"This, That, and, Oh Yeah, That Too!"

       When I got married, it was not only the first time that I had lived in my own place, but also the first time I had to buy groceries all by my lonesome. My mother had always bought our groceries. And it is not like she lives next door so that I can just run over and steal something from her pantry. She lives in California and now my family resides in Ohio. Needless to say, this was one of those times I had to learn by trial and error. 
        There were many times over the course of our first year of marriage that I "forgot" something at the grocery store. My poor husband was often sent back to the store to pick up what I needed while I got busy in the kitchen. After many visits to the grocery store, and I fear his growing contempt for my forgetfulness (though he was always gracious about going), I learned there were essentials in my kitchen that I always needed to have on hand. 
         I wish when I got married that they had some kind of starter list, like "You Will Need This, That, and,  Oh Yeah, That Too." That would have been very helpful and saved me a lot of grief. Now, this is not to say that I never forget an ingredient when I go to the store now. However, those visits are few and far between compared to before. I've comprised a list of ingredients and equipment that I always keep on hand. Hopefully some will find this useful. 


Fridge:
Milk
Large Eggs
Unsalted Butter (2 pkgs on hand at all times)
Mexican Shredded Cheese
Mozzarella Shredded Cheese
Grated Parmesan  
Ketchup
Sour Cream
Philadelphia Cream Cheese (Yes, the brand matters in this case)
Mayonaise


Meats:
Ground Beef (always 80/20 or 90/10 ratio)
Turkey Bacon
Chicken Breasts
SN: I find that going to Costco or a wholesale place for meat works well for our family. Since there are two boys that eat meat and one momma that doesn't, I find that prepackaged chicken breasts (2 breasts to one package) are resourceful for us. This way, we don't cook too much meat and waste what we don't use. 


Canned Products:
Contadina Tomato Paste (2 cans on hand at all times)
Organic Diced Tomatoes
Tomato Sauce (so you can make your own spaghetti sauce)
Kidney Beans
Pinto Beans
Campbell's Cream of Mushroom (2 cans on hand)
"           "   Cream of Onion
"           "   Cream of Chicken (2 cans on hand)
Large Whole Black Olives
Vegetable Broth
Chicken Stock (I prefer brands that do not use MSG)
Oatmeal
Italian Bread Crumbs
Red Hot Sauce


Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice:
Dry Mustard
Bay Leaves (must have if making homemade sauce)
Crushed Red Pepper
Cinnamon
Italian Spices
 - Tuscan Sunset from Penzey's is an incredible blend of Italian spices with no salt added!
Oregano
Marjoram
Thyme
Cumin
Cream of Tartar
Allspice
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt
Sea Salt
Pepper
Nutmeg
Paprika
Rosemary
Pure Vanilla
White Sugar
Light Brown Sugar
Confectioner's Sugar (better known as powdered sugar)
Biscuit Mix
All-Purpose, Unbleached flour
Balsamic Vinegar
White Vinegar
Vegetable Oil
Olive Oil
Garlic-infused Olive Oil
Quick-Rise Yeast
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Chocolate Chips (I use Enjoy Life brand of chocolate chips, extremely expensive but peanut-free!)
SN: I really recommend, if budget allows, that you buy quality spices. I didn't always think it made a difference, but after trying Penzey's spices, I am a changed woman! Mccormick is also a great brand. 



  Starches, Starches, and more Starches:
Brown Rice
Wild Rice
White Rice
Fettuccine
Angel Hair Pasta
Spaghetti
Lasagna Noodles (I prefer that flat noodles with no sides)
Manicotti Noodles
Rotelle-Wheels
Farfalle
Elbows
Penne
Rigatoni
SN: Pasta is great to have on hand because it's easy to make, it's so diverse, and it's cheap. I like to try different shapes of noodles for different recipes. Also, if you can find it, wheat pastas (provided you aren't allergic to wheat) are a great alternative to semolina pastas. They have more nutrients and are therefore more filling. 


Produce:
Apples
White Onion
Spanish Onion
Red Onion
Garlic Cloves
Broccoli ( I use a lot so I keep a lot on hand)
Green Peppers
Cucumber
Romaine Leaves
Tomatoes
- Roma
- On the vine
- Grape or cherry tomatoes
Lemon
Mushrooms
Bananas
SN: Most of what I keep on hand in terms of produce depends on what is in season. During the summer I keep lots of berries on hand because they're in season and cheaper!


Equipment:
Stove-top pans
Kitchen-Aid Mixer (worth the money!!)
Blender
Tongs(2 sets)
Measuring Cups (3 sets if you cook a lot!)
Measuring Spoons (I also keep 3 sets of these)
Spatulas (2 or more)
Ladle
Slotted spoon
Serving Spoons (2-3 depending on if you plan on entertaining)
Kitchen Knife set (wish I could afford Wusthof knives, but my set works fine)
Peeler
Grater
Colander
Liquid Measuring Cup
Mixing ceramic or metal bowls (metal bowls if you're looking for durability)
Tray
Tupperware
Loaf Pan
9x13 Baking Pan ( I like Pyrex glass, but every chef is different)
Square Baking Pan (8x8 or 9x9)
Muffin Pan
Cookie Sheet( I keep several at my house)
Cutting boards (usually one for meat, another for produce)
Crock-Pot
Meat Cleaver
Rolling Pin
Sifter


Hopefully this list will help someone get started, or, at the very least, let you know what my kitchen looks like! :)