Shelf Pantry Items ~ Cooking

Here you have it! These are the items I keep in my pantry on a regular basis. I’ve broken arranged these shelved items into two categories  — “Cooking” and “Baking”  — although there’s some cross-over. As  you can see from the picture, I am keeping in mind that many of you will have a very small “pantry.” Perhaps just a shelf or two above your counter. Been there, done it!  In fact, one of my New York City abodes had a kitchen that was so small, I had to use the sink as my prep counter as well.

COOKING:

  • Anchovies — once opened, store in fridge in the oil
  • Breadcrumbs — plain dried and panko
  • Canned tomatoes: crushed, diced, whole, and tomato paste
  • Canned beans — black, butter, cannellini, garbanzo, kidney
  • Capers — nonpareil – once opened, store in fridge
  • Chicken, vegetable and beef broths
  • Chipotle Peppers in adobo sauce — once opened, store in fridge
  • Coffee
  • Crackers — your favorite types
  • Dijon and Yellow Mustard — once opened, store in fridge
  • Dried beans & legumes — lentils, split peas, barley
  • Dried pastas — spaghetti, linguini, penne, acini di pepe, gemelli, plus your favorites
  • Garlic — store in a ceramic jar
  • Honey
  • Jams — your favorite flavors — once opened, store in fridge
  • Olive oil — regular and extra-virgin
  • Onions — both yellow and sweet
  • Peanut butter
  • Pickle Relish — once opened, store in fridge
  • Potatoes — I rotate among russet (baking), fingerling, new
  • Rice: long grain, brown, basmati, and Arborio
  • Roasted red peppers — once opened, store in fridge
  • Salsa — once opened, store in fridge
  • Sauces: Sriracha, Tabasco, Worcestershire
  • Shallots — store in a ceramic jar
  • Spices — garlic powder mixed with dried parsley, ground cumin, dried thyme leaves, dried oregano and basil, cayenne pepper, chili powder & crushed red pepper flakes
  • Tuna Fish — white in water and light in olive oil
  • Vegetable oil
  • Vinegars — white, apple cider, red wine vinegar, rice wine

Fridge:

  • Apples. oranges and other favorite fruit
  • Butter — unsalted and tub for spreading
  • Celery and carrots
  • Cheese — grated Romano, block of Parmesan, sliced Cheddar, grated Gruyere
  • Cucumbers
  • Fresh veggies
  • Half & Half
  • Lemons and limes
  • Lettuce
  • Milk
  • Pesto
  • Ricotta cheese
  • Whipped cream cheese

Freezer:  All items wrapped in freezer paper or freezer bags

  • All nuts — almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachio nuts . . .
  • Appetizers — like Baked Gruyere Toasts
  • Beef — steaks, ground, London Broil
  • Bread — all types — sliced rye, sub rolls, crusty artisan loaves
  • Chicken — boneless, skinless breasts, parts and whole
  • Leftovers that are well wrapped!
  • Pancetta slices — usually two
  • Puff pastry
  • Spices — peppercorns, poppy seeds, toasted sesame seeds, etc.