Kitchen Must-Have List

Once again I have been slacking on the blog....been busy at the office! Sorry about that.

Anyway, back with a vengeance to talk about one of my favorite topics: Cooking. More specifically, the "top ten" ingredients I must always have in my kitchen, in order to whip up a fab mealtime creation at a moment's notice. I'm also trying something new.....the McLinky. If you have a blog and want to link your "top ten" to mine, you can sign up and do it! There may be some technical difficulties this first time, so bear with me! All these great ideas are courtesy of my friend, neighbor, and fellow blogger Lora who always does these Top Ten lists and I decided to play along. Speaking of, she gave me a little award, and I'm not really sure how to display it here, so if you want to see it, please go here. Thanks bunches, Lora! And if you found me courtesy of linking from her site, welcome!

OK, on to the Top Ten....

1. Pasta. I buy this when it is half price at Publix usually and I have coupons, which usually makes it like a quarter a box (or less) so it is a CHEAP staple ingredient.
2. Canned soups-also something I stock up on when it is BOGO/half-price+ coupons. I have to have the Campbell's cream soups for sauces and casseroles, as well as some of the many varieties of Progresso for those nights I don't really feel like cooking.
3. Diced Tomatoes. I usually have fire-roasted, plain, and basil/oregano. Seriously, you can put canned tomatoes in everything!
4. Canned and/or frozen veggies. Canned to get dumped in soups, stews, and chilis that go in the crockpot, and frozen for casseroles and just plain steaming in the microwave. I love fresh, but cooking for 1, it is hard not to be wasteful so it is often easier to go the other route.
5. Chicken broth-again, you can use it for everything! I do buy the small cans of it when they are on sale, but I also get the giant packs of 6 cartons at Costco. It is a great deal, and it is the organic kind, too.
6. Eggs-I love baking, so eggs are a must....I ALSO love breakfast at dinner, so I love to make omelets, fritattas, and bagel sandwiches because they are quick, easy, and filling.
7. Frozen chicken breasts-again, a Costco staple-I get the big bags, and they are individually wrapped, which is GREAT when only cooking for one or two to just pull out what you need!
8. Canned tuna/salmon-easy way to get protein and not have to buy "fresh meat" LOL! I love salmon or tuna cakes, OR just putting it plain over some spinach in a nice salad.
9. Flour-Again, with the baking, I like to have regular flour, whole wheat, and cornmeal on hand for whatever I want to make. I also recently bought some oat flour, wheat germ, and flax seeds to try and incorporate into my baking for a little added health benefits! I'll let you know what I come up with.
9. Basil-it is my go-to spice. If I don't know what to put on something, I usually use basil, because I like it. I buy the large size from Costco, and in the summer I grow my own fresh.
10. Shredded cheese. I always have a few varieties-at minimum, sharp cheddar, parmesan, and maybe an Italian blend of some kind. Sliced cheese I may or may not have, but shredded is always in the fridge drawer!

OK, what ingredient can't you live without having in your kitchen! Link up with McLinky and let me know!

Time to Catch Up!

It has been a while since I blogged.

Figured I needed to jump back in! Lost started its final season last night, the Bachelor is almost OVER, American Idol is gearing up, and we're right in the middle of awards season, always a favorite of mine, so I need to get back in the habit of sharing my most pressing thoughts on the matter of television with you. But before I do that, I have a little "news junkie" topic to discuss.

So, we've been hearing a lot about two politicians and their extramarital activities over the last two months: John Edwards (unless you live under a rock, he was VP candidate in 2004 and Presidential hopeful in 2008) and Mark Sanford (Gov. of SC). Edwards, I'm sure you know, made headlines recently by finally admitting that in addition to cheating on his cancer-stricken wife WHILE running for President, he also fathered a child with his mistress. Sanford, you may remember, is the Governor that disappeared for several days and turned out to be in Argentina with his mistress-who he publicly called his soulmate. OUCH to his wife! She filed for divorce in December after initially seeming willing to forgive, if not forget.

Well, cut to present day, and they are both back in the news again, both because books are being released giving more information about their scandals. Edwards is by his former campaign staffer, Andrew Young, who covered for Edwards by saying he too had an affair with the same woman and he was the father of her child. The Gov's wife, Jenny, is authoring her own book about her life and the destruction of her marriage.

I was reading on the web about both of these men's infidelities and it really stuck me how little these men care about the women that married them and fathered their beautiful children. Again, I'm reminded of how stinkin' scary it is to be single and looking for a good one! SIGH.

Preview of Jenny's book-she admits there were other women and that her husband had the balls to ask her for advice on how to deal with the public when admitting the affair but not ask her how she was feeling. I would actually read this one. I think her perspective is interesting.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/35205086/ns/today-today_books/?gt1=43001

Andrew Young's book, on the other hand, no thanks. I love this blog called "Eyes for Lies" by a "human lie detector." She is so interesting. Anyway, I had seen some of George Stephanopolous's interviews with Young and he really creeped me out. While I think John Edwards is a total rat, I don't think this guy is any better. Turns out, Eyes doesn't have a very favorable impression of him either.

http://eyesforlies.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-thoughts-on-andrew-young.html

So, with all that positive energy about love and relationships, who is watching the Bachelor, and why is that girl Vienna still on the show? What about the irony that last year, Jake was the one warning the Bachelorette that one of her suitors was not as nice as she thought and this year, he is completely ignoring all the girls who are telling him the same thing about Vienna? I bet he totally picks her and she dumps him because she just wants to be famous. Ugh.

I'm still digesting LOST from last night, but if anyone has a good theory so far I'm game to hear it!

And, my best friend's husband played bass on the Grammy's Album of the Year! And a guy I went to high school with won 2 Grammy's for producing it. Wow, 15 years ago he was charging me and his sister money to drive us around in an old gas-guzzling pick up truck, and now he has 2 Grammy Awards. I guess dreams really do come true! LOL. Never give up, folks, never give up.