry Powder
Basil
Rosemary
Paprika
Cinnamon, ground
Sugar
Nutmeg, ground

When you are ready to get a little more advanced, here are a few others to add to your rack:

Sage
Tarragon
Dill Weed
Thyme
Bay Leaves
Coriander, ground
Fennel Seed
Turmeric, ground
Vanilla (liquid)

A few other things I keep close to the spices are:

EVOO (Extra-Virgin Olive Oil) - if you elect to keep reading this blog, you're going to see EVOO a lot!
Canola Oil
Soy Sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
White Vinegar
Tobasco Sauce
White Wine Vinegar
Red Wine Vinegar
Honey
Cooking Spray
Bread Crumbs
Flour

Pantry:

Broth  (chicken, beef and vegetable) - I prefer the ones in a box (rather than the can) because you can throw it in the fridge after it's opened.
Canned diced tomatoes (all flavors: regular, Italian, chili, chipotle)
Clams
Tuna
Canned beans (all varieties:  blackeyed peas, garbanzo, cannellini, pinto, black, kidney, navy)
Gravy packets
Cornbread mix (Corn-Kits or Jiffy...if you must)
Pasta (thin spaghetti, penne, lasagna, linguine)
Rice (brown and jasmine)
Dry beans (red, blackeyed  peas, lentils)
Cous cous (buy in the bulk section)
Crackers/pretzels
High fiber cereal (Grape Nuts are flexible...cereal or yogurt topper)

Refrigerator:

Milk
Butter
Orange juice
Cranberry juice
Eggs
Minced garlic
Lemons and limes
Mustard
Plain non-fat Greek yogurt
Non-fat cottage cheese
Sour Cream
Mayonnaise
Cheese (feta, pepper jack and sharp cheddar)
Smoked turkey sausage


Produce:

Fresh produce is often the hardest thing for a Busy Chick.  Mine used to go bad all the time.  Then I started making a huge salad as soon as I got back from the grocery store.  No excuses!  I could grab some on my way out the door to take to work for lunch without having to factor in time to prepare a full-on lunch each day.  I don't cut up the tomatoes or avocado ahead of time though.  Roma tomatoes are perfect for a single serving.  Grab a packet of tuna as well...great on top of your salad!

Grab a piece of fruit on your way out too!





Roma tomatoes
Avocado
Bananas
Lettuce (green leaf, red leaf or romaine)
Kale
Bananas
Onions (red or yellow)
Sweet potatoes
Green onions
Mushrooms
Bell peppers
Red Potatoes
Celery
Cucumbers
Baby carrots
Apples and Pears (in the fall)
Melons and Berries (in the summer)

...and the two no brainers for me...white wine and red wine...dry versions of both.

Freezer:

Meat - I buy what's on sale.  Period.  When I see it on sale, I buy extra.  But here are the things that I tend to keep an eye on and purchase when it's a good price.


*  Pork tenderloin
*  Whole roasting chicken
*  Chicken leg quarters
*  Chicken breasts
*  Ground turkey
*  Beef shoulder roast
*  Skirt steak
*  Shrimp
*  Fish (tilapia, salmon and red snapper are our favorites)
*  Pork chops

Veggies - The best invention are the Steamfresh vegetables.  Found in your freezer section, you can get almost anything.  We love the green beans, broccoli, broccoli and cauliflower, peas and occasionally...brussel sprouts.  DO NOT get fooled into buying the ones that have sauce on them.  Read the packaging!!!  They are chock full of preservatives and sodium.  The frozen veggies that you buy should have only one ingredient ---- the vegetable you are buying!  Don't get me wrong, I love fresh veggies as much as the next person.  But when my schedule is unpredictable and I may not get home until late evening, this is a great alternative for a Busy Chick.  You (nor your man ) will ever have the excuse of saying you didn't know how to make a vegetable for dinner!  Throw the bag in the microwave for 5 minutes.  Trust me, if Roland can do it...any other kitchen phobic person can as well.

Berries - The frozen berries are great for smoothies...especially in the winter when most are out of season or too expensive.

The next time we go to the store I will try and remember to take pictures of the pantry and frig.  Everything has its place so that I can know at a glance what's needed.  We also keep a magnetized shopping list on the frig.  As soon as something is low, we put it on the list.

We also mix and match so much of our groceries.  For example...my favorite salad dressing is simply olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. I'm getting a bit off topic, but I hope this helps.

As always, comments and questions are welcome!!!